{"id":97191959,"date":"2017-10-11T20:11:41","date_gmt":"2017-10-11T20:11:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/?p=97191959"},"modified":"2022-08-16T18:18:05","modified_gmt":"2022-08-16T18:18:05","slug":"the-eerie-side-of-new-england-is-massachusetts-the-spookiest-state-in-the-union","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/the-eerie-side-of-new-england-is-massachusetts-the-spookiest-state-in-the-union\/","title":{"rendered":"The Eerie Side of New England: Is Massachusetts the Spookiest State in the Union?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Autumn in New England is one of the best times of year to visit this beautiful region. But let\u2019s face it. With a hint of chill in the air and the crunch of dead leaves under your feet (oh wait&#8230;was that something you heard rustling in the near distance?), heading to New England during the fall season can lead to some pretty hair-raising encounters.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps spookiest of the New England states is Massachusetts, where a fascinating and sometimes bizarre history amounts to just the sorts of chills and thrills to make for a most memorable Halloween.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re looking for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/deals\/weekend-getaways\">weekend getaway<\/a> to get spooked in the Bay State, then check out our guide to Massachusetts\u2019 historic haunted places you can actually visit.<\/p>\n<h2>Boston<\/h2>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-version=\"7\">\n<div style=\"padding: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;\"><a style=\"color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BKipp72BNMP\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Reverend Mather is one of the many spirits who linger throughout Copp&#8217;s Hill burying ground. Want to meet him? &#x1f480;<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\">A post shared by GhostsandGravestones (@ghostsandgravestones) on <time style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;\" datetime=\"2016-09-19T14:48:21+00:00\">Sep 19, 2016 at 7:48am PDT<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async defer src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><br \/>\nDon\u2019t get us wrong, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/flights\/cheap-flights-to-boston-bos-massachusetts?fpaffiliate=blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Boston<\/a> is an awesome city. But some seriously creepy stuff has happened there over the years. There\u2019s the 17th century Granary Park Burying Grounds where three signers of the Declaration of Independence \u2013 Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Robert Treat Paine \u2013 are buried. Patriot Paul Revere\u2019s remains are here as well, and it is said his spirit (on horseback even!) can be seen traversing this ancient graveyard\u2019s narrow paths.<\/p>\n<p>Need a proverbial hand to hold and someone else to deal with the pesky logistic of seeing this and many more supposedly haunted sights around town? Consider booking a night out with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ghostsandgravestones.com\/boston\/haunted-places.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ghost &amp; Gravestones Boston Frightseeing Tour<\/a>. The tour takes you around the city in an Old Town Trolley stopping along the way to point out Boston\u2019s \u201cmost chilling murder sites and haunted places.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Gardner<\/h2>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-version=\"7\">\n<div style=\"padding: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;\"><a style=\"color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BO6H8oFg2Le\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The #skpiercehauntedvictorianmansion #the555 #paranormal #investigation April 1 #overnight BrandieWells.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\">A post shared by Brandie Wells (@brandiemedium) on <time style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;\" datetime=\"2017-01-06T03:41:09+00:00\">Jan 5, 2017 at 7:41pm PST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async defer src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><br \/>\nIn north central Massachusetts, not too far from the New Hampshire border, is Gardner. Aside from once being celebrated \u201cThe Furniture Capital of New England,\u201d Gardner\u2019s biggest claim to fame (or is that infamy?) is the S.K. Pierce <a href=\"http:\/\/www.skhauntedvictorianmansion.com\/\">Haunted Victorian Mansion<\/a>. This 7,000 square foot, 10-room mansion, built in the 1880s, was once (and perhaps still is) the home of Sylvester Knowlton Pierce, a wealthy businessman and owner of the successful S.K. Pierce and Sons Furniture Company.<\/p>\n<p>After Pierce\u2019s death, his company and his mansion suffered decline. It is said that a prostitute was strangled in one of the house\u2019s bedrooms and that an immigrant guest was burned alive in another. There are tales of a small child drowning in the basement as well. These and other stories are considered by many as reasons for many ghostly sightings and odd occurrences tied to the property\u2019s history \u2013 including full body apparitions, moving furniture, sudden and drastic drops in temperature, and more.<\/p>\n<p>These days, the house is open to the public <a href=\"http:\/\/skhauntedvictorianmansion.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">as a haunted attraction<\/a>. You can even spend the night there. But guests must be willing to sign a waiver to enter. And as much as it\u2019s now a popular entertainment option, the accounts of paranormal activity here and its gruesome past cannot be denied.<\/p>\n<h2>Fall River<\/h2>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-version=\"7\">\n<div style=\"padding: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;\"><a style=\"color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BITgEKFjVt_\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Miss Borden! #lizziebordenhouse #lizzieborden #lizziebordentookanax<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\">A post shared by Lizzie Borden Bed &amp; Breakfast (@lizziebordenbedandbreakfast) on <time style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;\" datetime=\"2016-07-26T00:33:09+00:00\">Jul 25, 2016 at 5:33pm PDT<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async defer src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<em>Lizzie Borden took an axe<br \/>\nAnd gave her mother forty whacks.<br \/>\nWhen she saw what she had done,<br \/>\nShe gave her father forty-one.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>So goes the well-known poem about Fall River, Massachusetts\u2019 most notorious resident: <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lizzie_Borden\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lizzie Borden<\/a>. Back in 1892 at the age of 32, Borden was accused of hacking her father and stepmother to death with an axe. Although widely thought guilty by the general public, she was found innocent went put on trial and no other suspect was ever prosecuted. The origins of America\u2019s original axe murderer remain a mystery to this day!<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019d like to take a crack at solving the mystery yourself, consider paying a visit or even booking a room at the actual southern Massachusetts house where the brutal murders took place. That\u2019s right! The former home of the Borden family is today the <a href=\"https:\/\/lizzie-borden.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast Museum<\/a>. The eight-room Victorian House B&amp;B welcomes overnight guests and visitors to its museum daily.<\/p>\n<h2>Salem<\/h2>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-version=\"7\">\n<div style=\"padding: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/bjuoCAprBP\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Salem Witch Museum (@salemwitchmuseum)<\/a> on <time style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;\" datetime=\"2013-07-09T20:15:30+00:00\">Jul 9, 2013 at 1:15pm PDT<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async defer src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><br \/>\nAnd then there\u2019s the north shore city of Salem, that\u2019s never quite managed to shake its 300-year-old association with the witch trials of 1692, when 20 innocent residents were executed for supposedly making a pact with the Devil. These days, locals make the most of their macabre heritage and aim to shine a light on these tragic events. The city has even become something of a hub for people interested in the supernatural and witchcraft.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/salem.org\/learn\/museums-attractions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Attractions around town<\/a> that help visitors learn about the trials include the Salem Witch Museum, Witch Dungeon Museum, and the home of Jonathan Corwin, one of the judges who condemned these innocent women to death. There\u2019s also a Witch Trials Memorial, which includes 20 granite benches inscribed with the name and date of each execution. The city also offers historical walking tours, an array of bewitching shops, and more throughout this beautiful New England city.<\/p>\n<p>Halloween is, of course, a great time for all things spooky, so if you&#8217;re looking for some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/deals\/cheap-flights-in-october\">cheap flights in October<\/a>, think of Massachusetts for a scary good time!<\/p>\n<p><em><b>Are you attracted to spooky locations? If you love the feeling the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, then book your ghoulish getaway right now!<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Autumn in New England is one of the best times of year to visit this beautiful region. But let\u2019s face it. With a hint of chill in the air and the crunch of dead leaves under your feet (oh wait&#8230;was that something you heard rustling in the near distance?), heading to New England during the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":97192070,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1416],"tags":[702,380],"class_list":["post-97191959","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel-guide","tag-haunted","tag-massachusetts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97191959","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=97191959"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97191959\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":97215844,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97191959\/revisions\/97215844"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/97192070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=97191959"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=97191959"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=97191959"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}