Footsteps in your hallway, but you are home alone. Doors slamming all by themselves.
A light goes on, a light goes off, without touching the switch. A scent of perfume
lingers in your living room. Are you imagining these things, or could it be a ghost?
It is believed that Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard are home
to a multitude of ghosts who haunt various homes throughout the area. So, light
the fire, get a hot drink, curl up in a comfortable chair, and read on for some
chilling tales of haunted houses and moving ghost stories from Cape Cod and the
Islands.
Truro cemetery (Courtesy of Cape Cod Haunted and History Tours)
The first tale comes from Dennis, where it is believed that Capt. Roland Kelley
haunts his former home at 480 Main St. Reports from this beautiful Victorian home
include the sounds of footsteps on the stairs and a door knob being rattled. A young
resident of the home reported seeing a man standing at the edge of her bed staring
intently at her - strange enough by itself, but even more so that was that he was
transparent.
Should you visit the Dillingham House in Sandwich, look for door latches lifting
and rocking chairs rocking away while nobody is sitting there. Listen for children’s
voices, giggles, and the pitter-patter of tiny feet in the halls. The story goes
that Branch Dillingham committed suicide in the home in 1813. A few weeks later,
his wife died and their nine children were left without parents. Are Branch, Ruth,
and their nine children haunting this house? Head on over and judge for yourself.
According to the police reports that have been filed over the years regarding suspicious
activity at the Dillingham House, October seems to be the most active time for ghosts
at the old house.
The Orleans Inn is so haunted that it was featured on the television program Ghost
Hunters on the SyFy Channel. The ghost hunters made a special visit to the Inn,
and indeed their research revealed evidence (unexplained shadows and voices in empty
rooms) that ghosts inhabit the Inn. So, who are these ghosts that wander the halls
of the Orleans Inn? They are believed to be three: Hannah, a lady of the night who
lived in the building when it was run as a brothel in the 1920’s, was reportedly
murdered there one evening. Also joining Hannah is Fred, a bartender who hanged
himself in the home’s cupola in the 1950’s. And rounding out the cast of ghosts
is Paul, a dishwasher who took his life in the basement of the Inn. Should you stop
by, listen for footsteps, look for doors opening and closing by themselves, and
candles being lit with no one in sight. Don’t be surprised if you feel a blast of
cold air at various locations in the building, and, if you head to room 5, you may
catch a glimpse of Hannah dancing around the room!
The Jared Coffin house on Nantucket is also believed to be haunted. The three-story
mansion was built by Mr. Coffin, a prosperous shipowner, for his wife, but they
did not stay long and sold the mansion shortly after it was completed. It is believed
that Mrs. Coffin wanted to be closer to Boston, but did Mr. Coffin return to the
home after his death? On cool evenings when the fireplace is lit, one may find a
rocking chair next to the fireplace rockng slowly back and forth. The belief is
that it’s Mr. Coffin returning to this spot to warm up. There are also stories of
a Puritan female ghost, critical of unmarried couples who share a room. Accounts
have stated that this apparition will pull the covers off these couples while they
sleep. Hmmm…could these tales be true?
Walking Ghosts (Courtesy of Cape Cod Haunted and History Tours)
Our final story comes from the Island of Martha’s Vineyard. The house, known as
Windy Gates and located in the woods just a few feet from Wequobsket cliffs in Chilmark,
was a grand estate owned by the Sanford family in the 1890’s. Sadly, tragedy struck
the family in the form of poverty and a string of mysterious deaths, including the
death of Mr. Sanford, their daughter and a family friend. Mrs. Sanford left the
estate, never to return. People claim that at Windy Gates there are inexplicable
sights and sounds: lights turning on and off, voices heard with nobody around. Also
apparitions have been seen in and around the house. A man dressed in clothing from
earlier centuries lingers in the home and on the grounds. There have also been sightings
of the ghost of a woman who threw herself from the cliffs upon learning that her
husband, who was on a whaling ship, had died at sea.
These are just a few ghost tales from the Cape and Islands. Want to learn more intriguing ghost tales from one of the most haunted areas in New England? If so, read the book, Haunted Cape Cod & The Islands by Mark Jasper.
Here are some fun and spooky events: