Legend Tripping

What is legend tripping? Legend tripping is an impromptu journey to a location that is reputed to be haunted or well known for paranormal activity. This page does not represent documentation of straight and thorough investigations, it is more a casual collection of interesting places where others, past and present, have reported unusual activity. Remember! If you should seek out and visit any of these places yourself, SHOW THE LAND AND STRUCTURES THE RESPECT THEY DESERVE! Many of these spots have a place in our history and are a part of who we are and where we have been as a people. There have been many places made non-accessible to all because of the thoughtless behavior of a few. If you have had a personal experience at any of these sites, or have heard a good story about someone else who has, please let us know at our Guest Book Page, or by e-mailing us at greenvillepr@yahoo.com

RHODE ISLAND

Hanton City: Smithfield

The remains of Hanton City are scattered about in three hundred acres of rough and rocky woods, just off Rt. 7 in northern Smithfield. It was a Colonial (late 16oo's) village that was made up of mostly leather tanners, woodworkers and stone cutters. By the late 1800's, the settlement was in decline as most people began to move away to find better lives. Sometime after the village was no more, it became known as Haunted City. Most people feel that this is just a play on words (Hanton/haunted) and a reference to the fact it is an abandoned ghost town. Some say the area is in fact haunted by those who lived and worked so hard there amongst the rocks and can't leave even after death. It is believed that native American graves are to be found in these woods and that native spirits are also part of the strange sights and sounds some claim to have experienced over the years. The photograph above shows a place called the "mystery site". It is called this because the name of the family who lived there is not known.

The eighteenth century graves of Mr. and Mrs. Brown. The Brown homestead is one of the few
identified sites in Hanton City.

Cellar hole of the Brown's home. The pile of stones up top are what is left of the chimney.

Intersection of Horse Head Trail and Log Road: North Smithfield

This is the location of the brutal murders of Hannah Franke and her fiance' John Burke. On September 18, 1831, the two were ambushed here while traveling to John's home in Vermont. Their attackers were Hannah's former employers, the Warmsley brothers. Like Hannah, they were Nipmuc (native American) and not too happy about her leaving them for the love of a white man and the prospect of a better life up north. People have heard and seen Hannah close to this spot moving about the woods calling for justice. Some feel she is looking for a shell necklace, lost during the assault, that John gave her early in their courtship. The two lovers were buried nearby (in a spot that is now private land), so she may want the necklace with her in their final resting place.

The Sherman Family Plot: Burrillville

This family cemetery has no state sign, nor does it have any grave markers. All that can be seen is a crumbling retaining wall and the base for a grave stone that is long gone. It is believed that one of the four known members of the Sherman family interred here, Laura, is upset about the poor condition of the plot. She has been seen near the intersection of Wakefield Rd. and Croff Rd., running about as if she is trying to get the attention of people driving by. There are also tales about her approaching people camping in the woods and wanting them to follow her, as if there is something very important she wants them to see.

Tower Hill Road: Cumberland

There are many roads and byways throughout the world that have a reputation for being a paranormal hot spot. In little Rhode Island, it is Tower Hill Road. It winds it's way through the woods and rock formations between Diamond Hill Rd. and Wrentham Rd. Ghosts of children, strange lights and even walking dead have been reported over the years up and down the road.

*UPDATE: Greenville Paranormal Research has learned about two sightings of what paranormal researcher, Nick Redfern, would call a "Man Monkey". One sighting took place in the late 1970s and the other was in 2003. A total of five people have seen this creature. Cumberland, RI doesn't seem to be a likely home for Big Foot, but the Man Monkey is believed to be something else, a creature that can jump dimensions. With all the ghost stories and tales of phantom lights, along with all the quartz and iron in the area, it would seem that Tower Hill maybe subject to some kind of riff.

Nine Men's Misery: Cumberland

In the woods behind the Cumberland Public Library (the former Monastery) stands this small but poignant monument to nine militia men killed during the King Philip's War. A band of native American warriors were tracked to this area by Captain Pierce and his party on March 26, 1676, after they had raided Warwick and Providence. The white soldiers were overrun and while in retreat, nine of their men were taken prisoner and then killed. When found some time latter, their remains were buried at this spot. Many people claim to have heard the soldiers tortured screams while at this monument. Sounds of horses and glimpses of forms moving about the woods have been reported as well. The ghost of an unidentified little girl has also been seen by people taking walks on the public foot paths. The library and it's grounds are said to be haunted by monks.

A view of the woods from the backside of the monument. Even on a sunny day it feels somewhat dark.

Ballou Cemetery: Cumberland

If you are looking for an old New England cemetery that will make you feel very uneasy, you will find
one on Elder Ballou Meeting House Rd. in the Ballou District of Cumberland. It's stones and markers
cover a small hill in amongst trees and tight bushes with a row of crypts facing the road along the
bottom. The phantom of a gray man has been seen moving about this creepy graveyard.

Burdick Family Cemetery: Charlestown

Located on Buckeye Brook Road, this small family cemetery has stories connected to it about glowing orbs, voices and human shapes moving around within it's thick stone walls.

Hannah Robinson's Rock: South Kingstown

In the mid eighteenth century, a young woman named Hannah Robinson would spend time by this boulder to reflect and enjoy the woods. A sick and heartbroken widow by age 27, she died on October 30, 1773, the day after coming home to receive her father's forgiveness for marrying a man he did not approve of. Her spirit has been seen here in the small park named for her near the intersection of Rt. 1 and Rt. 138.

Quidnessett Cemetery: North Kingstown

A visit during daytime hours reveals a neat and beautifully kept cemetery with many graves marked by stones of all shapes and sizes. However, people who live in the vicinity say the grounds take on a different vibe at night and claim they have seen strange lights and figures moving about the graves. The above picture is of the memorial and marker for the unidentified bodies that were moved during World War II from Davisville and buried here in order to make room for much needed military facilities. It is possible that the spirits of the disinterred are at unrest because they are confused and upset about this move.

Strange lights and shapes have been seen in this area, which is close by the memorial

Tillinghast Family Cemetery: Exeter

Exeter's historic cemetery number 14 is the final resting place for apple farmer Stutley Tillinghast and his family. He lost seven of his fourteen children to tuberculosis (then called consumption) after having a nightmare about losing half his orchard. Sarah, his oldest daughter at 14 years, was the first to pass in 1790. Because the other six siblings spoke of her coming to them at night as they succumb to the disease, Sarah would be blamed for their condition and become known as the first of Rhode Island's vampires. Legend has it that even though she was in the ground longer than the others, when dug up to be dispatched, she was well preserved with fresh blood in her heart.

Historical Cemetery #22: Exeter

You will find this cemetery right next to the Chestnut Hill Baptist Church on Rt. 102. In it lies the last of the Rhode Island vampires, Mercy Brown. It is more than likely she too, like her mother, sister and brother, was a victim of tuberculosis. However, in March of 1892, two months after Mercy died, a Doctor Metcalf went along with the fears of others that her brother Edwin, now very ill, was being taken by a vampire. To find out which one of the three women was the monster, her mother (Mary Eliza) and sister (Mary Olive) were dug up. Their bodies showed advanced states of decay, so it could not be either of them. Mercy's body was being kept in the graveyard's crypt for burial in the spring when the ground thawed. They discovered her in an unspoiled condition and her hair and fingernails had also grown. They found their vampire. Her heart was cut out, burned and the ashes given to Edwin as the cure. He died two months latter. Bram Stoker was so struck by this account that he used it in his classic novel, changing the location to Whitby, England and Mercy's name to Lucy. Dr. Metcalf's actions inspired the creation of Professor Van Helsing.

The crypt (or keep) where Mercy Brown's body was kept during the winter of 1892 before Dr. Metcalf treated it for vamperism that March.

Historical Cemetery #2: West Greenwich

Ghostly voices and ethereal church services have been reported to emanate from this old meetinghouse. It is in the cemetery that one of the most inaccurate folklore of Rhode Island was given ground. Nineteen year old Nellie Vaughn died on March 1, 1889, after a battle with pneumonia. After a short time in the family plot, she was moved to the cemetery here at Plain Meetinghouse Road out of love and respect from her parents. Her gravestone (now long gone, stolen by vandals) had a very common epitaph for the time, "I am waiting and watching for you.", meaning the departed will be in heaven waiting for their loved ones when their time comes. Some years ago, her grave was discovered by some misguided youths who mistook her for Mercy Brown. The epitaph seemed to be a spooky warning, not a loving thought. Her grave is sunken and seems bare today because at one point kids tried to dig her up! Stories of a woman in white seen by the grave have come about since this foolish case of mistaken identity has been brought to light. The local police discourage vigils and legend tripping at both the meetinghouse and graveyard.

Nellie Vaughn's grave, sunken and unmarked do to thoughtless and uncaring vandalism. If people have in fact seen Nellie Vaughn's ghost by her grave site, it is most likely because she is rightfully upset about what has been done to it and what has been said about her by young fools who have come here and shown such disrespect.

Historical Cemetery #142: Foster

Deep in the woods off of Jencks Road, not far from the Connecticut border, sits the Young family plot. Levi and Anna Young's oldest child, Nancy became ill with consumption and died on April 6, 1827. She was only nineteen. When her brothers and sisters became ill and began speaking of strange delusional things, Levi and his neighbors feared the worst. Nancy was a vampire, draining the life force from her own family. That summer, the grave was dug up and her remains were burned while the family breathed in the smoke as a cure for this awful curse. Their actions failed. The children died and were buried alongside their sister Nancy. Since then, Nancy Young has gone down in history as one of Rhode Island's vampires.

Dr. Carpenter's Grave: Foster

In the woods just off of Moosup Valley Road is the unusual burial plot of Dr. Thomas Carpenter and his second wife Henrietta. The Doctor, who loved to dance and have fun, divorced his first wife. He remarried at the age of fifty to a woman thirty years his junior. Sadly, she died a year later. The Doctor married a third time, but that union too ended in divorce. When he died in 1839 he was laid to rest wearing his favorite dancing shoes and gold watch, which was wound and set to the correct time. He had four massive stone slabs placed around his grave and buried along side him is his young wife, Henrietta. It is said he did this to keep his ex-wives from bothering them in the afterlife, but locals say it was to keep Henrietta from leaving him, should she rise from the grave.

MASSACHUSETTS

Route 44: Seekonk-Rehoboth

Is this stretch of highway the setting for a modern urban legend or the location of an actual haunting? Many people who live and travel in this corner of the "Bridgewater Triangle" claim to know someone, who knows somebody, who has had an encounter with the Red Headed Hitchhiker. Some accounts say he also has a red beard, but all mention him wearing a plaid shirt. People see him hitching along the side of the road late at night. Most do not stop to offer a ride, but those who have regret doing so. He never talks when picked up and usually vanishes shortly afterwords. People who have avoided picking him up at one spot on the road have seen him again farther along the way. He has stepped out in front of cars, making drivers swerve to avoid him. When they stop to look for him, they find no one. A common detail in many of these stories is a horrible laugh which seems to come from every direction and often out of car radio speakers.

Anawan Rock: Rehoboth

Sign at the small parking lot off of Route 44. The rock is about one hundred yards in from the road.

Visitors to this historic site have reported the smell of campfires, strange lights, moving figures and even shifts in time. Some years ago, a man said he had heard a cry from the swamp that he did not understand until latter when he was told it was Algonquian for "stand and fight".

A view of the haunted swamp from the top of Anawan Rock.

The Hornbine School: Rehoboth

Visitors and local residents have reported seeing the ghosts of students and their teacher holding class at this well preserved one room schoolhouse. It is located at the intersection of Hornbine Road and Baker Street.

Palmer's River Meeting House: Rehoboth

The ghost of a young boy, shadowy figures and bright orbs have been observed by locals moving about this very old graveyard on Lake Street.

Shad Pond Mill Site: Rehoboth

In 1810 the Palmer River Manufacturing Company was built here on the site of the old Joshua Smith gristmill. They manufactured cotton yarn until 1826, when they expanded and renamed the factory the Orleans Manufacturing Company and began to produce fine cotton cloth. It was destroyed by fire in 1831 and rebuilt one year later. The only stop in production would be during the Civil War, but as soon as the war ended, the company was back in business. Unfortunately, another fire would bring everything to an end in 1884. The mill was then left in ruins. You will find them on Reed Street, right by the Shad Pond.

People claim to have witnessed fires in these ruins that seem to vanish as fast as they appeared, with no signs of smoke or burn damage. Orbs of light have also been reported in the woods.

A male phantom is reported to move about the old factory site, which is very difficult for an earthly human to do with all the thick overgrowth. No one is sure who he might be. Perhaps he is responsible for the last great fire. Many profess a sense of dread and the need to leave when walking about the ruins.

The Assonet Ledge: Freetown State Forest

Located at the end of Forest Entry Road, deep in the Freetown State Forest, this disused rock quarry has been the site of many paranormal occurrences. Everything from mysterious lights, ghosts and UFOs have been reported here. Paranormal writer/researcher Christopher Balzano's book, Dark Woods- Cults, Crimes and Paranormal in the Freetown State Forest, is the best source for information on the forest and all it's weird happenings.

The Dark Woods.

Wampanoag Reservation: Freetown State Forest

This spot is found in the woods across the road from the Reservation Visitor's Center. A very important meeting spot for the Wampanoag tribe, it has also played host to some very moving encounters with Native American ghosts. People visiting the forest have seen strange smoke-like forms and full blown apparitions at this site and at the nearby picnic shelter.

CONNECTICUT

The Old Higginbotham/Randall Settlement (a.k.a. Bara-Hack): Pomfret

This small settlement was started by Obadiah Higginbotham and Jon Randall around 1790 and they and their families made a good life here. By the late nineteenth century the homes and mill were empty and today only stone walls and cellar holes remain. Legend has it that ghosts and strange sounds have haunted these woods since the early days of the settlement. In 1927, Odell Shepard wrote about this strange spot and it's phantom sounds of farm life and paranormal investigator Paul Eno has recorded his amazing experiences at the site in 1971. The land is private property and trespassing is not allowed.

The John York House: North Stonington

Since it's construction in 1741, this house has served as a post road tavern, B&B and private residence. George Washington supposedly slept here. At the time of this writing (Oct. 2008) it is uninhabited while it's current owners perform much needed restoration. There have been two known deaths in this old house. One, a revolutionary war soldier who was stabbed in the north west room by a fellow soldier in a fight over a woman. The killer took his own life latter in an undisclosed location. The other death was a drunken man who broke his neck falling down a steep set of stairs to his second floor room. It is said the blood stained floor boards in the north west room were turned over to hide the grisly reminder of the soldier's murder. No evidence could be found by our team in the cellar below, past restoration maybe the reason why. The current owners know of no recent paranormal activity.

The steep stairs where the drunken man fell to his death. It is not known what caused the strange translucent streak in this photograph. The camera was a 35mm automatic using 800 speed film.

The Rotating Ball of Grove Street Cemetery: Putnam

The solid granite ball that sits on top of the marker for the Houghton family plot weighs about four thousand pounds. What is so strange about that? Since 1930 it has rotated more than two feet on it's base. How? Well in 1971 four students from Connecticut State University tried to answer that question and every answer they came up with just didn't pan out. Since then no one has been able to explain the unrest of this dark, three foot ball.

This unpolished spot and hole is the original bottom of the sphere.

The Hale Homestead: South Coventry

"I regret that I have only one life to give for my country." So it is said the twenty one year old Captain Nathan Hale declared before the British hanged him for being a spy for the Patriot cause. Nathan grew up in the original home that stood a few yards to the left of this larger house. It is felt he does not haunt the Hale home. But others from it's past do. A man named George Dudley Seymore bought the tired old building in 1914 and made it a labor of love to restore the mansion. He is thought to be the man who frightened a boy who was misbehaving during a tour of the homestead with his father. He ran off into the Judgment Room making a rude fuss, only to return to his father scared about a man he just saw in the room. He insisted it was not the portrait on the wall he saw, but a man standing in the room looking right at him. The boy and his father left, leaving the staff a little spooked. A young girl who worked for the Hale family and lived above the kitchen is thought to be another of the home's ghosts. Other note worthy moments; a staff member heard someone sobbing as she was locking up one night and a strange unexplainable light was seen in the attic by staff and their family after closing.

Captain Grant's 1754: Poquetanuck

This charming house was built by Captain William Gonzales Grant for his family in 1754. He died at sea and is buried in the cemetery across the street. It has been an award winning B&B for many years and is also found on the National Register of Historic Places. It is very haunted. The spirits that roam the halls and attic are felt to be the Grant family. One of the most extraordinary moments experienced by guests was when two folks who were lounging downstairs saw a heavy stone chess piece float off of the board and drop to the floor, twice!

This doll is actually a sand filled weight used as a door stop in the Adelaide Room. It has a strange habit of disappearing and then showing up in the weirdest spots around the inn. Other objects in this room have done the same, including a bottle of window cleaner that went missing in the blink of an eye and then turned up weeks latter in the middle of the floor. It is felt that the ghost of a little girl is responsible. A past employee, who did not believe in ghosts, had a close encounter with her in this room and quit the next day.

This historic cemetery lies in a patch of woods out in back of Captain Grant's. It is reported to be haunted. Many of the graves contain the remains of children.

PENNSYLVANIA

Gettysburg National Military Park

Anyone who loves America (and history) should take a trip here and pay respect to this solemn, historic site. A place marked by passion and blood, Gettysburg is a hot spot for all types of hauntings.

The Devil's Den

This sinister rock formation was the focal point of horrendous combat between Union artillery and Confederate infantry. After the Union men lost the fight and had to retreat, Confederate sharpshooters used this location to snipe Union soldiers on Little Round Top. Many people have encountered phantoms and life-like ghosts around and about these rocks. The sickening smell of blood has also been reported. A local paranormal research group has a photo taken in daylight with an infrared filter that shows two ghostly soldiers in action at this spot in the rocks.

Reynold's Woods

Union Major General John Reynolds was killed here on the first day of fighting while encouraging his men to press an attack against Confederate infantry in the woods. Witnesses have seen ghostly forms moving about this spot.

Gettysburg: Jennie Wade's House

The only civilian casualty in the three days of fighting was Jennie Wade. A rifle shot cut through the kitchen door and struck her while she was baking bread. It is not sure if it is she or her mentally deranged father who haunts this historic home. Visitors to the house have taken photographs that have shown orbs and other strange anomalies.

GREAT BRITAIN

London

Two thousand years of history has left this fantastic city with many haunted spots. Here are just a few!

The Tower of London

This is arguably London's most haunted location. The list of ghosts that have been seen here is like a "who's who" of British history. Anne Boleyn is said to walk the White Tower, Tower Green, the King's House and her final resting place, St. Peter-ad-Vincula. The Bloody Tower holds the spirits of the two murdered Princes, Edward V and his brother Richard. Others include Sir Walter Raleigh, Lady Salisbury and Lady Jane Grey.

House of Detention

There has been a prison on this site in Clerkenwell since 1616. In 1844, a Victorian house of detention was erected here that saw thousands of London's riff raff through it's gates before closing down in 1890. The above ground buildings were torn down, but the underground passageways and cells survived the demolition. They were unused until the Great Blitz (as a bomb shelter) and then afterwords forgotten again. It was opened to the public as a museum in 1993, but was closed down in 2001 due to ownership problems. There has been talk about getting it opened back up again for ghost tours. Reports of the paranormal have been about shadow ghosts, an old woman who seems to be looking for something and the sad cries of a little girl.

The Grenadier Pub

During the days of Wellington's army, this beautiful pub and restaurant was an officer's club for the Grenadier Guards. An officer, believed to have been cheating at cards, was beaten to death in the old inn's cellar. Another story has him being flogged in a nearby courtyard with death resulting. Many feel he was not guilty of this crime. Over the years, officers have sent the pub payment for the alleged debt of the accused and the money is then affixed to the dining room ceiling. Not only does the ghost move glasses and other objects on the bar, he is also seen on the stairs and in the upstairs bedrooms. You will find this terrific, haunted pub at 18 Wilton Row, Belgravia.

St. Bartholomew the Great

The sound of footsteps and the ghostly form of Rahere, the monk who founded St. Bartholomew's Hospital, have been perceived by many visitors and church staff.

Burford: Oxfordshire

This attractive little town is well worth a visit. However, be on the lookout for a terrifying black cloud that assaults anyone who passes through it. It has been encountered on the road just outside the town. Some people think it might be the evil spirit of a highwayman who was caught and hung nearby. The priory and old rectory located on the far side of the town (not open to the public) are both very haunted. An old-time gamekeeper and brown monk have been seen on the grounds and a phantom bell rings at 2:00 a.m..

Ryecote Chapel: Oxfordshire

This beautiful little chapel sits about a mile outside the town of Thame. It is haunted by a Tudor Lady. She is seen walking around the grounds by the giant yew tree.

Haddenham: Buckinghamshire

On the A418, less than two miles outside of Thame (heading to Aylesbury), you will find a right turn to the village of Haddenham. The ghost of a murdered farmer has been seen at this intersection many times since his death in 1828. In the village, there is a private residence with a ghost that is heard in the early morning hours, walking along a hall in the home's 15th century wing. Greenville Paranormal Research was good friends with the former owners, now sadly deceased.

George and Dragon Inn: West Wycombe

This fourteenth century inn is said to be haunted by a woman in white. She is thought to be a former employee, a young woman named Susan who fell victim to a bad joke gone very wrong. Some local boys made her believe a handsome, successful young man was waiting for her at the nearby chalk caves . She arrived wearing a wedding dress as she was told, but her dream man was not there. Instead she was met by the cruel boys, who laughed at her heartbreak and disappointment. Susan began throwing rocks at them and they too threw stones back. One struck her head and she was seriously injured. Susan died soon after in a room at the inn. Some say she haunts the chalk caves of the infamous "Hell Fire Club" as well.

Arundel Castle: Sussex

There are three ghosts haunting this picturesque castle. A scullion has been seen in the kitchen from time to time. The ghost of a young, brokenhearted woman who leapt from Hiorne's Tower and the Blue Man, a ghostly Cavalier, who is seen in the library.

Ightham Mote: Kent

This 14th century moated manner-house is haunted by the ghost of Dorothy Selby. She is thought to be the person who sent an anonymous note to Lord Monteagle informing him of the infamous "Gunpowder Plot" of 1605. At the tail end of the 19th century, workers found a woman's skeleton in a secret walled-up room. It is believed to be the remains of the missing lady, put there by members of the plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament. The ghost has never been seen, only felt as an extreme cold spot that can not be explained.

Scotland

Edinburgh Castle: Edinburgh

A headless drummer makes an appearance here at the castle whenever Scotland is in dark times.