When autumn rolls in and the nights grow longer, the NJ Tri-State Area transforms into a playground for the paranormal. Spooky prisons, seaside Victorian mansions, and sleepy suburban roads house the ghosts of those who lived in an era that has long passed. Here are the spookiest getaways in the tri-state area this Halloween.
Cape May
Cape May was America’s original seaside summer vacation spot and remains a popular summer destination for New Yorkers, Philadelphians, and others from across the country. This idyllic seaside town, though, harbors several ghosts and ghouls from times gone by.
Several of the most popular hotels and resorts in Cape May are infested with spirits, starting with Congress Hall. Congress Hall isn’t a government building, but got its name after its founder was elected to Congress. Originally built in 1816, it was renovated after being burned to the ground in the 1878 Cape May fire. The third floor is a hotspot of paranormal activity, perhaps haunted by the ghosts of the fire’s victims.
The Inn of Cape May, a sprawling Victorian mansion overlooking the ocean, is haunted by the ghosts of two young children who slipped away while their parents were partying and drowned on the beach. If you hear kids laughing and running down the halls at night or a light knock on your door, don’t be afraid – they are harmless.
The Southern Mansion, meanwhile, which also offers lodging, is haunted by the former owner’s family. But it’s not just the hotels that are haunted in Cape May. The Cape May Lighthouse, 199 steps tall, is haunted by the spirit of a translucent lady, peering into the depths of the ocean below while holding a child in one hand and a lantern in the other.
The best way to explore Cape May’s haunted history is to hop on a local Cape May ghost tour.
Philly
Philly is one of the most haunted cities in the Northeast, ranked along with Salem and Gettysburg. Salem is haunted due to the witch trials, while Gettysburg still bears bruises and open wounds from the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War.
Philadelphia has its own haunted history, starting with the infamous Eastern State Penitentiary, one of the creepiest former prisons in the world.
In this prison, inmates were kept to a strict vow of silence. No communication with the outside world – and even other prisoners – was allowed. Total silence reigned in the penitentiary, with guards wearing socks over their shoes to silence their footsteps. Prisoners, stuck in a cell for 23 hours a day alone, often went mad from the unbearable silence.
The mental anguish was matched by the brutality of the physical punishments imposed on those incarcerated here. Those included being dumped in cold water, being left to dry while hanging naked, and being strapped down in a “mad chair.” The most feared punishment was the iron gag. A prisoner’s hands would be chained behind his neck and then chained to his tongue, rendering him unable to move. Any sudden movement would cause excruciating pain and could even lead to the tongue getting ripped out.
Visiting the prison today brings you back in time. You can feel the palpable tension and negative energy in the air, and even hear the sounds of prisoners groaning as they’re being whipped.
Another ghost-ridden Philly landmark is Washington Square, where you can find the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier. During the Revolutionary War, soldiers were dumped in mass graves here, but the square also served as a mass dumping site for victims of yellow fever and other diseases well before the war.
There’s also Fort Mifflin, which is haunted by several ghosts, including that of William Howe, a young soldier executed for deserting the Union Army after heading to DC to seek treatment for cholera.
Sleepy Hollow
Sleepy Hollow is a small, quiet town in New York, just north of Manhattan on the Hudson River. This normally sleepy town comes alive during Halloween, though, when tourists flock to this haunted location in droves.
But what about Sleepy Hollow makes it a magnet for tourists during the spooky season?
Sleepy Hollow is, of course, the town that inspired Washington Irving’s 1820 story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” The story tells of a headless horseman who arises each night from his grave and rides around town looking for his head.
However, the Headless Horseman is far from the only ghost that refuses to leave Sleepy Hollow alone. Another is The Lady in White, a mysterious lady dressed in all white who suddenly appears in front of cars driving on Sleepy Hollow Road, dissipating into thin air as they drive through her. Local legend says that she is the ghost of a woman thrown out of a speeding car by her boyfriend, causing her to die on the spot.
Another phantom woman in Sleepy Hollow is the Wailing Woman of Ravine Rock, who once got stuck in a snowstorm. She sought shelter in the ravine under Ravine Rock, but the blizzard caught up with her, and she died of hypothermia as she got stuck in the snow. Her wails can be heard as you drive past, especially in the winter, warning of impending doom if you dare to drive here during a blizzard.
Perhaps the most terrifying ghost on Sleepy Hollow Road is that of a policeman, wearing a somewhat old-fashioned uniform, who stops to ask motorists for their ID. As he turns around, motorists discover, to their shock, that the back of his head is missing. He then disappears before they can hand him their ID. Apparently, the ghost of a policeman who was shot and killed in the line of duty on this very road still sees the need to protect and serve.
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