Top 10 Haunted Places in Boston

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Boston is the largest city in the New England region of the United States. Established in 1822, it was settled in 1630 and has a rich history that dates back well before the Revolutionary War. Boston’s place in American history was marked by several poignant events, including the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere’s ride, and the “Shot Hear Around The World” at nearby Lexington.

Of course, with such life-altering events comes tragedy and death, and the spirits left behind. The streets of Boston are alive with the ghosts of a violent past, and we’re about to introduce you to their favorite stomping grounds.

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10) Boston Common

When the British had control over Boston, Boston Common served as a place where executions were carried out. However, it wasn’t the British Army that carried them out as they did during the Revolutionary War. Rather, it was the Puritan settlers who would execute those who committed severe crimes against their church, with their primary offense being witchcraft.

Who Haunts the Boston Common Grounds?

The grounds are said to be haunted by both the executed and the executioner, with reports of shadowy figures around the tree used for executions and the disembodied sounds of anguished weeping.

9) Georges Island

Located east of Boston Harbor is an island that is said to be haunted by a ghost known as the “Lady In Black.” The story behind this island is interesting. Before there was Alcatraz, there was Georges Island, which served as a prison for Confederate soldiers during the Civil War.

It was said that the “Lady In Black” was the wife of a Confederate soldier who was held prisoner on the island. She had planned to bust him out while disguising herself as a Union soldier. But when she was exposed, her fate was sealed. It was said that she was either shot on sight or was tried and sentenced to death soon after.

8) Omni Parker House

Named after developer Harvey Parker, The Omni Parker House is one of the most prestigious hotels in the City of Boston. Some past visitors to this hotel have included author Charles Dickens, who stayed on the third floor each time he visited Boston. Word has it that the ghost of Dickens himself may have moved the elevator to the third floor without any buttons being pressed or lit up.

As for other specters looming around the Omni Parker, one other might be of Harvey Parker. According to one recount, a guest saw a “heavyset man with a black mustache.” It is also rumored that this specter may be present in a possible annex of the tenth floor. If you are considering staying where a haunting may be right outside your door, the Omni Parker House might be the place to go.

7) Charlestown Bridge

The Charlestown Bridge is located towards the end of the Freedom Trail. Of all the places you’ll come across on a trail that features the Old Granary Burial Ground and Paul Revere’s House, this might be where you’ll hear the stories of certain hauntings. It is said that the sounds of horse hooves clacking can be heard somewhere in the distance. But the phantom horse could not be found.

That might be the specter that belonged to a Boston resident named Peter Rugg. Rugg was said to have disappeared on the night he was headed back to Boston from nearby Concord. It was a stormy night, and it’s believed Rugg may have had trouble navigating the terrain around him. His body has never been discovered, and his spirit is now believed to wander on the West side of the Charlestown Bridge.

6) Park Street Station

The MBTA Subway System (better known as the “T”) spans the city and the suburbs of Boston. Within the system is a station that’s connected to the Red and Green Lines of the “T” and is considered one of the busiest. However, it’s not just the living that keeps this station lively. It appears that the Park Street Station also serves commuters in the afterlife.

In addition to disembodied sounds and voices, there have been stories of some hauntings at other stations. The Boylston Street Station was the sight of a gas explosion that happened in 1897 that had killed nearly a dozen people. If you live in Boston and commute using the Green Line, you might ask yourself who else has been riding along with you this whole time.

5) Granary Burial Ground

The Granary Burial Ground is located right off the Freedom Trail. It is one of the oldest cemeteries in Boston. History’s most famous figures, like John Hancock, Thomas Paine, and Paul Revere, are laid to rest here. Believe it or not, there is another famous person who is also buried here. Legend has it that the one known as “Mother Goose” is said to be interred here in this cemetery.

It should be no surprise that the specters of some of our founding fathers might be milling around here on this old-school burial ground that is nearly 400 years old. Most of the dead buried here were also the earliest casualties of the Revolutionary War. One such notable person was a freed slave named Crispus Attucks, who was killed in action during the Boston Massacre against the British Army just before the Revolutionary War took place.

4) Hooper-Lee-Nichols House

Throughout the Revolutionary War, the Hessian soldiers assisted the British in beating back the Colonists. This house was one of the places where they quartered up. The specters of a few Hessian soldiers were said to be dormant until the early 20th century when a new annexation of the house was added on. Because of the construction, it was said to have awakened them.

One interesting fact is that these five Hessian soldiers stayed behind after the British surrendered to the Americans, thus ending the Revolutionary War. It is said that the Hessian soldiers were playing cards and have been stuck in a stalemate ever since, as some who have strolled past the house at night have seen the spirits of these soldiers locked in a game.

3) George Parkman House

This house was the site of a gruesome murder that took place in 1849. The victim was George Parkman, a highly respected physician throughout Boston. Murdered and dismembered by a Harvard professor, Parkman’s remains were burned and found by a janitor near the “cadaver room” of Harvard Medical School. It is said that Parkman’s ghost is a fixture of the home and is the subject of many haunted encounters. He may also have been the cause of several disturbances in and around the Bunker Hill neighborhood for many decades.

2) Berklee College Of Music Residence Hall

Berklee College of Music is one of the most prestigious music schools in the country, next to Julliard in New York. Despite the noise many people make with the myriad of musical instruments, the shuffling from the residence hall may cause the biggest ruckus. Years ago, a fire broke out in the residence hall, leaving several dead and their spirits wandering the hall and campus.

Beyond spectral sightings, some have reported seeing random fires starting. One such recent fire occurred in October of 2018 causing many students to be displaced and transferred off campus to a nearby building. The fire badly left the building damaged. While the cause may not have been known, you can draw your conclusion on what may have started it in the first place.

1) Cutler Majestic Theatre

The Cutler Majestic Theatre is located on the campus of Emerson College. Built in the early 20th century, this was where many performing art events happened. It was also the location where a former mayor of the city died midway through a performance.

It’s believed that the mayor is hanging around the theatre and may be the cause of random power outages and the shuffling of chairs. Even a handful of students that have attended Emerson College will often tell the stories of strange power outages that have occurred inside the theatre while it was still “lights on” outside for the rest of the campus.

Ready to uncover more otherworldly hotspots in Boston? Join Boston Ghosts on a Boston ghost tour tonight!

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