Maine is one of the most beautiful states in the country. It’s particularly beautiful around autumn when the leaves start to turn and crunch. But its autumnal vibe also lends itself to be pretty high on the spooky scale, especially with Halloween around the corner. So don’t be fooled by the hauntingly beautiful woods, quaint towns, and quintessential New England-style houses. Maine has a few stories up its sleeve. Here are seven of the most haunted places in Maine.
1. Mount Hope Cemetery, Bangor
The iconic Stephen King called Bangor, Maine home for a while, and often came to the Mount Hope Cemetary for inspiration. He even borrowed names off headstones for his characters. The cemetery scored so high on the creepy scale that King even used it as a filming location for Pet Sematary, one of his scariest films ever. While this is definitely spooky, it doesn’t warrant being haunted. But locals have reported seeing and hearing unexplainable things, with a haunting, ghostly feel. While we can’t know if it’s actually one of the most haunted places in Maine, there’s no denying it’s one of the creepiest.
2. The Kennebunk Inn, Kennebunk
From the outside, Kennebunk Inn looks like a charming village inn, with its cream facade and dark red shutters. But rumour has it that the inn’s previous owner and various employees have stuck around longer are their shifts ended. Guests and current employees report hearing inexplicable noises, such as glasses shaking and footsteps.
3. Wood Island Lighthouse, Saco Bay
Lighthouses tend to have an eerie feel to them. Something about the unforgiving sea and the loneliness of being in the lighthouse that sends a shiver down our spine. And the one on Wood Island is particularly creepy. People say that the ghost of a local fisherman, Howard Hobbs, haunts these spiral halls after he took his own life in 1986. Hobbs’ landlord went to the lighthouse to ask for his overdue rent, when Hobbs, who had been drinking heavily, shot and killed his landlord before turning the gun on himself. Ever since then, lighthouse keepers and visitors have reported hearing a low moaning sound and seeing shadowy figures. In 1972, it got so bad that an automated light was put into the lighthouse, so keepers didn’t have to live in the haunted building.
4. Brownville Road, Millinocket
Like many ghost stories, this one is rooted in old folklore that’s passed through Maine. But who knows, maybe it’s true. The story goes that a newlywed couple drove down Brownville one dark, winter night. Having had a few drinks, the groom lost control of the car, resulting in him crashing badly into a telephone pole. Sadly, the groom died on impact, but the bride crawled out of the wreckage and waited on the roadside for help, but none came. The elements got to and she froze to death, still wearing her wedding dress. Those who go down this road say she can still be seen, wandering around and searching for help. Some even say she’s spoken to them, but when they get closer to her, she suddenly disappears.
5. Fort Knox, Prospect
Fort Knox is undoubtedly one of the most haunted places in Maine. The historic site never actually saw battle, but people say the unresting souls of Maine soldiers still lurk in the shadows. You can visit Fort Knox today, and many say that you feel particularly feel the spirits underground, in the derelict dark granite tunnels. It’s a hugely popular place for ghost hunters, professional or amateur, and SyFy even filmed an episode of Ghost Hunters here.
6. Old Narrow Gauge Trail, Randolph
Anyone can take the Old Narrow Gauge Trail…if you don’t mind the creepy stories that circle through the Randolph Woods. A local man was cycling through the woods on his bike and strangely, he was never seen again. Nor he nor his bike were ever found. No one was ever arrested for the crime, although many speculate that he was someone he knew. Today, people say his unresting spirit roams the woods, with local ghost hunters catching high EVP readings. Some say they’ve seen orbs floating around and even heard hair-raising screams to “get out!”
7. Fort William Henry, Pemaquid Beach
This fort goes back a long time, all the way back to 1692. It was during King William’s War that the fort was built by the English soldiers to protect the land against the French and Wabanaki Confederacy of Acadia. It was but 4 years later when it was destroyed in the Siege of Pemaquid, but its remaining features still last today. The land was predominantly occupied by indigenous people, but settlers arrived and brutally took over. The chief at the time, Taukolexis, was murdered by the English near the fort, and people say he never left.
