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Lighthouse Ghosts
Thirteen tales of ghost haunting American lighthouses. Includes photographs of each lighthouse by Bruce Roberts. The lighthouses included
136 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2013
218 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 21, 2020
Anyone who knows me know that I have a special love for ghost story books, especially those that have a good mix of the factual history and the stories that have been passed down. I did feel that this one had a pretty good mix of those two elements, but there were some portions where the writing didn't blend or flow as well as I would have liked it to. Still I did find all of the stories enjoyable and it's a good addition to my ghost story books collection.
October 26, 2024
Cute, short read about some of America’s light houses and the ghosts that people have experiences while working there or visiting. I’m a scaredy cat, so I liked that it wasn’t too scary, loved the boxed info at the end of each tale that gave the directions and phone numbers of the sites. Was intriguing enough to make me want to be a guest at a couple of them.
June 19, 2020
I love the mixture of ghost stories and actual historical happenings that this book offers. There are so many beautiful pictures of the many historical lighthouses that the United States is home to and it was very interesting to learn about them - the ghosts were just a bonus!
September 18, 2022
Fun to read.
September 22, 2016
This review originally appeared on my blog, Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State:
First off, I have to give a big 'THANK YOU!' to a wonderful reader named Louise who gifted me this book, which I immediately read, even if it has taken me awhile to get a review out, lol. Louise, thank you so much! I really appreciate your kindness and generosity; this title is now quite at home within my paranormal library.
And, its a welcomed addition for good reason---who doesn't love a haunted lighthouse tale! I swear, I think just about every single lighthouse in the nation has at least one ghost story attached to it. The authors include a wonderful introduction explaining the historical dedication that lighthouse keepers had for their occupation, and the dangers associated with such work, both huge factors in why many believe the majority of these structures continue to have that haunted reputation today.
While there are many haunted lighthouses out there, this book focuses on thirteen of the strongest, most documented tales, including the lighthouse at St. Augustine, Florida and at Heceta Head, Oregon, which I posted about last year. Both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts are represented, as well as several selections from the Great Lakes. Each chapter focuses on a different lighthouse, its history, its hauntings, and some brief information on when and how to visit the lighthouse property for yourself. Since the book was published in 1999, there are VERY few websites included for more information, but each chapter does have a beautiful black and white photograph of the lighthouse in question, which makes up for it!
I really enjoyed this book! It's a relatively short book at only 119 pages, but its packed with legends, recent (well, recent as of 1999) experiences, and history. There's just enough of history and hauntings to give the reader a nice overview without being too tedious and straying too far off topic. Combined with the length, the large font makes this a really quick read, and also a perfect read for a younger paranormal enthusiast...or someone like me with a rather short attention span. I pretty much read this one straight through one evening, but the format is perfect for those who just want a quick story or two at a time.
With such a huge geographical range covered, despite the rather niche topic of lighthouses only, I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a good ghost story, or who loves the unique history of our nation's coastal safety.
First off, I have to give a big 'THANK YOU!' to a wonderful reader named Louise who gifted me this book, which I immediately read, even if it has taken me awhile to get a review out, lol. Louise, thank you so much! I really appreciate your kindness and generosity; this title is now quite at home within my paranormal library.
And, its a welcomed addition for good reason---who doesn't love a haunted lighthouse tale! I swear, I think just about every single lighthouse in the nation has at least one ghost story attached to it. The authors include a wonderful introduction explaining the historical dedication that lighthouse keepers had for their occupation, and the dangers associated with such work, both huge factors in why many believe the majority of these structures continue to have that haunted reputation today.
While there are many haunted lighthouses out there, this book focuses on thirteen of the strongest, most documented tales, including the lighthouse at St. Augustine, Florida and at Heceta Head, Oregon, which I posted about last year. Both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts are represented, as well as several selections from the Great Lakes. Each chapter focuses on a different lighthouse, its history, its hauntings, and some brief information on when and how to visit the lighthouse property for yourself. Since the book was published in 1999, there are VERY few websites included for more information, but each chapter does have a beautiful black and white photograph of the lighthouse in question, which makes up for it!
I really enjoyed this book! It's a relatively short book at only 119 pages, but its packed with legends, recent (well, recent as of 1999) experiences, and history. There's just enough of history and hauntings to give the reader a nice overview without being too tedious and straying too far off topic. Combined with the length, the large font makes this a really quick read, and also a perfect read for a younger paranormal enthusiast...or someone like me with a rather short attention span. I pretty much read this one straight through one evening, but the format is perfect for those who just want a quick story or two at a time.
With such a huge geographical range covered, despite the rather niche topic of lighthouses only, I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a good ghost story, or who loves the unique history of our nation's coastal safety.
January 26, 2026
Old Presque Isle Light Station, Michigan:
This story was different because it wasn’t about a lighthouse keeper, but the couple who made it a summer cottage and ran the museum for tourists after the light was decommissioned. The husband passed away and his ghost was felt and seen in the lighthouse, turning the light on every night though there was no electricity.
Plymouth Lighthouse, Massachusetts:
A couple, Bob and Sandra Shanklin, the “Lighthouse People,” photographed every lighthouse in the U.S. they were staying at this one in the master bedroom and Bob woke up in the night and saw a woman’s face hovering above his wife’s, looking really sad, presumed to be a keeper’s wife.
Big Bay Point Lighthouse, Michigan:
Turned into a B&B.
Seguin Island Lighthouse, Maine:
I felt so bad for the keeper’s spirit who came to the Coastguardsman in the night, the night before his belongings were to be sent to the mainland, pleading that his things be kept there and his home left alone. The next day the crew loaded everything onto the tram, but the chain broke and everything fell in the water.
Started out with great information, and inserts more in the stories which is really nice.
The writing was good. Some of the stories weren’t very ghostly though. I really like the cover!
This story was different because it wasn’t about a lighthouse keeper, but the couple who made it a summer cottage and ran the museum for tourists after the light was decommissioned. The husband passed away and his ghost was felt and seen in the lighthouse, turning the light on every night though there was no electricity.
Plymouth Lighthouse, Massachusetts:
A couple, Bob and Sandra Shanklin, the “Lighthouse People,” photographed every lighthouse in the U.S. they were staying at this one in the master bedroom and Bob woke up in the night and saw a woman’s face hovering above his wife’s, looking really sad, presumed to be a keeper’s wife.
Big Bay Point Lighthouse, Michigan:
Turned into a B&B.
Seguin Island Lighthouse, Maine:
I felt so bad for the keeper’s spirit who came to the Coastguardsman in the night, the night before his belongings were to be sent to the mainland, pleading that his things be kept there and his home left alone. The next day the crew loaded everything onto the tram, but the chain broke and everything fell in the water.
Started out with great information, and inserts more in the stories which is really nice.
The writing was good. Some of the stories weren’t very ghostly though. I really like the cover!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2016
I love lighthouses and I love a good ghost story, if you too enjoy these things than you will enjoy this short stories of the ghosts that haunt these lighthouses around the United States, and the people who believe, or don't believe, in them.
August 8, 2015
1.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews