New York largely stayed out of the witch trial hysteria that plagued much of New England in the seventeenth century. But nearly two centuries later, New York City was engaged in a different kind of witch hunt: cracking down on the working-class women who earned their bread as fortune tellers on the Lower East Side. This movement was led in large part by the journalists who entertained their readers by seeking out these women’s services only to write mocking, derisive articles about their experience in the papers. In Mortimer and the Witches, a new nonfiction book that came out earlier this year, historian and NYC tour guide Marie Carter interweaves the biography of one such journalist with a study of the fortune tellers whose livelihoods he so reviled. Continue reading Review of Mortimer and the Witches—Niche New York History
Tag: history
Haunted Libraries of the Eastern United States
Libraries are wonderful places where people from all backgrounds can access knowledge, entertainment, resources, and community without spending a dime. They’re also, as it turns out, popular homes for the restless dead. Library hauntings don’t always look like that dramatic scene from the Ghostbusters movie, but many librarians and patrons have reported hearing noises, feeling chills, and seeing apparitions. I suppose if I have to come back and haunt a particular location, spending eternity wandering the stacks does have a certain appeal. Below are a few of my favorite stories of haunted libraries up and down the Eastern United States. Why this region, specifically? There were just too many hauntings to choose from, so I decided to limit myself to the area I’m most familiar with for now. Perhaps I’ll turn this post into a series! If you know of other libraries with a resident ghost that you’d like to see featured, feel free to submit suggestions in the comments. Continue reading Haunted Libraries of the Eastern United States
The History of Horror
Sometimes, we just love to be scared. Especially this time of year, when Halloween has us ready to meet some monsters and explore that flimsy boundary between life and death. But fear is only fun when you’re not in any real danger. That’s why horror fiction is so popular and enduring. But how did this tradition start? Today, I want to take you through the history of the horror genre.
Boroughs of the Dead–Discovering NYC’s Dark Side
Last weekend I went on my first ghost tour of New York City! Reading about ghosts and ghouls is all well and good, but sometimes you just have to get out there and experience their haunts and historical sites for yourself. Ghost tours are a great way to not only get some fresh air with your scares, but also to learn about some local history. And no one does this better than Boroughs of the Dead. Boroughs of the Dead is a local, independent, woman-owned boutique walking tour business that specializes in the darker side of New York history. They offer tours across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, and are looking to expand into the other two boroughs as well. Many of their tour guides are writers and are skilled in both research and storytelling. In fact, I first heard of the company because Gaslamp fantasy author Leanna Renee Hieber is one of their tour guides.
Continue reading Boroughs of the Dead–Discovering NYC’s Dark Side