My Providence-Salem-Boston HP Lovecraft Pilgrimage

I finally got a chance to visit New England and although I didn't have time/money to visit every place I wanted, I was able to hit some highlights. I found a walking pedometer site that is really quite fun, and tracked my mileage that way.

Sept 25 - Providence - 4.50 miles.
Sept 26 - Providence/Boston - 17.34 miles!! (This has to be a personal record, can't think of a day I walked more. Still hurting from this!)
Sept 27 - Boston/Salem - 9.03 miles.
Sept 28 - Boston - 3.26 miles. (Was hurting from lack of sleep/mileage and joined my group in Boston, so we rode the Hop on/Hop off and want to Harvard/RI football game.)
Sept 29 - Boston - 6.61.
Sept 30 - Boston - 8.06 miles. (Walked the Freedom Trail and other places.)
Oct 1 - Boston - 7.30 miles. (Freedom Trail again with friend.)

56.10 miles. I lost two pounds on this trip!! (I realize the distances to the hundredth can't be that accurate, but I listed them out of loyalty to the site)

The Old Court B&B on Benefit St. right across the street from The Shunned House,



The Fleur-de-Lys Studio and First Baptist Church, mentioned by HPL often.


HPL's bust in the Providence Athenaeum, a really cool, old library that he frequented, and shows up in his stories a lot.


At the John Hay Library they have an extensive HPL file, and you can look at box(es) of his stuff in the reading room.


HPL's home for a time.


The Ward Mansion - The Case of Charles Dexter Ward - my all-time favorite HPL story.

The Shunned House!


This was a big chunk of the 17.3 mile day...7 miles round trip to HPL's grave.


The Witch House, Salem, MA


The attic of The House of the Seven Gables, but it reminded me of how I imagine the attic apartment in Dreams in the Witch House


The House of the Seven Gables - a Nathaniel Hawthorne side-light. Very cool.


1658 Gravestone in the King's Chapel Burying Ground in Boston.


Harvard/Rhode Island game side-trip.


Copp's Hill Burying Ground - HPL's Pickman character painted scenes of ghouls in this cemetery in Pickman's Model.



Oh, yeah. Larry Legend!!



Nathanael Mather - Cotton Mather's brother. Cotton Mather is a real figure in the Salem history who HPL references constantly.



Tomb of Salem Witchcraft Judge Samual Sewall.

Cool stuff, Scott. Glad you enjoyed the trip. I was born in Providence (and so was my whole family) and I still work a part time job there on Monday nights. Back when the wife (Cristina) and myself (Dave) were dating, we took a lot of day trips to Boston as it's not too far from where we live. We always enjoyed the history and especially the old burial grounds. Thanks for the awesome pics.

Man, I loved Providence! Seems like a great place. It was gorgeous. Do you like living there?

scottmitchell74 wrote:

Man, I loved Providence! Seems like a great place. It was gorgeous. Do you like living there?

It had/ has it's moments. Ha. I live in Woonsocket, R.I. now but I am only 10 minutes from the city. We are about an hour from Boston (depending on traffic) so we go quite frequently (especially to Modern Pastry, it's awesome) for the fun of riding the train in to South station and walking around the city. After looking at the photos again, I am pretty sure we have been in the cemetery where Judge Sewall is buried. Was there an "unofficial" tour guide named Jimmy at the entrance? If so, then I have been there.

Wow, that would be awesome. Lucky you.

the sentinel wrote:

scottmitchell74 wrote:

Man, I loved Providence! Seems like a great place. It was gorgeous. Do you like living there?

. After looking at the photos again, I am pretty sure we have been in the cemetery where Judge Sewall is buried. Was there an "unofficial" tour guide named Jimmy at the entrance? If so, then I have been there.

You mean a guy handing out his notebook of facts? Yes!

scottmitchell74 wrote:

the sentinel wrote:

scottmitchell74 wrote:

Man, I loved Providence! Seems like a great place. It was gorgeous. Do you like living there?

. After looking at the photos again, I am pretty sure we have been in the cemetery where Judge Sewall is buried. Was there an "unofficial" tour guide named Jimmy at the entrance? If so, then I have been there.

You mean a guy handing out his notebook of facts? Yes!

Yup. Lol that's Jimmy.

Dark Horseman wrote:

Wow, that would be awesome. Lucky you.

You are so right, bro. The Pacific Northwest calls me, as well. Someday! My pilgrimage there would be Track & Field related, but maybe a certain metal wanker would be on the itinerary?

Thanks for sharing the pics Scott! Some very spooky and interesting history in that area.

You can come visit but i'm in Nowheresville Wa. and if you want Track and Field you want Eugene Or.

Very cool trip! I'm glad the Deep Ones didn't get you.

That was a great collection of Lovecraft related pics. Howard is probably my favorite author of all time.

Providence is nice...unless you're driving through it.

Dark Horseman - How far is Eugene? That is my track Holy Land, but all of the Pacific NW appeals to me.

Thelemech - Yeah, HPL just has a different vibe than any other author I've ever come across. You can tell in his writing how attached he is to Providence and the rest of NE.

With no stops we're six hours from Eugene.

you must have been in the "good" part of providence, my wife lived i n North Providence when we were dating and ive been through and in providence enough to not step foot unless i have to, same with Boston but thats just me Im not a fan of cities too overwhelming for me

Never been to Salem though at least not yet

glad you enjoyed your pilgrimage

That's cool Scott! Loved the pics! Glad you enjoyed your trip. Man that's a lot of walking! Haha

Dark Horseman wrote:

With no stops we're six hours from Eugene.

Are you in Kelso? or something like that area? I'm in Battle Ground myself...

On topic, great pics and thanks for sharing. Very interesting and the east coast history is so much more than out west will ever be/have...