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Ship Harbor Trail and the Shipwrecked Ghosts

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It has long been said that there are ghosts haunting the Ship Harbor Trail on the Mount Desert Island in Maine from the victims from a shipwreck in the winter months that left few survivors. We will have a closer look as to why this is most likely wrong. 

There are not only ghost roaming the Southwest side of the Mount Desert Island in Acadia National Park, but there is also a part of the park that are thought to be possible cursed after a shipwreck in 1739 with over 200 people, costing the life of most of the crew.

Ship Harbor Trail is today seen as a family friendly hike forming a figure-8 loop through thick spruce woods and rocky headland in the Maine park, but once it was a death sentence, especially during the winter months. 

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Along the Main coastline the unruly waters caused many lives and wrecked a lot of ships, and although we don’t really know why it is called Ship Harbor as it is a very misleading name in this story, it could be that it used to be place for small ships to seek shelter in the cove. Or it could be in reference to the very shipwreck the story is about. 

Ship Harbor Trail: The trail in Acadia National Park is said to be haunted by the ghosts of the passengers that got shipwrecked on the island. But how true is the story? // Source: Flickr

The Shipwrecked Grand Design

The most circulated story about the Ship Harbor Trail goes like this:

In 1739 there was a ship that wrecked and the surviving sailors sought refuge in the area now called Ship Harbor. The ship was an English vessel called Grand Design that was carrying Irish Immigrants to Pennsylvania that October month everything went wrong. 

They reached the mainland swimming through the frigid water, but saw the area was uninhabited. Their supplies ran low and food was scarce and sickness spread among the crew. Half of the original group perished because of this before finally a ship from the English settlement in Thomaston in Maine came and rescued the few survivors. 

The bodies of those that perished were buried in unmarked graves around the area, although exactly where? Who knows, although the hiking trails probably goes right over them. What happened to the ones seeking help remains a mystery, perhaps even a haunted one. 

Historical Inaccuracies of the Shipwreck

How much of this story is true though? It happened so far ago in such a remote area, and there is not much that we really know about it except from hearsay. Despite of this, the legend is retold in many haunted legends from the area. 

In 2008 a maritime study even put forth a theory and a debate among historians about whether or not the Grand Design disaster even happened in this area. This legend is based on the research of historian Cyrus Eaton. 

The Grand Design was actually the program of relocating Scots-Irish people prosecuted by the Church of England, luring them away from their land in hopes of a new place with religious freedom. 

One of the reasons there is not much written record about it is the war between England and France at the time, and to go discreetly, they sailed off record under the corrupt Captain Rowen. A man despite being the direct cause of so many deaths became the governor of North Carolina in 1758.

The Real Story of the Shipwrecked

Turns out though this story is mostly connected to the ship Martha & Eliza that wrecked at Grand Manan in the Bay of Fundy, today a part of New Brunswick in Canada. It was a 90 foot, two misted bark, often used to transport passengers and goods from Ireland to the colonies. It set out from Londonderry in Northern Ireland July in 1741, going to Newcastle in Pennsylvania. 

The ship had perhaps 200 paying passengers, a heavy overload for the ship, and four weeks into the journey, the ship caught caught up in a hurricane and drifted in the North Atlantic for weeks overcome with starvation, fever and death. 28th of October they drifted ashore on one of the islands around Grand Manan that has over 250 shipwrecks there according to local lore. 

Read More: There are plenty of stories of haunted ships. Have a look at our archive of tales of them around the world.

The captain and his crew left the passengers there and left to drink at Fort Frederick at Pemaquid. 35 of the men tried to get to the mainland in search of help, but never returned. 

The captain together with his crew returned a month later to loot the ship, and when the survivors asked for rescue, they only took 48 of them to Cushing where they stripped them for whatever possession they had as payment for their rescue. 

The people of Cushing, many of them Irish themselves welcomed them though and rescued the almost the rest of remaining wrecked in late December after one group complained to the Governor in Boston. 

Grand Manan Island: The real ship actually wrecked on one of the islands around Grand Manan in Canada.

The Native American Rescue on Holy Land

The last few dropped off another place on the island were found in April by the Native Americans, Passamaquoddy and arranged their rescue as they risked their own life crossing 100 miles on open boats. 

Among the last survivors were nine women as well as a mother and her infant child that had survived on shellfish and dulce. 

The island was sacred to them as they worshiped Dawn, the daughter of sea and sky deities. She had been chased by a pack of wolves and ran into the sea before transforming to the island where the shipwrecked spent the cold winter on. 

Perhaps it was this that made them rescue them instead of selling them to the French, believing that Dawn herself had protected the women through the winter. 

The Haunted Rumors on Ship Harbor Trail

Today the place is not so remote and it is said that as many as 300 to 400 hike the Ship Harbor Trail every day. Historical accuracy or not, the legends about the ghosts are still alive and well. Some of them claim to have seen or heard something that they reckon must be the ghost of the shipwrecked people that didn’t make it out alive. 

Read More: Check out ghost stories like Haunted Trails and Tales of Ballyboley Forest, The Ghost of Bicycle Larry on Old Narrow Gauge Volunteer Trail in Randolph Forest and The Evil Spirit Po-ho-no of Bridal Veil Falls in Yosemite National Park for alleged haunted trails. 

The ghost left behind by the rest of the crew is said to haunt the park and people hiking the trail claim to have heard ghostly howling, desperate, cold and hungry still.

But the question remains. If there were no shipwrecked that ended up on the island, what is it that people claim to see haunting the Ship Harbor Trail?

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References:

The Grand Design, a Shipwreck, Betrayal and Rescue by Indians 

Castlebay – The Grand Design 

“Grand Design” lured 18th century immigrants to a tragic end – The Working Waterfront Archives 

Acadia’s Ship Harbor ideal for hiking Maine coast year-round 

Acadia National Park – Ship Harbor Trail – Maine Trail Finder 

Hike Ship Harbor Trail (U.S. National Park Service) 

The Ship Harbor Nature Trail In Maine Said To Be Haunted By The Ghosts Of Those Who Perished Here

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Ledgelawn Summer Estate and the Bridal Ghost in the Attic

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In a former summer house for the rich and wealthy in Maine, the Ledgelawn Summer Estate has long been thought to be haunted by the ghost of Mary Margaret, the jilted bride haunting the house wearing her wedding dress.

Built in 1904 in the seaside town of Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island in Maine, Ledgelawn Summer Estate was one of the original grand summer estates from the Gilded Age in the harbor for the elite that used to spend their summer here by the sea. 

Read More: Check out all of our ghost stories from USA

Ledgelawn Estate is a 21-room shingle-style cottage on Mount Desert Street, found close to the church. They used to call these estates for the cottages where the rich summered and it is said that this building is the most haunted one in Bar Harbor and a story all the locals know about.

Bar Harbor: On Mount Desert Island in Maine you will find Bar Harbor where the Ledgelawn Summer Estate is. There are many places in this picturesque said to be haunted.

The Haunted Ledgelawn Summer Estate

The red building built for the wealthy summer visitors in 1904 was built upon something older, equally a mystery as the supposed haunting. It is said to be haunted by the woman in white known as Mary Margaret. According to legend, she was jilted just about to get married. 

Most of the variations of the stories tell that Mary Margaret was a dark haired beauty from that time, a member of the rich and powerful Astor family, or at least related to them.

Her soon to be husband took off right before their wedding and left her alone. Mary Margaret took this so hard and went straight up to the third floor, dressed herself in her wedding dress before hanging herself from the rafters in the attic with her wedding veil.

It is said that when her family found her, her face was so bruised, they almost didn’t recognize her. Her lips curled up to a smile. She has ever since then lingered and haunted the Ledgelawn Summer Estate through the years. 

The Haunting of Mary Margaret

Although her death is said to have happened in the attic of Ledgelawn Summer Estate, she is most often seen on the third floor. Her ghost is said to be transparent and floating about, returning to the place she died again and again.

The former summer estate used to be an inn and there is a particular one story from this time that is retold. Back then, the place used to be called Ledgelawn Inn and it was said that room 326 was the place she most often appeared. 

Guests checking in or staff working there would often get an ominous and gloomy feeling before claiming to see the ghost of a woman floating at the foot at their bed or even a ghostly wedding veil was coming from the ceiling and swaying in the night. 

According to this guest, the ghost got into bed with him. Scared of what happened he tried to ignore her lying next to him and simply rolled over, petrified and didn’t dare to open his eyes. 

The Ghost of a Maid in Ledgelawn Summer Estate

Ledgelawn Summer Estate: Source

The dramatic ghost of Mary Margaret is supposedly not the only ghost said to haunt the Ledgelawn Summer Estate. Apparently there is also a former maid most often called Catherine said to be haunting the former summer house and former inn. 

It is said that she had an affair with the owner of the house at the time and became pregnant while working there. The story is often been told to have happened in the 1930s. She died after falling down the stairs in the back. If she fell or if she were pushed is up for debate and was hushed up at the time. 

In addition to the women said to haunt the Ledgelawn Summer Estate there is also a child said to haunt the cupboard he hides in. According to the stories, he drowned somewhere in Bar Harbor. 

The Truth Behind the Legends

So how true is this very specific story said to haunt the Ledgelawn Summer Estate? The historic inn was bought by a firm in 2010, ending its time as an inn. 

The story behind the house is that Ledge Lawn was built by Samuel Willard Bridgham and Fanny Shermerhorn in the beginnings of the 1900s. Fanny was related to the Astors, a family filled with money and scandals. Samuel and Fanny though were known to be kind people, didn’t have any children and other mysterious deaths happening inside of their home. 

So what about the ghost that people keep seeing? Could it just be a trick your mind plays you when staying in an old building, and a local story told for fun in a sleepy seaside town. Or could it be something that the history didn’t record or where the details and facts have become distorted over time?

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References:

American Ghost Walks – Bar Harbor | Culture & Tours | Family Friendly Activities 

The Haunting of Ledgelawn – by Carrie Jones 

Resort company buys historic Bar Harbor inn 

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Bass Harbor Head Light’s Murder Mystery Ghost

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After a construction worker mysteriously disappeared when building the Bass Harbor Head Light in Maine, it is said he remained by the lighthouse, haunting the place and every keeper’s family that lived there. 

The lighthouse found on Prospect Harbor southwest on Mount Desert Island in Maine, is not the only lighthouse thought to be haunted in Acadia National Park, Bass Harbor Head Light is seen today as an iconic landmark. 

Read More: Check out all of our ghost stories from USA

On the rocky coastline of Mount Desert Island they built the Bass Harbor Head Light lighthouse in 1858 on the cliff side overlooking the shore guiding boats into Bass Harbor and Blue Hill Bay. 

The lighthouse is built in Tremont, considered to be one of the quieter parts of the islands, but still draws people to have a look at the view. And if we are to believe the rumors, the lighthouse have also attracted ghosts.

The Ghost of Bass Harbor Head Light

The ghost story said to haunt the Bass Harbor Head Light comes from the time of building the lighthouse back in 1858, even before the first keeper moved in.

During construction it is said that a builder vanished without a trace. What happened back then we don’t know. Did he just quit his job and left for something else? Was this actually a case of a missing person case, or worse, murder?

When he left, it was said that they found a bloody axe on the rocks but no body was found. Was he murdered and his body buried inside of the foundations of the lighthouse as the legends go? 

In any case, ever since then, he has haunted the lighthouse, even before the first keeper moved in. 

People have claimed to see his ghost around and heard noises and experienced things they can’t account for. Some of the reports claims to have seen a man sitting on a stump outside when it snows. 

Other Ghosts Haunting the Lighthouse

There is not only a potential murder mystery that is haunting the lighthouse. According to some there are also claims that a deer moving through the snow before vanishing into thin air. When inspecting the snow, there are no footprints to be found. 

A woman has also been haunting the lighthouse if we are to believe the stories. She has been seen sitting in a rocking chair inside of the keeper’s house.

The Curse of the Lighthouse

Not only are the lighthouses rumored to be haunted by a ghost, but it is also said to have a curse, or at least bad luck to the keepers that have lived in it. 

It is said that every light-keeper or some in his family has had tragedy following them in the lighthouse of illnesses and accidents. Truly the work of a haunting or curse, or simply how life worked in the remote and harsh climate of Maine?

In any case, more than 10 deaths have been attributed to this and are said to have ended just because the lighthouse became automated. 

A New Era for the Lighthouse in Bass Harbor

The keepers’ house used to be a private residence for a local Coast Guard member and his family, with most of the grounds being private up until 2012. Today new keepers have moved in to take care of the historic landmark

Read Also: The Paranormal Activity At The St. Augustine Lighthouse 

Most of how they built the lighthouse has been preserved and it looks pretty much the same as it did when constructed and the missing construction worker vanished. Due to the extreme popularity of this iconic lighthouse, parking and crowds can be an issue during the height of tourist season.

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References:

Bass Harbor Head Light history – NEW ENGLAND LIGHTHOUSES: A VIRTUAL GUIDE 

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse | monsterminions 

Acadia National Park navigates new era for iconic lighthouse 

Bass Harbor Head Light | Tremont, Maine’s Striking Landmark – New England 

New England Legends Extra: Haunted Bass Harbor Light – Maine 

Bass Harbor Head Light – Wikipedia 

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Acadia’s Anemone Cave known as The Devil’s Oven and its legends

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Today the traces of Anemone Cave, otherwise known as the Devil Den or The Devil’s Oven, have almost been erased from the park. Dangerous because of the tide submerging the cave completely, stories about strange things happening around the cave have been told for centuries.

Hidden along the foggy shorelines of Mount Desert Island within Acadia National Park, a foreboding sea cave known as Anemone Cave, or otherwise called, The Devil’s Oven stands as a silent witness to centuries of mysteries and eerie legends. 

Acadia National Park is a stunning natural reserve located primarily on Mount Desert Island, the largest offshore island outside of Maine, United States. Established in 1916, it encompasses over 49,000 acres of rugged coastline, lush forests, granite peaks, and pristine lakes. 

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Acadia National Park is not only a haven for outdoor enthusiasts but also a place of profound natural beauty and ecological significance. 

Taken off the Maps of Acadia National Park

The Haunted Devil’s Oven is located near DeGregoire Park, in Bar Harbor, Maine and it is said you have to make sure to be there at low tide to not be completely submerged under water. 

Years ago the Anemone Cave was marked on the trail of the National Park’s maps. Today signs are removed and the name disappeared from the map and even the railings have been removed to deter people for seeking its slippery path, for a good reason, and only those with knowledge of its whereabouts or searching for it on the internet can find it. 

It is said to be to protect the tiny lives of the anemones as well as hikers were often injured or trapped by the tide in the caves. There have also been at least one death in modern time. But although it was removed from the map, it is still there as the legend surrounding it. 

Anemone Cave History

This hidden alcove has long been shrouded in tales of the supernatural, with whispers of a portal to the underworld echoing through the annals of Mount Desert Island history. 

Anemone Cave got its name from the anemones, but that is only in recent years as it has been known as both the Devil’s Den and Cave of the Sea among other things. The origin of the ominous name, The Devil’s Oven is uncertain, but it is said that the cave itself looks like a skull and the paranormal stuff are said to happen both at high and low tide. 

Read More: Check out The Mysterious Gouffre de Padirac Caves, The Haunting Santuario de la Virgen de Balma in the Mountain Rocks, The Ghost of Kathleen who Loved St. Kevin in Glendalough and The Haunted Mystique on the Cliffs of Wenlock Edge for more haunted caves with strange legends attached to them. 

Even in contemporary times, The Devil’s Oven continues to evoke a sense of unease and spectral energy. Nighttime visitors have reported witnessing inexplicable lights gleaming and flashing from the depths of the Anemone Cave, casting an eerie glow along the coastal expanse. 

Religious Sacrifices inside of the Cave

This is not only a modern phenomenon though, but all the way back to when European settlers came about and even further in Native American stories, something was amiss with the caves. Those who venture near during daylight hours speak of hearing haunting cries and strange chants carried by the ocean breeze.

There is a claim put forth in the book named Ghosts of Acadia, where the author Marcus Librizzi says that the cave was used by the Native Americans where they held terrible and grotesque rituals and sacrifices where they drowned people slowly by the tide according to legend. 

A Warning to Visitors Seeking the Anemone Cave

For the intrepid souls seeking to unravel the mysteries of The Devil’s Oven, a cautionary note lingers. The sea cave is accessible only during the ebb of low tide, a precarious journey fraught with maritime challenges. Owing to the surge in drownings and perilous sea rescues, the National Park Service has removed all railings and signs leading to the Anemone Cave, emphasizing the need for caution and even experienced climbers have died.

As you contemplate the allure of The Devil’s Oven, consider not only the haunting rumors that enshroud its existence but also the inherent risks that accompany the quest for the supernatural. In the shadowy realm between legend and reality, Acadia National Park harbors secrets that beckon the curious yet cautionary tales that echo through time.

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References:

THE DEVIL’S TRIANGLE 

History of Visitor Use and Management of Anemone Cave, Acadia National Park, Maine 

This Ancient Sea Cave Isn’t On Any Map Of Acadia National Park For Good Reasons 

Hauntings and Mysteries in Acadia National Park 

ABANDONED TRAILS OF ACADIA NATIONAL PARK: ANEMONE CAVE – THE DEVIL’S OVEN

REAL HAUNTED PLACES IN ACADIA NATIONAL PARK