I grew up next to the most classic haunted Victorian house. It was built in 1875 it had a turret and wrap around porches ,and by the time I came around it was quite rundown. It kind if looked like the Munsters house. Old Mrs Plunkett lived there and she had a beauty salon in one of the back rooms. When she sold the place she sold it to the funeral home next door and left all of her beauty salon hair dryer chairs behind. They paved the backyard for parking and used the house for storage. What does a funeral home store? Coffins. We knew about the beauty shop chairs and the coffins from looking in the windows. So here was a house that looked like it belonged in a Stephen King movie before there were Stephen King movies and the rooms had multiple coffins leaning up against the walls and the big kids in the neighborhood had convinced us little kids that those weren’t hairdryers chairs but the we’re indeed electric chairs that Mr Plunkett used to use to fry people when he was alive. There were also rumors that since Mrs Plunkett ‘s departure that the boogie man had been staying there though we never did actually see him. These were the things that kept kids awake before we had the Internet.
Do you have an address? We can Google Street View and see if it’s still there…
Hardboiled Eggs and Nuts
Posted September 6, 2020 at 8:24 AM
It’s still there but doesn’t look haunted anymore. The reference to it looking like the Munsters house was only in its spooky run down condition. Not architecturally. It’s been remodeled or as I think of it remudled. The wrap around porches are gone, the gingerbread brackets are gone, the turret has lost its Gothic windows and it’s been vinyl sided. It looked better when it was run down. I moved from that area when I was 9 so I had to look up the address. It may not be spot on but will get you there. The funeral home is at 824 Washington St. Canton, Mass. It looks like an old stone Episcopal church because it used to be one. It’s now a Jewish funeral home. The melting pot! To the right of the funeral home the roof of Mrs Plunkett ‘s old house is just visible. 842 looks to be that house number. The house is partially hidden by trees that were never there years ago, so the street view of it isn’t nearly as imposing as it once was sitting up on that hill. You’ll have to scroll down the street to the right some more to see the corner turret. A UPS truck is visible in the driveway. This was a grand Victorian at one time but now it’s just a big old house. It’s still the haunted house in my memory.
Poindexter
Posted September 6, 2020 at 10:44 AM
Apparently there were TWO Munster-type Plunkett houses in Canton, MA. Here’s the other one, which has also been heavily modified by the “remuddlers”.
The CC effect once again. I haven’t seen a Fairlane of that vintage in a long time, but this afternoon I saw a ‘63 Chevy II parked at the pub next to our apartment building. It was a 4 door sedan in showroom condition complete with 1963 Ontario plates. A car my age minus a few dings and scratches.
A little hard to tell but the paint might be Guardsman Blue, the color of our factory-ordered 1964 Fairlane 500 Sports Coupe. It is about a month old in this photo. Would make a good COAL story as there is something important missing from the front fender that represents a big conflict between my Dad and 14-year old me over the order sheet – with which Paul would be all too familiar given some of his Father’s car purchases.
Love it! When I was in maybe 6th grade (1970 or 71) a cousin and his friend had just gotten their driver’s licenses. The friend (Mike) was given the use of his father’s car – a Vintage Burgundy 64 Fairlane 500 Sport Coupe with a V8, black bucket seat interior, and a 4 speed stick poking up through the console.
I was in love with it, though at the time I knew nothing about whether it had a 260 or a 289 under the hood. I loved the sound – Mike poked a bunch of nail holes in it, which caused his dad to pop for a new glasspack. The funny part looking back is that my cousin and Mike were looking under the hood of my Mother’s 64 Cutlass one day, and called the engine “a little sewing machine.” None of the three of us had any idea that the 4bbl premium gas 330 in the Oldsmobile could have wiped the floor with any engine that Fairlane likely had.
These 1964 coupes were good looking cars. The restyle in 1965 was a disaster.
I’m reading that the High Performance 289 four barrel with 4speed available in the Fairlane ostensibly had 271 HP 312 lb ft torque and would run to 60 in 6.7 seconds. The Fairlane most likely had a weight advantage over the Cutlass. I sure wouldn’t have bad talked the 330. One of the bosses at my high school job had a 64 Cutlass with a 330. He had a total lead foot and was happy with its performance.
Reminds me of this:
The Lovebug is a good movie. I was kinda bummed when I found out that lovely building was constructed on a sound stage.
Every Victorian house I saw I affectionately called a “Herbie house” when I was a kid before I knew better.
1 on being disappointed it wasn’t a real place. Though for sure a real life Mr. Hawk would have turned the property into a skyscraper by now if it was
I grew up next to the most classic haunted Victorian house. It was built in 1875 it had a turret and wrap around porches ,and by the time I came around it was quite rundown. It kind if looked like the Munsters house. Old Mrs Plunkett lived there and she had a beauty salon in one of the back rooms. When she sold the place she sold it to the funeral home next door and left all of her beauty salon hair dryer chairs behind. They paved the backyard for parking and used the house for storage. What does a funeral home store? Coffins. We knew about the beauty shop chairs and the coffins from looking in the windows. So here was a house that looked like it belonged in a Stephen King movie before there were Stephen King movies and the rooms had multiple coffins leaning up against the walls and the big kids in the neighborhood had convinced us little kids that those weren’t hairdryers chairs but the we’re indeed electric chairs that Mr Plunkett used to use to fry people when he was alive. There were also rumors that since Mrs Plunkett ‘s departure that the boogie man had been staying there though we never did actually see him. These were the things that kept kids awake before we had the Internet.
Do you have an address? We can Google Street View and see if it’s still there…
It’s still there but doesn’t look haunted anymore. The reference to it looking like the Munsters house was only in its spooky run down condition. Not architecturally. It’s been remodeled or as I think of it remudled. The wrap around porches are gone, the gingerbread brackets are gone, the turret has lost its Gothic windows and it’s been vinyl sided. It looked better when it was run down. I moved from that area when I was 9 so I had to look up the address. It may not be spot on but will get you there. The funeral home is at 824 Washington St. Canton, Mass. It looks like an old stone Episcopal church because it used to be one. It’s now a Jewish funeral home. The melting pot! To the right of the funeral home the roof of Mrs Plunkett ‘s old house is just visible. 842 looks to be that house number. The house is partially hidden by trees that were never there years ago, so the street view of it isn’t nearly as imposing as it once was sitting up on that hill. You’ll have to scroll down the street to the right some more to see the corner turret. A UPS truck is visible in the driveway. This was a grand Victorian at one time but now it’s just a big old house. It’s still the haunted house in my memory.
Apparently there were TWO Munster-type Plunkett houses in Canton, MA. Here’s the other one, which has also been heavily modified by the “remuddlers”.
Here’s a link:
https://cantonhistory.blogspot.com/2008/11/
The CC effect once again. I haven’t seen a Fairlane of that vintage in a long time, but this afternoon I saw a ‘63 Chevy II parked at the pub next to our apartment building. It was a 4 door sedan in showroom condition complete with 1963 Ontario plates. A car my age minus a few dings and scratches.
A little hard to tell but the paint might be Guardsman Blue, the color of our factory-ordered 1964 Fairlane 500 Sports Coupe. It is about a month old in this photo. Would make a good COAL story as there is something important missing from the front fender that represents a big conflict between my Dad and 14-year old me over the order sheet – with which Paul would be all too familiar given some of his Father’s car purchases.
The Chevy II I saw today had something on the fender, and judging from the look of the car, I’d say it was honest.
Love it! When I was in maybe 6th grade (1970 or 71) a cousin and his friend had just gotten their driver’s licenses. The friend (Mike) was given the use of his father’s car – a Vintage Burgundy 64 Fairlane 500 Sport Coupe with a V8, black bucket seat interior, and a 4 speed stick poking up through the console.
I was in love with it, though at the time I knew nothing about whether it had a 260 or a 289 under the hood. I loved the sound – Mike poked a bunch of nail holes in it, which caused his dad to pop for a new glasspack. The funny part looking back is that my cousin and Mike were looking under the hood of my Mother’s 64 Cutlass one day, and called the engine “a little sewing machine.” None of the three of us had any idea that the 4bbl premium gas 330 in the Oldsmobile could have wiped the floor with any engine that Fairlane likely had.
These 1964 coupes were good looking cars. The restyle in 1965 was a disaster.
I’m reading that the High Performance 289 four barrel with 4speed available in the Fairlane ostensibly had 271 HP 312 lb ft torque and would run to 60 in 6.7 seconds. The Fairlane most likely had a weight advantage over the Cutlass. I sure wouldn’t have bad talked the 330. One of the bosses at my high school job had a 64 Cutlass with a 330. He had a total lead foot and was happy with its performance.
CC-in-scale can almost do this one
That’s a great shot. No hint where the building is located?
Really appreciate Curtis Perry’s photos