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Maine's is the paranormal capital of the US and has a landscape littered with haunted locations. Just ask Stephen King or one of his millions of devoted readers about Maine's haunted history and they will tell you that many of his fictional horror stories are based on real-life occurrences here in Maine. 1/14/2008

Haunted Vacations in Maine

Maine's is the paranormal capital of the US and has a landscape littered with haunted locations. Just ask Stephen King or one of his millions of devoted readers about Maine's haunted history and they will tell you that many of his fictional horror stories are based on real-life occurrences here in Maine.

My favorite spot is the Witch's Foot in Bucksport. It's easy to find and great starting point, midway up the Downeast region in Maine. You can pass over the newly constructed bridge connection Verona Island and Bucksport.

Once you have arrived in town, park on Hincks St., across from the supermarket. Buck Cemetery is right there on the corner. Jonathan Buck, founder of Bucksport, died in 1783, not before supposedly sentencing a woman accused of witchcraft to die at the stake. As legend goes, the woman laid a curse upon Buck and his family. On his grave, will appear from time to time, a witches' foot, in clear detail. Her ghostly visage is said to haunt this section of road, as well.

The Hitchborn Inn in nearby Stockton Springs is said to house a family of ghostly inhabitants, as is the Brass Lantern Inn in Searsport. It is quite obvious that Waldo County is a possible epicenter of paranormal activity in Maine.

Flagstaff Lake, Maine is a true ghost town, listed as one of USA Today's top 10 ghost towns in America. In 1949, the towns of Dead River and Flagstaff were flooded when a dam was built on the Dead River. If you canoe on Flagstaff Lake, and the water is low enough, you'll see building foundations, cellar holes, even artifacts. It's pretty creepy. The ghost of an elderly resident, who refused to leave after the flood, is reported to be hanging around. The lake is in western Maine on Route 27 between Stratton and Eustis."

There is a great historical society nearby that can accent the whole experience. Built as a church in 1878 and located at the junction of Route 16 and 27 in the village of Stratton, the Dead River Area Historical Society exhibits collections from 1850- with all the artifacts given from the original families of the Dead River Region. Displays include a collection of old carpentry and logging tools, china, glass, a church organ, furniture from native families, a complete schoolroom, a memorial room to the lost towns of Flagstaff and Dead River, the lineage of several native families, and a host of memorabilia from native homesteads.

Much farther south along the coast, in the town of Scarborough, is a pond once known as Black Point Pond. Now, it is also known as Massacre Pond. The bloody ghost of Richard "Crazy Eye" Stonewall is seen at the pond where he was buried in Oct. 1697. Mr. Stonewall's wife and infant son were killed by Native Americans raiders near his settlement next to the body of water. He avenged their deaths by joining the military and killing every Native American warrior he found.

Just a little north of Scarborough is the shopping destination of Freeport, ME. It is also home to some strange natural phenomena that cannot yet be explained. The "Desert of Maine" is now a tourist attraction, but it is the product of the ghostly work of Thomas Grayson who bought the 300-acre farm in 1797. Upon his death, Mr. Grayson made his second wife promise to give the farm to his son, David. Instead, the farm was given to the widow's own son from a previous marriage. Everything seemed fine for the first dozen years or so. Then one day, a small saucer-sized ring of sand appeared to have been pushed up from the soil near the barn. The sand grew daily, and eventually covered all of the formerly fertile land, including trees, plows, the springhouse, and even part of the barn. At its worst, 800 acres were covered with sandy dunes and valleys.

While you are asleep in your inn, hotel or tent on your next vacation to Maine, remember that someone else may be there with you. Have you had an interesting paranormal experience while traveling in Maine? Let us know at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Check back again for more haunted day trips in Maine and New England.

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