Ghostly shapes, loud voices, ethereal whispers, phantom lights, the cries of drowning men on a cold night, all are part of the nitty gritty reality of ghosts and haunted lighthouse legends. Maine holds the title of Most Haunted Lighthouses of New England.
We begin our tour at the Nubble Lighthouse on Cape Neddick where the legend of the ghost ship Isadore is a favorite tale whispered about amongst the locals.
Our story begins with Capt. Joseph Smith, who petitioned Congress to build a lighthouse on York Ledge, where ships and sailors were constantly being lost against the treacherous Bald Head Cliffs. Congress provided the money, but construction delays occurred and the rocky cost remained dark and dangerous, and more lives were sacrificed to the sea. Still, the Nubble Lighthouse was finally built in 1879, but its guiding lights came too late to save Leander Foss, captain of the Isadore and his hardy crew.
 |
The ship had its chances to be saved. For just the night before, Thomas King, a sailor on the Isadore, had had a vivid nightmare where he saw the ship and its crew crushed by waves against the rocky cliff and perishing. Captain Foss, after hearing about the dream, was scornful and mocking, and refused to relieve King of duty or change his sailing date. Neither the sailor nor the caption were aware that a comrade had dreamed a similar vision where he saw seven coffins, including his own, washing up on the shore.
Despite the fears of the crew, the Isadore set sail on a bitterly cold day in November. The winds were howling, driving snow in whirling gusts that greatly reduced visibility. Shortly after leaving the port, the Isadore, without the saving light of a lighthouse, crashed into Bald Head Cliffs, killing all hands except Thomas King, who managed to escape the disaster and reach the town of Kennebunkport.
Many fishermen, since the tragedy, have reported seeing the Isadore, a ghostly shadow ship, whose stubborn Captain and unlucky crew still sail along the coast…
 |
Suicide Light – The Mantinicus Lighthouse
Manning (or womaning) a lighthouse leads to a solitary life in the best cases, and the Mantinicus Lighthouse saw several keepers who were not capable of dealing with the loneliness and responsibility – they committed suicide.
One of the new guardians of Mantinicus Rock Lighthouse, not knowing that his predecessor had killed himself in the lighthouse decided to open up a part of Mantinicus, that had been purposely closed. A fury was released with this action. Doors opened and closed with angry sounds, light bulbs popped in their sockets, cups and dishes flew off tables as if in a rage, and cabinet doors refused to remain closed.
Peace was only returned when the new lighthouse keeper re-closed the once isolated area. What was released that day – nobody knows. Later when inspectors checked out the barricaded portion of the lighthouse, the ghost seemed to have gone. Perhaps it followed the light from a more heavenly lighthouse…
Division of Labor – Owl’s Head Light
Two ghosts haunt this lighthouse off the coast of Rockland.
The first ghost, was a lighthouse keeper who hated the daily routine that an operator must follow. He had just finished the task of polishing all the brass fixtures, when he climbed down the stairs and left the lighthouse, going outside to relieve his stress and boredom – he was never seen again in mortal form. He had gone out into a snow storm. Searchers found his footsteps left in the show, but nothing else.
According to legend, a three-year-old girl, not long after the disappearance, woke up from her sleep and cried out to her parents to sound the fog horn and warn approaching ships of danger. And indeed, ships were out there on the rough seas that heeded the warning sounds. When asked about her “dream,” she told them her invisible friend, who looked suspiciously like a portrait of the keeper, told her to sound the alarm.
But this is not the only evidence of this ghost. Many keepers of the lighthouse, to this day, are puzzled to find the brass is often polished before they get to it and that the thermostat has been lowered to save energy.
The second spirit, is that of “the little lady”. She is a pleasant and almost restful ghost whose origins are unknown. She is sometimes sighted in the execution of various kitchen duties. At which times, people report hearing the rattling of silver, and the noise doors opening and closing.
|
Play It Again and Again – The Seguin Lighthouse
Seguin Light, off the coast of Boothbay Harbor is the highest lighthouse above sea level and is home to one of the grisliest of haunting legends.
As noted earlier, lighthouse keeping is not for the faint of heart. While the men may keep busy with the necessary tasks and repairs, wives are often stuck facing loneliness, boredom and isolation almost impossible to bear.
A newlywed keeper brought his bride with him to Seguin Light. Her well justified complaints of loneliness and boredom, led him to purchase a piano, to help occupy her time.
Although pleased with the gift, she found the piano came with but a single piece of sheet music. And with no alternative, she played this one piece of music, over and over throughout the long, isolating winter. This was enough to drive anyone mad and it drove her husband crazy, or almost so.
When spring came, in hopes of restoring his sanity, the husband bought new music for her to play. But she insisted on only playing the original melody – pounding away at the same keys again and again. The unstinting repetition of the music pushed him beyond the brink of no return. He took an ax to the piano, and smashed it to pieces. Then he turned the ax on her, chopping off her head, before killing himself.
The locals say that on particularly cold nights, they can hear the tinkle of piano keys playing an odd melody, and they can see the ghostly keeper looking for something – perhaps the axe….
The Woman in White – Ram Island Light
Before a lighthouse appeared on Ram Island, a fisherman began the tradition of hanging a light on his dory (small, shallow-draft boat), warning mariners of the danger. Other fishermen soon followed his example.
But on dark, stormy nights, the fishermen’s lights are not enough for sailors to see. At such times, a mysterious woman in white would appear waving a brightly lit torch. Several fishermen, out at sea, reported that they saw her light just in time to avoid disaster.
Is she a guardian angel, or the ghost of a sailor’s widow? No one knows. But even today, reports come in of the woman in white waving her torch and saving lives.
What Beauty Walks Here? – Hendrick’s Head Lighthouse
A beautiful spirit, whose identity and fate has sparked much speculation, walks on the beach near Hendrick’s Head Light.
During a March storm, a ship crashed on a ledge, half a mile from the lighthouse. The lighthouse keeper was too far away top help, and could only watch helplessly as the ship, its passengers, crew and cargo disappeared beneath the waves.
The next day, while searching through the rubble, the keeper and his wife found two spring mattresses connected with rope, and heard strange noises coming from between them. When they untied the mattresses, they found a baby girl in a wooden box, snuggled safely. Their thoughts turned to the brave Mother of the child whose quick thinking gave her daughter a chance for rescue. They took the child home and raised her as their own.
Many believe the beautiful, grieving woman seen walking on the beach is the mother of the child.
There are many haunted American lighthouses, and each has its own terrible story. Several are open to the public and are waiting for you to visit – ghosts do get lonely you know…
Marianne L. Kelly, a former chef, is a journalist, editor, web content writer and lighthouse enthusiast. Marianne has written three themed main stream cookbooks, including one featuring lighthouses. She is currently working on a third that follows each season with stories, poems, thoughts and sayings along with healthy recipes from the bounty of each season. Marianne works with a web designer writing original content and re-writes, and is available for hire. For more information visit http://www.safeharbourpress.com or http://www.strawintogold.weebly.com
The Haunted Lighthouse
 |
Haunted Key West Lighthouse Palm Tree Sea Pirates #22 US $14.99 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Friday Sep-03-2010 10:26:52 PDT | Watch this Item |
 |
New England's Haunted Lighthouses US $28.98 Auction Ends: Saturday Sep-04-2010 21:53:46 PDT | Watch this Item |
![haunted-lighthouses-[vhs]-by-george-c-steitz](http://thumbs.ebaystatic.com/pict/150477002368_0.jpg) |
Haunted Lighthouses [VHS] by George C. Steitz US $30.00 Auction Ends: Sunday Sep-05-2010 14:23:00 PDT | Watch this Item |
 |
NEW - Haunted Lighthouses and How to Find Them US $15.69 Auction Ends: Sunday Sep-05-2010 17:56:27 PDT | Watch this Item |
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=5850cc5d-4180-4581-8e94-ac9ce1b3b510)
