The East Coast of the United States is rich in history, culture, and natural beauty. It also has a darker side, full of spooky stories, eerie encounters, and the paranormal. From haunted hotels to creepy cemeteries and prisons, there are many places on the East Coast that claim to be home to restless spirits and ghostly apparitions.
In this article, I will introduce you to five of the most haunted places on the East Coast, based on their history, reputation, and popularity among ghost hunters and tourists.
(“Hawthorne Hotel | The Hawthorne Hotel was built in 1924-25 i…”)
Based in Salem, Massachusetts, where the infamous witch trials, a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts, were held. The Hawthorne Hotel is known for the haunting of a ghostly woman who lurks on the sixth floor, the unexplainable noises in rooms 325 and 612 along with the moving of furniture.
(“Hotel Chelsea, NYC NY | On West 23rd, and opened in 1884, Th…”)
In Hotel Chelsea, based in New York City, a New York woman named Mary, also known as the Vain Ghost, was a survivor of the Titanic disaster. She had lost her husband and was depressed and distraught. Mary had ended up at Chelsea Hotel and is said to have taken her life on the fifth floor. She is seen under the archway in the hallway and is said to be looking at herself in the mirror, which gave her the name Vain Ghost.
(McGinn)
The Belcourt Castle in Newport, Rhode Island is said to have mysterious noises and voices. One of the main hauntings is in a suit of armor. The armor’s right arm supposedly moves just before a scream is heard. Another thing is many apparitions, a ghost or ghostlike image of a person, are seen walking around including disembodied voices.
https://picryl.com/media/eastern-state-penitentiary-is-a-former-american-prison-located-at-2027-fairmount
The Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, where thousands of prisoners suffered and died in solitary confinement. This prison, which opened in 1829 and closed in 1971, has a history of people taking their lives, murder, torture, madness, and disease. This place had a bunch of torture tactics that would make your skin crawl such as the mad chair, which bound an inmate so tightly that circulation was cut off, later necessitating amputations. Cellblock 12 is known for echoing voices and cackling, Cellblock 6 for shadowy figures darting along the walls, and Cellblock 4 for visions of ghostly faces.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kzirkel/8037825458
The Mark Twain House in Hartford, Connecticut is said to be haunted by several ghosts, including Twain’s daughter Susy, who died of meningitis in the house in 1986. Some even reported to see many apparitions, hearing voices, smelling cigar smoke, and feeling tugs on their clothing.Whether you are a believer or a skeptic, a thrill-seeker or a curious traveler, you might want to explore some of these haunted places on the East Coast. These places are not for the faint of heart, but they offer a unique and memorable experience for the people who dare to visit them.
Works Cited
Dalrymple, Laurel. “Is Eastern State Penitentiary Really Haunted?” NPR, 24 October 2013, https://www.npr.org/2013/10/24/232234570/is-eastern-state-penitentiary-really-haunted. Accessed 26 November 2023.
“Historic Hotels of America.” Historic Hotels of America, https://www.historichotels.org/us/hotels-resorts/hawthorne-hotel/ghost-stories.php. Accessed 26 November 2023.
Mahoney, Melissa. “One Of The Most Haunted Mansions In Rhode Island, Belcourt Castle, Has Been Around Since 1891.” OnlyInYourState, 2 February 2021, https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/rhode-island/haunted-belcourt-castlel-ri/. Accessed 26 November 2023.
Painter, Sally. “Is the Mark Twain House Haunted? Reports of Ghostly Encounters | LoveToKnow.” Paranormal, https://paranormal.lovetoknow.com/paranormal-interviews/haunted-mark-twain-house-museum. Accessed 26 November 2023.
“The Haunted Hotel Chelsea.” US Ghost Adventures, https://usghostadventures.com/haunted-places/americas-most-haunted-hotels-and-inns/the-haunted-hotel-chelsea/. Accessed 26 November 2023.