THE PARANORMAL WORLD DATABASE       MAINE   ANDERSON CEMETERY (WINDHAM) BACKGROUND: Anderson Cemetery, or Smith-Anderson Cemetery, is one of the oldest burial grounds in Windham. It’s the final resting place of a number of notable, early Windham residents including the Anderson family after whom the cemetery is named. The most recent burial was in 1875 as most of them are dated from the late 1700s to early 1800s. There are only 22 people buried there. PHENOMENA: There is an area known as the “den” which is otherwise known as a “receiving tomb” a body would be stored while the grave was dug. It’s said to be inhabited by a male spirit who creates what’s only described as loud noises from the temporary tomb. Urban legend alert >> People claim to have visited the cemetery have found their cars moved back or forward from where they had originally parked them or found their car doors open. The sounds of children laughing and playing are often heard and some suggest this might be something residual as the old Anderson School was located close to the cemetery. BECKETT’S CASTLE (CAPE ELIZABETH) BACKGROUND: The castle was constructed in 1871 by Sylvester Beckett, a Portland-born son of English immigrants who trained and worked as a lawyer, but also as a journalist and writer, and had an amateur interest in ornithology. Beckett was a major social force in Portland's literary community, hosting social gatherings here that included expansive dinners cooked in a rustic fireplace. PHENOMENA: It’s said Beckett himself haunts his old house and appears in a bright blue form accompanied by cold spots. He has been known to pull blankets and sheets off beds, knock paintings off walls and constantly opens a door in the tower when it’s been shut, even after it’s been nailed closed. BIDDEFORD CITY THEATER (BIDDEFORD) BACKGROUND: Was originally opened as an opera house in October 1860 at its present Main Street location as a part of the Biddeford City Hall complex. The opera house enjoyed a high level of popularity in the Biddeford and Southern Maine region until burning down December 30, 1894. Whether to rebuild the opera house was debated, the city eventually settled on rebuilding a more structurally sound opera house. Architect John Calvin Stevens was chosen to design the new city hall and opera house, which opened January 20, 1896. The opera house again became a favorite site for cultural and entertainment attractions. Through to the 1920s it brought vaudeville, minstrel shows, illustrated songs, dramatic performances and even community pageants and plays to the Southern Maine community. Among the stars to perform at the Opera House in the early part of the 20th century were W.C. Fields, Mae West and Fred Astaire. The introduction of talkies in 1928 began the transition from opera house to movie theater. In 1955, “improvements” to its interior were made, including paneling of the lobby and its staircase and addition poster displays and a cinemascope screen. The name at this time officially changed to Biddeford's City Theater. PHENOMENA: Eva Gray was a singer who collapsed and died backstage at the theater in 1904, with her young daughter present watching her performance. The song she was said to have sang was, bizarrely, “Goodbye, Little Girl, Goodbye.” Today, Eva is said to haunt the theater and her image reportedly was caught on thermal camera, but this has been a source of great controversy since the image was revealed publicly. Patrons have reported seeing a strange pair of eyes staring into the seating area from the ceiling over the stage. Lights will turn on and off and disembodied voices are heard throughout the theater. CAPTAIN FAIRFIELD INN (KENNEBUNKPORT) BACKGROUND: The inn was originally built in 1813 on land given to James Fairfield and his bride Lois Walker as a wedding present just after the Captain had been released from British imprisonment at Dartmoor Prison during the War of 1812. When Captain Fairfield first built the house, he invited his brother-in-law, Joseph Lord (a sea captain as well) and his sister Polly Lord to share the home with them. Both men were at sea for long periods of time and their wives found comfort in each other’s company. After being a private residence for many years, it became a bed and breakfast in 1991. PHENOMENA: Renovations seemed to arouse Captain Fairfield as his apparition was seen in the basement during that time. His presence seems to be welcoming and and it’s said he enjoys the activity at his former home and the care that’s gone into maintaining it. CAPTAIN LORD MANSION (KENNEBUNKPORT) BACKGROUND: Built during the War of 1812, which brought the Kennebunkport shipping industry to a halt. It was constructed by Captain Nathaniel Lord, a wealthy Kennebunkport merchant and shipbuilder, who commissioned workers to build a three-story federal mansion topped with a cupola. Lord died in February 1815, just one year after the mansion was completed, according to Litchfield, who has compiled a history of the mansion. Seven generations of Lord descendants – all women – lived in the mansion before it was sold in 1972 to a Biddeford couple, which operated it as a boarding house for elderly women. Bev Davis and Rick Litchfield bought it in 1978. PHENOMENA: The apparition of a woman dressed in a nightgown has been seen floating through Lincoln Bedroom Suite. A honeymooning couple once saw her wander through their bedroom and disappear right through a wall. She has also been seen on the spiral staircase that leads to the cupola. It’s thought this female spirit is actually the wife of Capt. Lord CARRIAGE HOUSE INN (SEARSPORT) BACKGROUND: Built in 1874 by Captain John McGilvery who was a member of a family who engaged in the shipping trade. The inn was once used as an army garrison and was a favorite hang out of landscape painter Waldo Peirce who spent twenty years there. As of this writing (2018) the inn has been closed. PHENOMENA: Figures have been seen in the windows and the pet dog of a former owner refused to enter some rooms. Guests and staff have report hearing music, odd knocking and the smell of cigar smoke. There are some who claim to feel they are not alone in certain areas of the mansion. CHAPMAN INN (BETHEL) BACKGROUND: William Rogers Chapman purchased the home shortly after its construction. Mr. Chapman was a famous 19th century composer, conductor, and founder of the Rubenstein Club and the Metropolitan Musical Society, as well as the Maine Music Festival. It is because of Mr. Chapman that Bethel could boast of its very own opera house, which to this day still stands, facing the Chapman House. The home remained in the family until the 1950's. Unlike many New England buildings, the home has not been subjected to periodic additions, and still maintains the original footprint, standing as it was built over a hundred and thirty years ago. PHENOMENA: Doors will open and close by themselves, footsteps are heard with no one around and cold spots are experienced even in the middle of summer. Female voices are heard coming from empty rooms, one of which is that of a younger female thought to be Abigail Chapman, who was the invalid daughter of William Chapman and died at the age of 16. There have been reports of a ghostly black cat that vanishes when seen, sometimes running right through a solid wall. CHARLES Q. CLAPP HOUSE (PORTLAND) BACKGROUND: The house was built in 1832, and was probably designed by Charles Q. Clapp, its first owner. Clapp was the son of one of Portland's wealthiest businessmen, and was engaged in real estate development in the city. When he encountered financial issues that threatened foreclosure, he sold the home to his father, Captain Asa Clapp. The house was owned in the 1860s by Portland Mayor Augustus Stevens, and survived the city's devastating 1866 fire. In the aftermath, bank and city records were stored here, and it is probable that city business was also conducted here, the city hall having been one of the fire's casualties. In 1914, the building was acquired by the Portland Society of Art, and converted for use as an educational facility. PHENOMENA: It’s been said that there is spirit of a male in the house that is thought to be Capt. Asa Clapp, whose apparition has been seen and felt in the home accompanied by cold spots and phantom footsteps. The more prominent ghost at the Clapp House is a female who seems quite forlorn and perhaps somewhat angry. She wears a long dress and is heard crying and seems to be in some sort of distress. COACH STOP INN BED & BREAKFAST (BAR HARBOR) BACKGROUND: Back in the early 1800's it was a coach stop called the Halfway Tavern and the only housing available to sailors and frontiersmen traveling to Maine. As a result, it became a rough and tumble drinking establishment. During the War of 1812, residents and settlers encountered great hardships, one of which was being coerced into paying large sums of money to the King in order to avoid their property being burned by the British. Nonetheless, the inn thrived until the Great Fire of 1947 and Bar Harbor became what was termed “Millionaire’s Row” with names like Rockefeller, Vanderbilt and Ford all having mansions there. The fire would destroy many of those homes and much of the surrounding area over a ten-day period, but the inn was spared. PHENOMENA: Lights flicker on and off and disembodied whispers and voices of children are sometimes heard. The main protagonist has been nicknamed, “Abbe” as most of the activity centers around a room bearing that name.  People leaving their doors open will return from a short trip to the lobby to find them locked. One male guest brought his clothes into the bathroom while he showered, but upon finishing found them neatly laid out on his bed. COLONEL BUCK’S TOMB (BUCKSPORT) BACKGROUND: Jonathan Buck was born in Woburn, Massachusetts on February 20, 1719, and raised in Haverhill, Massachusetts. He died March 18, 1795, in Bucksport, Maine. He is the founder of the town of Bucksport, having settled what was known as Plantation 1, building the first sawmill and opening the first general store.  He left Haverhill when his request to build a shipyard on the Merrimack River was denied and instead he was offered privileges on a tributary on another side of his land. Since Buck did not own the land on the opposite side of the brook, he saw no ability to thrive as a shipbuilder in Haverhill. In 1775 Buck was appointed by the Massachusetts Provincial Congress as Colonel in the 5th Regiment of the District of Maine Militia in Lincoln County and placed in charge of Fort Pownall located at the mouth of the Penobscot River. He was one of the leaders of the Penobscot Expedition in July-August, 1779, a major loss for the colonial forces. After this, Buck trekked back to Haverhill to be with his sons, and did not return to Maine until 1783. PHENOMENA: Urban legend alert >> Colonel Buck was a justice of the peace and is the subject of a legend that holds that he ordered a witch put to death by burning, and this witch put a curse on his tomb. There is a monument to Col. Buck erected in the Bucksport Cemetery in 1870 which bears a stain roughly in the shape of a woman's lower leg. According to the legend, the stain is the leg and foot of the witch, and that the mark has reappeared whenever the tombstone has been replaced. EAST WIND INN (TENANT’S HARBOR) BACKGROUND: The Inn began life as a nineteenth-century sail loft, part of a working boatyard. Occasional town meetings were held there, as well as the village's first Masonic gatherings. In the 1920s, it was converted to an inn—the Wan-e-set—where tourists from Boston, arriving by steamer, spent long summer stays. It was sold to a succession of local residents in the mid-1950s, but was not fully reopened as a functioning inn until the early 1970's. In 1974, Tim Watts, a native of Tenants Harbor, purchased the now abandoned building, restored it and started the Inn again, under the name "East Wind Inn." Several years later he purchased an adjacent nineteenth-century sea captain's mansion that had been converted into a boarding house and added it to the inn, calling it the "Meeting House Annex." Tim passed away in 2012 and the inn was sold to Randy Deutsch, a long-time summer resident of Tenants Harbor who retired from law practice in San Francisco and who currently runs this historic New England Inn. PHENOMENA: One ghost who is said to haunt the inn belongs to a woman who was stabbed to death somewhere near the building in the 1800s. She makes her presence known on the upper floors and the attic with staff and guests feeling strong emotions from sadness to anger and reporting furniture and random objects being moved at will. Some have said they have been physically pushed by this entity. Guests on the upper floors say they have been held down in or pushed out of their beds. The sounds of a woman crying have been heard between 3 and 4 am. and windows have been known to shatter with no reasonable explanation. Another presence has been experienced on the lower floors that has manifested in the form of a misty, gray-colored form that climbs the stairs or looks out on the harbor from an upstairs window. The smell of pipe tobacco often appears as well so it’s believed this spirit is a male, perhaps a sea captain who frequented the inn. FORT KNOX (PROSPECT) BACKGROUND: Local memory of the humiliation of Maine at the hands of the British during the American Revolution and again during the War of 1812 contributed to subsequent anti-British feeling in Eastern Maine. The Penobscot Expedition of 1779 aimed to force the British from Castine, but ended in a debacle. The Americans lost 43 ships and suffered approximately 500 casualties in the worst naval defeat for the United States prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Then in autumn 1814, during the War of 1812, a British naval force and soldiers sailed up the Penobscot and defeated an outnumbered American force in the Battle of Hampden. The American defeat contributed to the post-war movement for Maine's statehood, which occurred in 1820, as Massachusetts had failed to protect the region. The response was the inclusion of the Penobscot in the Third System of coastal fortifications, and the construction of Fort Knox, a large, expensive, granite fort at the mouth of the Penobscot River. Construction began in 1844 and continued until all masonry fort funding was withdrawn in 1869, with the fort mostly complete except for the emplacements on the "roof" or barbette level. The fort was named for Major General Henry Knox, America’s first Secretary of War, who was born in Boston but retired to Thomaston, Maine in 1796. Funding from Congress was intermittent, and the fort's design was never fully completed despite an expenditure of $1,000,000. Granite was quarried five miles upriver from Mount Waldo in Frankfort. The fort today is distinguished as one of the best-preserved and most accessible forts in the United States. Virtually all of the fort is open to the public. PHENOMENA: Visitors to the fort have reported seeing ghostly figures, disembodied voices, sounds of heavy breaths, phantom laughter and the touch of invisible hands. There are reports of strange lights, a large moving white object, apparitions of Civil War soldiers and unexplained footsteps. A male spirit appears in a duster coat patrolling the grounds. Some maintain this could be Sergeant Leopold Hegyi, caretaker of the fort from 1887 to 1900. FORT WILLIAM HENRY (PEMAQUID BEACH) BACKGROUND: The fort was in its time the largest in New England. It was originally built in 1692 during King William’s War but destroyed four years later by New France in the Siege of Pemaquid in 1696. A reconstruction was built in 1908. The first fort on this site was Abraham Shurte's Fort (1630–1633), a palisaded trading post that was burned down by pirates under Dixie Bull. The next fort on the site was Fort Pemaquid (1633–1676), which was destroyed in the Northwest Coast Campaign (1676) during King Philip's War. During the French and Indian War, the fort was decommissioned in 1759 after a new Fort Frederick was built on the Saint John River the previous year. In 1775, the town dismantled the fort to prevent it from becoming a British stronghold during the Revolutionary War. PHENOMENA: Wisps of light, sudden cold drafts, and a sad man seen walking a foot above the ground, are reportedly among the ghostly manifestations.  Locals claim the fort at Pemaquid Beach is also haunted by the ghost of Native American Chief Taukolexis, who was hanged and killed at the site in 1696. Witnesses say they’ve spotted his spirit by the tree where he died. JOSHUA L. CHAMBERLAIN MUSEUM (BRUNSWICK) BACKGROUND: Jesse Pierce most likely built the original south-facing Greek Revival cape that would become the Chamberlain Museum not long after he purchased a tract of land on Potter Street in 1824. After Pierce lost the property to creditors in 1829, the land and house were purchased by Mary Ann Fales in 1830, who owned the home until 1836. During this time, Fales rented out extra rooms in the home, including three rooms where Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his first wife lived while Longfellow taught at Bowdoin College. After the home passed out of the hands of Fales, it went through a steady succession of owners. A prominent local builder named Anthony C. Raymond lived in the home from 1836 until 1838, when it was purchased by David & Alice Dunlap. The Dunlaps kept the home until 1849 and were followed by Edward Fisher (1849–1851), George B. Upham (1851–1852), Roswell Hitchcock (1852–1856) and finally John Wild (1856–1859). In 1859, Professor Joshua L. Chamberlain,  American Civil War general, Bowdoin College president, and Maine Governor purchased the home for $2,100 after renting an apartment in the building for two years with his wife Frances Caroline Adams and their two children. After Chamberlain had returned from serving in the Civil War, in 1867, the family sold part of their property to Eldridge Simpson and moved their entire house down the street to the corner of Maine and Potter streets so that it faced east. PHENOMENA: Under the curved staircase at the Chamberlain home, many report hearing whispers or sensing a presence in the very spot where the General and Mrs. (Fanny) Chamberlain used to spend a great deal of time. Chamberlain had been shot in the hip in the war, and some have experienced severe pain in that spot upon visiting the house. KENNEBEC ARSENAL (AUGUSTA) BACKGROUND: The events of the War of 1812 highlighted the needs of the United States to better defend its coast against potential foreign attacks, so the federal government embarked on a large-scale development of coastal and border fortifications. As a result, the decision was made to build a major arsenal at Augusta. The site, on the east bank of the Kennebec River south of the central business district, was chosen in part for its ready access by boat. Plans were drafted in 1827 and construction began in 1828. Built between 1828 and 1831 were commandant's and officer quarters, barracks, stables, a carriage shop, and the main armory. After the federal government closed the arsenal, the property was transferred to the state, which expanded the adjacent Maine State Hospital, a facility for the mentally ill, onto the property. The wood-frame structures were all torn down, as were the carriage shop and fire station, and the granite buildings were adapted for the hospital's use. These alterations did not make major alterations to the floor plan of most of the surviving buildings. The Maine State Hospital, later renamed the Augusta Mental Health Institute, closed it doors in 2004 PHENOMENA: There are reportedly 11,647 people who died during their stay at the Augusta Mental Health Institute. The hospital kept no detailed records of where those who perished were buried which is believed to be along the shorelines of the Kennebec River in unmarked graves. There have been sightings of apparitions within the facility, along with strange sounds and the agonizing cries of former residents. LAKE GEORGE REGIONAL PARK WEST (SKOWHEGAN) BACKGROUND: In periodic surveys of recreational resources throughout Maine, the Department of Conservation (DOC) repeatedly identified a deficiency in west-central Maine where residents clearly needed more resources for water-based recreation. Seeking to fill this need, the Department searched for 12 years before an ideal property came on the market–a former summer camp at the southern end of Lake George with 8,000 feet of shorefront and two sandy beaches perfectly suited to swimming and picnicking. Lake George Regional Park was then established in 1992, owned by the State of Maine, leased through inter-local agreement by the towns of Skowhegan and Canaan, and managed for public use by Lake George Corporation. PHENOMENA: Visitors claim to see a very weird fog develop over the park as well as a number of bizarre apparitions. Guests have seen furniture arranged in cabins be moved into a different arrangement after just turning away for a moment. One group of kids looked inside to see chairs and tables stacked, but when they ventured inside, saw a table pulled out and chairs arranged around it as if visitors were expected. MAINE STATE PRISON (THOMASTON) BACKGROUND: In 1824, only four years after Maine broke off from Massachusetts and became its own state, the state legislature established the Maine State Prison. The original layout of the prison "had underground cells—deep holes into which prisoners were lowered each night and brought up in the daytime to labor in the stone quarry on the prison property". In 1923 the prison was destroyed by a fire in which many inmates died. The old prison was replaced by a facility with two cell blocks. The Maine State Prison had a farm several miles away where select prisoners worked. Most produce was used by the prison and not for sale. Other prisoners worked in carriage shops, harness shops, and in maintenance. The prison housed few females, who worked sewing and patching clothing. Most recently, the new and modern facility was built in the neighboring town of Warren. The prisoners were moved there in guarded buses over the period of several nights in February of 2002. The move was made secretly in complete darkness so as to disallow any interference with the transfer. The announcement that the prisoners were already moved was made only after the event. PHENOMENA: Some of the equipment used at the new prison was taken from an old one in Thomaston, which has been torn down. It may be that spirit energy came attached with it as guards and inmates report seeing the ghosts of former prisoners among other apparitions. Many report the feeling of being watched by an unseen force when inside at night. MCLELLAN-SWEAT MANSION (PORTLAND) BACKGROUND: Constructed in 1800-1801 for shipping magnate Major Hugh McLellan, for the cost of $20,000. After a change of owners, the property was purchased in 1880 by Lorenzo De Medici Sweat. In 1908, his widow bequeathed it to the Portland Society of Art (now the Portland Museum of Art). The L. D. M. Sweat Memorial Galleries, designed by John Calvin Stevens, were added in 1911 behind the house, to which they connected by corridor. The Charles Shipman Payson Building by Henry N. Cobb of Pei, Cobb, Freed & Partners opened in 1983, extending the length of the museum to its new entrance on Congress Square Plaza. After an extensive restoration, The McLellan House reopened in 2002. It forms the rear component of the Portland Museum of Art complex. PHENOMENA: Said to be haunted by Capt. Asa Clapp who rented the home from Capt. Jacob McLellan, Mayor of Portland in the 1800's. Cold spots, apparitions and unexplained footsteps have been heard throughout the home. Oddly, Capt. Clapp is also said to haunt his son’s former home, the Charles Q. Clapp House, located next door. There is also a female spirit that’s said to haunt the home, but her identity or the reason for her presence here is unknown. MOUNT HOPE CEMETERY (BANGOR) BACKGROUND: Mount Hope Cemetery is the second oldest garden-style cemetery in the United States. Purchased in July 1834, the land consisted of 50 acres which was set along State Street - at the time known as County Road and later the "Road to Orono". This was the preferred resting ground for Bangor's 19th- and early-20th-century elite. The cemetery includes the gravesites of Hannibal Hamlin, a U.S. Vice President who had also held office as Congressman, US Senator and Governor of Maine, a U.S. Senator, ten U.S. Congressmen, two U.S. Ambassadors, four Governors of Maine, eight Civil War Generals, and numerous "lumber barons" and other local businessmen and politicians. PHENOMENA:  Visitors have claimed to see odd shadows and experience a strong sense of uneasiness in the cemetery. There are also reports of ghostly apparitions wandering about the grounds. TRIVIA: Mount Hope was a location in the Stephen King movie, Pet Semetary. NONANTUM RESORT (KENNEBUNKPORT) BACKGROUND: In 1883, ground was broken on a site believed to be a location where native Americans traded with early settlers. The word “nonantum” is from the Native American Algonquian word meaning blessing or pray. In 1884, the original inn opened on July 4th with 28 rooms and 10 staff members. PHENOMENA: It’s been said, without true documentation, that 27 spirits reside at the Nonantum. One is named “Julia”, who is noticed by the smell of her perfume and is said to favor a spot by the fireplace. “Ursula” who enjoys spending time in the kitchen but isn’t welcoming to those who intrude on that space and “Bill” who it’s said is disappointed a piano no longer exists there. The third floor is a hot spot with a bed in one room known to shake violently, even causing one guest to call the lobby to ask if they should evacuate thinking an earthquake had hit the area. There is a small, bald man who rifles through papers in the concierge office and small children who are said to play pranks on guests in the bathrooms. In room 401, a man sits by the window gazing out, there are footsteps heard walking up and down hallways and occasionally the sound of an infant crying. A misty apparition of a woman has been seen and felt in the hallways and chairs set up for guests on certain floors have been seen by cleaning staff to be moved in a manner that suggests whoever did this has pointed them directly at the employees as though observing their work. Lights go on and off by themselves and doors are said to open and close on their own. OLD BROWNVILLE ROAD BRIDGE (MILLINOCKET) PHENOMENA: Urban legend alert >> In the 1940s or 50's, a couple were returning from their honeymoon and driving down Brownville Road. As they neared home, their car drove off the road, down an embankment into a ditch. The husband told his wife to remain in the car while he went for help, but when he returned, his new bride was gone. Her ghost, now called “The White Lady of Millinocket” is said to haunt the bridge. Legend has it that drivers headed down Brownville Road will encounter her spirit near the bridge or in particularly bad weather.  It’s said a group of people once parked on the bridge hoping to catch a glimpse of her and eventually found hand prints on their vehicle window in the condensation that had covered it. It’s further stated that their car wreckage can still be viewed near the old bridge that is adjacent to this one. OLD STRAW HOUSE (NEWFIELD) BACKGROUND: The house was built by Gideon Straw in the 1700s for his wife and their many children. In 1826, their daughter Hannah died of undetermined causes but because the winter was upon them, they could bury her in the frozen ground. Instead, they pulled up the floor boards and buried her in the softer ground under the house. They marked her final resting place with a headstone set into the floor. It’s been claimed that the house was later used as a hunting lodge and it became tradition for hunters to gather around Hannah's stone and drink a toast to her. PHENOMENA: Urban legend alert >> Tales are told that families who subsequently lived in the house were driven out by Hannah’s ghost and that some witnessed her face in the kitchen windows or heard phantom footsteps, but it’s widely accepted that her body is not buried in the floor. Nonetheless, there are other claims of her apparition wandering the home and whistling coming from the fireplace of all things. One owner allegedly said he was awakened one night by Hannah stroking his cheek. A pair of school teachers who bought the property experienced doors slamming and the sound of someone running up and down the stairs all night. OLD YORK MUSEUMS (OLD YORK) BACKGROUND: As one of the earliest English settlements in the country, York became the seat of government for the Province of Maine and thrived as a center of maritime commerce.  It also has the distinction of being the nation's first chartered city (1641) and first incorporated city (1642). Through the centuries, York has been a destination for people seeking refuge in its natural beauty and pace of life. The beauty, culture, and history of the area continue to captivate visitors to this day. PHENOMENA: The museum once served as town hall for the village ad it was there that a woman was executed by hanging for, ostensibly, being a witch. .There are now reports of doors opening and closing themselves, strange cold spots and objects inexplicably moving on their own. Locals there talk about the ghostly figure of a woman who walks down the road who is thought to be “The White Witch”. Children in the daycare program often speak of the nice woman dressed in white that comes to play with them. OLSON HOUSE (CUSHING) BACKGROUND: The Hathorn-Olson House was built in the late 1700s by Captain Samuel Hathorn II (b abt. 1750). The house was substantially altered in 1871 by Captain Samuel Hathorn IV (1822–1892). Between 1939 and 1968, the house was depicted in paintings and sketches by the American artist Andrew Wyeth, including his 1948 masterpiece, Christina's World. Wyeth was inspired to paint Christina's World by the story of Christina Olson, who had lost the use of her legs to, at the time unknown, Charcot—Marie—Tooth disease. Wyeth befriended the Olsons and maintained a studio in the house. Wyeth later recalled, "I just couldn't stay away from there. I did other pictures while I knew them but I'd always seem to gravitate back to the house." Christina and Alvaro Olson lived at the house until they died in 1968 and 1967, respectively. Christina and Alvaro Olson and Andrew Wyeth are buried in the Olson family cemetery on the property. After Christina's death, the house was purchased in 1968 by movie director Joseph E. Levine, who was an admirer of Wyeth's work. Levine operated the house as a museum for two years starting in 1971 but the operation met with opposition from local residents. In 1974, Levine announced that he would give the property to the State of Maine, but Levine withdrew the offer in 1975 over concerns that the state lacked funding to maintain the property. The house was purchased by Apple Inc. CEO John Sculley, who put the house up for sale in 1989. PHENOMENA: Reports of lights turning on and off by themselves, odd cold spots and the distinctive smell of old-time perfume are just some of the claims here. Passersby have also witnessed a glowing light in the windows resembling a lantern while walking by at night. TRIVIA: The house was the inspiration for the one featured in the horror movie, Silent Hill, which was also set in Maine. POLAND SPRING INN & RESORT (POLAND SPRING) BACKGROUND: The story of Poland Spring begins in the late eighteenth century when Jabez Ricker moved his family from Alfred, Maine to Bakerstown, present day Poland. Jabez had owned land adjacent to the Shaker community in Alfred and when they pressed him to acquire his land, he relented and made the land swap. Shortly after the Ricker’s arrival in Bakerstown, some travelers knocked on the door looking for a place to stay. In 1794 the family began operating an inn on the property and by 1797 opened a brand new building - the Wentworth Ricker Inn. Thus the beginning of a tradition of operating an inn on the grounds that continues today. In 1876, the family opened the Poland Spring House which shortly became a popular attraction for the country’s social and political elite. PHENOMENA: The resort is believed to be haunted by Hiram Ricker. Staff has reported seeing his ghost walking the property and hearing his voice in empty rooms. Footsteps are heard in the lobby along with objects being moved out of place. There is also said to be two phantom hitchhikers on Route 26, one a woman in a bridal gown who was struck by a car on her way to her wedding some time in the 1930s and the other wearing a prom dress. Upon accepting a ride from good samaritans, they will suddenly vanish either getting in or out of the car. ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE (STANDISH) BACKGROUND: Saint Joseph's was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1912 as an institution for women. The college, run by a lay and religious Board of Trustees, was located on the convent grounds in nearby Portland until 1956 when it moved to its lakeside location in Standish. In 1970, Saint Joseph's became coeducational and six years later began a distance education program for working adults. PHENOMENA: It’s said the campus chapel is haunted by the spirit of a young boy who is perhaps a son of the Verrill family who once owned the property the college is built on and was buried where the chapel now stands. He remains there even though his body was buried in another location. His laughter and the sounds of him playing have been heard both inside and outside the chapel. There is a ghostly figure of a young girl seen on the banks of a small pond on campus. She is thought to have wandered into the pond from her playhouse and drowned. The former Verill home is now Xavier Hall and is said to be haunted by a former nun with deep ties to the school. SEGUIN LIGHTHOUSE (BATH) BACKGROUND: Established in 1795, it is the second-oldest of Maine's coastal lighthouses, and the only lighthouse in the state housing a first- order Fresnel lens. Built in 1857, is its highest of the state's lighthouses. Automated in 1985, the buildings of the light station are now operated as a museum property by a non-profit organization, and are seasonally open to the public. The first tower was a wood frame structure completed in 1797. It was replaced in 1820 by a stone tower, which was replaced by the present tower in 1857. Most of the extant structures on the island also date from the 1857 construction period. PHENOMENA: In the mid 1800s, the lighthouse keeper brought his new wife to live in the lighthouse, but being a sociable type, she soon became overcome with her isolation and fell into a depression. To lift her spirits he brought a piano to the lighthouse to keep her and them entertained with the sound of music. She chose one song and practiced and played it endlessly even going so far as to refuse her husband’s offer to have new sheet music delivered so she could learn a different song. With a combination of his own sense of isolation and the never- ending playing of the same song, he took an axe first to the piano and then to his wife. In his remorse for his actions, he then took his own life. Visitors to the island report the sound of piano music emanating from the empty lighthouse and some claim to have witnessed the ghost of the lighthouse keeper walking the island with an axe in his hand. Another spirit in the form of a young girl who died while living in the lighthouse is said to haunt the island and has been seen by visitors and keepers alike. It’s believed she is buried somewhere on the grounds and has been seen running through the gardens, laughing and smiling happily, or at times coughing as though she is ill. One fantastic claim was made by a warrant officer who traveled to the lighthouse to pack up furniture and other items when the lighthouse was being decommissioned in 1985. Working late hours, he decided to stay the night before heading out the following morning. Sometime in the night, he was awakened by a man who looked at him angrily while shaking his head and then spoke these words: “Don’t take the furniture. Please, leave my home alone”. While frightened, the officer ignored that plea, considering it to be nothing more than a bad dream and loaded the furniture into his boat the next morning. When he lowered the boat into the water to start for home, it sank, furniture and all. STRAND CINEMA (SKOWHEGAN) BACKGROUND: The Strand Theater opened November 18, 1929 with 980 seats. Today known as the Strand Cinema, it was refurbished in 2005 and now seats 485 on a stadium plan in the original auditorium and two screens seating 175 each have been added. PHENOMENA: Legend has it a woman who lived above the theater many years ago died in her apartment and now her spirit wanders throughout all areas of the theater with some witnesses claiming she appears angry. One employee getting a bucket of ice down in the basement claimed she was overcome with emotion, as though was being possessed. Staff report hearing odd sounds at night from behind the screens, in the balconies and the basement. There is also some spirit mischief happening as papers fly off desks and whiteboard markers fly across the room. During 1978 renovations, workers experienced being shocked by unplugged power tools, finding splatters on newly-painted walls and ceiling tiles thrown by a shadowy figure. TRIVIA: The theater was featured on a 2018 segment of Travel Channel’s Most Terrifying Places in America. TIME AND TEMPERATURE BUILDING (PORTLAND) BACKGROUND: Erected in 1924 as a twelve-story building. Together with the ten story Fidelity Trust Tower next door, these buildings were for many years two of Portland's tallest. When it first opened, the Chapman Building once had the state's first indoor shopping center on its ground floor. A few shops still operate inside. In 1964, two additional floors were built, with the flashing time and temperature sign installed on the roof. At the time, Casco Bank & Trust was the main tenant of the building, so in addition to the time and temperature, the words "CASCO" and "BANK" also flashed. An updated sign was installed in 1999. The building was taken into foreclosure by Wells Fargo on May 11, 2016, due to several tenants leaving it as well as a lack of maintenance. At least one remaining tenant stated that they were told the foreclosure would not affect them. The firm hired to manage the building, NAI Hunneman of Boston, has already begun to carry out needed repairs to the structure and is working to get new tenants. PHENOMENA: The building is said to be haunted by a female ghost with brilliant red hair. She has been known to commandeer any of the three elevators located side by side. Until she has reached her destination on the one of her choice, none of the remaining two will operate correctly. She’s been known to wander the floors, but when spotted will disappear into thin air. WOOD ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE (SACO BAY) BACKGROUND: Wood Island Light was established in 1808 under the orders of President Thomas Jefferson. The original tower was an octagonal wooden structure. After it rotted, a granite tower was erected to replace it in 1839. In 1858, the new tower was renovated to allow the installation of a 4th-order Fresnel lens. The current keepers dwellings were also built then. In the 1960s, the original lantern room was removed and an aerobeacon was installed. This was deemed unsightly by locals and when the lighthouse was automated in 1986, a new lantern room was fabricated and installed on the lighthouse along with a VRB-25 beacon, then the latest technology. Eben Emerson served as Lightkeeper from 1861 to 1865. On March 16, 1865, he saved the crew of the British brig Edyth Anne from drowning in a heavy storm near the lighthouse; for this action he was commended by the Canadian government and rewarded with a pair of binoculars. Thomas Henry Orcutt, a former sea captain and previous keeper at Saddleback Ledge Light served as keeper of Wood Island Light for 19 years (1886–1905). His dog, Sailor, became famous for ringing the station's fog bell to greet passing ships by taking the bell cord in mouth and pulling it with his teeth. PHENOMENA: In the 1890s Wood Island Light and Wood Island were host to a grisly murder-suicide. A local drifter and fisherman named Howard Hobbs was living on the west end of the island. He and a fiend had rented a chicken coop from lobsterman and sheriff Frederick Milliken and owed him months worth of rent. When they returned from the mainland after a night of heavy drinking, they were confronted by Milliken who demanded what he was owed ad told them to come to his house to discuss it. Hobbs was wielding a shotgun and when Milliken attempted to disarm him, it went off, killing Milliken. Despondent over what he had done, he ran to keeper Thomas Orcutt’s house for guidance and was told to turn himself in to authorities. Instead he went back to his shack and turned the gun on himself. It’s now believed the ghosts of both Hobbs and Milliken haunt the lighthouse. Moaning is heard from the chicken coop shack, and locked doors open by themselves at the lighthouse. Shadows have been seen on the walkway as well as on the tower and disembodied voices are common. A ghostly woman has also been witnessed and some believe this may be Frederick Milliken’s wife. In 1905, Keeper Charles Burke became so unsettled after seeing and hearing the spirits there that left the lighthouse unattended and spent a night at the local boarding house. The next day, he jumped from a third floor window to his death. BACK TO PARANORMAL WORLD DATABASE