What are the Most Frightening Legends in Provincetown, Massachusetts?

One scary story from Provincetown could be about the old lighthouses. Legend has it that at night, the ghost of a long - lost lighthouse keeper wanders around. He was said to have drowned trying to save a ship in a storm, and his spirit is still searching for the sailors he couldn't reach. People claim to see a faint figure in a lighthouse keeper's uniform near the water's edge.

In Provincetown, there are tales of a stretch of beach where people have reported seeing a figure emerging from the ocean during a full moon. This figure, described as half - human and half - something else, would make a wailing sound. Some believe it to be a sea creature that has come ashore to seek revenge for the pollution that has affected its underwater home.

A friend of mine once stayed in an old inn in Provincetown. At night, he heard the sound of footsteps pacing back and forth outside his room. When he opened the door, there was no one there. The next day, he learned that the inn had a history of hauntings, and previous guests had also reported similar experiences.

One famous Massachusetts ghost story is about the Lizzie Borden House. Supposedly, the ghosts of Lizzie Borden and her family haunt the place. People claim to have heard strange noises and seen apparitions. Another is the legend of the Flying Dutchman in Massachusetts waters. Sailors used to tell tales of seeing a ghostly ship. It was said to be a bad omen if spotted.

The Salem witch trials are a well - known horror story from Massachusetts. Innocent people were accused of witchcraft and brutally punished. It was a time of mass hysteria and paranoia.

A well - known Massachusetts ghost story involves the Hoosac Tunnel. Workers died during its construction, and their ghosts are said to haunt the tunnel. There are reports of strange sounds and phantom figures. Also, the Gloucester Sea Serpent legend has some ghostly elements. Some believe that the sightings of the sea serpent were related to the spirits of the ocean.

A very well - known Medford ghost story is that of the haunted bridge. It is said that if you cross the bridge at a certain time, late at night, you might encounter a ghostly figure. No one really knows who or what this figure is, but it has been a part of local lore for a long time. Also, the story of the old tavern in Medford, which is said to be haunted by the spirit of a former owner who was not very well - liked in life. There have been reports of glasses moving on their own and strange voices in the empty tavern.

The Lizzie Borden story is also from Massachusetts. She was accused of brutally murdering her father and stepmother with an axe. There are many tales and speculations about what really happened, and the old Borden house is said to be haunted, adding to the scare factor.

The legend of the ghostly ship off the coast of Salem is really interesting. It's said to be a phantom ship that appears and disappears. Sailors have claimed to see it in the fog, and some think it's a remnant of a ship that was lost during the days of the witch trials, carrying the souls of the damned.

The haunted dormitory at Amherst College is also well - known among the students and locals. The unexplained phenomena like the self - opening and closing doors create an eerie atmosphere. It has been passed down through generations of students who have either experienced it themselves or heard it from their predecessors.