The USS Salem was the flagship of the 6th Fleet and is nicknamed “The Sea Witch.” She was first launched in 1947 as a Naval cruiser and was fortunate to never see any battle. But that didn’t keep her from being linked to death with reports of onboard deaths ranging from 75 to 100. And that has left ghosts on this now floating museum in Quincy, Massachusetts that we had the opportunity to explore when we visited Salem in August of 2022. Join us for the history and hauntings of the USS Salem! The Moment in Oddity features Magnetic Termites and This Month in History features Cy Young’s major league debut. We are joined by Jared Rang who suggested this location!
https://sites.libsyn.com/58064/ep-502-uss-salem
Tag Archives: Haunted Massachusetts
The Cocoanut Grove in Boston started as a speakeasy and grew to become a very popular club. In 1942, the nightclub burned to the ground with hundreds of patrons trapped inside. This would be the second deadliest nightclub fire in US history. And although the area where the club was once located has completely changed, the spirits have refused to leave the site of their tragic ends. Join us for the history and hauntings of the Cocoanut Grove fire. The Moment in Oddity features a mummified squirrel and This Month in History features the birth of Golda Meir.
https://sites.libsyn.com/58064/ep-485-cocoanut-grove-fire
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The historic seaside town of Duxbury, Massachusetts is covered in dune grass with pebbled shores and crisp air touched with salt and the scent of pine and cedar and is home to several haunted locations. The Alden Inn dates back to the first Pilgrims to settle the Plymouth area and is rumored to be haunted by the Aldens who arrived on the Mayflower. The Sun Tavern Inn had been home to the “Last Duxbury Hermit” who still hangs out in the afterlife. And the Gurnet Light gave America their first female lightkeeper who still is taking care of the place after death. Join us as we share the history and hauntings of Duxbury, Massachusetts! The Moment in Oddity was suggested by Chelsea Flowers and features Pelorus Jack and This Month in History features the birth of Ronald Reagan. https://sites.libsyn.com/58064/ep-474-haunted-duxbury-massachusetts
Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This is America’s oldest university and was established in 1636. This was meant for the education of clerics, but moved on to becoming an Ivy League College of higher learning. Presidents, esteemed authors and pioneers in medicine and engineering have all been educated here. This is a place of science. And yet, many students and staff have come away with tales of ghostly experiences. Join us as we explore the history and hauntings of Harvard University! The Moment in Oddity features a refrigerator-sized asteroid being only the fifth one detected in history and This Month in History features an oxygen tank exploding on Apollo 13.
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Nantucket is a small isolated island off of Cape Cod and has long been a summer destination for people. This had once been a whaling hub and was originally home to the Algonquian Nehantucket People. Fog regularly envelopes the island leading to it being nicknamed “The Little Grey Lady of the Sea.” It seems the perfect setting for a few ghost stories and this little island has plenty of them. Join us as we explore the history and hauntings of Nantucket! The Moment in Oddity was suggested by Sarah Lynn Jones and features criminal confessions to skeleton and This Month in History features the Triple Conjunction blamed for the Black Death.
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Lyceums were part of an educational movement in the New England area during the Victorian era. These were places that hosted some of the greatest orators of the time and one in particular was the scene of Alexander Graham Bell making the first successful long distance phone call. This would be the Salem Lyceum Hall. Today it is Turner’s Seafood Grill and Market. This sits on land once owned by Bridget Bishop who was the first to die during the Salem Witch Trials. Is this land cursed? Is that why there are ghost stories connected to this property? Join us as we explore the history and haunts of the Lyceum Hall. The Moment in Oddity was suggested by Gail Frederick and features an abandoned town of Disneyesque castles and This Month in History features The Niagara Movement forming.
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Boston is one of the oldest cities in America and full of history. One center of this history is the Boston Common, which is considered America’s oldest park. The Common has been around for well over 350 years and has been witness to some of the most important moments in American history from public hangings to wars to victories to protests to public mourning and so much more. Nearly every war since the city was established has had a connection to this central heart of Boston. So much emotion is wrapped up here, it’s not surprising that strange experiences are reported all over the Common. Join us as we explore the history and hauntings of the Boston Common. The Moment in Oddity was suggested by Robert Kruse and features The Green Mist of Chino Hills and This Month in History features the signing of the German Instrument of Surrender.
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Hammond Castle is a medieval-style castle found in Gloucester, Massachusetts. This elaborate and whimsical structure was built by its eccentric namesake, John Hays Hammond, Jr. This was not just a home, but a laboratory because Hammond was an inventor who held over 800 patents. The interesting decor reflects the eclectic spirit of the man who lived here, but it may also still be holding on to that spirit. The ghost of Hammond is said to roam his former dwelling, but it may not just be his spirit here. Join us as we explore the history and hauntings of Hammond Castle! The Moment in Oddity features Prague’s Charles Bridge and This Month in History features Samuel Pepys starting his diary.
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Most of my adult listeners have probably read something written by classic author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Nearly all schools require a reading of “The Scarlet Letter.” Hawthorne also wrote other classic stories and one of those books is “The House of the Seven Gables.” Within the pages of this volume is a ghost story. Hawthorne himself claimed to be a skeptic, but even he had some experiences. And the house he wrote about was not a fiction. It is a real home that can be found in Salem, Massachuesetts. Apparently, it’s not just the novel that claims that the location is haunted. Visitors and staff to the now museum, claim to have had experiences they cannot explain. Join me as we explore the beliefs of Nathaniel Hawthorne and the history and hauntings of The House of the Seven Gables! The Moment in Oddity was suggested by Kim Gasiorowski and features three cages on St. Lamberti Church spire and This Month in History features Unabomber killing first victim. Our location was suggested by Nicole Cardarelli.
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The town of Salem, Massachusetts carries a mystique that can be traced back to what has made this location infamous and that are the witch trials that began in 1692. One of the prominent figures in those trials was a man named Jonathan Corwin. When another judge was reluctant to continue forward with the trials, Jonathan stepped in, signing arrest warrants and taking part in hearings. The result of these trials would be the deaths of nineteen people. Corwin owned one of the few mansions in town and it would come to be known as the Witch House. Legends have cropped up around the house that the souls of those convicted of witchcraft haunt the home and other tales claim that women were tortured there to get their confessions. None of these are true. But something is haunting the former home of Jonathan Corwin. Join us and our special guest, Amanda Prouty who has given tours in Salem, as we explore the history and hauntings of the Witch House. Moment in Oddity features the history behind the electric chair as suggested by listener Karen Hubbard and This Day in History is by Richard Schaffer and features PeterFechter shot at the Berlin Wall. Our location was suggested by our listener and guest Amanda Prouty!
Spectral Edition by Tim Prasil of http://themerryghosthunter.wordpress.com
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