Cohasset, Mass has always had a reputation for being haunted.
Over the years, several of its historical buildings have been the subject of investigations by teams of paranormal researchers. T.A.P.S.,
the stars of the SCI-FY channel’s “Ghost popular shows.
In 1960, famed Parapsychologist and original ‘ghost hunter’ Hans Holzer visited Cohasset to investigate claims that the Historical
Society’s stomped his feet on the second floor while society members met below. Accompanied by his psychic partner, Holzer
determined the spirit of John Bates was haunting the house and was, in fact, annoyed.
Bates, the descendent of the original owner Samuel Bates and last owner of the house, was unhappy that his home had been moved
from its original location across the harbor. Holzer went on to document the case in his book, “New England Ghosts”.
Decades later, after years of rumors of poltergeist activity within Cohasset Town Hall, two separate teams of paranormal investigators,
one from Connecticut and one from Massachusetts, studied the building in 2007. Each group encountered paranormal activity and
determined two, possibly three, ghosts resided within the building which has served the town in many capacities since it was built in 1857.
A photograph, recently published in “Capturing Ghosts on Film” by Christopher Balzano, taken in conjunction with the investigation, eerily
seems to have even captured one of the ghosts believed to have hung himself in one of the ancient jail cells that still reside in the town
hall basement.
With the enormous interest that ghost hunting and paranormal pursuits are currently receiving in the media, the Cohasset Historical
Society, in the spirit of the Halloween season, has decided to open the buildings to the public for a day of ghost hunting.
On Saturday, Oct. 17, beginning at 10am,The Cohasset Historical Society will offer “Haunted Happenings in Cohasset.” The day long
event will begin with a tour of Cohasset Central Cemetery, led by local author and historian Jackie Dormitzer. The cemetery is home to
the victims of the tragic shipwreck of the Irish famine ship The Brig St. John in 1849. Author and local expert Paul Fiori will also be
present at the world famous Ancient Order of the Hibernia's Celtic Cross honoring the victims to retell the tragic event and the huge
impact it had on the town of Cohasset.
A lecture on the history of the building as well as two types of tours will then be offered of Cohasset Town Hall. One detailing it’s history
and connections to ghosts and then a second billed as a “quiet tour” designed to allow tour goers to determine for themselves whether
they can see or feel the ghosts for themselves.
The days’ events continue with psychic readings available by internationally known Psychic Dee White Dove, a session on Past Life
Regression conducted by “The Time Traveler Kathryn McGlynn” and an exhibit on “Haunted and Historic” items from the Society’s vast
collection of mourning portraits, funeral costumes, grave stone rubbings and items from the wreck of the Brig St John and the movie “The
Witches of Eastwick”.
The highlight of the event will be a live paranormal investigation from 5:30 pm to 7:30pm of the Maritime Museum by the well-known
group, NightFall Paranormal Investigators of Methuen, Mass. This investigation will be the first since Holzer’s visit in 1960 and will give
the public the rare opportunity to see ghost hunters at work using the many tools and techniques to detect paranormal activity.
The Maritime Museum’s next door neighbor and fellow Historical Society property, The John Wilson House, will also be opened at that
time and decorated in haunted and historical decor. Never investigated, the building is said to exude its own spiritual presence. Both
events are considered not too scary for kids.
Schedule of events
Haunted Happenings in Cohasset takes place Saturday, Oct. 17, to benefit The Cohasset Historical Society.
The price of the one-day long ticket is $15 for adults and $8 for students and will get you into all of the events.
Tickets for the day long event are $15.00 for adults and $8.00 for youth under the age of 18.
Tickets can be purchased for single events as well. A cemetery or town hall tour as well as a combined visit to both the Haunted Wilson
House and Live Paranormal investigation at the Maritime Museum for $5.00 each.
The seminar on past life regression or a psychic reading for $10.00.
Tickets can be purchased at the Cohasset Historical Society Headquarters at 106 S. Main Street, Cohasset, by calling 781-383-1434 or
through email cohassethistory@yahoo.com. To avoid lines and guarantee appointment times, get your tickets early.
10 a.m. Take a walking history tour of Cohasset’s Historical Central Cemetery and reconnect with those buried within.
11:30 a.m. Cohasset Town Historian David Wadsworth presents the history of Cohasset Town Hall and its history with ghosts.
1 to 4 p.m. Get a personalized psychic reading by renowned psychic Dee White Dove at the Paul Pratt Building.
12:30 to 4 p.m. Talk a guided tour of haunted Cohasset Town Hall and see the historic basement jail cells…or participate in a quiet tour
to determine for yourself whether you can see one of the three ghosts that reside there.
2 to 4 p.m. Travel back through time to discover past lives in a session in past life regression with time traveler Katherine McGlynn in the
Paul Pratt Building.
6 to 8 p.m. Visit the “haunted” Captain John Wilson House resplendent in festive décor. Interact with psychic medium Dee White Dove as
she opens the door between worlds to connect with Cohasset’s spirit world.
6 to 8 p.m. Participate in a live paranormal investigation of the Maritime Museum as Nightfall Paranormal hopes to connect with the ghost
of Samuel Bates, documented by world-renowned parapsychologist Dr. Hans Holzer in 1960.
8 p.m. Wrap up the evening sharing stories of Cohasset’ spirited past and local ghosts at the Paul Pratt Building. Refreshments served.
for the event was produced by event chair Pat Martin.
Pulling out all the stops for the daylong event, the event places the Historical Societies three buildings front and center — and includes
tours of two other historical locations, the Central Cemetery and the Town Hall.
“History and haunting to some it’s the same, to some its different, but they are both involved in looking into the past,” said Cohasset
resident and event chairman Pat Martin.
The Cohasset Historical Society approached Martin about the possibility of a haunted event during the scariest month of the year,
October.
“They wanted to capitalize on the paranormal interest generated in the town over the past few years,” Martin said. The Cohasset Town
Hall generated wide attention when a paranormal group based in Enfield, Conn. declared the town building “haunted” after a weekend
long investigation.
Martin was involved in the paranormal investigations at the Cohasset Town Hall over the last two years and readily admits her love of
Halloween.
Historical Society president Kathy O’Malley said under Martin’s direction the event has been taken to another level. For one ticket price,
$15 for adults, $8 for students, there are events all day long.
The event will begin at 10a.m. with a guided tour of the Central Cemetery and conclude with a social hour at the Pratt Building beginning
at 7:30p.m.
Cohasset author Paul Fiori, who recently published a book on the Wreck of the Brig St. John, will be on hand at the Central Cemetery to
talk about the significance of the Ancient Order of Hibernians Celtic Cross and the tragic event it immortalizes.
One of the highlights of the event is a live paranormal investigation to be held at the Wilson House and the Maritime Museum
simultaneously from 5 to 7:30p.m.
Members from the Methuen-based Nightfall Paranormal are looking forward to being a part of the event. Nightfall Paranormal founder
Gary Manley is bringing his paranormal team, a group of about 12, to Cohasset. “We’re all excited, honored, really, we were chosen to
come in out of all the other (paranormal) groups around,” said Manley in a phone interview. Nightfall Paranormal will be the first
paranormal group to investigate the museums since world-renowned ghost hunter and parapsychologist Dr. Hans Holzer came to
Cohasset in 1960.
The group will help out with the tours of the Town Hall in the afternoon, then set up for a paranormal investigation in both the Wilson House
and the Maritime Museum. Event attendees will be able to ask the group questions about their method and experiences.
On a recent weekend, Manley, who was part of the Mass Paranormal group that investigated the town hall last year, came with several
members of his team to check out the Elm Street museums.
“In (the Wilson House) I got the feeling there was an entity in the building,” Manley said. In the children’s room he said he actually had to
leave the room because a feeling of nausea overcame him. He believes the entity’s name is “Lucy,” who according to records in the
museum was the name of Capt. Wilson’s mother.
Those in attendance will have to see if they feel the presence of “Lucy” or another entity.
After the public leaves the museums, Nightfall Paranormal will stick around and do a full investigation until about 11p.m.
During the day from 10a.m. to 4p.m. a psychic, Dee White Dove, will be on hand to offer personalized readings to event attendees.
Appointments are recommended.
From 2 to 4p.m., Katherine McGlynn, a certified hypnotist, will facilitate a group in exploring their past life or lives.
To complement the day’s events, Historical Society director Lynne DeGiacomo is pulling out dozens of “haunted” items from the society’s
extensive collection. Props from the filming of “The Witches of Eastwick,” grave rubbings, mourning costumes and apparel and
watercolor “mourning” paintings will be among the display.
“Many of the items haven’t been on display in years, so it is always great to have the opportunity to show off different parts of the
collection,” DeGiacomo said.
Historical Society president Kathy O’Malley is excited at how the day has come together. At the heart of the event is the fact is it will raise
money for the society to continue its operations.
“Sharing these buildings and our collections is a privilege,” O’Malley said.
While not everyone is a believer in paranormal entities, Martin said there is plenty of local history to learn about and see first hand.
“We welcome the skeptics and the believers. The bottom line is this is an opportunity to support the historical society, which plays a vital
role in Cohasset and they could use the resources and financial help,” Martin said. “There’s something for everyone at this event.”
Over the years, several of its historical buildings have been the subject of investigations by teams of paranormal researchers. T.A.P.S.,
the stars of the SCI-FY channel’s “Ghost popular shows.
In 1960, famed Parapsychologist and original ‘ghost hunter’ Hans Holzer visited Cohasset to investigate claims that the Historical
Society’s stomped his feet on the second floor while society members met below. Accompanied by his psychic partner, Holzer
determined the spirit of John Bates was haunting the house and was, in fact, annoyed.
Bates, the descendent of the original owner Samuel Bates and last owner of the house, was unhappy that his home had been moved
from its original location across the harbor. Holzer went on to document the case in his book, “New England Ghosts”.
Decades later, after years of rumors of poltergeist activity within Cohasset Town Hall, two separate teams of paranormal investigators,
one from Connecticut and one from Massachusetts, studied the building in 2007. Each group encountered paranormal activity and
determined two, possibly three, ghosts resided within the building which has served the town in many capacities since it was built in 1857.
A photograph, recently published in “Capturing Ghosts on Film” by Christopher Balzano, taken in conjunction with the investigation, eerily
seems to have even captured one of the ghosts believed to have hung himself in one of the ancient jail cells that still reside in the town
hall basement.
With the enormous interest that ghost hunting and paranormal pursuits are currently receiving in the media, the Cohasset Historical
Society, in the spirit of the Halloween season, has decided to open the buildings to the public for a day of ghost hunting.
On Saturday, Oct. 17, beginning at 10am,The Cohasset Historical Society will offer “Haunted Happenings in Cohasset.” The day long
event will begin with a tour of Cohasset Central Cemetery, led by local author and historian Jackie Dormitzer. The cemetery is home to
the victims of the tragic shipwreck of the Irish famine ship The Brig St. John in 1849. Author and local expert Paul Fiori will also be
present at the world famous Ancient Order of the Hibernia's Celtic Cross honoring the victims to retell the tragic event and the huge
impact it had on the town of Cohasset.
A lecture on the history of the building as well as two types of tours will then be offered of Cohasset Town Hall. One detailing it’s history
and connections to ghosts and then a second billed as a “quiet tour” designed to allow tour goers to determine for themselves whether
they can see or feel the ghosts for themselves.
The days’ events continue with psychic readings available by internationally known Psychic Dee White Dove, a session on Past Life
Regression conducted by “The Time Traveler Kathryn McGlynn” and an exhibit on “Haunted and Historic” items from the Society’s vast
collection of mourning portraits, funeral costumes, grave stone rubbings and items from the wreck of the Brig St John and the movie “The
Witches of Eastwick”.
The highlight of the event will be a live paranormal investigation from 5:30 pm to 7:30pm of the Maritime Museum by the well-known
group, NightFall Paranormal Investigators of Methuen, Mass. This investigation will be the first since Holzer’s visit in 1960 and will give
the public the rare opportunity to see ghost hunters at work using the many tools and techniques to detect paranormal activity.
The Maritime Museum’s next door neighbor and fellow Historical Society property, The John Wilson House, will also be opened at that
time and decorated in haunted and historical decor. Never investigated, the building is said to exude its own spiritual presence. Both
events are considered not too scary for kids.
Schedule of events
Haunted Happenings in Cohasset takes place Saturday, Oct. 17, to benefit The Cohasset Historical Society.
The price of the one-day long ticket is $15 for adults and $8 for students and will get you into all of the events.
Tickets for the day long event are $15.00 for adults and $8.00 for youth under the age of 18.
Tickets can be purchased for single events as well. A cemetery or town hall tour as well as a combined visit to both the Haunted Wilson
House and Live Paranormal investigation at the Maritime Museum for $5.00 each.
The seminar on past life regression or a psychic reading for $10.00.
Tickets can be purchased at the Cohasset Historical Society Headquarters at 106 S. Main Street, Cohasset, by calling 781-383-1434 or
through email cohassethistory@yahoo.com. To avoid lines and guarantee appointment times, get your tickets early.
10 a.m. Take a walking history tour of Cohasset’s Historical Central Cemetery and reconnect with those buried within.
11:30 a.m. Cohasset Town Historian David Wadsworth presents the history of Cohasset Town Hall and its history with ghosts.
1 to 4 p.m. Get a personalized psychic reading by renowned psychic Dee White Dove at the Paul Pratt Building.
12:30 to 4 p.m. Talk a guided tour of haunted Cohasset Town Hall and see the historic basement jail cells…or participate in a quiet tour
to determine for yourself whether you can see one of the three ghosts that reside there.
2 to 4 p.m. Travel back through time to discover past lives in a session in past life regression with time traveler Katherine McGlynn in the
Paul Pratt Building.
6 to 8 p.m. Visit the “haunted” Captain John Wilson House resplendent in festive décor. Interact with psychic medium Dee White Dove as
she opens the door between worlds to connect with Cohasset’s spirit world.
6 to 8 p.m. Participate in a live paranormal investigation of the Maritime Museum as Nightfall Paranormal hopes to connect with the ghost
of Samuel Bates, documented by world-renowned parapsychologist Dr. Hans Holzer in 1960.
8 p.m. Wrap up the evening sharing stories of Cohasset’ spirited past and local ghosts at the Paul Pratt Building. Refreshments served.
for the event was produced by event chair Pat Martin.
Pulling out all the stops for the daylong event, the event places the Historical Societies three buildings front and center — and includes
tours of two other historical locations, the Central Cemetery and the Town Hall.
“History and haunting to some it’s the same, to some its different, but they are both involved in looking into the past,” said Cohasset
resident and event chairman Pat Martin.
The Cohasset Historical Society approached Martin about the possibility of a haunted event during the scariest month of the year,
October.
“They wanted to capitalize on the paranormal interest generated in the town over the past few years,” Martin said. The Cohasset Town
Hall generated wide attention when a paranormal group based in Enfield, Conn. declared the town building “haunted” after a weekend
long investigation.
Martin was involved in the paranormal investigations at the Cohasset Town Hall over the last two years and readily admits her love of
Halloween.
Historical Society president Kathy O’Malley said under Martin’s direction the event has been taken to another level. For one ticket price,
$15 for adults, $8 for students, there are events all day long.
The event will begin at 10a.m. with a guided tour of the Central Cemetery and conclude with a social hour at the Pratt Building beginning
at 7:30p.m.
Cohasset author Paul Fiori, who recently published a book on the Wreck of the Brig St. John, will be on hand at the Central Cemetery to
talk about the significance of the Ancient Order of Hibernians Celtic Cross and the tragic event it immortalizes.
One of the highlights of the event is a live paranormal investigation to be held at the Wilson House and the Maritime Museum
simultaneously from 5 to 7:30p.m.
Members from the Methuen-based Nightfall Paranormal are looking forward to being a part of the event. Nightfall Paranormal founder
Gary Manley is bringing his paranormal team, a group of about 12, to Cohasset. “We’re all excited, honored, really, we were chosen to
come in out of all the other (paranormal) groups around,” said Manley in a phone interview. Nightfall Paranormal will be the first
paranormal group to investigate the museums since world-renowned ghost hunter and parapsychologist Dr. Hans Holzer came to
Cohasset in 1960.
The group will help out with the tours of the Town Hall in the afternoon, then set up for a paranormal investigation in both the Wilson House
and the Maritime Museum. Event attendees will be able to ask the group questions about their method and experiences.
On a recent weekend, Manley, who was part of the Mass Paranormal group that investigated the town hall last year, came with several
members of his team to check out the Elm Street museums.
“In (the Wilson House) I got the feeling there was an entity in the building,” Manley said. In the children’s room he said he actually had to
leave the room because a feeling of nausea overcame him. He believes the entity’s name is “Lucy,” who according to records in the
museum was the name of Capt. Wilson’s mother.
Those in attendance will have to see if they feel the presence of “Lucy” or another entity.
After the public leaves the museums, Nightfall Paranormal will stick around and do a full investigation until about 11p.m.
During the day from 10a.m. to 4p.m. a psychic, Dee White Dove, will be on hand to offer personalized readings to event attendees.
Appointments are recommended.
From 2 to 4p.m., Katherine McGlynn, a certified hypnotist, will facilitate a group in exploring their past life or lives.
To complement the day’s events, Historical Society director Lynne DeGiacomo is pulling out dozens of “haunted” items from the society’s
extensive collection. Props from the filming of “The Witches of Eastwick,” grave rubbings, mourning costumes and apparel and
watercolor “mourning” paintings will be among the display.
“Many of the items haven’t been on display in years, so it is always great to have the opportunity to show off different parts of the
collection,” DeGiacomo said.
Historical Society president Kathy O’Malley is excited at how the day has come together. At the heart of the event is the fact is it will raise
money for the society to continue its operations.
“Sharing these buildings and our collections is a privilege,” O’Malley said.
While not everyone is a believer in paranormal entities, Martin said there is plenty of local history to learn about and see first hand.
“We welcome the skeptics and the believers. The bottom line is this is an opportunity to support the historical society, which plays a vital
role in Cohasset and they could use the resources and financial help,” Martin said. “There’s something for everyone at this event.”
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