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History
During the War of 1812 it became obvious the United States of America needed to improve it’s coastal defenses against potential attacks by foreign nations. Maine was singled due to having it’s territory invaded in the war and a border dispute with the New Brunswick Province of the British colony in Canada that flamed back up in 1820s.
A decision was made to build a major arsenal in Augusta on the Kennebec River. Plans were developed in 1827 and construction began in 1828.
By 1831 the arsenal was complete, but enlargements continued until 1838.
In 1838 troops were sent to the border with New Brunswick when tensions suddenly escalated. Thanks to US General Winfield Scott a stand down of forces on both sides was negotiated. In 1842 the border was solidified – where it still is in present day – by treaty.
The arsenal manufactured weapons for both the Mexican-American War and the Civil War but was closed in 1901 when it was deemed insufficient for manufacturing weapons in future wars.
The federal government transferred ownership to the state government who, in turn, expanded the grounds of the Maine State Hospital – an insane asylum – onto the arsenal property. All the wooden buildings were torn down, but the granite buildings were used by the hospital.
In 2004 the hospital – now called the Augusta Mental Health Institute – was shut down and moved to a modern facility. The grounds were sold to a developer under conditions to preserve the historical integrity of the site.
In 2012 the Attorney General of the State of Maine sued the developer to regain ownership of the site. It claimed the developer was not taking care of the property and over $1 millions of damage had occurred in the past 4 years.
The developer said the downturn in the economy had stalled their plans and disagreed with the State’s decision. By the end of 2013 the developer had replaced roofs on the 6 of the buildings and the State had agreed to mediated sessions to solve the dispute.
The dispute is ongoing with the Augusta City Council declaring the developer once again in fault of not taking care of property as well as it being a significant fire hazard in 2022.
2024 maps indicate at least one of the buildings has been converted into condos.
Paranormal Activity
The property cannot be entered and must be looked at from outside the fence.
It is reported that over 11,000 people while under the care of the asylum. There are almost no records as to where this people were buried probably all over the property. Many people think the majority were buried along the riverbank.
Many of the deaths were from suicides.
There is also a long history of incompetence by the staff that led to patient deaths.
Reported Activity: apparitions of both former staff and patients; shadow figures; time and dimensional slips; cold and hot spots; unexplained mists and fogs including ones human shaped and moving against the wind; disembodied voices; phantom footsteps; unexplained sounds from whispers to loud bangs; objects moving on their own including doors and windows opening on their own; there are rumors of things being captured on the security cameras that are unexplainable; an powerful empathic sensations of sadness and anger; phantom laughter, screaming and weeping; unexplained physical symptoms including migraines, nausea and vomiting; light anomalies and feelings of being watched, not being alone and not being wanted.
HAVE YOU HAD A PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS LOCATION?
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By Svetlana Miljkovic - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8042714
History
The land for the cemetery was purchased in July of 1834. At the time Bangor was just a frontier boom town. It is the second oldest garden cemetery in the United States and was designed after Auburn Cemetery in Boston.
Stephen King has hinted that he used names on the tombstones as some of the characters for his books. When he lived in Bangor this cemetery was his go to place to come up with ideas. The movie Pet Semetery (based on his book) – the original – was partially filmed in the cemetery.
Paranormal Activity
The infamous gangster Al Brady is buried in the cemetery. There are many reports of people seeing the apparition of Mr Brady wandering the grounds.
People have also reported cold spots even at the height of summer and phantom footsteps following them in the cemetery.
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History
The Eastern Maine Methodist Conference was formed in 1848 because of the rise in the popularity of Methodism in 1840’s in eastern Maine. This building was constructed after the Conference decided to build a seminary.
Wilson Hall was constructed in 1850-51.
It was and is the largest Greek Revival building in Bucksport and the only seminary in the County.
The seminary closed in 1933 and remained empty until 1941 when it was bought by the Roman Catholic Oblate Fathers. They opened up the St Joseph Seminary which operated until 1971.
The property was sold in 1978 to a private owner.
The building fell into disrepair until the town took over and renovated it.
In 2019 it was purchased again – for a one dollar – by a developer who is – you guessed it – redeveloping the property.
The cemetery beside the building belonged to the Red Paint People who lived here between 2000 and 6000 years ago before any other Aboriginal Tribe was in the Maine area.
Paranormal Activity
Although there are multiple websites claiming paranormal activity at this site there are almost none that detail any actual activity.
The following activity has been recorded: apparitions of priests; disembodied voices; phantom footsteps; light anomalies and the feeling of not being alone.
On the disrespectful creepy side, the original European settlers not only dug up and disturbed the gravesites of the Red Paint People but they used the red ocher – the tribe buried their dead in red ocher – to cover things like their door frames.
So, they literally spread the remains of these people over their houses.
The Red Paint People have ample reasons to haunt these grounds.
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History
This cliff provides a impressive view as it towers 800 feet over Megunticook Lake.
On May 6, 1862 Elenora French, with 2 members of her family and friends, hiked to the top of this cliff. Elenora had just gotten a pretty new pink bonnet and was proudly wearing it on this excursion. Unfortunately, the wind caught her hat and pulled it from her head. She chased the hat and ended up falling the 300 feet off of the cliff.
This is the most often quoted story, however, Elenora's sister gave an interview after the accident saying that Elenora was playing around and was last seen sitting near the edge of the cliff. Elenora was 12 years when this tragic accident happened.
Remarkably she survived the fall and broke none of her bones; she did suffer from terrible internal injuries. Her family took her back home but nothing could be done and she passed away in her home at 12:30am. There is a large white cross (that has been replaced many times by volunteers) and a plaque on the top of the cliff commemorating her death.
There is also an urban legend that says a heart broken woman threw herself from the cliff – this is not true.
Paranormal Activity
The phantom image of her pink hat has been seen still floating in the winds. There are also stories of her hat being seen floating in the ocean - one problem the cliff does not overlook the ocean and is too far from the lake for it to be seen floating there. More than likely the apparition of the hat – if there’s any truth to it at all – is seen floating on the lake.
Her disembodied screams have also been heard as she fell from the cliff edge.
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History
This elegant mansion was built in 1913 by James Fairfield for his bride Lois Walker.
Captain Fairfield - a ship captain - decided to become a privateer in the War of 1812. It was a decision made with very few other choices - the British blockade of the American east coast ended any hope of legal trade. Unfortunately, he was captured by the British and sent to the infamous Dartmoor Prison.
He survived his incarceration, as many did not, and returned home to his wife Lois after the war ended. They only had a few years together before the Captain died of pneumonia in 1820.
After his death Lois sold the house to a family friend and moved in with her brother and sister-in-law. She only lived another year before joining her husband in the hereafter.
In the 1980s the house was purchased and renovated into a bed and breakfast. It is now owned by Lark Hotels and described as a Boutique Hotel. It is considered a very romantic destination well suited for newlyweds and for anniversaries.
Have an anniversary coming up or planning to honeymoon in Maine? – why not add a little paranormal investigating to the celebrations?
Paranormal Activity
The Captain seems to be reluctant to leave the home he didn't get to spent enough time in. His apparition has been seen lurking in a dark corner of the basement.
His presence has also been felt by many guests while in their rooms.
He has been recognized from his one remaining portrait and is said to be same happy positive man he was in life.
HAVE YOU HAD A PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS LOCATION?
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History and Legends
The first settler in what is now Haynesville was in 1828 when what would become the State of Maine was a wild and woolly place.
Route 2A through the town was heavily used prior to Interstate 95 being built for hauling potatoes into the State from the south. For many years large numbers of tractor-trailers would travel this road day and night. Even today accidents are often still reported on this bend in the road.
The almost 90 degree just east of town is extremely hard to navigate; especially in the winter. Per a song by Dick Curless there’s a tombstone for every mile of this road with a trucker buried under it.
And its not just truckers who had died in fatal accidents on this stretch of road but numerous families, couples and single drivers have been killed in fatal accidents in their personal cars and trucks. Add to that the number of people struck and killed on the side of the road and you end up with one of Maine’s most haunted locations.
In 1967, two 10-year-old girls were struck and killed by a tractor trailer on the side of the road.
Then we have the legend of the Flesher Witch in these woods.
In the 19th century the Wilcox family settled in these woods. Their daughter, Annie, complained of something scratching on her bedroom window at night. Then Annie reported she was hearing whispers in her room, being nibbled all over her body and having her blankets pulled off her body. Annie could even identify her attacker – an old woman with face like melted wax.
Her parents either didn’t believe her or didn’t do enough to protect her. She finally attacked so severely her face was badly scratched; a month later she disappeared completely.
Her body was found by hunters next to the body of an old woman with a severe facial deformity – Annie’s face had been peeled off.
According to legend this was not the end of the family’s misery: Annie’s 2 brothers died in a swimming accident, her mother hung herself and her father – mad with grief – wandered into the forest and was never seen again.
Paranormal Activity
Legends and paranormal activity aside these are deep woods and it is highly recommended you do not wonder into them after dark unless you possess the skills to do so.
Many people believe this to be the most haunted location in Maine due to the level and different kinds of paranormal activity in such a small area.
The ghost seen most often is that of a woman in her 20’s who flags drivers down at night on the side of the highway. She is also known for just appearing in front of stopped cars in tears and begging for help.
She will often disappear when drivers slow down and/or walk or move toward her but if you’re really lucky she will stay solid and say she’s been in a terrible accident and her husband needs help. At some point before the accident site – which, of course, is somewhere in the past – is reached she will disappear.
Usually when she does suddenly disappear there is a chill in the air left behind.
Her ghost is said to from an actual accident in winter where a new bride survived a terrible car accident but her husband did not. She escaped from the car and went looking for help but died from exposure and cold before she could be rescued.
The ghost a little girl – possibly more than one little girl; though never more than one at a time – is also seen on the side of the road. The girl will get in your car most times if you stop and offer her a ride, in most cases, but will disappear right from the car very quickly.
In the woods themselves the apparition of a girl with a melted face is seen running through the trees.
When children and/or pets are lost in the woods the Flesher Witch is blamed although its unclear if the Witch is the old lady or the young girl at this point. Many people and animals are never seen again but many who do return are found with scratches.
HAVE YOU HAD A PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS LOCATION?
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By RobDuch - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52568695
History
This fort was constructed based on the memories of the humiliation of New Ireland – better known as Maine – by the British.
In 1779 the 44 ships of the new American Navy sailed from Boston in an attempt to force the British out of what is now the State of Maine; the Americans lost the entire armada and suffered over 500 casualties in worst US Naval defeat in history until Pearl Harbor in 1941. In 1814 the British sailed up the Penobscot River in the War of 1812 to defeat an American force that outnumbered them; this was followed by the sack of Hampden and Bangor.
These 2 events – especially the last one – led directly to Maine becoming an official State in 1820.
The fort was begun in 1844 and built specifically to avoid any more embarrassments by British forces. Construction on the all granite fort stopped in 1869 when the funds from Congress were stopped; despite the $1 million ($21.8 million in 2022) the fort, while nearly complete, wasn’t finished.
During the Civil War the fort did not see action due to it’s location being so far north. Although recruits – mostly from Maine – did man the fort while they trained.
In Spanish-American War the fort was manned by a regiment from Connecticut who mined the river. But, again, the fort saw no direct action.
When that war ended the US government reduced the fort to a caretaker status; meaning only one man – with a rank of at least Ordnance Sergeant – was left on site to take care of the fort. The fort was mostly used for the storage of naval mines (called torpedoes at the time).
In 1923 the fort was declared surplus property and put up for sale. The State of Maine bought the fort for $2,121 ($36,926 in 2022 dollars) and changed it into a tourist destination.
The fort has been a Maine Historic Site since 1943.
In the 1990’s the Friends of Fort Knox was formed as a non-profit to take care of the fort and do restorations. In 2012 they were authorized to charge admission in order to gain monies to forward that goal.
The fort is considered one of the best preserved 19th century forts in America with many period weapons on display. Almost the entire fort and it’s surrounding grounds are open to the public.
Paranormal Activity
The apparition of Ordinance Sergeant Leopold Hegyi is the fort’s most famous ghost. From 1897 to 1900 Hegyi was solely responsible for the fort. He patrolled the entire building and grounds at least twice a day and spent a lot of time alone.
His ghost seems to be continuing his duties in life.
Unexplained glowing forms have been seen throughout the fort – sometimes in partial human form; sometimes just in an oval-ish shape – but are most often seen in archways or at the end of hallways. People approaching them report they move away and are always gone when their position is reached.
Reports of being touched by something unseen or sensing something unseen approaching quickly are frequently reported here.
Other Reported Activity: shadow figures; disembodied voices (numerous Class A EVP’s have been captured here); phantom footsteps; time slips; cold and warm spots; electrical disturbances; light anomalies and feelings of being watched.
HAVE YOU HAD A PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS LOCATION?
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This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
History
In 1909 a tent city began to form in the area of people who had contracted the very contagious tuberculosis and had no where else to go. Some families even put members out on the street for fear of contracting the disease themselves.
Tuberculosis had an approximately 50% fatality rate for those who caught it.
A small clinic was created in the tent city in 1910 in an attempt to help these people.
The State of Maine had 2 sanatoriums for tuberculosis patients. This one called Central Maine was for the worse cases (people not expected to live) and the other called Western Maine for less severe cases (expected to make a full recovery and live).
In 1914 the first building was constructed after a donation by Valora Chase and named the Chase Memorial Building in memory of her husband.
Eventually the entire complex would be known as the Chase Sanatorium.
In 1915 the State government began to construct more buildings on the site.
With the discovery of antibiotics during the Second World War - in the 1940's - the number of tuberculosis patients began to fall rapidly.
In 1965 – 66 two of the main buildings were demolished and soon afterwards the site was sold and converted into a home for recovering alcoholics.
The tuberculosis part of the sanatorium closed down for good in June of 1970.
The use was then changed over to a nursing home before finally closing down in 2001.
In 1977 – 78 two more buildings were demolished.
The site is now mostly abandoned but two of the former staff housing buildings are being used.
Paranormal Activity
Reported activity: apparitions of former patients; shadow figures; unexplained noises from loud bangs to whispers; phantom sounds of coughing; cold spots; unexplained mists; disembodied voices; electrical disturbances including batteries being drained in seconds; objects moving on their own; touches, tugs and pulls from unseen entities; light anomalies and feelings of not being alone and being watched.
HAVE YOU HAD A PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS LOCATION?
History
This theater opened on November 18, 1929 with one theater having seating for a little less than 1,000 people.
In 2005 it was refurbished into 3 theaters; the main auditorium with seating for 485 and two smaller theaters with seating for 175 each.
In 2018 it was bought by Spotlight Cinemas.
Paranormal Activity
Many consider this location the most haunted place in Maine. It consistently makes most lists of the top 50 haunted locations in America.
While other places may have more reported types of activity this location is said to be fairly consistent with paranormal activity happening frequently.
In the 1930’s it is said that a woman jumped from the balcony in a successful attempt to kill herself. This cannot be historically verified, and no one knows the identity of the woman.
That being said people have reported hearing a woman crying in the lower level as well as in the women’s washroom. This is thought to be the lady who killed herself.
In 1978 a woman was living in an apartment above the theater passed away – another version of the story says the apartment wasn’t even built until 1978 – and the theater was renovated. The contractors experienced multiple accounts of paranormal activity including: getting shocked by power tools that weren’t plugged in; stains appearing on newly painted walls and new wallpaper peeling and tools being thrown at them by unseen entities.
Many employees have reported seeing the apparition of a woman out of the corner of their eyes who disappears when they turn to face her.
One employee was suddenly unable to move and started crying. She reported feeling as if she was possessed by an angry entity and soon afterwards quit her job.
The apparition of a man has also been seen sitting alone in the theater and chewing gum.
Other Reported Activity: objects moving on their own; a sense of malicious energy; empathic sensations of dread and sadness and feelings of not being alone and being watched.
HAVE YOU HAD A PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS LOCATION?
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This article concerns the former and original State Prison in Thomaston; not the new one in Warren.
The new prison has had some reports of limited paranormal activity but it is generally believed to be due to materials from the Thomaston site were used constructing the Warren site. Paranormal activity there is usually in or near the Industries Building.
History
The prison was built in 1824. Originally the prisoners were kept in underground cells only accessible through an opening in the gate above the cell. The majority of prisoners died from tuberculosis before completing their sentences.
In 1923 the first prison burned to the ground resulting in multiple prisoner deaths. Two new cellblocks were built with cells for holding prisoners at night in solitary confinement to replace the old prison.
In 1935 all female prisoners were moved to a Women’s Prison in Skowhegan.
In February of 2002 all prisoners and prison facilities were moved to the new modern prison in Warren. The old prison was completely demolished and razed to the ground in the summer of 2002. Only a field remains were the prison once stood.
Paranormal Activity
While the prison was operational, guards would often see the prisoners in the yard when every prisoner was in their cells and accounted for. They also reported feeling both uneasy and like they were being watched when alone. Creepily, these are also the exact reports given by guards at the new prison.
In the field where the old prison once stood people have reported apparitions of former inmates and staff; usually identified as ghosts by either disappearing suddenly, being partially see through and/or being dressed in obviously out-dated clothes.
Other Activity: disembodied voices and whispers; phantom sounds of metal doors clanging shut; light anomalies; touches, tugs and pulls from unseen entities and feelings of unease and being watched.
HAVE YOU HAD A PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS LOCATION?
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History
There are 2 tombstones inside the cemetery for 2 young girls. There are no bodies in these graves as the girl’s bodies were never recovered after falling either into an abandoned mine tunnel or well.
The graves date back to the 16th Century.
Paranormal Activity
The girls's bodies may not be on site but their ghosts certainly are.
The apparitions of the girls are most often seen in the graveyard around dawn. The seem to be playing tag or hide and seek running around giggling while pooping up and down behind the tombstones.
They are most often seen dressed in ankle length dresses, wool stockings and sunbonnets - although, very curiously, their dress has been known to change according to the weather.