Haunted Rhode Island

by Thomas D'Agostino

Small and alluring, Rhode Island is home to many who refuse to leave, even after death. Illustrated with over 60 photos, here are tales of hauntings, vampires, mysterious cairns, wailing brooks, and floating coffins encountered throughout Rhode Island. Haunted locations include Barrington, Bristol, Burrillville, Charlestown, Coventry, Cranston, Cumberland, East Providence, Exeter, Foster, Glocester, Jamestown, Middletown, Narragansett, New Shoreham, Newport, North Kingstown, Portsmouth, Providence, Scituate, Smithfield, South Kingstown, Tiverton, Warren, Warwick, West Greenwich, West Warwick, Westerly, and Woonsocket. Long dead sailors prowl lonely docks, departed schoolmasters seek their charges, phantom girls giggle in a state park, ambushed soldiers of centuries past scream, and a mysterious man in gray walks among the tombstones. These are tales sure to chill you in the dead of night!

Genres: History, Ghosts, Paranormal

160 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2005

Reviews

[Makayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ghost research about the library ghost

[Rae · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could write better and more detailed descriptions of these locations and I’ve never been to most of them. No depth. Lacks history. Not compelling. Amateur writing and a huge disappointment.

[Muriel Kilmartin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning about all the haunted places in the state I grew up in. Good little read.

[Amber Siler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave a detailed account of ghost stories and legends across Rhode Island. Book was an entertaining and easy read, and I was able to easily find some of the places described and detailed in this book just from driving main highways while visiting Rhode Island for a college tour. It thoroughly satisfied my expectations.

[Alexis Hedger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book, I saw the book in my high school library and I checked it out constantly my entire senior year. I was so happy a few years ago one of my older brothers girlfriends bought me my very own copy. I treasure this book; I even went to some of the locations that were in the book. If you like like historical haunts about a lil rhody than this is a good read

[Lorna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of the best in this type of book, although lots of information on haunted spots along the state., but very brief on each spot. I recommend this book if you want to seek and find this places as the author gives details on how to locate them

[Nomad · Rating 4 out of 5]

So the closer to October and Halloween that it gets and the more homesick I become with the advent of what is supposed to be fall, and is back home in Rhode Island, and never is here in Southern California... the more of these books I start reading.

I'm going to be upfront, I'm in the grips of some SERIOUS homesickness right now, so that makes this review biased. I see photos of places I know and stories of haunted folklore that I grew up with and the nostalgia just straight up attacks me. So I read this book with the rose colored glasses of someone who knows their bias is being played to and is loving every damn minute of it!

Do I believe in ghosts? No, I do not. But I do think that these ghost, haunted house, things-that-go-bump-in-the-night stories are the United States' folklore. These are OUR myths and legends, these speak to the fears and emotional highs and lows of the American spirit. Just like other countries have their myths and legends, the USA has it's haunted history.

For any Rhode Islander, transplanted or otherwise, or anyone who is just interested in New England's haunted tales, and the state of Rhode Island's in particular... I recommend this book. If you want a scary story, perhaps this isn't quite up your alley.

Either way, come on in and settle down and enjoy some of the folklore of my beloved home state. The place I left (moved 3,000 miles away actually) and the place I still miss 15 years later.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just a heads up to any paranormal enthusiasts who may actually want to visit H.P. Lovecraft's grave or Swan Point Cemetery in general: If you get off at the Gano Street exit on 195 South to get to Benefit Street, and then take a right onto Angell Street, it will not take you to Swan Point Cemetery, you will end up in RI Hospital because you will be turning into oncoming traffic. That end (most, actually) of Angell Street is one way heading toward Downtown Providence. Rather, you should take the Gano Street exit, turn right onto Gano Street, take a right onto Waterman Street, and then a left onto Butler Avenue, which will take you to Blackstone Boulevard where you will find Swan Point Cemetery.

Now that that bit of pedantry is out of my system. I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read, but interesting. A good read for a chilly Autumn day.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love to poke around creepy old places rich with history and legend. Little did I know so many places were quite frankly, right in my own backyard! Before reading this book, I had already visited and photographed many of these places, but was unfamiliar with the exact history behind them. How creepy to find that I had been in some extremely haunted and terrifying places *gulp* after sunset, and didn't know it!!....well, except for that feeling in my gut telling me it wasn't a good idea...This book is going in my glove box, I have lots more exploring to do!

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was going to be ghost stories. Granted there are a few developed ghost legends in RI but most of the book consists of ghosts of ghost stories, a light is seen in a certain house, an orb is seen floating through a grave yard. The good part of the book is each story has the location and direction to the site so you can go see the spectral coffin floating down the river at midnight if you wish.

[Fatima · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing could have been better, it was a lot of "is it haunted? no proof but check it out anyway". Still gonna check some of the places out but he was n't very convincing.