Boston in Massachusetts is one of the oldest cities in the United States and with age comes plenty of history. The city is considered to be one of the most haunted in the country with sinister events like public hangings and massacres contributing to its spooky reputation. Boston was also in the forefront of the American Revolutionary War. Many Bostonians today will attest that some of those who perished in the war continue to make their presence known. With Halloween just a few weeks away, put on your brave face and visit some of the most haunted places in Boston.

Boston Common and the Statue of George Washington

Top 5 Haunted Places in Boston

The Boston Common

Boston’s playground has a very dark and disturbing history. Prior to being a public park, it was owned by the Puritans who used it as a place for public executions. During the Revolutionary War, the British used it as a camp and ironically also became their burying ground several years later. Mass graves of British casualties were found on the southern end of the Boston Common near Boylston Station. The Central Burying Ground inside the Common is also one of the most haunted places in Boston. The eerie factor comes from former location of The Great Elm, the tree that held some of the city’s public hangings, and from the two ladies wearing white Victorian gowns said to roam the park.

Central Burying Ground

The Omni Parker House

The legendary Omni Parker House hotel has seen its share of famous people including literary greats and former presidents but no one more famous than the original proprietor, Harvey Parker himself, who has been said to haunt the hotel, approaching guests and inquiring about their stay. If you are staying on the third floor, you may not need to push the elevator button to signal it to stop. Rumor is that one of them automatically travels to the third floor without anyone pushing the number. There were also reports of cries and muffling of the ghost of Charlotte Cushman, a stage actress who died in one of the hotel rooms. The Omni Parker House is often referred to as the most haunted hotel in Boston.

St. George’s Island Massachusetts Bay: Image via Flickr by Doc Searls

Fort Warren and George Island

The infamous Lady in Black is none other than the late Mrs. Melanie Lanier who has been haunting the grounds of George Island and Fort Warren since her execution in the latter part of the 19th century. Mrs. Lanier’s story involves a covert operation and a daring rescue that had fatal consequences. Her husband was a confederate officer imprisoned at Fort Warren. Her attempts to rescue him turned sour when the guards discovered her and the prisoners trying to escape through tunnels. She managed to break free but ended up accidentally killing her husband when the musket from one of the guards she was struggling to break free fired and hit him. She was eventually tried, convicted, and executed for spying in George Island.

Boston Harbor’s Long Island

Long Island near Boston Harbor also has its own wandering ghost in the form of the Scarlet Woman. Mrs. Mary Burton was a British woman trying to escape the growing tensions of the Revolutionary War. Unfortunately, she never made it back across the Atlantic because she was hit by a cannon ball in the head and suffered a most painful death. Her husband buried her in the banks of Long Island draped in a scarlet robe. Sightings of her describe an image of a despaired woman, floating around the island, draped in the bloody red clothing she was buried in.

Charlesgate Hotel

Charlesgate Hotel

If there can only be one building in the city that will live up to the category of most haunted places in Boston, Charlesgate Hotel is it. The history of the building itself, located in the heart of Kenmore Square, is dark and disturbing. What was once a luxury hotel became a notorious building that was said to have housed drug addicts and cults with satanic influences. There were also several deaths that included a suicide. In the middle of the 20th century, it served as a dormitory for Boston University and Emerson College. Students living at the dorm reported several sightings of fog like figures that glide around the halls. Some also reported hearing rattling and raucous noises in areas suppose to be empty. The ghosts rumored to haunt the place were that of a little girl who died in one of the elevators and of an older man with a white beard.

So what are you waiting for? Experience the most haunted places in Boston by taking one of the city’s ghost and night tours. A couple of recommended tours include the Ghosts and Gravestone Tour or the Boston Night Tour. If you have had a paranormal experience in Boston, leave us a comment and share your experiences with others.