Top 4 Most Haunted Jails & Prisons in Massachusetts

​The following is a list of allegedly haunted Jails and Prisons in Massachusetts. To view my full list of ghost stories and haunted locations in Massachusetts, Click Here. And if you liked this list, be sure to check out my new book, The Folklore & Haunted Locations Guide: Massachusetts, available on Amazon!!
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​And be sure to also check out this spooky YouTube Video I made to go along with this Blog:

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#1

Bristol County Jail
"Ash Street Jail"

Coordinates: 41.633503°, -70.934451°
Location Address: 226 Ash Street, New Bedford, Massachusetts
Sometimes referred to simply as the Ash Street Jail, the Bristol County Jail in New Bedford, Massachusetts was constructed in 1888, and is one of the oldest operational jailhouses in the United States. Due to unsafe and unsanitary living conditions for inmates, the old jail has been the subject of numerous human rights lawsuits, as well as the site of two violent riots during the 1990's. The suspected axe-murderer, Lizzie Borden, was also held at the location while awaiting trial in June of 1893. The Bristol County Jail is said to be haunted by the spirits of former inmates who were executed, committed suicide, or otherwise died violent and untimely deaths at the location. Prisoners and guards at the old jailhouse report witnessing apparitions and shadowy figures, as well as feeling a strange presence, as if an unseen entity is lurking nearby. Many inmates also report waking up with sleep paralysis, or feeling as if an invisible force is somehow holding them down. Sometimes also referred to as "The Bristol County Jailhouse," "Bristol County Jail," "Bristol County Prison," "New Bedford Prison," or "New Bedford Jail."

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#2

North Central Correctional Institution
"Gardner State Mental Hospital"

Coordinates: 42.578701°, -71.940303°
Location Address: 500 Colony Road, Gardner, Massachusetts
North Central Correctional Institution is a medium-security prison located in Gardner, Massachusetts. It was established in 1902 as a self-sustained psychiatric hospital called the Gardner State Mental Hospital. Mentally ill patients at the old asylum were subjected to a variety of experimental and inhumane medical procedures, such as lobotomies and electroshock therapy, and lived in conditions of squalor and neglect. Gardner State Mental Hospital was closed in 1975, and was reopened as the North Central Correctional Institution in 1983. The location is said to be haunted by the spirits of former mental patients who died of neglect or violence at the hands of hospital doctors and caretakers. Inmates and Security guards at the North Central Correctional Institution frequently report witnessing shadow figures and apparitions, as well as experiencing other paranormal phenomena, such as hearing disembodied voices and screams, or feeling a strange presence.

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#3

Old Essex County Jailhouse
"Old Salem Jail"

Coordinates: 42.524423°, -70.893287°
Location Address: 50 St. Peter Street, Salem, Massachusetts
Sometimes referred to as "The Old Salem Jail," the Old Essex County Jailhouse on St. Peter Street in Salem, Massachusetts was constructed in 1813. It was the site of over fifty executions before finally closing in 1991, after being sued by several inmates due to inhumane living conditions and treatment of prisoners. In 2008, the historic property was purchased and converted into luxury apartments, with the ground level also serving as an arcade bar called Bit Bar Salem, and a restaurant called The Great Escape. Residents living at the apartments within the old jailhouse often report witnessing the ghosts of former prisoners who were put to death at the location, as well as feeling unexplained cold spots or sudden unexplained drops in temperature. Others report hearing the sounds of disembodied voices and screams, in addition to feeling a strange presence, as if being followed or watched by an unseen entity. Although the Old Salem Jail is now furnished with modern residential amenities, much of the original brickwork and other features of the jailhouse still remain, including iron-barred doors inside the building, and a trap door in the floor which marks the site where former death row inmates were hanged.

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#4

Rutland State Park
"Rutland Prison Camp"

Coordinates: 42.400698°, -72.001134°
Location Address: Prison Camp Road, Rutland, Massachusetts
Rutland Prison Camp in Rutland, Massachusetts was constructed in 1903 to house criminals convicted of minor crimes such as vandalism, theft, or drunkenness. Inmates were put to work on the prison's farm, which also contained a root cellar, water tower, and other buildings such as housing for prison guards and staff. In 1907, a tuberculosis hospital was constructed at the site, however the entire camp was abandoned in 1934 due to poor drainage and repeated incidents of flooding. It now lies deep in the woods of Rutland State Park, where explorers report witnessing mysterious orbs and apparitions, and hearing the sounds of ghostly voices and whispers. Some say the old prison camp is also haunted by the ghost of a woman, believed to be the wife of a former prison warden who died under mysterious circumstances, however little additional information is currently available regarding this haunting. Over the years, rumors have emerged claiming the old Rutland Prison Camp is used by a group of Satanic worshippers to perform dark magic and occult rituals, however many believe these stories to be nothing more than urban legends.

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​For additional information, or to see my complete list of urban legends, folklore tales, and haunted locations in Massachusetts, Click Here. And if you liked this list, be sure to check out my new book, The Folklore & Haunted Locations Guide: Massachusetts, available on Amazon!!​

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