Hunting Haunted Houses on the Back Roads of Maine

So, I’m a sucker for scary houses. I love haunted houses, or at least the idea of them. They spark my imagination and fuel my creative streak, and my time in Maine has been no exception. I’ve been driving around, scouting some incredible areas, and capturing the local style in photos to share.

Yes, the Shaker shingles are an absolute staple out here on the East Coast, but there's a catch, almost every single old building I’ve come across is occupied. Yes, occupied. Whether a place is buried in the backwoods or smothered in vines and tree limbs, or even liter strewn about, there always seems to be a car parked in the driveway. The creepiest houses, the ones that look like living, breathing haunted places, still harbor human life.

It reminds me of the old one-room schoolhouse Maria and I used to own, the place we appropriately called Dark Nest. (full gallery of our Dark Nest found here) That property held a distinct energy that inspired endless ghost stories and is still our favorite home we have ever owned. None of them ever made it to the page or saw publication, but the raw inspiration was always there and energy that disguised itself well inside my head. Now, every time I drive past a weathered property out here, I find myself inventing small stories about the people living inside these seemingly empty structures. The old barns, the decaying houses, and even some of the strange architectural anomalies I’ve posted below all strike a chord.

Our travels have given me a deep appreciation for regional American architecture. I love the elevated homes of New Orleans and the towering, three-story houses in Pennsylvania. The entire East Coast offers a glimpse into the past with its jagged, narrow coastal streets. Maine definitely holds onto that sense of age, but the unkempt gardens and unexpected signs of life always catch me by surprise.

If you ever visit Maine and decide to cruise the back roads looking for that one inspiring place that draws you in, be prepared. It could be a hidden log cabin, or a forgotten small-town mansion buried somewhere on the map, you just never know what you're going to get. Maybe you'll find a piece of your own future out here, or maybe just a good haunted house story. Whatever the case, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the gems hiding in this beautiful state.

Thanks for reading.

Tim Eagle

Tim Eagle is an author of the novellas Karma Cop, Life Ship, and the Vasectomus Collection. He lives full time, on the road, with his wife, Maria and cat Walter White. He grew up in Michigan and is inspired by the dysfunction of America. His books are available on Amazon, godless and this site timeaglefiction.com 

An old place in Steuben, Maine

A weird place near Mud Creek in Maine

This was in the entrance of Simpson Cemetery on Route 1

Outside the Mothership on a Sunny Day near Hulls Cove

The Aesthetically Creepy Barn Picture

The Stone Barn on Crooked Road

Another sunny barn day. Large and Mysterious Barn

Just a ridiculous mansion facing the Atlantic in Maine

Egg Rock Light House