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Haunted Hamptons

Local ghost stories

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An area as old as the Hamptons is rich with supernatural lore. From a haunted staircase in Quogue to a lighthouse where a drowned girl whispers at night, here are the most spine-chilling Hamptons ghost stories we could find.

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Sanderling

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When the Toppings built a new home in Quogue in the 1950s, they installed an old staircase from a Yorkshire mansion where Anne Bronte had once worked. In 1962, Mrs. Topping heard footsteps on the stairs and saw a figure of a young woman in old-fashioned dress ascending the stairs. She felt sure it was Anne. Later she heard more ghostly rappings and footsteps, though Anne did not reveal herself again.

Mill Hill Windmill

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Haunted by the ghost of a little girl, Beatrice Claflin. The mill served as her playhouse on her father’s estate, until one day when Beatrice fell down the mill steps, broke her neck and died. Reportedly passers-by see the face of a little girl peering out from the windows.

Thomas Halsey Homestead

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Thomas Halsey Homestead is the oldest house still standing in Southampton, built in 1648. According to legend, Elizabeth Halsey was attacked and scalped by three Pequot Indians. “Chronicles of the Pequot Wars,” written by Lion Gardiner in 1660, mentions “the three Indians involved in a cruel and treacherous murder of an English woman in Southampton.” Some say the house is haunted by Mrs. Halsey.

Rogers Mansion

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Built in 1843, the Rogers Mansion was the home of whaling Captain Albert Rogers. Now it is the headquarters of the Southampton Historical Museum, and unexplained phenomena is experienced there by museum staff. The ghost is assumed to be either Cordelia Rogers, Captains Rogers’ second wife, or Mary Rogers, his first wife, Cordelia’s sister.

Old Post House

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Features dancing ghosts. Originally built in 1684, the Post family bought the property in 1824 and ran a boarding house. It was later run by the White family after Sarah Elizabeth Post married Captain Hubert White. Ever since, strange noises have been heard as well as supernatural wraiths.

Main Street Ghost

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In 1895, the New York Times reported that young men of the town were meeting a six foot tall ghost with a tall hat, carrying a musket, and young women were staying indoors. (Link: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60B1FFB3A5E10738DDDAB0894DA415B8585F0D3 )

125 Main St, Sag Harbor

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This 1750 building, recently rebuilt, has had reports of a floating black phantom, unknown footsteps, and a ghostly face peering out the window.

Grey Gardens

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Owner Sally Quinn says, "There are two ghosts.” She’s woken up in her bedroom and seen an apparition of c. 1900 resident Anna Gilman Hill. The other ghost is in Little Edie's former bedroom. "We've had guests who have said, 'I'm not sleeping in there.' Some people think it's a man, clomping around in boots. I'm pretty sure it's the sea captain [a rumored lover of Little Edie's]." Even Senator Barry Goldwater, not the wussy type, refused to sleep in Little Edie’s room. He told Quinn, “There's a ghost in there.”

Mill House Inn

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This is a lovely, luxurious B&B on East Hampton's Main Street. Purportedly, the ghost of the former owner shows up now and then.

South End Cemetery

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The daughter of a miller from the Gardiner Windmill haunts South End Cemetery.

52 Middle Lane

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Reportedly haunted by its former owner, Barton Kaplan, who was found at the bottom of the pool one morning after a night of partying. Summer renters at the 13-bedroom house have seen lights and faucets turning themselves on and off and furniture moving around.

Montauk Point Lighthouse

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Haunted by a 17 year old girl, Abigail Olsen, who died after a shipwreck in 1811. Her voice is heard in the tower at night.

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Sanderling

When the Toppings built a new home in Quogue in the 1950s, they installed an old staircase from a Yorkshire mansion where Anne Bronte had once worked. In 1962, Mrs. Topping heard footsteps on the stairs and saw a figure of a young woman in old-fashioned dress ascending the stairs. She felt sure it was Anne. Later she heard more ghostly rappings and footsteps, though Anne did not reveal herself again.

Mill Hill Windmill

Haunted by the ghost of a little girl, Beatrice Claflin. The mill served as her playhouse on her father’s estate, until one day when Beatrice fell down the mill steps, broke her neck and died. Reportedly passers-by see the face of a little girl peering out from the windows.

Thomas Halsey Homestead

Thomas Halsey Homestead is the oldest house still standing in Southampton, built in 1648. According to legend, Elizabeth Halsey was attacked and scalped by three Pequot Indians. “Chronicles of the Pequot Wars,” written by Lion Gardiner in 1660, mentions “the three Indians involved in a cruel and treacherous murder of an English woman in Southampton.” Some say the house is haunted by Mrs. Halsey.

Rogers Mansion

Built in 1843, the Rogers Mansion was the home of whaling Captain Albert Rogers. Now it is the headquarters of the Southampton Historical Museum, and unexplained phenomena is experienced there by museum staff. The ghost is assumed to be either Cordelia Rogers, Captains Rogers’ second wife, or Mary Rogers, his first wife, Cordelia’s sister.

Old Post House

Features dancing ghosts. Originally built in 1684, the Post family bought the property in 1824 and ran a boarding house. It was later run by the White family after Sarah Elizabeth Post married Captain Hubert White. Ever since, strange noises have been heard as well as supernatural wraiths.

Main Street Ghost

In 1895, the New York Times reported that young men of the town were meeting a six foot tall ghost with a tall hat, carrying a musket, and young women were staying indoors. (Link: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60B1FFB3A5E10738DDDAB0894DA415B8585F0D3 )

125 Main St, Sag Harbor

This 1750 building, recently rebuilt, has had reports of a floating black phantom, unknown footsteps, and a ghostly face peering out the window.

Grey Gardens

Owner Sally Quinn says, "There are two ghosts.” She’s woken up in her bedroom and seen an apparition of c. 1900 resident Anna Gilman Hill. The other ghost is in Little Edie's former bedroom. "We've had guests who have said, 'I'm not sleeping in there.' Some people think it's a man, clomping around in boots. I'm pretty sure it's the sea captain [a rumored lover of Little Edie's]." Even Senator Barry Goldwater, not the wussy type, refused to sleep in Little Edie’s room. He told Quinn, “There's a ghost in there.”

Mill House Inn

This is a lovely, luxurious B&B on East Hampton's Main Street. Purportedly, the ghost of the former owner shows up now and then.

South End Cemetery

The daughter of a miller from the Gardiner Windmill haunts South End Cemetery.

52 Middle Lane

Reportedly haunted by its former owner, Barton Kaplan, who was found at the bottom of the pool one morning after a night of partying. Summer renters at the 13-bedroom house have seen lights and faucets turning themselves on and off and furniture moving around.

Montauk Point Lighthouse

Haunted by a 17 year old girl, Abigail Olsen, who died after a shipwreck in 1811. Her voice is heard in the tower at night.