Ghost Houses?

Of course (like you?) I am always interested in ghost stories.  There are so many types of hauntings!

A recent find made me think that perhaps when I eventually begin to write my book about true Maine ghost stories (yes, it's in the pipeline, behind a couple other ones!), one chapter should be about Maine ghost houses, as it appears there is more than one.  

What do I think of as a ghost house, as opposed to a haunted house?  A ghost house is one that reappears in its prior form, as the ghost of what it once was, where only a ruin of itself remains now.  This occurrence is uncommon, but occasionally some unwitting person is there to witness it happening, and that is how the rest of us find out about such otherworldly things.

A good example of this is Chapter 10 in Carol Olivieri Schulte's Ghosts on the Coast of Maine, titled "The Invisible Estate," set in Northport. 

If you know of any local Maine stories about a house that isn't there... until sometimes it is! ... please do drop me a line.  I'd love to hear about it.

EVENT: Spooky Zoom talk! October 13 w/Portsmouth Public Library

 Hi everyone! I'm giving a fun spooky Zoom talk with Portsmouth Public Library in October!! If you (or someone you know) would like to attend, here's the link!

This event requires registration. To register visit: portsmouthpl.librarycalendar.com/event/strange

 

WHAT: "There's Something in the Woods" Zoom talk

WHERE: Online via Zoom, hosted by Portsmouth Public Library!

WHEN: Thursday, October 13, 2022 @ 7 PM – 8:30 PM

COST: Free!  Open to the public via pre-registration here:
portsmouthpl.librarycalendar.com/event/strange

 

FMI:  cityofportsmouth.com/library/news/onlineprograms 

 

Join Portsmouth Public Library as they host Maine author Michelle Souliere for an evening of creepy local stories from Maine and New Hampshire! Michelle is the author of the books Strange Maine and Bigfoot in Maine, and is the owner of The Green Hand Bookshop in Portland, ME.

Cozy up on your couch or in your favorite reading chair and tune in via zoom for accounts of the "York County Poltergeist," "Bigfoot in Maine and New Hampshire," and more! At the end of the night, you will be absolutely convinced ... there's something in the woods.

This event requires registration. To register visit: portsmouthpl.librarycalendar.com/event/strange

EVENT: Tales of Terror! Eeek!

WHAT: Tales of Terror read by storyteller Lynne Cullen
WHEN: Saturday, October 16, 2010... Two Performances: 6-7:30 PM and 8-9:30 PM
WHERE: Victoria Mansion, 109 Danforth Street, Portland, Maine
COST: Tickets: $20, $15 for members, $10 for children
FMI: Please visit www.victoriamansion.org, or call (207)772-4841 (ext. 10) or email information@victoriamansion.org

What could be a more perfect setting than a big, Victorian mansion for experiencing two wickedly creepy tales, by two masters of horror? Join Lynne for a chilling performance of 'The Beckoning Fair One' by Oliver Onions (1873-1961), which has inspired writers of horror from H.P. Lovecraft to Stephen King, and 'The Masque of the Red Death' by Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849). To set the tone, she will first recite 'The Haunted Chamber', a melancholy poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882).

This evening will begin with tours of the house, dimly lit at gas light levels and complemented by eerie, nineteenth-century music. Ghoulish guides will grant you passage through the dark halls of the Mansion!

To participate in this terrifying evening, you must reserve your space in advance... if you dare! Please call 207-772-4841 (ext. 10) or email information@victoriamansion.org

EVENT: Ghost story reading

Thanks to the Sun Journal for printing this author's letter and letting us know about this event:

WHAT: A night of ghost stories, read by David Pitkin, author of "Ghosts of the Northeast"
WHEN: 7:00 p.m., Saturday, August 19, 2009
WHERE: At the old Town Hall gym on Route 207, and in the parking lot with the Fire Station and Sebago Town Hall
COST: $3 suggested donation
FMI: pitkinaurora@aol.com

Author seeks ghostly experiences
Published: Jul 26, 2006 12:00 am

Dear Sun Spots' readers: Have you ever lived with a ghost?
I'm an author seeking true experiences. Anonymity guaranteed. I am a retired teacher and historian and author of the best-selling "Ghosts of the Northeast," which contains many Maine stories. I am now gathering ghost stories for a 2008 book covering the entire world, though most stories will be from the northeastern United States. I am starting my research here in Maine. I have investigated more than 800 haunted sites since hearing a ghost walking on a floor that wasn't there in 1968. Readers may e-mail me at pitkinaurora@aol.com or write to me at P.O. Box 690, Chestertown, NY 12817. - David J. Pitkin, Chestertown, N.Y.
[...]
Pitkin also notes he is a regular, year-round visitor to Maine. He will offer a night of ghost stories, a special presentation of the Spaulding Free Library in Sebago at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19. Please note the event is being held at the old town hall gym on Route 207 and in the parking lot with the fire station and Sebago Town Hall. There is a suggested $3 donation for the event.

Read full article here: [Source]

Illustration by Michelle Souliere, (c)2005.

EVENT: Scary stories by M.R. James

Some of you may have attended last year's early November performance by the eerily wonderful Robert Lloyd Parry at One Longfellow Square. Others of you may not have. Which is why you should come this year! Highly recommended as an addition to your Halloween season spooky fun stuff.

WHAT: "Oh, Whistle..." a performance of two M.R. James Ghost Stories
WHEN: Tuesday, October 28th, 2008 at 8:00pm
WHERE: One Longfellow Square, Portland, ME (formerly the Center for Cultural Exchange)
COST: $15
FMI: For more information or to buy tickets, please visit One Longfellow's website at http://www.onelongfellowsquare.com/ or call (207)761-1757

Over a century after they were first published, the ghost stories of MR James retain their power to terrify and amuse. Following last year’s one man show A Pleasing Terror… R.M. Lloyd Parry returns to Portland to bring two more of James’ classic spine-chillers back to life.

Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come to You, My Lad – a tale of nocturnal horror on the Suffolk coast – is considered by many to be author’s masterpiece. It is beautifully complemented here by The Ash Tree, a story of witchcraft and vengeance down the generations.

As the Nunkie Theatre Company says, "Since December 2005 Robert has been performing two one man shows based on the stories of M R James, the greatest writer of supernatural tales in English. His uncanny resemblance to the author has been noted with a shudder by more than one enthusiastic audience member."

EVENT: Weirdness on the stage in Portland

This sounds like a real treat -- I'll be going myself tomorrow night to check it out!

Barring the Unforseen by Mike Daisey

March 6-15, 2008

Woven together from Maine ghost stories, the history of 19th century spiritualism, H.P. Lovecraft, and the unspeakable dread lurking under your bed, Barring the Unforeseen explores why we tell ghost stories, and the precious, terrifying gifts they bring us. Visit play's website here.

Performance Schedule remaining:
• Wed., March 12 at 8:00 pm
• Thurs., March 13 at 8:00 pm
• Fri., March 14 at 8:00 pm
• Sat., March 15 at 4:30 pm and 8:30 pm

All tickets are $15
Order tickets by phone: (207) 774-0465
Order tickets online: click here (be warned, a $3 internet order fee will be added to the price)

EVENT: Ghost Story performance WED 11/7

Having just arrived back from the ghost story themed World Fantasy Convention of 2007 in Saratoga Springs, NY, I find it my great pleasure to have brought with me the eminent British performer, Robert Lloyd Parry. He is here in Portland to tell you a tale, two tales actually... tales of delicious dread and ghastly ghosts.

He has brought to Portland his show "A Pleasing Terror," in which he performs a telling of two M.R. James stories. The atmosphere is perfect -- a darkened room, lit only by candlelight, allows those in the audience to develop a wonderful sense of suspense as the tales emerge and come to life in the shadows around them. Believe me, it is not to be missed. It is a must-see for any fan of ghost stories, Victoriana, or storytelling.

WHAT: One Longfellow Square and Seanachie Nights presents A Pleasing Terror
WHO: performed by Robert Lloyd Parry
WHEN: Wednesday, November 7th, at 8:00pm
INFO: Tickets are $10 and are available at www.onelongfellowsquare.com or by calling 207-761-1757. Also available at Bullmoose Music locations. Free parking available behind Joe's Smoke Shop.

To find out more about Mr. Parry and the performance, please visit his website at http://www.nunkie.co.uk/

M.R. James is perhaps one of the most famous (and deservedly so) writers of ghost stories in the history of supernatural literature. If you haven't encountered him yet, please do pick up a copy of any collection of his short stories and find yourself a few spine-tingling delights for a cold November night's reading. Brrr!

Horror on the Radio Waves

I've been wanting to write a piece about this quiet little element in Portland's audio scene for quite some time, and the recent addition of an eerie William Hope Hodgson episode to their repertoire seems like the perfect opportunity. To quote Radio Drama Revival's blog:

This is the premiere broadcast of a new work by Mind’s Eye Productions, an excellent audio theater operation run locally by the celebrated audiobook narrator William Dufris. Dufris lends his amazing talent to his audio theater work and pairs it with excellent sound effects and eerie music, resulting in stories that will leave you unable to get out of bed for a while. Today’s story is a thrilling adaptation of William Hope Hodgson’s “The Derelict,” about a crew of sailors that finds a strange boat adrift in the endless ocean, and discovers all too gruesomely the reason for its abandonment.
[Source]

You can go to the Radio Drama Revival site to download the story and listen to it for yourself.

For years now, the folks at the Portland-based Mind's Eye Productions have been cranking out a slow but steady stream of Old Time Radio style recordings of horrific tales, under the series name of Nightmares on Congress Street. Their newest series is being released in 2008, under the title of Horrorscope, presented by Maine horror author Rick Hautala. I can't wait!

To see more about these audio theater series, check out their website, and listen to some samples!