History and Hauntings at the Fairbanks House

In the town of Dedham, MA there is a historic house of great distinction – it is, in fact, the oldest wood frame house in North America. Built between 1637 and 1641, the Fairbanks House provides an amazing view into history. Although the last resident moved out over 100 years ago, some spirits may still call it home.

The Fairbanks House

The house was originally built for Jonathan Fairbanks, who emigrated from England with his wife, Grace, and their six children. It was handed down to successive generations of the Fairbanks family and the structure was added onto at various points. The early 19th century brought financial difficulties, plus an infamous event. In 1801, one of the house’s occupants, Jason Fairbanks, was convicted and hanged for murdering his girlfriend after she supposedly refused to marry him. The last occupant was Rebecca, whose departure from the house in 1904 allowed the family to turn it into a museum.

Other Side of House

In addition to standard historical tours, the Fairbanks House also offers ghost tours on certain evenings. I attended one in late summer. The only lighting during the tour was the guide’s flashlight and some strategically placed tea lights. This certainly created a spooky atmosphere, but made it tricky to take pictures (as demonstrated by a lack of interior shots for this post).

During the ghost tour, the guide presented some of the evidence gathered by a paranormal investigation team that had visited the house. We listened to electronic voice phenomenon (EVP) in which investigators recorded themselves asking questions and, upon playback, heard sounds that could be ghostly responses. We were also shown a video of a shadow moving across the room with no clear source. Besides the audio and video records, the guide told us a number of anecdotes regarding supernatural events experienced by staff and guests – some of which centered on the old room of Jason Fairbanks.

Interior

I was especially interested in the evidence of folkloric practices used by past residents. The guide pointed out some rough markings present on the mantle and a windowsill. Described as hex marks, their designs were believed to keep witches from entering the home. Old shoes that had been placed inside the walls (and are now on display in a case) were also thought to provide protection from witches.

The ghost tour at the Fairbanks House proved to be very interesting and a lot of fun! It’s not often one gets to stand inside a house of such age – one that predates the founding of the country by over a century. I hope to return at some point and experience a daytime tour.