With Halloween just around the corner, you may find your mind inquiring about the haunted history and legends that live on throughout the Cape. After all, it is the spooky season, and who doesn’t love a good ghost story? Cape Cod is full of historical sites dating back to when the Europeans first colonized the area in the 1600s. Between shipwrecks, the first colonial settlements, and Native American heritage, the area is rife with legend and folklore that have drawn the likes of many well-known paranormal investigators like TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society), who are featured on the TV show Ghost Hunters and Travel Channel’s Zak Baggins and his team from Ghost Adventures.
So, if you’re visiting Cape Cod in the fall, why not embrace the chills and thrills of the season? Check out some of the most notoriously haunted places on the Cape that will intrigue both history buffs and ghost enthusiasts alike.
The Barnstable House
3010 Main Street, Barnstable, MA
Originally built in Scituate in 1713, the Barnstable House was moved and reassembled in Barnstable in 1716. It is believed to harbor up to eleven ghosts, including the likes of a young child named Lucy, who, according to legend, drowned in a well in the basement, as well as the spirits of a woman in white and a sea captain who were both former residents of the home. Common phenomena reported include full-bodied apparitions, footsteps, knocking, and cold spots. You can visit The Barnstable House by booking a tour with Barnstable Village’s Haunted and History Walking Tour or Barnstable Haunted Tours. Find a vacation rental in Barnstable.
The Old Jail
3353 Main Street, Barnstable, MA
Established in 1690 and operated until 1820, The Old Jail in Barnstable is the oldest wooden jail in the United States. Six of the stalls have been maintained to reveal the harsh reality of serving a life sentence, as was the case for many violent criminals and pirates. Commonly reported paranormal activity includes unexplained voices, shadowy figures, the sounds of chains rattling, objects moving, and doors slamming. It can be toured on Saturdays from May through October from 12-2 p.m. It can also be booked for private tours and events. Find a vacation rental in Barnstable.
The Pilgrim’s Monument
1 High Pole Hill Road, Provincetown, MA
Located in Provincetown, The Pilgrim’s Monument was built in 1907 to honor the pilgrims’ arrival to Massachusetts in 1620. Alongside the lore of the first settlers and their struggles for survival are the many maritime tragedies that have occurred just offshore. Visit the monument at night, and you can expect to feel the sensation of being watched. During foggy or stormy weather, you may also be surprised to hear the sound of a bell warning sailors of rough seas– except no bell exists in the monument or the surrounding area. Additional accounts include mysterious lights that appear near the top of the tower and apparitions that haunt the exterior. Visitors can tour the monument daily between 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Find an off-season vacation rental nearby.
The Lady of the Dunes
Race Point Beach Dunes, Provincetown, MA
Perhaps one of Massachusetts’ most well-known unsolved murder cases, the Lady of the Dunes is thought by locals to haunt the place where her body was discovered in the summer of 1974. Due to the horrific condition of the body at the time of discovery, her identity was not confirmed until 2023. Visitors to the Race Point dunes during the early morning or evening hours have noted unexplained feelings of sadness, visions of the apparition of a woman who bears her likeness, disembodied voices, and intense dreams, which include a woman’s cry for help. Visit anytime you dare, as the beach is open 24 hours a day to visitors. Find an off-season vacation rental nearby.
Rent a Vacation Home on the Cape
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Highland Light
27 Highland Light Road, North Truro, MA
The waters of Cape Cod are treacherous, with strong currents, heavy fog, and numerous underwater hazards, causing a lengthy history of shipwrecks. Highland Lighthouse, also known as Cape Cod Lighthouse, was built in 1797 to help mariners navigate the dangerous coastline. Despite its existence, many sailors have lost their lives just offshore, giving way to the theory that the lighthouse is haunted by wayward souls and those who lost their loved ones to the ocean. Visit the lighthouse during the off hours, and don’t be surprised to find yourself hearing the heavy boot steps of a former lighthouse keeper or seeing the apparition of a woman in white walking the grounds looking for her husband, who was lost at sea. Additionally, visitors also experience the unexplained flashing of lights near the top of the lighthouse, doors slamming, and phantom knocking. Those interested can tour Highland Light daily between May 3rd and October 31st from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Find an off-season vacation rental nearby.
The Orleans Inn
3 Old County Road, Orleans, MA
The Orleans Inn was built in 1865 when Cape Cod became a popular tourist destination. Undergoing various transformations from inn to tavern, to restaurant, and back to the inn, the building has undoubtedly served as a place of joy for many throughout the years. Who would ever want to leave a place near the water, picturesque views, and comfortable lodging? No one, including the dead.
Stay at The Orleans Inn, and you may find yourself confronted with ghostly shadows lurking in the stairwells, strange noises, and disembodied voices. You may brush past the Lady in White in the hallways, see her silhouette in the windows, or feel her watchful eye during your stay. Book a stay at the Inn during the off-season and spend some time with extra special guests. Find a nearby vacation rental.
The Cape Playhouse
820 Main Street, Dennis, MA
Founded in 1927 by Raymond Moore, who had a dream to bring professional theatre to Cape Cod, The Cape Playhouse is the oldest professional summer theatre in the United States. As host to innumerable musicals, plays, and artistic events. The Cape Playhouse is also known for its patrons who refuse to leave it behind even once the performance is over. Visitors to the theatre have often seen apparitions that haunt the aisles and area before the stage as if they were part of the show. Should you find yourself backstage or in the dressing rooms, you may run into the benevolent spirit of an actress, still enjoying her fifteen minutes of fame.
Other phenomena common to the playhouse are unexplained electrical occurrences, cold spots, objects moving, and strange noises. Come see a performance between June and early September, or tour the grounds in the off months. Find a vacation rental in Dennis.
Highfield Hall
56 Highfield Drive, Falmouth, MA
Highfield Hall was built as a summer home in 1878 by Josephine and Charles Gifford and served as a private home throughout the early portion of the 20th century. Despite the family’s affluence in Cape Cod society, personal and financial tragedies befell the Gifford family and resulted in the deterioration of the mansion over time. By the late 1900s, the home had become dilapidated, falling into a deep state of disrepair. In 2005, the town of Falmouth acquired the 12,000-square-foot home and, through grassroots campaigning, restored the mansion to its former beauty. Now, it serves as a venue for community exhibitions, educational programming, and weddings.
Despite its restoration, the deep emotional attachment Josephine had to the home could not be severed, even in death. She has been observed by the museum caretakers on a number of occasions, appearing in period-style clothing to watch over the home. Visitors to Highfield have also experienced cold spots, flickering lights, and the echoing sounds of objects being rearranged. Tour the expansive grounds of Highfield Hall year-round, which includes walking trails and gardens, also thought to be haunted. Access to the interior of the home is restricted to community events. Find a vacation rental in Falmouth.
Plan Your Next Visit to Cape Cod
Whether you believe in ghosts or not, Cape Cod’s deep history is part of the fabric of our country and is worth exploring. Though, during the spooky season, don’t we all love a good scary story? Suspend beliefs, take a ghost-hunting adventure, and see what surprises await you.
Ready to book your next vacation to Cape Cod? Contact the agents at Foley Vacation Rentals and let us set you up with your perfect rental.