In addition to being the famous setting for F. Scott Fitzgerald's "the Great Gatsby" and home of the Montauk Point Lighthouse, Long Island is also a haunted home for some. With some friendly and some fierce, these ghosts have made the Island known for more than its beaches. For all you creeper seekers, here's a little list for some spooky sightseeing.
1. Massapequa Hell House
Also called "Witch House" or "Satan's House," this gem is in the suburban town of Massapequa. With a hearse in the driveway of this blood-red bricked Victorian home surrounded by a pointed black iron gate, this home is the adobe straight from a Stephan King novel. Rumor has it that people who live here are Satanists who have multiple altars for blood sacrifices and trap doors set up for their unfortunate victims. These alleged trap doors incited rumors that the fire department was not even allowed to enter the home in the event of a fire due to the danger of falling into these traps. Additionally, legends fly that people have seen ghouls with long black hair and heavy black robes staring out at from the window. Perhaps the most chilling myth is that if one drives along the street behind this home, candles can be seen from the back window. The number of candles is supposed to represent the number of people in the car at the time. Due to all the stories circulating, police officers patrol this area on and around Halloween to prevent vandalism or solicitors from wreaking havoc. While none of these stories have been verified and the current owners are said to be a relatively normal family, this home is still something to marvel at any day of the year.
2. Lake Ronkonkoma
Looking a fun day by the lake and think you found a spot in Lake Ronkonkoma? Think again. This freshwater pool of doom was once a Native American area. Native Americans believed it to be bottomless as those who drowned never resurfaced. In actuality, the lake measures 70 feet deep at the deepest. Still, the horror does not lie in the lake's depth; it is how people allegedly enter into their watery graves which incites fear in this otherwise scenic location. Rumor has it that Native American princess was in love with a white settler and since her Chief father forbade their romance, the star-crossed lovers sent each other messages by attaching their words to bark and placing that bark on the water. Eventually, the princess could not handle the stress of being far and forbidden from her lover. In the middle of the night, she rowed out to the middle of the lake and stabbed herself or drowned herself, depending on whom you ask. Since her death, the heartbroken princess vowed to take the life of one male as a form of revenge as she could not be with her lover. Since then, it has been said that one male does in fact drown every year. The Lady of the Lake is said to lure her victims and take them down to the depths to be hers for eternity. Whether you believe this tale to be fact or fiction, it is advisable to be cautious when swimming at this lake, especially if you happen to be a male.
3. Sweet Hallow Road and Mount Misery
Though technically two different locations it is impossible to discuss Sweet Hallow Road and Mount Misery separately. The two are located in the town of Huntington and rumor has it that in the past, Native Americans did not farm in the area as the soil was not conducive to crop growing and dark spirits lingered in the area. Even today, there are many rumors circulating about the darkness of the area. Legend relays that there is a large black dog with gleaming red eyes and seeing him means certain death; a Woman in White died in a car crash and will who push you car under the overpass to save you from a grim demise; corpses with nooses hanging from the overpass; a police officer without a face who may or may not pull you over; and an ever-present fog that amps up the creep factor. Some people who drive on this road report feeling the negative vibrations of ghosts who haunt this area. On this road, be sure to proceed with caution.
4. Kings Park Psychiatric Center
In the town of Kings Park, there is an abandoned mental asylum that used to house patients in the 50's until its close in the 90's. Though the facilities are no longer used for treatment, the place is still a state park. During its operations, the place was typical of an insane asylum during this time: poor treatment of inmates, lobotomies left and right, and lack of proper care for those admitted. It is rumored that the depraved souls of this place have not checked out of the asylum. Though it is illegal to enter the buildings, those who have report an uneasy feel and some have reported hearing screams, moans and groans. The asbestos filled place is dilapidated and filled with modern graffiti from adventurers who dare to enter the haunted asylum.
5. The Amityville Horror House
Perhaps the most infamous location on Long Island is the Amityville Horror House. On Nov. 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo Jr., son of Ronald DeFeo, shot his parents, two bothers, and two sisters in their sleep. DeFeo claimed to have heard voices that told him to commit the murders, and this initial claim prompted people to believe that the Devil was telling him to do this evil. However, in a 2002 interview, Defoe admitted to killing his parents while drunk and high on heroin. He is still in jail for life. Rumors include seeing faces in the window and there is a photograph that contributes to the myths as viewers are unsure whether or not the person is a member or the camera crew or an apparition. People still drive by the home in hopes of seeing a spirit.
