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| Author Cheryl Blanchard of Raymond signs copies of her book '236 Cumberland Ave. Portland Maine' during an appearance at the Windham Public Library. She will tape a segment of the televised series 'Maine Ghost Stories' this weekend and she hopes it will air sometime later this year. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
When Cheryl Blanchard of Raymond published her book “236 Cumberland Ave. Portland, Maine” nearly three years ago, she had no idea how much readers near and far would embrace her writing and it’s about to land her an appearance on television in “Maine Ghost Stories.”
Blanchard’s real-life tale of growing up with 10 brothers and sisters in an apartment building that was haunted connected with the public and caught the attention of Maine historian Herb Adams, who suggested that the website Maine Ghost Hunters might want to feature her in an upcoming segment.
“Herb contacted me and said he had heard that I had lived in some apartments on Cumberland Avenue. That block and the building is gone now,” Blanchard said. “I explained to him about the building because it was haunted and how I was traumatized living there for five or six years.”
It turns out that Adams, a member of the Maine Historical Society, had read Blanchard’s book when it was self-published in 2019 by Newman Springs Publishing Co. of New Jersey and was aware of the house’s ghostly reputation.
He told producers of “Maine Ghost Stories” and they reached out to Blanchard. On Saturday Blanchard will revisit Cumberland Avenue in Portland along with Adams and representatives of the Maine Historical Society to film an upcoming segment of the television series.
“Although the building is not there anymore, I know they are going to be looking for a tunnel that used to run under the apartment house,” Blanchard said. “The tunnel was used by escaping fugitive slaves as part of the Underground Railroad long ago.”
She also will film some outdoor shots walking on Cumberland Avenue and do an interview with members of Maine Ghost Hunters about some of the supernatural occurrences she and her family experience living there more than 50 years ago.
In her book, Blanchard describes how she and her siblings would suddenly catch glimpses of silhouettes and shadowy figures looming on walls in their home without a human nearby to cast the silhouette or shadow. She also discusses in the book about finding the tunnel underneath the building she lived in, and many frightful memories associated with that.
Blanchard’s family eventually moved away from the building and the trauma and bad memories she experienced living there. A few years ago, one of her friends asked her to write down her memories about growing up and that led to the creation of her book.
Once her book was published, Blanchard was interviewed on the television chat show “207” and she also received a note from renowned Maine author Stephen King, who is a master of telling “haunted” stories.
In 2019, she even was a guest of groups meeting at public libraries in Augusta and in Windham to discuss her book, which is available at those facilities.
And despite being subjected to what she calls “paranormal occurrences” while growing up on Cumberland Avenue in Portland decades ago, Blanchard has gone on to lead a happy and productive life otherwise.
Married, and a mother and a grandmother, Blanchard is now retired from a career in the nursing field. Many people know her from her time as a substitute teacher in Windham schools or for creating the first cheerleading squad for Windham Youth Football.
Once the book came out, many people told Blanchard they had no idea how scary her life must have been living in the haunted building as a child.
“People have been very supportive and nice to me and so many of my friends have asked me about the filming of this ‘Maine Ghost Stories’ segment and when it will air,” she said. “The answer is I really don’t know that, but I suspect it may be some time later this year, maybe around Halloween. Everyone I talk to asks me about that and they’re waiting to watch me.” <
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