On January 1, 1898, Greater New York was formed from the union of two cities – New York and Brooklyn, along with other towns and villages of the region, creating the five boroughs we know and love today.
But each of those five boroughs brings their own unique histories and personalities. And so for this year’s annual Bowery Boys Halloween Special, we thought we’d give each borough the spotlight – or rather the spooklight – to highlight the city’s haunted landscape, from rural escapes to densely populated urban centers.
And a special treat — every single one of these ghost stories was sourced from actual newspaper and magazine reporting of their respective eras. Journalists on a ghost beat, finding ghostly activity in every corner of the city.
The Bronx: The Reptile House at the Bronx Zoo doesn’t seem like a haunted house, but when a sudden ghost whistling disturbs both man and beast alike, zoo directors call a meeting …. and a medium.
Brooklyn: When a former hospital in Flatbush converts into a luxury apartment tower, horrifying poltergeists stop by to spook the new tenants. Is it all a ruse — or something more sinister?
Manhattan: The Russian mystic Madame Blavatsky attempts to divine the identity of a spooky ghost orb along the East River waterfront. Is it the apparition of the beloved watchman Old Shep?
Queens: The 19th-century town of Flushing seemed overflowing with ghost stories! But none more notorious than the sight of three sword-wielding spirits at the Old Meeting House, the 17th-century house of worship with a few secrets under its foundations.
Staten Island: A tombstone-nabbing ghoul at the Old Clove Cemetery in Concord decides to ride a trolley.
LISTEN: GHOST STORIES OF THE FIVE BOROUGHS
Our LIVE edition of the Bowery Boys Ghost Stories of Old New York comes to Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater again this Oct 29, 30 and 31. Get your tickets today! Some performances have already sold out. Visit the Joe’s Pub website to get your seats.
FURTHER LISTENING:
“Ghost Stories of the Five Boroughs” is the 18th edition of the Bwoery Boys Halloween special. The first was recorded in October 2007! To listen to the entire series, visit our Gotham’s Greatest Ghosts home page.
Dive into the list with last year’s show — Ghost Stories by Gaslight: Hauntings in Old New York
But this episode references history that we’ve spoken about in many past podcasts. Take a break from the scary stories to dive into these episodes on New York City history:
