New England’s Vampire Panic
Vampires conjure a potent image. The word “vampire” is much older than its pop culture connotations though, making its first appearance in the European regions inhabited by certain Slavic people in the tenth century CE, whereafter it spread, capturing the imaginations of many (Tucker 2012). It became much more than a legend — it could give an explanation for unknown phenomena. In a world full of dangers, the vampire was something to associate with devastating events, providing a course of action for those seeking answers. One region became the “Vampire Capital of America” because of this innate human need for a response to tragedy (Chandler 2020).
The breeding ground
Many rural regions in New England (USA) during the nineteenth century CE were deserted, with nature reclaiming swathes of what had once been productive farmland (Stetson 1896: 8). This was due to the westward migration of settlers, war casualties, and disease (Tucker 2012). By the 1890s, towns such as Scituate (Massachusetts) had forty-five abandoned farms; Exeter (Rhode Island) had sixty-three vacant farms, which were about one-fifth of the total within its limits (Stetson 1896: 9).
