Joseph A. Citro is Vermont’s most recognized authority on ghosts, haunting, and the state’s mysterious past. He’s written many fascinating books on the subject, including his best-selling work, ‘Passing Strange: True Tales of New England Hauntings and Horrors‘.
His research has taken him to haunted cemeteries, abandoned locations, and other mysterious places around the state. He’s also appeared in numerous TV shows and documentaries to discuss his findings. In this article, we’ll explore Joseph A. Citro’s life and work as a preeminent collector of ghost stories in Vermont.
Early Life and Education – Joseph Citro Vermont Ghosts, Haunted Houses and more
Citro was born in Rutland, Vermont. He grew up in Chester, Vermont, lived briefly in Underhill Center, Vermont, and currently lives in Windsor, Vermont. His father was a machinist and part-time storyteller, telling real-life stories of the people and landscape of Vermont, and his mother encouraged him to read. As a child he wrote short stories and created comic books.
He became particularly interested in horror stories since he was young, especially the works of H.P. Lovecraft. He began his literary career by writing and publishing five horror novels.
During his college years, Joseph developed an interest in the paranormal, which he would go on to explore throughout his career. He began researching occult phenomena and visited many haunted sites around New England, interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence to support his theories.
He has given many speeches about writing and horror, given commentary on Vermont Public Radio from 1990 to 2010. He has done public speaking at prisons and to students who are reluctant readers. He has taught at the Bread Loaf Writer’s Conference. His books/novels Guardian Angels, and Lake Monsters have been released in Polish and other languages.
Writing and Researching on The Paranormal
Joseph A. Citro has written extensively on the paranormal and is well-known for his work in the field. His writing and research into ghosts, hauntings, and other supernatural phenomena is considered some of the most important in the field. He brings a wealth of knowledge to his writing that is both entertaining and educational.
His books are filled with stories from locals about their experiences, interviews with experts, scientific data, and personal accounts from his own investigations. He goes beyond traditional ghost stories to explore theories such as cryptozoology and psychic powers.
He has definitely earned and deserves the title of “Vermont’s Ghostmaster General
His books have become widely read by those interested in this topic, making him a go-to source for information. He continues to write on this fascinating subject, providing readers with insight into this area that few others can offer.
Exploring Haunted Locations in Vermont
Vermont is known to be one of the most haunted places in the United States, so it’s no surprise that Joseph A. Citro has devoted his life to exploring its ghostly mysteries. He’s visited some of the state’s most notoriously haunted locations and interviewed hundreds of people who claim to have had paranormal experiences.
From abandoned buildings to houses that have been in families for generations, he’s been able to uncover some incredible stories about ghosts and hauntings in Vermont. Many of which can be found within the pages of his many published books.
Citro has also helped people who are afraid of the paranormal by giving them advice on how to protect themselves from negative supernatural forces. He provides a much-needed resource in this area and is a respected source for anyone looking for more information about ghosts and hauntings in the state. His research helps us better understand the spiritual world, providing insight into why certain places are more likely to attract ghostly activity than others.
Television Appearances
Joseph A. Citro has been featured on Vermont PBS and other media. Through his appearances on TV and in the press, Joseph A. Citro is helping to keep the fascinating and quirky stories of Vermont’s past alive and ensure they are not forgotten.
Legacy and Impact
Joseph A. Citro’s media appearances made him a household name, at least in Vermont, and his work as an authority on ghosts and hauntings continues to have a lasting impact today. His unique ability to explain paranormal phenomena in a way that was both accessible and entertaining earned him the respect of skeptics and believers alike.
In addition to his media appearances, he was also a sought-after speaker at events throughout Vermont, often giving talks about the state’s legendary ghosts or its most enduring mysteries.
He brought to light countless stories of hauntings around the region, forever changing how Vermonters viewed their home state. His legacy lives on through those who continue investigating supernatural occurrences in the area – all inspired by Joseph A. Citro’s curiosity and enthusiasm for exploring the unknown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Inspired Joseph A. Citro To Research and Write About the Paranormal?
Joseph A. Citro’s interest in the paranormal was rooted in his childhood experiences growing up in Vermont. As a young boy, he heard stories of ghosts and hauntings from his family and friends, which sparked his curiosity in the unknown.
He also read extensively on the paranormal, learning more about the history and folklore behind it. This knowledge inspired him to research and write about the topic, eventually becoming one of Vermont’s most famous authorities on ghosts and hauntings.
What Are the Most Haunted Locations In Vermont?
Vermont is known for its spooky history and haunted locations, and those looking to explore the paranormal need look no further than Joseph A. Citro’s extensive research. He has uncovered some of the most haunted places in the state, including Shelburne Museum’s Dutton House, which is said to be home to a mysterious spirit.
Other locations include Stowe’s Gold Brook Bridge, the location of Vermont’s most famous and controversial ghost story “Emily’s Bridge”, and Woodstock, Vermont where supposedly someone named Corwin, an alleged vampire, was removed from his grave and his heart was burned, the ashes buried in a cast-iron kettle 15 feet below the Woodstock town green.
He is also well known for his vast research and knowledge concerning an area referred to as the “Bennington Triangle”, a phrase he created to denote an area of southwestern Vermont within which a number of people went missing between 1945 and 1950.
What Advice Does Joseph A. Citro Have for People Who Believe They Are Experiencing A Haunting?
For those who believe they are experiencing a haunting, Joseph A. Citro provides advice and reassurance. He stresses that most of the time, hauntings are simply misunderstandings and can be explained as a misconception or misinterpretation of natural phenomena.
Does Joseph A. Citro Believe in The Paranormal?
Joseph A. Citro is a well-known figure in the world of ghosts and hauntings, so it’s natural to wonder whether he believes in the paranormal. The answer is not definitive. He remains very skeptical, yet keeps an open mind in regards to the subject: Citro has spent over 30 years researching, collecting stories about supernatural activity, and has authored several books on the subject.
He allows for the possibility that there are mysterious forces at work in the natural world that we don’t yet understand, but can still experience. Citro’s research and writings provide valuable insight into the paranormal phenomena.
Conclusion
Joseph A. Citro is an authority on hauntings and the paranormal due to his extensive research and vast knowledge of the subject. He has inspired many to investigate and understand what lies beyond the veil of this world.
Joseph’s advice for those who believe they are experiencing a haunting is straightforward: be cautious, stay objective, and maintain a healthy skepticism. Despite experiencing only one possible paranormal event himself, Joseph remains open minded, but would find substantial evidence much more convincing.
Where to purchase books written by Joseph A. Citro
You should be able to easily find books written by Joseph A. Citro and others who collaborated with him in most bookstores, especially in New England. You can also purchase his books online, via the links below. Here is a list with links to his books that are available at Amazon.
Vermont's Haunts
Who was Vermont’s first Ghostbuster? Was a full-blown exorcism performed at a local college? What mystery did a Vermont Doctor discover on the Moon? Do unknown populations live hidden in the Green Mountains? What are Vermont’s most shameful secrets? These and other questions are the “favorite haunts” of Joseph A. Citro, Vermont’s Ghostmaster General.
Cursed in New England: More Stories of Damned Yankees
New Englanders are always cursing. But a colorful profanity uttered by some stero-typically taciturn old Yankee is usually more humorous than menacing. Yet, true maledictions (the opposite of benedictions) have frequently been spoken on New England soil, curses intended to invoke evil, injury, or total destruction against other people. Stories about preternatural revenge are numerous in Yankee lore, with each New England state providing its favorites.
Green Mountain Ghosts, Ghouls & Unsolved Mysteries
Aimed at adults, teenagers, and tourists, this is the most comprehensive collection of tales, legends, folklore, ghost stories and strange-but-true facts ever assembled about Vermont and the surrounding areas of New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Quebec–one that can be used to find these haunted sites.
Passing Strange: True Tales of New England Hauntings and Horrors
In this delightfully spine-tingling tour of all six New England states, Joseph A. Citro chronicles the haunted history and folklore of a region steeped in hardship and horror, humor and pathos. Among many other adventures, Citro explores long-forbidden Yankee ghost towns populated by real ghosts, meets the mysterious Machiasport Madonna, and witnesses the blasphemous experiments of a Massachusetts clergyman who tried to create life – and maybe succeeded.
Green Mountains, Dark Tales
In this collection of tales, classic legends, and long-forgotten lore, best-selling compiler and investigator of the supernatural Joseph A. Citro takes us on a tour of every haunted corner of his native state. Combining the skills of a scrupulous researcher and masterful storyteller, Citro expands the terrain covered in his earlier books, venturing farther than ever before into the realms of the mysterious, the paranormal, and the just plain weird.
Joe Citro's Vermont Odditorium
An indispensable collection of unparalleled weirdness from the Green Mountain State.
Vermont Monster Guide
by Joseph A Citro (Author), Stephen R Bissette (Illustrator)
Though not widely acknowledged, the Green Mountain state is home to more winged wonders, wet weirdoes, and crypto creatures than any other state in the country. You probably know about Champ, the elusive monster of Lake Champlain. But what about Northfield’s Pigman? And Richford’s The Awful? Wherever you are in Vermont–in town or country, river or lake, land or sky–you’re never far from the unknown.
The Vermont Ghost Guide
by Joseph A. Citro (Author), Stephen R. Bissette (Illustrator)
In The Vermont Ghost Guide, Vermont's Ghostmaster Joseph A. Citro teams up with award-winning artist Stephen R. Bissette.. Organized alphabetically by town, this remarkable pocket-sized collection of lore and line art points travelers toward dozens of mystifying sites to discover — or perhaps avoid. Both a guidebook and a reference tool, The Vermont Ghost Guide contains over 100 entries with 39 illustrations of haunted houses, ghostly spots, and mysterious events from every Vermont county. Many of the stories have never been published before.
Vermont Ghost Guide: A Second Conjuring
by Joseph A Citro (Author), Robert Waldo Brunelle Jr. (Illustrator)
What’s so scary about Vermont? You will find out in dozens of haunting tales, all evocatively illustrated. Join Ghost Guides Joseph A. Citro and artist Robert Waldo Brunelle Jr., as they direct you to a host of phantoms, curses, and horrible haunts.
Vermont Ghost Experience
by Joseph A Citro (Author), Robert Waldo Brunelle Jr. (Author)
“No matter where you live, it is likely that within a twenty-mile radius, someone is being plagued by inexplicable ghostly activity. Some people suffer in baffled silence; others summon the authorities, the clergy, or the media. In such uncertain circumstances all make a giant step toward accepting what they had always considered unbelievable.”
Vermont Horror Comics: Vermont's Darkest Secrets Revealed
by Joseph A Citro (Author), Robert Waldo Brunelle Jr. (Author Artist)
Vermont's infamous “Ghost Guys” investigate some of the state's darkest mysteries… in comic book form.
The adventures in this issue include The Lair of the Beast, Mad Anthony's Ghosts, Lake Rescue, The Northfield Phantom, and Vermont's Frozen Folk.
Weird New England: Your Travel Guide to New England's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets
by Joseph A. Citro (Author), Mark Sceurman (Foreword), Mark Moran (Foreword)
Curious New England: The Unconventional Traveler’s Guide to Eccentric Destinations
by Joseph E. Citro (Author), Diane E. Foulds (Author)
New England is truly a Cabinet of Curiosities, and this indispensable guide directs you to its most bizarre, off the wall, and unsettling exhibits. Some evoke hilarity, some horror. Discover singing sand, glowing tombstones, ghostly squirrels, and a musical instrument said to cause madness. Marvel at the most mysterious manuscript in the world. Visit a miniature replica of the Holy Land or climb carved stone steps leading . . . nowhere.
LOOSE ENDS: Memories of a Life Not Yet Lived
Loose Ends is the saga of a writer’s life, told in one hundred chapters, each exactly one hundred words long.
In his five pioneering novels, Joseph A. Citro created a unique “Vermont Gothic” worldview. Then, he was the first writer to collect multiple volumes of the state’s strange-but-maybe-true tales. For twenty years he told many of them on public radio. He coined the term “Bennington Triangle” and brought Northfield’s “Pigman” to national attention.
The following books are fictional novels created by Joseph A Citro
Shadow Child
To outsiders, the deep, impenetrable forest that blankets Vermont's Green Mountains gives the state its peaceful and verdant mystique, but those same dark woods hide a secret from pre-history that reaches menacingly into the present.
Guardian Angels
Four years have passed since the slaughter that took place at the old Whitcombe house. Four years since the tiny picture-perfect town of Antrim, Vermont, was devastated by the ugliest event in its history. Now the bloodstained Whitcome walls have been painted over, the broken-down doors repaired.
Lake Monsters
Called in to investigate the presence of a strange monster in Lake Champlain, Harrison Allen uncovers a terrifying discovery.
Not Yet Dead
The Short Fiction of Joseph A. Citro
Although best known for his Vermont novels, his collections of weird tales, and his radio work, Joe Citro has also published a small yet elegant selection of short fiction. Collected here for the first time, each is a polished gem of terror and tension. This limited edition is a perfect sampling for Citro enthusiasts, or lovers of the Green Mountain Gothic. A rare, one-of-a-kind collection.
DEUS-X: The Reality Conspiracy
This finely crafted tour de force is Joseph A. Citro's most ambitious, irreverent and unusual work to date. Sometimes violent, sometimes elegant, DEUS-X is an electrifying excursion into spiritual terror, blending classic elements of occult horror with nightmarish contemporary themes.
The Gore
Ex-newspaperman Roger Newton's adventure begins when Claude Lavigne, a power company employee, sees something in the forests of “the gore” — a tiny swatch of unclaimed land created by a surveyor's mistake. His sense of reality unhinged, Lavigne commits suicide. When Lavigne's son, best friend, and an old black man risk an expedition into the gore, Newton, attempting to stop them, upsets a fragile balance and looses an ancient, nameless fear among the people of Vermont.
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