Laconia, NH’s Ghostly Places

New Hampshire (USA) is a gold mine of haunted locations. I discovered several in 2011, around Tilton and Laconia.

(Also see Ghosts of Tilton’s Mystery Tunnels and Webster Place.)

Ghosts in nearby Tilton, NH

Ghost Hunting in Tilton, NHScouting locations for a TV show, I found – and investigated – a series of great haunts in or near Tilton, New Hampshire. (Tilton may be best known for its outlet mall, the Tilt’n Diner, and the haunted Tilton Inn where Ghost Hunters filmed an episode.)

Among the most interesting haunts:

  • Hall Memorial Library, Northfield-Tilton, NH.
  • Tilton Mystery Tunnel, Tilton, NH.
  • Two buildings and a cemetery at Webster Place, Franklin, NH
  • Daniel Webster’s birthplace, Franklin, NH.

(Several of my stories were included in Rue Cote’s book, Ghost Hunting in Tilton, New Hampshire.)

Here are the locations I found in Laconia and vicinity.

Ghosts in Laconia, NH and Tilton NH

Ghosts in Laconia, NH

Laconia turned out to be a gold mine of weird stories and possibly haunted places.

My Laconia adventures started when people learned that I was scouting locations.

Almost immediately, I was invited to tour a private residence and hear its history.

It was startling. If I were to list all the things I look for in a haunted house, this home ticked most of them.

shadow figure in Laconia basementFrom the start, I saw evidence of the home’s Colonial history. In the kitchen, I climbed down to a room that had been part of the Underground Railroad.

In the basement, I saw – and photographed – a shadow figure.  (You can learn more about the basement, at my 2018 article, Photos from the Haunted Laconia House.)

We checked every possible explanation for the figure, and found none. And, while I watched, he walked away… and vanished.

Then, climbing stairs to an attic, I saw hash marks walls and the inside of the door, indicating that someone had been locked in, up there. (That’s a photo of it, below. From the number of hash marks, someone had been up there a very long time.)

Laconia-atticdoor1As if that weren’t enough, the owners told me about the petrified bodies that used to be in their backyard. (The bodies had been dug up and moved to downtown Laconia.)

The wife explained that “something” seemed to be in the backyard, at night, so she sometimes went outside with a shotgun… just in case.

However, the owners of the home assured me that they had no ghosts. Absolutely none.

I still don’t know what to think of that. From what I saw and heard, there’s no way that house isn’t haunted.

The next day, I returned to that area and found several other sites worth investigating:

  • Tavern 27 at the Mystic Meadows, 2075 Parade Road, Laconia, NH, and the gift shop behind it.
  • The former site of the Anti-Pedo Baptist Church of Meredith, NH, which was burned to the ground on behalf of a neighbor, Mrs. Morgan. (Maybe it was. I’m not sure the real explanation was arson.)
  • Mead Cemetery (433427N / 0712936W) and Round Bay Cemetery, Laconia, NH.

If you’re looking for the petrified bodies, they’re in the Folsom graves at Laconia’s Union Cemetery (between Garfield and Academy Streets).

If I’d had more time, I’d have scheduled nighttime investigations at some of those locations. However, my schedule was already overloaded.

My point is: you may have a large number of haunts in your area, but don’t realize it. It’s easy to assume that nothing familiar to you is haunted.

Take a second look.

How to find similar, haunted places

Even if you don’t live in New Hampshire, here’s how to find similar haunted locations:

1. Ask people if they know any local, haunted places.

2. Follow your instincts.  Drive around, look at maps, and — psychic or not — pay attention to your “gut feelings.”

3. Research history! Look for patterns — geographical or historical — that connect locations that seem odd to you.

4. Ask more questions.  Collect more stories. Research anything (and everything) that holds your interest.

No matter where you live, you’re probably within a few miles of a great, haunted location.

Ghosts of Tilton’s Mystery Tunnels and Webster Place (NH)

Scouting haunted New Hampshire locations* for a TV series, I discovered a wealth of eerie sites to investigate.

Here are some of my photos (a few are large) related to the strange and haunted sites.

Tilton Mystery Tunnels

Entrance to one of the Tilton Mystery TunnelsThe Tilton “mystery tunnel” actually starts in Northfield, NH, not far from Exit 19 on Route 93 in New Hampshire.  The entry — currently blocked with a boulder and an iron door — is off the paved path between Tilton Memorial Arch and downtown Tilton.  (Walk towards town and, on the right, you may see an area where foot traffic has left a mark.  The entrance to the tunnel is about 10 feet from the paved path.)

According to local residents, the tunnel’s stairs were filled in and the entry has been blocked by the police — who patrol the area — because kids were using the tunnel for drinking.

I’ve heard a wide range of ghost stories connected with the tunnel entrance, the Tilton Arch, the cemetery at the Northfield side of the hill, and Tilton School.  Around downtown Tilton, you may hear even more stories.

The tunnel-related stories usually involve a misty form or apparition.  I’ve heard about orbs — visible and in photos — but, except for a slightly creepy feeling at the tunnel itself, I didn’t experience anything odd around the Tilton Arch or the tunnel entrance.

I talked with someone who’d been in the entrance to the Tilton tunnel.  He said that the interior is very nicely finished, and it’s clear that something — at least one tunnel — had been sealed.

Inside the Tilton tunnel entry. Elegant brickwork in the foyer and the first room.The photo on the right shows what’s immediately in back of the iron door.  My camera was in the initial entry room, and — beyond it — you can see a second, large room (and sealed — or filled-in — arched passage entries) with beer cans on the dirt floor.

The workmanship is extraordinary.  That’s the baffling part.  This wasn’t just a root cellar or cold storage built by a neighbor for personal use.  However, I’ve found nothing in any records  — online or offline — to indicate a purpose related to the arch or the park.

Who built the Tilton Mystery Tunnel… and why?

No one seems to be certain why the Tilton tunnel was built, or where it leads.  There are two anecdotal explanations, both tied to ghost stories, and both loosely linked with the idea that it was an Underground Railroad stop between the northeast and Canada.

(There are lots of strange, hidden rooms in houses around Tilton and Laconia, NH.  Most are linked to Underground Railroad activity in the 19th century.  Others may date back to Indian attacks in Colonial times.)

One description of the Tilton Mystery Tunnel claims that it leads from Arch Hill to a site (or sites) under the Tilton School.  I’ve talked with people who have first-person stories about seeing the tunnels beneath the Tilton School.  Most insist that at least one Tilton School tunnel leads to the Tilton Arch.

The connection with the Tilton Arch site is unlikely, since the tunnel would have to lead under the river and back up a steep hill.  However, Charles E. Tilton — who built the arch — lived in a house atop the opposite hill, next to what is now Tilton School.  (The school buildings originally housed a Methodist college.)

According to some Tilton historians and lots of local residents, the Tilton School — including its library — has several ghosts.  However, I didn’t have time to verify those tales.  (Update: The library is supposed to be the most haunted building on campus.  It’s the former home of Charles Elliott Tilton… the Arch builder.)

The second version of the Tilton Mystery Tunnel story says that at least one tunnel leads to Hall Memorial Library.   That makes a little more sense, since the library isn’t far from the tunnel entrance near the arch, and it’d be a fairly straight path underground.

Update: December 2013

My recent research suggests that the brick room was built to support the gas production that fueled the lights around the park.

The metal tube leading from that room towards the surface confirms that as a likely explanation… but only for that room.

The adjoining tunnels are still a mystery.

Hall Memorial Library, Northfield-Tilton, NH

In April 2011, Lesley Marden and I spoke at the haunted Hall Memorial Library, and — together with Sean Paradis, we investigated the library’s basement.  A memorial plaque in the Children’s Room caught our attention, as it seems to have unusual energy.  We found a slight, repeating EMF spike there (could be normal) and a minor (but notable) cold spot, as well.

In a locked storage area in the library’s basement, we detected residual energy.  At the time, I said it was from a female entity who was hiding there, fearful.  Abuse was in the story, but it seemed vague… perhaps even imagined.  Something didn’t make sense.  The imagery was faint, even for a residual energy haunting.

Later, I learned that a former head librarian had severe agoraphobia — so bad she sometimes locked the library doors and hid inside — and had died tragically, nearby.
More importantly, I saw some odd brickwork in the library’s basement.  It could indicate a tunnel entrance — or part of one — now sealed.  Frankly, the brickwork seemed more like an oven or some kind of vents, but it’s difficult to tell.  This anomaly only partially supports the idea that the Tilton Mystery Tunnel led to the library.  I’m not convinced that it did, though I have no doubt that the library has ghostly energy.

More local ghost stories

Webster family grave, Webster Place, Franklin, NHIf you’re in or near Tilton and Northfield, New Hampshire, be sure to drive an extra half hour to Franklin (NH) where Webster Place has some great haunted locations.  In general, you’ll visit that street during the daytime.

In October 2010, I reported on the ghosts of the Franklin Historical Society, and the violent history of its surroundings.

I returned to that street — Webster Place, in Franklin, NH — when I was scouting locations for a TV show.*  The show had been interested in the historical society, the Webster family cemetery (shown at left) and the rehab center next to the historical society.

The Webster family cemetery is at the end of the road, on private property.  Check the permission sign before driving down the dirt road to the cemetery.  The cemetery seems normal enough, but it’s one of those locations that’s just a little too quiet.  I should have heard squirrels, birds, and the sound of cars from the busy road at the other end of Webster Place.  Instead, it was eerily silent.  On the other hand, maybe it was just an odd time of day when I visited.

Photos of the orphan wagons from past Franklin, NH parades.Next door to the Franklin Historical Society (see my earlier article), a private rehab center now occupies what used to be a convent and orphanage.  For the privacy of its staff & residents, that building is not open to the public.  However, from several people who’ve stayed there, I heard the following ghost story:

Many nights (or early morning) at about 3 a.m., people hear the whoosh-whoosh sound of the nun’s robes and footsteps on the floor.  They’re not going to the chapel (which is a wonderful retro design, like stepping back to the mid-20th century)… they’re going to the dining hall.

According to the stories, the dining hall has cabinets and drawers.  On many of the drawers, there are little labels, one for each nun.  That indicates where each nun kept her own silverware and dishes for mealtime.

There are other ghost stories at that location, related to the orphans who used to live there.  The photos on the walls are charming, nostalgic and — for me, anyway — a little sad & creepy.  I’ve posted a couple of them next to the dining & lodging section, below.

While you’re in Franklin, if you don’t mind more driving, follow the signs to the Daniel Webster birthplace.  I didn’t have time to investigate it, but it looks very creepy to me.  Something about that house and other buildings on the property… they’re odd… good odd, for paranormal research.

(As I’m editing this article, six months later, even the photo gives me a chill… and it’s 81 degrees out.)

As the stories were told to me, most of the ghost stories are connected with the small Colonial building next to the birthplace house.

That may be true, but my first choice would be to investigate the big white house in the photo below.

Where to stay

If you’re visiting Tilton, NH and want to stay in a haunted hotel, I recommend the 1875 Inn.

The 1875 Inn was featured on Ghost Hunters.  It’s charming, convenient to the Tilton Arch, and receives great reviews from guests and paranormal investigators.

Nearby, I love the cabins at the Lord Hampshire inn, on the shores of Lake Winnisquam.

If you’re willing to drive, check out The Spalding Inn, Whitefield, NH.  It’s over an hour away from Tilton, but for a memorable stay in NH, I’d choose the Spalding.  For several years, it was owned by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson (and their families) from the Ghost Hunters TV show.

I’ve spent the night there (and slept soundly) and investigated at the hotel and its carriage house, several times. In my opinion, it’s very haunted, and may have some crypto-type activity, as well.  I highly recommend the Spalding Inn… if it’s open and you don’t mind the extra drive.

Where to eat

If you’re looking for a good meal in Tilton, the 1875 Inn features a restaurant that seems very popular with visitors and locals.

Locals and tourists always stop at the nearby Tilt’n Diner.

During the summer months, the Dipsy Doodle in Northfield — just a few blocks south of the Tilton Arch — is legendary for their seafood, burgers, ice cream and more.  I’ve also heard good things about Tilton Pizza, on Main Street, not far from the Hall Memorial Library.

For healthy snacks, locally made crafts, and great conversations, visit Gemini Health Emporium on Main Street.  The hardware store next door is also worth seeing; it’s like stepping back in time.  (There’s a cafe across the street — I can’t think of the name of it, but it’s the only one nearby — and it seemed to be enormously popular for breakfast and lunch.)

And, if you’re in town anyway, practically everyone stops at the outlet mall in Tilton, just north of downtown on Route 3.

This is the first of two articles (and podcasts) about ghosts of New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, based on my research shortly before October 2011. The second article – and longer podcast – is with my article Laconia, NH’s Ghostly, Haunted Places.

Tilton Arch information and links

Vintage postcard showing the Tilton Memorial Arch, Northfield, NH

*I was not under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).  So, I’m able to share my research at this website.

Book Review: Ghost Hunting in Tilton, NH

This isn’t my book, but it includes  a few of my Tilton stories. Other regional ghost hunters, including Lesley Marden and journalist Jim Fitzgerald, also contributed their stories to Rue’s book.

Ghost Hunting in Tilton, NH, by Rue Taylor Cote.

From the Amazon description:

Ghost Hunting in Tilton, NHIs Tilton the most haunted town in New Hampshire?

Tilton’s ghosts became famous in 2010 when the Ghost Hunters TV series featured Tilton’s haunted 1875 Inn.

After that, many ghost hunters came to Tilton and New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, looking for haunted places.

They found them… Lots of them.

Tilton may seem like a typical New Hampshire town.

After you learn about its ghosts, I think you’ll agree: Tilton is one of the Granite State’s strangest, most haunted towns.

I’m fascinated by the connections between the Tilton family and the Webster family.

Also, the Tilton area – very rural when those families moved there – seemed an odd place for two eccentric, powerful families to settle and, today, to be among the area’s ghosts.

I read this book in one sitting. (Yes, it’s short, but I was intrigued by  stories that were new to me.)

For example, the Tilton link to the popular book & TV series, A Handmaid’s Tale, was a complete surprise.

Also, I’ll bet there’s more to Peter Tilton’s story. If two of Oliver Cromwell’s supporters are buried near Tilton’s Connecticut house, in unmarked graves… well, I’d be very interested in investigating there, as well.

Something about Tilton seems… off. Weird. It’s like it’s a little too cute. Too “quaint New England.”

It’s almost picture-perfect… and then the Tilton Inn is so haunted, it’s been featured on Ghost Hunters and other TV shows.

Something doesn’t add up. Maybe the rumored stories – underground tunnels, women locked in attics, and eerie rituals – are true. And maybe their energy lingers today.

Like author Rue Cote, I’m curious about Northfield, too. I’d researched near the abandoned town center, without realizing anything important had been there.

I never knew about the hidden cemetery, either. I’m always interested in haunted sites that have been concealed for, oh, at least 100 years.

Tilton is a sleepy little New Hampshire town off I-93, in the Lakes Region. If you’re going to be in that area,  read this book to plan your own unique ghost hunting adventures.

(Also, if you have any Tilton-related ghost stories to share, leave them in comments. I’m very interested in that part of New Hampshire.)

She Was Locked in the Attic – Ghost Hunting in Laconia, NH

Over a hundred years ago, a woman was locked in the attic of a haunted Laconia (NH) home. She spent years up there, perhaps clawing at the walls and door. She may have died up there, and pieces of her body may still be in the home’s backyard.

These pictures are from a house near Laconia’s Parade Road. It’s a private residence, but in Colonial times, it had been a tavern.

Later, according to stories told by the homeowners, someone was locked in the attic, possibly for years.

I was fortunate enough to be invited – privately – to spend a few hours ghost hunting at this extraordinary site. Even in broad daylight, it was unusual.

And, the ghost stories at that site are credible.

There’s plenty of physical evidence of its turbulent past, including personal belongings from long ago. It’s difficult to tell which had been left there, abandoned by previous homeowners, and which belong to the current residents.

But few attics have so many marks scraped into the walls and door.


Ghost Hunting in Tilton, NHI’ve mentioned this house before, including in my review of Rue Cote’s book, Ghost Hunting in Tilton, NH.

The scratch marks in the Laconia home’s attic were among the creepiest things I’ve ever seen, ghost hunting in private homes. Those scratches are reminiscent of hash marks carved into prison walls, and in orphanages and some hospitals.


Here’s the evidence

The first photo shows the wall near the attic door, close to an old-school light switch. I’m not sure if the scratched-in date (near the top of the wall) says 1895 or 1896.

Probably the latter.

Either way, it’s creepy.

Laconia haunted house - scratch marks 1895
Haunted attic in Laconia. Is that date 1895 or 1896?

Next, here are the marks on the inside of the attic door (by someone inside the attic). Some look like they may have been etched with chalk.

More hash marks and scratches inside haunted Laconia (NH) attic
Interior of the attic door, in that haunted Laconia house.

Next is a photo you may have seen before (in my article – Laconia, NH’s Ghostly Places) but this is a larger copy. It hasn’t been adjusted in any way, aside from reducing it to fit on this webpage.

Haunted Laconia attic, with lots of scratch marks.
Even more hash marks and scratches. Some look almost frenzied.

The fourth (next) photo shows an area just to the left of the previous photo. I did adjust the contrast (and I added an arrow) so you can see the date scratched into the wall: 1892.

Haunted Laconia - 1892 scratches in attic
The date is clear: 1892. So, was someone up there for FOUR years…?

If the photo at the top of this article shows 1896 scratched into the wood, it’s possible someone was locked in that attic for a very long time. Three or four years, at least. That’s shocking.

You can read more of my Laconia story – and more true, ghostly tales – in Rue’s book.

More ghost hunting opportunities, nearby?

For me, the most chilling part of this Laconia ghost investigation was what people said, afterwards.

I talked about this house with several friends in Tilton.

Every one of them had a story about a relative that had been locked in their family’s attic, years ago.

Or, they knew a neighbor or nearby cousin with a relative locked in the attic.

I understand that in the 18th and 19th centuries, mental health facilities could be barbaric. It may have seemed more humane to keep the person at home.

But, in an attic…? And for years…?

That explains a lot about why Tilton and nearby towns are so very haunted. If you’re ghost hunting in NH’s Lakes Region, Laconia and Tilton should be on your must-see list.

Franklin NH – Historical Society’s Ghosts

Franklin Historical Society at Webster Place, Franklin, NHThe Franklin Historical Society is located at Webster Place in Franklin, New Hampshire.  The building is a Colonial-era home — once the residence of Daniel Webster — with a large Victorian addition.

After its years as an early American residence (owned by the Haddock and Webster families, among others), the home was used as an orphanage from 1871 through 1958.

Then, from 1960 through 2005, the site was the property of the Sisters of the Holy Cross.

More recently, the building was acquired for the historical society.

In the photo at left, taken on 7 October 2010, you can see just part of the older side of the building. Most of the picture shows the 1860 Victorian addition.  (Yes, that is a large orb near one window on the middle floor.  Some photos of the front of the building included orbs; most didn’t.)

I was attending a talk by EPNE.  They described their experiences during a preliminary ghost investigation at the site, and shared some stories plus video and EVP recordings.

It was a relaxing evening, and a chance to see what’s going on in the field, in general.

After EPNE’s demonstration and a break for refreshments, I explored the building with friends (and fellow researchers) Sean Paradis and Lesley Marden.

Ground Floor: Warm Spot

Daniel WebsterFirst, we focused on a ground floor room with school desks stored in it.  (From the front entrance, the room is immediately on your left.)

This is part of the Victorian addition to the Haddock-Webster mansion.  The two-story addition was constructed in 1860 by Rufus L. Tay, who’d purchased the house and property from Daniel Webster’s son and heir.

(Daguerreotype at left shows Daniel Webster in 1847.)

One rocking chair seemed to have an odd warm spot while the chair next to it was as chilly as we expected, in that unheated room.

However, we hadn’t planned to investigate anything, so we didn’t have a thermometer to verify the effects.

Note: Some researchers believe that a cold spot indicates ghostly energy, but a warm spot suggests more dangerous energy.  I haven’t explored either from a good/bad viewpoint.

Nearby, all three of us felt that one spot in the room had unusual energy, but those were merely odd sensations. Those are difficult to document.  We detected no unusual EMF with a K-II meter or a hiking compass, at any part of that room.

Lesley and Sean checked the floor immediately upstairs, but the door to the room overhead — and all doors along that side of the house — were locked.  They appeared to be used as offices.

The Mezuzah Room

When we explored the rooms that were open upstairs, one room was odd. We’re fairly certain it’s the room where EPNE thought a flashlight had responded to yes/no questions.

What seemed especially strange in Franklin, NH — particularly since it was a home for nuns for 40 years — was the mezuzah at the doorway.

According to Wikipedia:

A mezuzah is affixed to the doorframe in Jewish homes to fulfill the mitzvah (Biblical commandment) to inscribe the words of the Shema “on the doorposts of your house” (Deuteronomy 6:9).

Some interpret Jewish law to require a mezuzah on every doorway in the home apart from bathrooms, and closets too small to qualify as rooms; others view it as necessary only to place one in the front doorway.

I’ve seen many homes that feature a mezuzah at the front door.  Others have additional mezuzahs throughout the home.

However, until last night, I’d never seen a home with a mezuzah placed at just one, interior doorway… and none anywhere else. There were no marks where other mezuzahs might have been, either.

So, why would a mezuzah mark the one, apparently most-haunted room in the building?  Was it an attempt to keep something out… or something in?

It’s possible that, when the building was divided into apartments or rooms, that room was the residence of someone Jewish, or someone who respected related traditions.

Further investigation might clarify whether or not that room is actually haunted, and why a mezuzah is at that doorframe and no other.

Nevertheless, in a town like Franklin — and particularly in a building where nuns lived — it’s odd.

After getting our general bearings at a site that we’re investigating, the first thing we look for is what’s odd.

The Attic

Among other, lesser architectural anomalies, the attic level stood out as a floor with dark and foreboding energy.

The glow-in-the-dark crucifix on one wall was charming.  The row of clothing hooks — at a height used by toddlers or small children — was a little disturbing.  I’m not sure what small children would be doing in the attic, particularly with the steep, semi-finished stairway leading to it.

A storage feature in the attic also seemed unusually repellent.  A further investigation of the site’s history might reveal more.

All in all, we concluded that the Franklin Historical Society has some odd features worth exploring.

However, it didn’t seem as if the society welcomed additional investigations; EPNE was allowed in as preparation for the historical society’s October presentation.

So, I can’t recommend the Franklin Historical Society’s building as a general research location.

The Window at the Front

After the event concluded, Sean, Lesley and I chatted outside the building.  We were startled because we thought we saw a curtain open for a moment at an attic window.

Then, when I was taking pictures, the flash highlighted the actual scene.  We realized that it was one of the windows that doesn’t have a curtain; it’s shuttered or otherwise blocked from the inside.

We’re not sure what we thought we saw, but each of us saw it, independently.

That’s the kind of anecdotal evidence that makes ghost hunting interesting, but, as scientific evidence, it has no merit.

The Window at the Back – Who Closed the Curtain?

Sean had parked his car at the back of the building, and Lesley and I felt that we should escort him to it.  I’m still not sure why.  At the time, it seemed kind of funny, both in an odd and in a ha-ha way.

As we studied the mixed architecture at the back of the building, all of us commented on another attic window.

Franklin Historical Society - back windowIt’s indicated by the red arrow in my photo at the right.  That side of the attic has curtains, and one was open.

As we chatted, I took a few photos.

Most of my pictures, like the one at the right, aren’t noteworthy.  It’s a typical New England house from the Victorian era.

However, as I studied the photos when I returned home, I kept looking at the window that troubled us.

Most of the pictures look like the following two.

(All of the following photos were adjusted to increase contrast and detail.)

I’ve included two of them, almost identical, so you can clearly see that the curtain is open.

(This is typical when I take photos.  I try to take two pictures in a row, without moving.  That way, if something is just a reflection or something normal, it’ll be in both photos.  If it’s an anomaly, it’s more likely to show up in just one of them.)

Then, I looked at one of the next pictures.  I’d walked a few feet to the right of where I stood for the previous photos.  This one was taken with a slower shutter setting.  It’s a little blurred, but the details remain fairly clear.  (I’m testing the idea that the additional image content might give the spirits something extra to work with.)

 

As you can see, the curtain is closed.

There would be nothing unusual about that, except that the building was empty. Everyone had left and locked up, at least 15 or 20 minutes earlier… before I started taking pictures.

In addition, the window had appeared open. If I’d analyzed my photos on the spot, we might have been able to verify that.  (Yes, we can see the vertical line.  That may be from a window, but it could be a screen support or something else.)

Could it be a very odd reflection?  It’s possible, but unlikely.  As you can see from the contrast in the previous photos — even the first one that wasn’t adjusted for clarity — the opening at the window looked very black.  I’m not certain that a reflection could completely offset that darkness.

Though I can’t recommend this exact location for investigations, it’s an interesting site in a town with many reminders of the past.

The Franklin Historical Society is at 21 Holy Cross Rd.  That street is off Route 3, about 3 miles south of the intersection of Routes 3 South/3A North/11 and Route 127.  Signs near the entrance indicate Webster Place Center and Webster Place Cemetery.

The cemetery is at the end of the road.  It’s on private land, but the owners give permission to visit the cemetery, under certain terms.  Please read the sign and follow their rules.

The road to the cemetery is a deeply rutted dirt road.  I recommend parking at the side of the paved road, to hike in to the cemetery.  It’s not a long distance, but cars with low clearance could sustain damage or get stuck, unless you drive very carefully on the dirt road.

Additional History

Webster Place Cemetery was previously known as Salisbury Cemetery, from an era before the town of Salisbury (NH) was incorporated as part of Franklin.

According to Wikipedia: While still part of Massachusetts, the town was granted as Baker’s Town after Captain Thomas Baker in 1736. After New Hampshire became a separate colony, the town was re-granted with the name Stevenstown. Additionally known as Gerrishtown and New Salisbury, the name Salisbury was taken when the town incorporated in 1768.

In 1746, this site was part of the northernmost fort of the Merrimack River, when Salisbury was called Stevenstown. The fort was built after the 1745 attack on the Call family, near the current location of the Franklin Historical Society.

The following excerpt is from The History of Manchester, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. It describes an attack by “savages in the interests of the French,” a band of about 30 Abenaki.

On the 15th day of August [1745], they made a successful attack on our frontier, on the house of Mr. Phillip Call, in Stevenstown. This town was subsequently known as Salisbury and the attack was made in that part of Salisbury, west of, and upon the Merrimack, now included in the town of, Franklin.

Mrs. Call [Sarah Trussell Call], her daughter-in-law, wife of Phillip Call, Jr. and an infant of the latter, were alone in the house, while the Calls, father and son, and Timothy Cook their hired man, were at work in the field.

Upon the approach of the Indians, Mrs. Call the elder, met them at the door, and was immediately killed with a blow from a tomahawk, her body falling near the door, and her blood drenching her own threashold! [sic]

The younger Mrs. Call, with her infant in her arms, crawled into a hole behind the chimney, where she succeeded in keeping her child quiet, and thus escaped from sure destruction.

The Calls, father and son, and Cook, saw the Indians, and attempted to get into the house before them, but could not succeed. They were so near the house, as to hear the blow with which Mrs. Call was killed.

Seeing however the number of the Indians, they fled to the woods and the Calls escaped.

Cook ran to the river and plunged in, but was pursued, shot in the water, and his scalp taken.

The Indians, some thirty in number, rifled the house, took Mrs. Call’s scalp, and then retreated up the river.

The Calls soon notified the garrison at Contoocook of the attack, and a party of eight men followed in pursuit.

The Indians waited in ambush for them, but showed themselves too soon, and the English party taking to the woods escaped, with the exception of Enos Bishop, who after firing upon the Indians several times was at length taken and carried to Canada as a captive. “

According to the Rich History of Webster Place, “…Many of his [Webster’s] family, together with members of the pioneering Call family, are buried in the cemetery east of the house.”

If you’re researching the Call family and their graves, note that the Call surname was sometimes spelled Cole.

As you can see, a colorful history makes this general area worth investigating.

Recommended

Ghost Hunting in Tilton, NHIf you’re researching haunts in this part of New Hampshire, stay at the 1875 Inn in Tilton, New Hampshire.  It was featured on the Ghost Hunters TV show, Season Six, Episode 13 (aired 8 Sep 2010).  It’s about 20 minutes from the Franklin Historical Society, on Route 3 in downtown Tilton.

Also, you may enjoy reading Ghost Hunting in Tilton, New Hampshire by Rue Cote. Lesley and I contributed stories to that book, and Rue’s research covers many other local haunts, as well.

References

The Rich History of Webster Place

Franklin Historical Society, Franklin, NH

Daniel Webster’s farm, SeacoastNH.com

The History of Manchester, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire

The History of Salisbury, New Hampshire

Koasek Traditional Abenaki Band – Timeline (from the Wayback Machine)

Phillip Call of Franklin, NH (genealogy notes)

Wikipedia: Salisbury, New Hampshire

The old families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts

Tilton and Northfield, NH – Ghost Hunting in the Rain

In Ghost Hunting in Haunted Cemeteries, I mentioned one eerie cemetery in Northfield-Tilton, New Hampshire.  (It’s actually in Northfield, but the boundary between the two towns isn’t always clear.  Technically, the river divides the towns, but the post office considers both towns as “Tilton.”)

Several graves in that cemetery indicate good activity.

rain-northfield-cem-nightLast night, we took photos of rain orbs for my book, Ghost Photography 101.

Though most of the orbs in this photo are certainly rain, at least one might be something paranormal.  I think you can see how different it is from the others, in the photo at right.

Of course, it’s nearly impossible to tell “real” orbs from rain orbs in photos, so I’m making no claims.  However, we’ve seen consistent orbs around this group of graves.

When we arrived, the cemetery was too quiet.  Even the rain seemed entirely silent, though we parked in a paved area.  Also, though the area is lit by streetlights and light from neighbors’ homes, the back half of the cemetery always seems darker than it should be… even in the daytime.

I like cemeteries that feel as if you’re stepping back in time.  This is one of them, and it always feels entirely separated from the buildings — and era — around it.  Some might describe it as “creepy,” but I find it very relaxing and peaceful, despite the activity at some of its graves.

Here’s a “sneak peak” into another area of this cemetery, to check for elevated EMF, orbs, EVP, and so on.

You may be able to use this tip when you investigate cemeteries in your area.

nfield-3fingersOther researchers and I describe one grave as the “three pointing fingers grave.”  You’ll know which one it is, as soon as you see it.  Jacob Webber and his two wives are in that plot, and the headstone is unusual, showing three pointing fingers.

A finger pointing up usually indicates that the person ascended to Heaven.  A finger pointing down usually suggests the hand of God, ending a life early… but it can mean something less attractive. (It doesn’t take much imagination to figure that out: Heaven: up. Hell: down.)

When we see an adult’s headstone with a downward pointing finger, we immediately add that plot to our list of graves to investigate.  Those graves have a higher likelihood of activity compared with other, unremarkable graves.

I’m still investigating the spirits at the “three fingers” grave.  I know the second wife feels that she had the “last word” with that gravestone, and her energy definitely lingers.  With enough attention, she’s the kind of woman who might appear as an apparition.

There are several other active locations in this rural cemetery, and some may be even more active than the “three pointing fingers” plot.  However, this cemetery – Arch Hill Cemetery in Northfield, NH – is near several homes, so it’s difficult to investigate without attracting attention.

The good news is, this cemetery seems to be active during the daytime as well as after dark.  I recommend EMF meters and either a psychic, a Frank’s Box, or an Ovilus for research in this graveyard.  You could also use a K-II (or K-III) meter for real-time dialogue with the spirits.

Ghost Hunting in Tilton, NHVisually, it’s a lovely location, but — so far — it’s been difficult to photograph reliable anomalies due to nearby lights.

If you’re interested in Arch Hill Cemetery, or you’re ghost hunting in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, some of my stories were included in Rue Cote’s book, Ghost Hunting in Tilton, New Hampshire.

Rue’s research and ghost stories include Tilton, Northfield, and Franklin, New Hampshire. She also lists several haunts that are within an hour or so of Tilton.