Ghost Haunting Middleboro Town Hall ID'd

Ghost Haunting Middleboro Town Hall ID'd
September 3, 2009
WCVBTV

BOSTON -- A paranormal expert investigating reported sightings of apparitions at the Middleboro Town Hall said there is definitely something haunting around the old building, and he now knows who it is.

According to Ed Beaulieu, of the Paranormal Institute of New England, the ghost is the spirit of Solomon K. Eaton, the original architect of the building.

The Brockton Enterprise reported that Eaton died before the building was finished in 1873.

Beaulieu said he believes Eaton is present because he could be unhappy his original design for town hall was changed by Horatio Barrows, the architect hired to replace him after his death. Barrows was eventually credited as the building's architect, and Eaton was never given credit for his work, said Beaulieu.

An employee recently told selectmen that he heard footsteps descending the spiral staircase leading to the second floor ballroom when he entered the building late at night. Soon after hearing the footsteps, the employee said he saw the ghost of an elderly man who disappeared.

Beaulieu said he showed the employee a series of old photos from the era when the town hall was built, hoping he would be able to identify the ghost. The man identified both Eaton and Barrows, who have similar features, Beaulieu said. The investigator was then able to narrow it down to Eaton based on his motive for haunting the building because of his snub, he said.

Selectmen gave Beaulieu permission to investigate town hall two years ago, after a series of employees reported paranormal sightings late at night, said The Brockton Enterprise. Beaulieu said he could confirm with certainty that there was evidence of the supernatural in the building back in March 2008. He said he was able to record sounds and has video of orbs, all using special equipment.

It took a while to narrow down the source due to town hall's varied uses over the years. When it first opened the building also included a community center, a post office and jail cells in addition to town offices, Beaulieu said.