When it comes to lighthouse keepers, you rarely hear of a woman holding the position. However, in the case of Hannah Thomas, unfortunate circumstances transferred to duties of keeper of the light into her hands. In this article, you will learn more about what makes the Plymouth Lighthouse in Massachusetts of interest to paranormal enthusiast.
Situated close to where the Pilgrims first came in contact with the New World, there was an early lighthouse found at Gurnet Point in Plymouth, Massachusetts. During the early days of history in the United States, the colonial government often appointed light keepers because they had already possessed their own land. In Plymouth, John and Hannah Thomas were selected to have two towers constructed on their property. The lights were first lit in 1769. Shortly after, John left to serve his country in the Revolutionary War. This meant that Hannah was left alone to keep the lights burning.
The war took John’s life and he never returned from fighting. In 1790, Hannah was officially appointed the keeper. In 1801, the towers caught on fire and burned to the ground. Because of this, both towers needed to be replaced. However, Hannah stayed on as the keeper and then her son took over the position until 1812. It is thought that Hannah is the ghost haunting the keeper’s house.
After spending a night at Gurnet Point in the keeper’s house, lighthouse photographers Bob and Sandra Shanklin experienced a paranormal effect.
Taken word for word, the couple said:
” At some point, something woke Bob. He raised up on his elbow and watched the light come around, illuminating the windows for a few seconds each time. Then he looked over toward me (Sandra), who was sleeping soundly. Above me, he saw the head and shoulders of a woman. He described her as being a green blue electric spark color. He said she had an old time hairdo, sunken cheeks and the saddest face he ever saw. Bob told me that she wasn’t wrinkled and he didn’t think she was an old woman. He said he felt no threat from her, but only her sadness. As he watched her, out of the corner of his eye he could see the rays of light from the lighthouse come around several times, brightening the room. He looked toward the light, then looked back to where she had been and she was gone.”
Some people still believe that Hannah wanders about the lighthouse premises , in search for her husband. To some, the account of the photographers could be describing an encounter with the ghost of the husband who could have possibly been coming back from the war.
