In Somerville, Massachusetts, a ghost story has captured the imagination of many. The tale revolves around an old windmill known as the Powder House, located in Tufts Park at Powder House Square. This windmill was built in the early 1700s and played a crucial role during the Revolutionary War. It served as a storage site for gunpowder, which is how it got its name. Its remote location made it perfect for keeping explosives away from prying eyes.G1677 Old Powder House W Somerville
During the war, Thomas Gage, the British governor of Massachusetts, seized the gunpowder stored there by American rebels. Later, when the Americans besieged Boston, they used the windmill again to store their supplies. Today, the tower still stands, but it is not just history that lingers there. The site is known for its haunting, but it’s not a ghost from the Revolutionary War that haunts the area. Instead, it is the spirit of an angry father.
Before the war, a poor farmer used the windmill as a secret meeting place for his love affair with a wealthy man’s daughter. They knew her father would disapprove of their relationship. For a while, they managed to keep their meetings hidden. However, rumors eventually reached the father, who grew suspicious of his daughter’s frequent visits to the mill.
Determined to catch them, the father devised a plan to surprise the couple. But his plan went awry. As he approached the windmill one night, the daughter urged her farmer to hide while she climbed into the loft. Unfortunately, the movement of her dress caught her father’s attention.
Furious, he stormed into the mill, cursing as he searched in the dark. The daughter tried to back away quietly, but she tripped on a loose floorboard. In a desperate attempt to steady herself, she grabbed a rope. This action set the mill’s fan blades in motion, and her father cried out in pain.
The couple rushed down the stairs to find the father writhing on the floor. He had been standing on one of the millstones when the sudden movement threw him down. His arm was caught between the grinding stones, crushing it severely.
The young lovers carried him home, where he received the best medical care available. Sadly, he did not survive. Before he passed away, he realized how foolish he had been and gave his blessing for his daughter to marry the farmer. However, she felt immense guilt over her father’s death and delayed their wedding for months. It is said she never returned to the mill, especially after hearing about her father’s ghost.
Despite his change of heart, the father’s spirit is said to haunt the site of his tragic accident. Locals claim that on windy nights, you can still hear a man’s angry curses echoing from the tower. Even more unsettling, recent visitors have reported seeing a blue light or spark dancing inside the old mill.
The Powder House is not just a relic of the past; it is a reminder of love, loss, and the consequences of anger. If you find yourself in Somerville, be sure to visit this historic site. Who knows? You might just encounter the ghostly presence of a father still seeking to protect his daughter, even from beyond the grave.
This haunting tale continues to intrigue and terrify, making the Powder House a must-see for ghost enthusiasts and history buffs alike.
