Do you believe in ghosts? Is magic real? Have we been contacted by extra-terrestrials? New England is rich in layers of cultural myths surrounding the supernatural. From the indigenous peoples, through the Puritan and other colonizing settlers, through the waves of immigrant cultures in the last 150 years, we have built layers of supernatural stories and legends of paranormal experiences. Come learn about the rich history of New Hampshire's Supernatural side! Explore the ghost stories, fears about witchcraft, and the encounters with the unexplained that have made New England famous as a magnet for lovers of the paranormal. We will visit 'haunted" sites, learn more about our supernatural legends, and write our own ghost story for the New Hampton campus.
On Day 1, we spent some time getting to know each other in our group and then went over to the Gordon Nash library to learn more about the history of the school and the town. In addition to the library boasting its very own ghost who protects his book collection by making his presence known, we learned the story of the Dark Hollow (on Old Bristol Rd) and how the widow who lived there had been accused of being a witch. Local townsmen decided to drive her out, and came to her home in the night in disguises and carrying axes, and proceeded to destroy her house with her in it. She was understandably upset, and cursed the men - many of whom met untimely deaths which happened with eerily similar circumstances to what she had foretold... We also heard Ms. Thomas share her own unexplained experiences from her time living in Berry Hall. The afternoon was spent scouting locations for filming later in the week, and planning our documentary footage.
"We learned quite a bit about the history of new Hampton and its ghosts today. Ms McMahon reported to us on her stories of the child ghost from her house and relayed a time in which she saw it. At the library, we learned of the ghost of Gordon Nash, who is rumored to haunt the library. It is important to note that the motion sensor lights kept going off in the room where its books were kept, despite the fact that no one was in the room! Ms. Blackey also told us the tale of Chief Chocorua, who is rumored to have cursed the lands before jumping to his death." (Reflection by Mary Banker)
Day 1: Research about the supernatural history of New Hampton School and the local town.
On Day 2, we drove down to Portsmouth NH and spent some time exploring the oldest area around Strawberry Banke. Much of that area dates back to the mid 1600's! After lunch, we entered "Deadwick's Occult Emporium" where we learned the history of Tarot Cards and how they are used in divination. Tarot cards can be dated back to the late 1400's, during the Italian Renaissance; however it is widely believed that the art of card reading was introduced to the Italians by the Roma people who have taught each new generation tarot within their cultures. We all got to use sets of tarot cards, learned how to meditate on a question and draw cards, and how to interpret them. So cool! Later after a delicious dinner of tacos, we went back to Deadwick's at night to learn from another practitioner about the history of funerary arts and practices in the early days of the New England colonies. We learned about icons and symbols carved in gravestones and how to interpret them. Then we walked (by lantern light!) to the Point of Graves - the oldest burial ground in Portsmouth - and looked for symbols on the stones. We also learned about some of the graveyard's residents, their stories, and various tales of spectral encounters in the cemetery. Did you know that when you leave a graveyard, that you should twirl around 3 times to shed any spectral hitchhikers that you may have picked up?
Day 2: Paranormal (and haunted!) Portsmouth, NH
The three things I found most interesting today were the tarot cards, grave symbols/art, and how lively the town of Portsmouth is even though it is one of the oldest cities. I have had a little bit of previous knowledge about tarot cards, but I didn’t know they had such a rich history tied to them. They make a lot of sense when they are explained in depth and really gives you the sense that there is paranormal activity involved with them. Second, the extensive meaning of all of the different symbols portrayed on the graves and what they are meant to indicate gives me an entire new view on graveyards. I never knew that graves were that detailed and had that much under the surface meaning to them, and that really stood out to me. Lastly, I was not expecting Portsmouth to have as many people walking around as it did. I find it cool that even though the town is as old as it is; it still has a thriving population built mostly on the rich history being preserved in the town. (Reflection by Chase Courtemanche)
Day 3 found us traveling to Salem, MA. The "Witch City" which has attracted millions of tourists, sadly gained its notorious reputation for the tragic deaths of over 20 people who had been wrongly accused of witchcraft during the summer of 1692. Movies like "Hocus Pocus" and shows like "Bewitched" helped reframe the cultural impression of witches, and turn Salem into THE Halloween destination for millions seeking to find their inner practitioner of the magical arts. We had an amazing "Haunted History" tour with a very informative and engaging guide who led us to various significant sites from the time of the Witch Trials while explaining the full story of the events of 1692, as well as, the history of Salem in general. As it turns out, Elias Hasket Derby, one of Salem's most notable and successful founders, is an ancestor of none other than Profe Derby himself! While many of the other historic attractions were closed until spring, we were all definitely inspired to come back to Salem to learn more.
Day 3: Supernatural Salem MA
My favorite part of today was learning some interesting haunted history of the town Salem. Our tour guide told us many stories about the witch trials and the history behind them. One story that impressed me was about an old man around 80 years old who refused to confess even when people put stones on him, because he wanted to protect his own property and pass it to his sons. This background knowledge shocked me that people not only accuse “witches” out of fear, but also sometimes due to the reason of wealth. Another interesting thing was seeing the different styles of houses from the 1700s and 1900s. They have distinct details of each period of houses. For example, during the 1700s, people usually have a 2 story house and one chimney, however, they gradually turned to a larger 3 story house with multiple chimneys. I also thought the haunted stories were fascinating, such as the house where people heard knocking sounds and lights flicker. Overall, today’s trip was fun and helped me understand the history story of Salem. (Reflection by Alex Zheng)
Day 4 was a work day! We got a later start as we knew we would be ghost hunting and filming into the evening. We checked in and spent some time uploading and sharing photos and videos, and wrote our thank you notes to all the people who have shared their stories and knowledge with us in the last few days. We interviewed Ms. Seefeld and learned about "Harry", the spirit who walks around in the Health Center when the nurses are alone, as well as other personal unexplained encounters she has had. Ms. Blackey also gave us some video time, resharing the story of the judge's presence in the library. We should note that the lights were already on in the room when we went in with her to film, despite no one having been in the room! In the evening we went back to the locations that we had been hearing stories about, to film them in the dusk and dark and hope we might record our own supernatural encounters. The spirits did not disappoint!
Day 4: Capturing the Supernatural
Our project has many highlights. We visited Portsmouth and Salem and learned about Tarot cards and the local history and culture. It was very interesting to see how these traditions are connected to the supernatural stories in those places. Another strength of our project is that on Thursday we finished filming all of our footage. This means that on Friday we can focus mainly on editing the video. One weakness is that our group’s discipline could be a little better so we can work more efficiently. On Friday, we need to organize the clips and finish editing so our final project looks clear and complete. (Reflection by Steven Li)
Day 5 was our final day of Project Week! We started the morning by meeting for breakfast together in the dining hall to reflect and process our work from the night before before transitioning to Profe Derby’s classroom in the ARC to finish our documentary. We began by uploading the photos and videos we filmed the night before into our shared folder, carefully naming and organizing each clip into corresponding folders so that the editing process would go as smoothly as possible. Once all of our footage was compiled, we worked collaboratively to write the voiceover introduction for our documentary in a shared document. Co-writing our opening narration was a meaningful way to reflect on the incredible experiences we shared throughout the week and to highlight what we had learned from our travels, interviews, and investigations. It allowed us to revisit our Essential Question and think about how the history and cultures of New England — especially here in New Hampshire — have shaped the legends and supernatural stories tied to this place. After finalizing the introduction and recording it, we compiled our best photos and videos of the week into a shared album, and then we each wrote our individual reflections on the week. We then shifted our focus to preparing for the Project Week Symposium, where all groups present their work to the school community. We planned our table setup, designed a poster, and mapped out how we would present our documentary and research. As we wrapped up the week, it was clear that Supernatural NH had been more than just ghost stories and legends — it had been an exploration of how history, fear, belief, and culture intertwine to shape the stories we tell about the places we call home.
Day 5: Final Cut of the Supernatural
Stay tuned… our Project Week documentary is coming soon. The full story of our supernatural adventures will be revealed here shortly!
For today’s daily assignment, we had to list 3 highlights from this week. One highlight for me was when we went to the cemetery, because I got kind of attacked by a ghost, which was fun. Another highlight was the tarot card reading, which the whole group enjoyed. The final highlight is having dinner at Barrio in Portsmouth, NH, because their tacos are the best I’ve ever had. This week, we’ve been traveling around Massachusetts, Portsmouth, NH and the New Hampton School campus, hunting for the paranormal. I’ve enjoyed this week, and I am sure the others have too. (Reflection by Jackson Anderson)
Credits:
Created with images by fidelio - "magic wand on black background" • MIND AND I - "Horror ghost girl behind the matte glass in black and white.,Halloween festival concept." • reewungjunerr - "Silhouette Portrait asian woman make up ghost,Scary horror scene for background,Halloween festival concept,Ghost movies poster" • fidelio - "magic wand on black background" • KDdesignphoto - "A scary hand on dark background.,Mysterious composition.,Fortune teller, mind power, prediction, halloween concept.,Wide angle horizontal wallpaper or web banner.,Mockup for your logo." • Gabriela Bertolini - "spell of witch night with candles and pot with fire between cobwebs and ancient earth"