Haunted Portland Locations

Portland's maritime history is written in shipwrecks and drownings. The rocky Maine coast has claimed countless vessels, and the spirits of sailors lost at sea are said to return to the harbor seeking the land they never reached. Lighthouse keepers who died at their posts still tend their lights.

The Great Fire of 1866 destroyed nearly half of Portland on the Fourth of July, leaving 10,000 people homeless. The fire started in a boatbuilder's shop and spread rapidly, creating a firestorm that could be seen for miles. The trauma of that day has left a supernatural imprint on the Old Port district.

Portland was attacked and burned by the British multiple times during its colonial history. Munjoy Hill, named for George Munjoy who was killed by Native Americans, witnessed brutal frontier violence. The layers of tragedy stretch back to the earliest European settlements.

The rum trade and Prohibition era brought criminal activity and violence to Portland's waterfront. Underground tunnels used by smugglers are said to be haunted, and the old speakeasies harbor spirits from the city's darker days.