Cape Cod is full of rich history and picturesque scenery. Provincetown was the first landing spot of the Pilgrims, and some houses that are still standing date back to the 1700’s. With that being said, it should be no surprise that with all of this history, Cape Cod is home to some haunted spots. Fortunately, you do not have to buy one of the many old Captain’s houses along Route 6A to catch some of this paranormal activity for yourself. Take a ghost tour in Provincetown or Barnstable to old hidden cemeteries and wooden jailhouses all the while listening to stories of the the history of the area. Stop at some local restaurants to see if your water glass slides off your table or if the candles will illuminate on their own. Here are some of the best places to experience haunted Cape Cod.
The 1716 Barnstable House is said to be the most haunted place on Cape Cod. Nicknamed the “House of 11 Ghosts” this property that was once an Inn and restaurant has seen a lot of activity. Currently, the building houses a number of small businesses and is no longer being used as an Inn and tavern. The spirit of a former owner who lost all he had during the Revolutionary War and hung himself can be seen on the property as well as Captain Grey who is described as a grumpy presence will express his unhappiness by slamming doors and can be seen sulking around the cellar. When the tavern was open, an almost solid figure carrying trays of drinks dressed in colonial wear would occasionally be seen carrying drinks to their tables. A little girl named Lucy tries to interact with the living, she is very social and loves to play catch. Although these spirits originate from this dwelling, some of the 11 ghosts have been known to travel to surrounding establishments.
Ghost Hunting tours of Barnstable take place Mondays and Fridays April thru November starting at 7pm. The tours typically take 3 hours, and tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for children 8-12yrs old, children under 8 are free. Parking is located at the Old Jail and the tour begins at the U.S. Coast Guard Heritage Museum / Old Jail. The “House of 11 Ghosts” is one of the stops along the tour, which ends at the Old Jail which was built in the 1690’s, and is actively haunted.
The Burgess House located at 1603 Main Street (Route 6A) Brewster was once the home of Capt. William Burgess who died aboard the Challenger, a clipper ship of an illness. After his death, his wife Hanna Rebecca lived in that house alone for the next 63 years until her death. Hanna received over 50 wedding proposals following her husband’s death, all of which were declined. The spirit of Hanna Rebecca is said to still live in that haunted Cape Cod house, moving artwork around the home and occasionally the owners can hear her footsteps throughout the property. If you want to find out more about Brewster take a look at our Brewster Real Estate page.
Ocean Edge is a sprawling property located on Route 6A in Brewster. At Ocean Edge, you can either rent a condo in various villages around the property (take a look at Ocean Edge Vacation Rentals or Ocean Edge Condos For Sale), or stay in the mansion. The mansion is where the haunting is said to occur. The mansion was built in 1906 by the father of Addie who was married to Roland Nickerson. The building was destroyed in a fire in 1907, but was rebuilt in 1912. Unfortunately, Roland Nickerson died two weeks after the fire, so he never saw the new rebuilt mansion. Addie however, lived in that home and the mansion stayed in the Nickerson family until 1945. The spirit of Addie is said to still live on the property, enjoying the home her father had built for her.
The Orleans Inn is said to be home to at least three spirits that all have died in the Inn at different times in history. Hannah, who tends to linger in Room 4 was a lady of the night in the 1920’s who was killed by one of her clients at the time when the Inn was a brothel. Fred, the bartender remains in the bar after he ended his own life in the cupola by hanging himself in the 1950’s. The third spirit is that of Paul, the dishwasher who killed himself in the basement of the Inn. The television show Ghost Hunters on the SyFy network even came to the Orleans Inn to investigate the paranormal activity reports, and walked away with recordings and video supporting the ghostly claims, which makes it one of the more exiting places to experience haunted Cape Cod.
Provincetown has a number of haunted spots, which you can learn about during one of their walking ghost tours. The tours take place 10/8, 10/15 and 10/29 just in time for Halloween. The tours depart from The Coffee Pot at 8pm and typically run for 90 minutes. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for kids and the tour is pet friendly.
The Carpe Diem Guesthouse has been featured in the book “Haunted Cape Cod & the Islands” because of opening and closing doors and the feeling of being in the presence of someone who you can’t see. The Fairbanks Inn was built by a sea captain in 1775 and bought by David Fairbanks in 1826 who founded Seaman’s Bank. Although the Inn has a rich connection to the sea and the town itself, it is not a captain or crew member that haunts the property, it is a revolutionary war soldier! The Crowne Pointe Inn is said to be haunted by the original sea captain owner, who paces up and down the halls of this haunted Cape Cod Inn.
The Old Yarmouth Inn is home to at least two spirits, a man and a woman who roam the property. The man is mild mannered, and calm. It is believed that he is the grandfather of Althea Power. He is sometimes seen by guests of the Inn standing at the foot of their bed dressed in 19th century garb. The woman is believed to be either the owner of the Inn’s mistress, a slave that was a part of the underground railroad, which the Inn was a part of or a woman who was killed in a fire on the second floor of the property. The woman is said to be playful and affectionate and has on one occasion even given a guest a foot rub!
Haunted Cape Cod
Get ready for Halloween and check out some of Cape Cod’s haunted hot spots. Just remember that if you do go to the bar at the Orleans Inn, don’t forget to say goodnight to their resident bartender, Fred. He just might say goodnight back! Make sure to also check out our “Cape Cod Festivals & Events Blog – October 2016“.
