No, it's not Halloween, but ghosts are on my mind. I've recently started listening to book six of the Harry Potter series, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." By the time July 21 rolls around, I'll be ready to read "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the last book in J.K. Rowling's series. (The Nashua Public Library will be having a movie festival the week of July 21 to celebrate the release of Deathly Hallows. Call our movie line, 589-4646, for the details.)
Now, no one's spotted Nearly Headless Nick or the Bloody Baron here in the library, but we've had our share of questions about Nashua's own ghosts. One of the most famous local ghosts is that of Elizabeth Ford. Some say that she haunts the Country Tavern on Amherst Street. The story goes that Elizabeth Ford's husband, a sea captain, returned home from an extended voyage to discover that she had given birth. In a jealous rage, he murdered Elizabeth and her baby. Over the years since then, people have reported spotting what they believe to be her ghost at that location. Curious? Read more about it in the Ghostly Gazetteer, by Arthur Myers (find it in Adult Nonfiction at 133.1). You can also read about Elizabeth Ford in Ghosts of the Northeast, by David J. Pitkin (located in Adult Nonfiction at 133.109 P).
For reports of ghosts beyond Nashua, you may also want to take a look at these titles:
- Norm Gauthier's guide to New Hampshire 'haunted' places you can visit! (text by Norm Gauthier, photos by Steven M. Gauthier. This title is a reference book in our Hunt Room local history collection.)
- Ghosts of New England, by Hans Holzer (call number 133.109 H). This book covers ghosts from around New England as well as New York. Among these is a story about a Plymouth, NH ghost.
- Ghosts of Nantucket, by Blue Balliett (call number 133.109 B)
- Haunted Island: True Ghost Stories from Martha's Vineyard, by Holly Mascott Nadler (call number 133.1 N)
- Nadler is also the author of Ghosts of Boston town : three centuries of true hauntings (call number 133.1 N)
- Gallery of Ghosts has ghost stories from around the world--from as far as Hungary and as near as Maine and Vermont. (call number 133.1 R)
Whether you're a believer or not, these can be interesting reading. Got a favorite Nashua or New Hampshire ghost story? Let us know!