Massachusetts’ Most Famous Urban Legends: Haunting Tales for Curious Travelers

A city as old as Boston has more than its fair share of urban legends. Ghostly apparitions and unexplained occurrences have been experienced everywhere from the haunted Omni Parker House Hotel to the historic hills of Boston Common. These stories forever draw me in, no matter how far-fetched or convoluted they may sound. But there is one place in the city where the spirits seem to be particularly present: the Boston Harbor Islands. If you haven’t heard these creepy island legends yet, be prepared to be terrified.

Georges Island Lady in Black

It is no surprise that Georges Island is rumoured to be haunted. The island is home to Fort Warren, and there was once a jail here that held Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. One such man was Andrew Lanier. Legend has it that in 1861, Lanier’s wife, Melanie, received word of his imprisonment and traveled hundreds of miles from the South to save him. Dressed in men’s clothing and armed with a pickaxe and a pistol, Melanie rowed across the dark harbor waters, located her husband, and hid out on Georges Island for several weeks. During this time, imprisoned soldiers used her ax to dig a tunnel. The newly married couple set out on their escape route and almost made it to safety, but were discovered at the last moment.

During the commotion, Andrew Lanier was accidentally shot with his wife’s pistol and succumbed to his injuries. Melanie was now a widow and a criminal and was set to be hanged. Her final request was to be dressed for her death in women’s clothing; however, none could be found on the island, so she was given black robes instead. Stories of soldiers being haunted by a “lady in black” quickly began to materialize, and strange sightings and eerie occurrences continue to take place on Georges to this day.

Hauntings at Boston Light

You may already know that Boston Harbor Light on Little Brewster Island is the country’s oldest continually operational lighthouse, but you may be surprised to learn that the grounds are home to multiple spirits. Back in 1718, three members of the island’s first lightkeepers' family, the Worthylakes, and an enslaved man named Shadwell, drowned when their canoe capsized in the harbor's waters. Since then, subsequent lighthouse keepers and their family members have reported hearing laughter, unexplained movement, and a little girl’s final cries for help. 

The Music of Peddocks Island

I’ve already told you about the “lady in black,” now it’s time to hear about “the lady in white,” who is said to haunt Peddocks Island in her wedding dress. This ghost is the daughter of a Portuguese fisherman who once lived on the island. She was a talented pianist who frequently played for the soldiers stationed here in the early 1900s. The young girl fell madly in love with one man in particular, and they planned to wed. But before they could do so, his artillery unit was sent to France, and the devoted bride-to-be was forced to wait tirelessly for her lover to return, only to receive news that he had married another. Griefstricken, the jilted Peddock woman began to play the piano day and night until she eventually died from a broken heart. Some say that she was discovered at the piano, still wearing her wedding dress. Visitors who dare to hike creepy Peddocks Island report hearing piano music, despite the fact that there are no instruments to be found here. 

What do you think is the best urban legend in Massachusetts? If you would like to feel the energy of these harbor island spirits for yourself, I suggest setting out on a Boston Harbor Cruise. You can find out more about these fabulous boat rides at the Boston Harbor City Cruises website. 

For more spooky Boston adventures, be sure to use the Only In Your State AI-powered itinerary planner and specify that you are interested in visiting “haunted places.”