Monster Monday: The House of the Seven Gables

In honor of Halloween and the upcoming launch of theSPIRITED anthology by Leap Books, Most-Wanted Monsters is dedicating the monthof October to all things ghostly. From haunted castles, we bring you to one of the most haunted houses in the United States. The House of the Seven Gables, built in 1668 and resting along the harbor in Salem, Massachusetts, was the inspiration for the famous Nathaniel Hawthorne gothic novel of the same name. Books, spirits and witches – of course we had to share our intel on this historic home with you.

Hawthorne’s ancestors held key roles in the Salem Witch Trials. His great, great grandfather mercilessly sentenced many people to death for practicing witchcraft. The monsters Hawthorne faced were from his family’s ominous past – evil, greed, revenge. The house was once owned by his cousin, Susanna Ingersol, it is her spirit sighted the most in the house and drifting through the gardens. The spirit of Hawthorne’s son, Julian, is said to play in the upper levels. Once a stop on the Underground Railroad, secret rooms and staircases within the house are said to be walked by slaves seeking their freedom.

Visitors report sightings and photographs of The House of the Seven Gables’ spirits can be found on numerous websites.

Survival Tip: If you visit The House of the Seven Gables and encounter young Julian in the attic, be sure to leave a toy for him to play with…then RUN before he decides to make you his new plaything.

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Looking for ghosts this Halloween? We’d bet you’d find them at the House of the Seven Gables.

And while you’re at it, leap on over to Leap Books or Bridge Social Media for a chance to win a copy of SPIRITED, an anthology filled with hauntingly good stories by chilling talent pool of paranormal young adult authors.