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New London, NH has many ghosts. If you visit the town on a foggy night, or see it on a stark winter afternoon, you’ll have no doubt that it’s very haunted.
New London is best known for Colby-Sawyer College, in the middle of town. It has a long history and a connection to many famous people.
I’ve already reported a few of the many ghosts at Colby-Sawyer College ghosts, and Colby-Sawyer College – haunted places, part 2
The following additional New London area ghosts are worth investigating.
New London Inn, 353 Main Street, New London, NH
The sparkling white inn is well-known as the home of some charming ghosts.
They include a housekeeper who likes everything “just so,” and sometimes makes certain that everyone is tucked in at night.
A more congenial ghost has been seen sitting by the fireplace. He’s rather inebriated and wears a Revolutionary War uniform that no longer fits him.
If you see him at all, he’ll raise his tankard of ale in a brief toast to you. Then, he vanishes.
People hear him–sometimes the sound of someone chugging a beverage–or they see just the glitter of his uniform buttons. (The buttons are usually seen out of the corner of your eye, or as a momentary flicker of reflected lights.)
New London Barn Playhouse, 84 Main Street, New London, NH [Official website]
Since 1933, this New London playhouse has built a solid reputation for quality performances. Its red building has become a landmark, and a favorite destination for fans of great plays and musicals.
It’s also famous for at least one ghost, who whispers something like, “You did great!” near actors as they leave the stage, regardless of the merits of their performances.
According to one story, he’s a former stagehand — perhaps a props manager — who always wanted to be an actor, but never had the courage to step in front of the lights. So, he tries to feel as if he’s part of the cast even now, many years after he passed on. But, even today, this timid ghost is heard but not seen.
The second ghost is the figure of a woman in a dark red dress, in a style from around the 1940s. She’s seen, sometimes in silhouette but always in the shadows, at the back of the hall during rehearsals.
Sometimes, actors think they see her in the audience, but when the take a second look, no one is there. She is a smoker, so cigarette smoke may linger even after she vanishes.
If you’re there for a performance, look for her outline near the main door–just inside the playhouse or outside–when the audience is leaving.
WNTK Radio [Official website]
The ghost of a cleaning woman has haunted the building where WNTK was located in 2002. She was already a legend in the 1960s, and her clothing suggests that she’s from the Depression era.
At night, if you’re facing the building from the street, you may see her in a tired-looking floral dress and a full-bib apron that’s either muted orange or sky blue. She may be carrying a bucket and broom or mop, or just a cleaning cloth.
She’s an actual ghost — not residual energy — and will react to anyone who gets close to her before she disappears. Generally, her temperament seems to be rather sour.
If you’re in New London, you may want to drive east about 25 miles to Andover. There, you can visit the strange Ghosts of Old Center Cemetery, Andover, NH