After the Native Burial Ground was disturbed in Robinson Woods in Illinois, people have started to notice strange things happening in the woods. Shadow figures and mysterious lights are accompanied by the Tom-tom drum.
In Robinson Woods, Illinois, lies a forest preserve with a haunting past that stretches back to the era of the Fort Dearborn Massacre. Once granted to the family of Alexander Robinson, a chief revered for his heroic deeds during that dark chapter in history, the land now carries whispers of an unresolved promise and a restless spirit.
Robinson Woods is mostly wooded, with some scattered remnant prairies along the Des Plaines River. About half of 265-acre Robinson Woods. The site includes the Robinson family homestead and burial grounds.
The Noble Deeds of Chee-chee-pin-quay
Alexander Robinson, chief of multiple Native American tribes, played a crucial role in saving lives during the Fort Dearborn Massacre. This was his English name though and he was really named chief Chee-chee-pin-quay of the Potawatomi, born in 1787 with a Chippewa mother and a Scottish father.
After he helped save the white settlers in the massacre, he was also a translator and negotiator between the settlers and the natives. In gratitude, the land was bestowed upon him in 1872 with the assurance that he and his family would rest there for eternity. However, the city reneged on its commitment, breaking the promise to bury Robinson and his kin within the woods.
The Native American Burial Land
Many sources state that it was because Robinson himself was denied burial on his land, but this is not true, he was. In the forest there are two large stones marking his final resting place together with his family. Although, the true story of what happened after is much more upsetting.
Burial Ground: Although the headstones of the graves was lost for a long time, big stones marks the burial ground inside of Robinson Woods. // Source
His family and descendants continued to live on his land, and at his homestead for decades. This was until 1955 when a fire broke out and burned the family home down. His granddaughter, Mary Boettcher had no means to rebuild their home and had to live elsewhere, thereby relinquishing their family claim to their land.
The same year three boys were found dead in the Robinson wood that would go unsolved for 40 years. Around this time, tales of paranormal sightings became rampant. It isn’t really said that the murder has anything to do with the haunting, but after the murders as well as what happened with the Robinson Homestead and Burial Ground, people started to talk about the strange things happening in the woods.
In 1973 The Forest Preserve District didn’t allow anyone else to get buried on their family burial and when Robinson’s stone was taken to be restored, it was lost for years until it returned to the family in 2016. It turned out that it was The Forest Preserve District that had the headstones in storage all along, as the stones were so frequently vandalized.
The Haunting inside of the Forest
Legend has it that Robinson’s spirit, denied its rightful resting place to his people, lingers among the ancient trees, casting an otherworldly presence upon the woods. Visitors have reported a pervasive feeling of an unseen entity, an unexplainable heaviness that hangs in the air. As daylight surrenders to the night, the forest awakens with spectral activity — mysterious knocks echoing through the trees, distant screams haunting the stillness, and elusive dark shadows that dance in the moonlight. Even the sound of the tom-toms drums have been heard according to reports.
Some claim to have encountered apparitions that vanish as quickly as they appear, leaving behind an eerie silence. Some even claim to have seen strange lights, or mist and even smelled violet and lavender, even when it was in the middle of winter.
On Haunted Holy Land in Robinson Woods
Robinson Woods, now a tranquil forest preserve, conceals within its depths a tale of broken promises and a chief’s unsettled spirit. As the whispers of the haunted past persist, those who traverse the winding trails of Robinson Woods may find themselves caught between the realms of the living and the spectral, where the legacy of Alexander Robinson and the enigmatic haunting of the woods endure.
In the 1600s, the red-headed mistress of Leamaneh Castle in Ireland was run with an iron fist. Red Mary and her dark reign still looms over the area and it is said she is haunting the place after her horrible death.
Smack in the heart of County Clare, Ireland, Leamaneh Castle stands looming in both the splendor and the sinister secrets of its past. Among the myriad of haunted castles that dot the Irish landscape, Leamaneh Castle has earned a reputation as a place steeped in notoriety and ghostly lore.
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Today only the ruins of the 15th century tower house turned into a 17th century mansion still stand. The castle name “Leamaneh” is believed to be derived from the Irish léim an éich meaning “the horse’s leap” or léim an fheidh that means “the deer’s leap“.
Red Mary and her Dark Reign
At the center of the legends of the castle is the infamous figure of Red Mary—a name both aptly descriptive and ominous foreboding. The red-headed Mary was born in 1615 or 1616 came into a substantial amount of wealth after her husband died.
Her real name was Máire Rua O’Brien and known for her fiery locks that matched the tempestuous spirit, Red Mary wielded authority over Leamaneh Castle with an iron fist, her reign drenched in darkness and cruelty according to legends. Her presence still lingers, like a ghostly echo, within the castle’s ancient walls.
Leamaneh Castle: Today there are only ruins of the Leamaneh Castle amidst the green in County Clare in Ireland. It is believed that the castle is haunted by its former mistress, the Red Mary. //Source: Jerzy Strzelecki/Wikimedia
The tales that surround Red Mary are steeped in the kind of brutality that chills the soul—stories of servant girls hanging from the castle’s windows by their own hair, their lives taken at the whim of their merciless mistress for petty mistakes.
She also had a stallion in her stable according to the legends that she challenged visitors to ride on. Once released, the stallion would run towards the Cliffs of Moher where the poor victims would be thrown off and into their death.
The Marriages of Red Mary
Remarkably, Red Mary found herself married an astounding twenty-five times, each union a testament to the fleeting and treacherous nature of her affections. That is according to legend though, but fact tells us she was at least married three times.
Red Mary is said to have joined her second husband, Conor O’Brien, on raids against English settlers together with the Royalists, but when he died in a rebellion against them, she flipped sides. Fearing that she would lose her estate, she married a Cromwellian soldier to keep it.
Máire Rua O’Brien: The Irish noblewoman, Máire Rua O’Brien, more known as Red Mary is perhaps known more for her legends than her actual life. According to legend, she married countless times, was a merciless killer and was brutally murdered by her enemies. But how much of it was really true? The remaining legend about her is that she is haunted her castle ruins.
Her husbands met fates as grim as her reputation; legend has it that one unfortunate spouse met his untimely demise at her own hands. The Cromwellian officer, Cornet John Cooper, her third husband once made a comment about her ex-husband and she was so furious she jumped from her bed and kicked him in the stomach, which he died from.
Whether this is true or not is up for dispute, as sources claim they were married to her death in 1686, although it was said they lived apart.
Starved to Death
Unsurprisingly, Red Mary’s trail of brutality left a trail of enemies in its wake. The many lives she had ruined and the blood she had spilled eventually caught up with her. In a twist of fate, her adversaries succeeded in capturing the ruthless widow, imprisoning her within the hollowed-out confines of a tree.
In her captivity inside of the hollow tree, Red Mary suffered the cruelest fate of all, slowly wasting away as she succumbed to starvation. It is said that the tree was at the avenue of Carnelly Forest.
Other legends claim that she was flung from a horse into a forked branch of a tree where she choked, or hung by her own hair from a tree. But was this really the case, as her death was recorded in 1686, when she was in her 70s?
Records show that she died of natural causes though as she was in poor health in her final years where she died comfortably in Dromoland Castle where her son moved the family.
The Ghost of Red Mary
Leamaneh Castle stands as a haunting reminder of Red Mary’s dark legacy no matter how she died. The ruins of this once-mighty fortress bear the weight of her tormented spirit, with echoes of her anguished screams reverberating through the ages.
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She is said to appear in two different places. The first is close to her castle, the other one is at the Druid’s Altar that is near Clare Castle, and as we don’t have the exact location of where she is buried, some place it around those parts. Some say she is buried in Ennis Abbey, next to her first husband she always loved according to legend.
The Haunted Ruins of a Leamaneh Castle
Leamaneh Castle, County Clare’s enigmatic relic, invites those who dare to explore its haunted halls to uncover the truth behind Red Mary’s reign of terror. No one is tending to this castle anymore and it is slowly crumbling as time passes as the son of Red Mary abandoned the castle in 1686.
After a series of occupying the castle though after Red Mary’s reign, it was completely abandoned at the end of the 18th century and left to ruin.
Her lingering presence serves as a grim reminder that even the most beautiful castles can conceal the darkest of secrets, and the past is never truly buried beneath the sands of time.
People have always feared the wilderness. This is also the case of the area around Glastenbury Mountain where several strange disappearances have made people think that it could be something strange going on in what has been known as The Bennington Triangle.
Deep within the picturesque landscape of Vermont lies a region cloaked in mystery and shrouded in eerie tales—the Bennington Triangle. An area encompassing the southwestern part of the state, the Bennington Triangle has become synonymous with a series of unexplained disappearances, ghostly encounters, and inexplicable phenomena that have perplexed locals and intrigued paranormal enthusiasts alike.
The Bennington Triangle has been compared to the similar Bridgewater Triangle of Bermuda Triangle, a place where strange things happen. The phrase was coined in 1992 by the author Joseph A. Citro, who wrote about this in his books, Shadow Child. Citro has also called the area as a “Yankee Shangri-La”, a place where people go to never be seen again.
The area is said to be around the Glastenbury Mountain and Long Trail, encompassing towns like Bennington, Woodford and Shaftsbury as well as once thriving logging towns, now abandoned ghost towns of Somerset and Glastenbury.
It is said that strange disappearances started way back and that from 1920 to 1950, as much as 10 people vanished in these parts. At the heart of the strange things said to go on in the triangle is a series of disappearances from 1945-1950:
The Disappearances of the Bennington Triangle
The unsettling reputation of the Bennington Triangle stems from a series of unexplained disappearances that occurred between 1945 and 1950. Five individuals, including a seasoned hiker, a college student, and a war veteran, vanished without a trace within the confines of Glastenbury Mountain—a prominent feature within the triangle.
Disappearing People: Circulated photograph of Paula Jean Welden; clipping from missing persons flyers. Her case in particular drew a lot of media attention.
The first incident occurred on November 12, 1945, when 74-year-old Middie Rivers vanished during a hunting trip in the mountains by Long Trail Road. Despite an extensive search, the only evidence discovered was a rifle cartridge in a stream.
A year later, on December 1, 1946, Paula Jean Welden, an 18-year-old sophomore at Bennington College, disappeared during a hike on the Long Trail. An elderly couple said they saw her in front of them on the trail. She turned a corner, and when they turned the same, she had vanished. Despite a substantial search effort and FBI involvement, no trace of her was found. Her disappearance got a lot of attention, and it even inspired the Shirley Jackson novell from 1951, Hangsaman.
On December 1, 1949, James E. Tedford, a veteran from the Bennington Soldiers’ Home, vanished mysteriously while on a bus from St. Albans. According to the stories, he vanished into thin air between the last stop and Bennington, leaving all of his belongings in the luggage rack with an open bus timetable on his seat. Skepticism surrounds claims that he “dematerialized” as he wasn’t reported missing until a week later.
In 1950, the mystery continued with the disappearance of 8-year-old Paul Jepson, left unattended near a local highway for an hour as his mother fed some pigs. He was wearing a red jacket at the time and were supposed to be clearly visible in the greenery, but not a trace was found. It is said that just in case, people don’t wear red clothes in the area because of this.
Lastly, 53-year-old Frieda Langer, who vanished during a hike near Somerset Reservoir. Frieda Langer’s body was found seven months later, three and a half miles from the campsite, with no determined cause of death.
Other than the area they disappeared in and the time period, they found no other connections between the five disappearances.
The Bennington Monster
So what happened in this time period? Some claim it had to be UFOs, perhaps even Bigfoot himself. Others say that the forests of the area have become haunted and people claim to hear strange noises and voices.
The place has been known as a place to avoid since colonial time with people encountering strange lights and even monstrous animals in the wilderness.
The legend of the “Bennington Monster” dates back to the early 1800s when a stagecoach encountered a washed-out road. The stage driver discovered massive footprints in the mud, distinctly larger than human. Suddenly, the coach was assaulted by a colossal creature, toppling the vehicle on its side. Terrified passengers glimpsed only a pair of eyes before the monster emitted a roar and vanished into the forest. Subsequent sightings portrayed the creature as a towering, hairy figure, dark in color, and exceeding six feet in height.
There is also a story about a man named Carol Herrick who in 1943 went missing while hunting. He was found three days later near Glastonbury, crushed to death, surrounded by big footprints.
Native American Legends
There are also early colonists that have retold native american stories and Algonquin legends that called the Glastenbury Mountain a human eating rock. An evil stone on the mountain that would open up and swallow those standing on it.
Legends tell of ancient Native American curses and supernatural entities that haunt the region and that they wouldn’t step on the land unless to bury the dead. They said that the “four winds” met there in an eternal struggle, which has some truth to it, as the wind on Glastenbury Mountain is prone to sudden shifts, and even the plants grow in weird angles because of this.
The Vortex of The Bennington Triangle
While the disappearances of the 1940s and 1950s remain unsolved, the Bennington Triangle continues to captivate the imagination of those intrigued by the unknown. What could it be? Some from the native tribes legends? Could it be a monster like Bigfoot roaming the place, or perhaps even a serial killer wandering the mountain?
Ghost hunters, paranormal investigators, and curious seekers venture into the depths of the triangle, searching for clues and attempting to unlock the secrets that have eluded explanation for decades.
Today as well as in the old days, the wilderness of Glastenbury Mountain and the surrounding Bennington Triangle makes us afraid for what could be in the vast and wild area where a person can disappear without a trace.
In a former castle turned hotel in Catalonia, Spain, it is said that more than one of the rooms are haunted. Most haunted is room 712 in El Parador de Cardona Castle where the duke’s daughter died in the tower because of her love for the wrong man.
Parador hotels are a type of state funded hotels that are found in old and historic buildings such as castles, former hospitals, fortresses and mansions. Spain has some of the most beautiful and historic hotels in the world, but some of them come with a spooky twist. If you’re looking for an eerie adventure, consider staying in one of Spain’s haunted hotels.
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El Parador de Cardona in Catalonia is said to be a haunted hotel that used to be an old fortress with a 11th century Romanesque church and the first construction on the hill was built by Wilfred the Hairy in 886.
From the 14th century it was the fortress of the dukes of Cordona that was the most important family in the Kingdom of Aragon and often called Kings without Crowns as they owned a lot of property and had a lot of power.
The Haunted Historic Hotel
This former castle is now a part of the National Parador Hotel chain that takes historic sites and turns them into hotels you can stay in and experience the rich history of the building. Spain is renowned for its stunning landscapes, rich history, and unique cultural heritage. Among the many treasures that the country holds, Parador Hotels stand out as true gems.
These hotels are often housed in historic buildings, such as castles, monasteries, and palaces, offering visitors a chance to experience the past in a truly immersive way. Now, the former fortress is turned into a huge historic hotel a 100 kilometers outside of Barcelona with a view to the Cardener Rivers as well as the Saline Valley.
In the Middle Ages the Cardona Castle was used as a prison and torture place, and it is said that the former prisoners are haunting the halls still.
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It is also said that the place is haunted, and the backstory for these ghosts haunting the now historic hotel is a tragic love story that happened centuries ago.
The Girl in the White Dress in El Parador de Cardona
Some claim to have seen the ghost of a girl wearing a white dress walking around the El Parador de Cardona hallways in the night. Who could this ghost of Cardona Castle be?
According to the legend, people think that this could be Adales, the daughter of Viscount Raimon Folch that died tragically in the Cardona Castle a long time ago.
The Tragic Love Story of Prince Abdala and Adales
Many centuries ago the Duke of Cardona invited the Berber prince Abdala to a party at Cardona Castle and the muslim prince went.
During the party, the duke’s daughter, Adales, was walking in the castle gardens where she met the prince. They fell in love and swore they would be together no matter what.
They started to meet up in secret, because they knew her Catholic parents would never approve of them being together and that the two towns would go to war if their secret was discovered. But of course they were discovered and her father didn’t take it well at all.
She planned an escape, but her father was planning her engagement with another nobleman. But the rumors of the young girl’s affair with the boy spread and her fiance broke their engagement off.
With the breaking of the engagement, they also broke off their support for the viscount, and he was furious. He decided to teach his daughter a lesson and imprisoned her inside one of the towers in Cardona Castle. While being imprisoned in Torre Minona she was only given bread and water for weeks as they tried to break her spirit. The servant that brought her the food was also blind and mute so that she wouldn’t be able to talk with anyone while she was serving her time in the tower.
Even with this torture, she never once asked for forgiveness for her love, even though her prince was forbidden to ever entering Cordona ever again and according to the legend, she died inside of the tower.
According to the legend, you can see Abdaka roaming outside of the tower of Cardona Castle on horseback, as he came back in his afterlife to look for his eternal love Adales.
The Haunted Room 712 in Cardona Castle
Back at the El Parador de Cardona hotel, even some of the rooms are said to be haunted. Especially room 712 is said to have the most paranormal activity in the hotel.
Because of all the troubles the El Parador de Cardona has had with this room, they decided to never rent out the room except if the visitors are there for the ghosts and specifically asks for it. And it looks like there have been more than enough curious guests that have asked for this room.
It is said that it is the ghost of Adele that is haunting the room. It is believed that this was her room back in the day. The room had a rumor that the furniture would move by itself and for many years the furniture were pulled and ended up in the center of the room each night.
Today the ghost in room 712 in Cardona Castle seems a bit more relaxed though as it has been a long time since there have been reports of any unofficial remodeling of the room.
For many years now, Bor Forest in the Czech Republic is said to house many haunting stories. Everything from strange ghostly legends from Slavic folklore to strange things that went down during the communist regime after the second world war.
Bor Forest, also known as Branišovský les, stands as a silent witness to a myriad of chilling legends and mysterious occurrences in the heart of South Bohemia, near České Budějovice. Bor means pine and the forest is spanning approximately 300 hectares, this mixed forest has gained notoriety for its tragic events, whispers of supernatural entities, and inexplicable phenomena.
It has undergone significant transformations throughout time, serving various purposes such as an excursion forest park, shooting range, and military area close to the Polish border. The landscape features diverse tree species, with the northeastern part covered in spruce mixed with oak, while the southwestern region is dominated by pine trees.
Bor Forest’s reputation for paranormal activity rests on numerous legends and reported encounters. The forest is believed to be haunted by a variety of entities, each contributing to the eerie aura that envelops the area.
The Military Tragedy in Bor Forest
Once upon a time, often set to the 1960 to 80s, there was a military base stationed in Bor Forest to guard the local storage for their ammunition. It is said that four soldiers were patrolling close to the former guard post and one of the pair was taking over the nightshift when something happened. According to the stories, one of the soldiers started to change, like another being, something monstrous. Another version tells that the soldiers got scared from “The Horror of the Forest”.
This caused chaos among the soldiers that started shooting and three of them ended up dead and the last one died from the wounds later at Budweiser Military Hospital where he managed to tell a little bit about what happened, but not enough to end the mystery.
What really happened then is hard to tell. Some say it was more of an internal thing and that stress caused some of the soldiers to take their own life. Some say that it really did happen, but it was in a completely different place and was an argument and jealousy that caused the shooting.
There were no writings about this in the newspapers or other media. Seeing that the Czech Republic was under the Soviet Union and heavily censored could also be an explanation as to why there is not more written about this except from the local gossip. Even to this day, a lot of these documents are still classified.
But what could it have been, this horror from Bor Forest that the story talks about. As it turns out, there could be more than one supernatural and dark thing that the soldiers came face to face with.
The Haunted Swamps and the Vodník
Czech Vodník
References to Bor Forest go back at least 400 years. One of the stories circulating around the Bor forest is about the swamps and waters in the forest. They used to be much bigger than today, and many travelers ended their life in these waters throughout time. It is said that the souls of these people were trapped close to the waters and they stayed to haunt them, trying to lure bypasses to join them in death.
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Some of the early swamps or waters were also said to have a Vodník living there, a sort of sea spirit, or water man from Slavic folklore living in water, much like the German nixon or the Scottish kelpie.
Vodník was said to look much like a man with green hair, but his bride was often a mermaid or a girl he drowned. He was also known for luring children and women to the water by hanging colorful ribbons or mirrors around or shapeshifting to a child and then drowning the one trying to rescue him.
The Black Man
The Black Coloum were the Black Man is said to often be spotted in Bor Forest.
A sound often reported on in Bor Forest is the sound of footsteps in the dry leaves or heavy snow. The sound of the steps have chased many people through the forest and many believe that it is most likely the step coming from the Black Man.
Described as a tall figure with a broad black hat and a flowing black cape, the Black Man is also called the Black Knight and even The Lord of the Forest. He has been witnessed floating above the ground, moving with unnatural speed. Some claim to have heard soft music preceding the appearance of this enigmatic figure, accompanied by a sudden drop in temperature.
The first written reports about the entity was in 1993, and the nest in 1994 and he is mostly sighted around The Black Pillar, a memorial for something people don’t remember. Today it is an integral part of the lore of the Forest.
Another story coming from the 90s is also the rumor for people seeing mysterious red eyes hovering about two meters above the ground after nightfall have been reported by witnesses. The first written account was in 1998. Contrary to explanations attributing them to car taillights, some claim these eyes approached them or even pursued them through the forest.
The White Lady
As with most haunted places in Europe, it wouldn’t be complete without its own Woman in White, and the haunted Bor forest is no exception.
The apparition of a woman in white is tied to a tragic tale of a murdered resident haunting a nearby building, unable to find peace even in death.
It is also said that a young girl is haunting the woods after taking her life in an abandoned farmhouse between České Budějovice and Branišov. Although there is not really any proof that such a thing ever happened in the farmhouse.
The Hanged Man’s Tree
Another story told about Bor Forest is the strange tree said to have taken the lives of many. In 1927 a young couple checked into the new and luxurious Hotel Praha in Branišov. The building is today used as an office for the city council.
The couple went on their way on a hike into the forest, but never returned. When a search party was sent out, they found them hanging in a tree in the midst of the forest. Not much was said about the tree itself until another woman was found hanging in the same tree not too long after.
Mr. Kříž was a local man and decided to take matters into his own hands and went into the forest and cut the deadly branch from the tree and brought it home to burn it. Not too far after this, he ended in an accident and his hand he used to cut the branch off with ended up paralyzed. This alarmed the rest of the townspeople that went to the tree, cut it all up and burned it to the ground.
Although the descendant of Mr. Kříž claims there was no paranormal story connected to the tree, or that there were no accidents after he cut off the branch, the story about it lives on. The tree is gone, it is said that people have heard a voice coming from the place where the tree once stood. The voice is beckoning them to it, encouraging whoever is passing to take their own life.
Time Warps and Unexplained Events:
One of the most perplexing phenomena reported in Bor Forest involves time warps. In the 1960s, one of the residents of U Pěti zlodějů (also named Jednoty, on older maps) was cycling home from České Budějovice, around 6:00 p.m. As he rode through the dusty, unpaved Bor Forest, he experienced an unusual phenomenon.
The entire forest seemed to undulate before him and he got off his bike. He noticed that the road and gravel beneath his feet were in motion. Exiting the forest and passing through Branišov, he was surprised to find no lights in any of the windows, even though it was barely 7:00 p.m. Upon reaching home, he discovered it was 3:00 a.m. The one-hour journey had inexplicably taken nine hours.
The Strange City
Another story about time is when two women walked through Bor, and one of them suddenly ran into the bushes. When she didn’t return for a prolonged period, the other went to look for her. To her surprise, there was no trace of the friend. Just as she wondered where she might have gone, the missing woman reappeared seemingly out of nowhere.
She recounted a strange experience of a green mist enveloping her, parting to reveal an unknown landscape filled with vibrant, intense colors and a distant golden city. A man in black approached her, placed a hand on her forehead, and pushed her back into Bor Forest. While she spent a few minutes in an unfamiliar place, her friend waited in the forest for three-quarters of an hour.
The UFO-Crash
It is certainly a strange place with a lot of old legends. But the strange and mysterious stories from newer times are just as haunting, especially as a lot of information from its time as a closed off communist country hides a lot of the information.
One time, there was an unknown object that crashed in the area and it was closed off for a year by a special unit. Even the local military was denied access to it. When the area finally opened again, many of the trees looked damaged, like something had crashed close to them. What could it be? The firemen claim that the trees caught fire around the year 2000. A witness said that it could have been more likely an airplane or helicopter that crashed in the area, although of course the local gossip is that a UFO landed there, and that the information surrounding this is still top secret.
Branišovský les and its Haunting Allure
Bor Forest, with its haunting mysteries and supernatural tales, invites those brave enough to explore its depths. As legends intertwine with the natural beauty of the landscape, Bor Forest remains an enigmatic realm where reality and the paranormal blur into a tapestry of chilling narratives. Venture forth, if you dare, and immerse yourself in the unsettling allure of Bor Forest’s haunted legacy.
Ghosts of locals from the Pocomoke State forest as well as mysterious balls of light and impossible dark legends, the countless tales from this haunted forest in Maryland keep piling on, making this perhaps one of the most busy as well as haunted forests in America.
Between Snow Hill and Pocomoke City in Maryland, the Pocomoke State Forest harbors more than just the natural beauty of the landscape on the Eastern Shore. The over 18 000 acre big forest comes with a chilling reputation that locals often share in hushed whispers, this forest is deemed off-limits after sundown, as tales of eerie encounters and ghostly apparitions weave through the trees.
The forest is often called the true Blair Witch Project forest, as it is perhaps the most well known haunted forest in Maryland where the iconic horror movie also took place. Pocomoke State Forest is shrouded in unsettling stories, with reports of women’s screams and infants’ cries echoing in the night. When people get out of the forest, they find strange marks on their cars, like the mark of a hand and at night, the forest closes.
Its reputation is further steeped in creepy urban legends, including accounts of mysterious fireballs illuminating the darkened woods. However, it’s the tales of ominous disappearances and untimely deaths that send shivers down the spines of those who dare to explore.
The Drowned Ghosts of Pocomoke State Forest
The very word, Pocomoke comes from the Agonquian language to mean broken ground. Historically though it was thought to mean Black Water and it is said that the water is totally dark thanks to the light not passing through the bald cypress trees.
Many tales of the ghosts haunting the forest are said to be the souls of those that drowned in the river or the swampy waters. Like the case with Joby Emmons and his son who were getting on their boat, but the son fell into the water and couldn’t get out. The father jumped in after him to rescue him, but they both got trapped under the boat and drowned.
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People claim that they have seen the spirit of Joby Emmons and his son walking along the river of Pocomoke State Forest.
Another group of people haunting the swamp areas are the children between the slaves and slave owners. There are countless of stories where the slave owners raped their slaves and if there was a child born, they took the children out into the swampy forest and drowned them. Many hikers claim to have felt the touch of something small or seen little shadows gliding through the trees.
The Sea-Captain and his Family Haunting the Forest
Many hikers and campers claim that they leave Pocomoke State Forest with mysterious handprints on their cars. What is strange is that the handprints look like it got six fingers, something a vicious Sea Captain who lived around these parts was said to have. It is believed to be him haunting the forest after his death after he murdered his family.
The place of the haunting is said to be centered around Cellar House Plantation that are still standing. It was built in 1666 and was said to have been built by a French Sea Captain for his wife, or at least bride to be.
He came back from the sea once though and found her pregnant, or having a child already, one that wasn’t his. It was a local man from Pocomoke City. He threw her out of the house and told her to never return.
She did though, as she had no place to go, trying to beg him for forgiveness. She had her baby with her and came down on a raft in the water. It tipped close to the house though and her baby drowned. She managed to swim to shore though, but was not saved.
In some versions of the story, the Captain was even the one drowning the child by throwing the baby into the river. Her estranged husband dragged her to the bedroom where he stabbed her to death and fled the scene of the crime into Pocomoke State Forest, never to return and be seen ever again.
As mentioned, one of the recurring things that people report they hear in the haunted forest is the sound of a woman screaming as well as a baby crying, reliving their final moments. What happened to the Captain after he murdered his family is uncertain, but he is rumored to be haunting the forest still.
The Heavy and Cursed Bible
Deep in the Pocomoke State Forest there once was an old church called Nazarene Church at the entrance to the Pusey Branch Nature Trail in the forest. It was a Methodist Church at the end of the 19th century. Today there is only an abandoned cemetery left as the building of the church was moved to Furnace Town in 1980.
According to the legends, there was perhaps a cursed Bible found inside of the old church, or perhaps just a little bit haunted. Many people tried to steal this hidden Bible when they found it and ran through the forest with it, but they never got far.
Apparently the Bible got heavier and heavier with each step you took until you dropped it and it ended up where it originally was. Whether the Bible even existed is uncertain as well if it came with the building to Furnace Town, or were left someplace at the old site.
The Haunted Furnace Town
But what is really Furnace Town? This part of the Pocomoke State Forest has many spirits lingering where people come back with tales of seeing ghostly figures, hearing disembodied voices and other paranormal things.
The ghost town that now is turned into a museum, and was built around the Maryland Iron Companies Nassawango Iron Furnaces in 1832. At its height Furnace Town used to employ hundreds of people. They also used slaves to do the hard labor and most ghosts seen are said to be the spirit of the slaves.
Most known ghost said to haunt this place is the former slave, Sampson Hat, or Sampson Harmon. It is said that he was one of the slaves that worked in the mines and smelting ore in the big furnaces. By 1847 the furnaces closed down and people started to move away and the town started to be a ghost town.
The only one who didn’t move was Sampson Hat who lived in the abandoned Furnace Town alone. The civil war came and passed, freeing him, but he still didn’t leave. According to some historical accounts he was born in 1790 at Nassawango Hills and was a free man working at Furnace Town to take care of his wife and children.
He came to think of Furnace Town as his true home and it is said he stayed at the same place, even when his family left. He lived there until his death at 107 or 104, depending on who is telling the story.
Before he died he spent a year at the Alms House in Snow Hill. Before passing he said he had to be buried at Furnace Town, but after his death, his wishes were not heard and his body was buried elsewhere. But according to the local legends, his spirit remains and is still haunting the old town as well as Pocomoke State Forest.
It is also said he is followed by his cats he collects and brings with him as his companions. You can hear him wandering around, calling out for Stormy which he calls the cats.
Reports about him were told a lot during construction of the former ghost town when they started to restore the town and turned it into a museum from the 1960s.
The Ball of Fire
Another strange thing reported in Pocomoke State Forest is the sighting of different elementals and no human spirits haunting the forest, taking different shapes and forms. One version told is the haunting of a big fiery ball. One version talks about the priest Paul Walker holding a revival in the forest around Pine Ridge in 1921. Some husbands were unhappy about their wives’ conversion and gathered to get the priest. They went to the church to burn it down and beat the priest up, but when the leader of the group opened the door to the church he stopped.
A ball of fire came from the rood and split in two and went down on each side of the church. This sight scared the men and they ran off.
The story about a fiery ball is also recounted in a legend about a man driving through Pocomoke State Forest going to Snow Hill. Ahead of him was a bright object that came close until it was around 30-35 yards from him.
The car stopped suddenly and he was too afraid to say anything or do anything as the object looked like a bright yellow box. He was trapped in this standstill for around 15 minutes before the object drifted into the woods and off the road. As soon as the object was gone, the car started again and he managed to drive away.
The Goat Man
Any haunted forest needs its monster stories. Like the Bigfoot or The Jersey Devil Pocomoke State Forest has the Goat Man of the Pocomoke River. It is said to be a creature with a mans body, but the head of a goat with horn.
The creature runs through the forest, eating the fishes in the river and the small animals in the forest. Not many sightings have been done of the Goat Man, but it is said you can hear him stepping on twigs and bushes in places that no man can walk.
The legend about the Goat Man is told throughout Maryland and also thought to live in Pocomoke State Forest around Prince George’s County in Maryland. The story about the Goat Man has been told for decades, perhaps even longer. In the 1970s, a student did a project about the lore behind the creature where they also discussed that the origin of the Goat Man could be traced back to the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center.
According to this version of the legend, the Goat Man was once a scientist working there called Dr. Stephen Fletcher.. During an experiment it mutated the scientist into the creature. It is said that he was attacking cars around Beltsville, around two hours drive from Pocomoke State Forest.
The Classic Urban Legend of the Boyfriend’s Death
Another thing with Pocomoke State Forest is that it is said to be the place of many famous urban legends from modern day America.
One unsettling narrative involves a couple stranded with an empty gas tank in the heart of the forest at night. As the boyfriend ventured out to fix it, the girlfriend dozed off in the locked car, oblivious to the scratching noises on the car roof that started sometime during the night.
When she awoke it was the next morning and her boyfriend had still not returned. She finally heard the sound of the scraping on the roof. She got out of the car and a harrowing sight awaited her – her boyfriend hanging by his feet over the car, his feet scraping the roof. His head was placed on the trunk of the car.
This urban legend is a pretty worldwide phenomenon by now, and has been so for decades now. According to Snopes, the earliest documented version of this legend was in 1964 by a student studying at the University of Kansas. It still is an all time favorite to tell in Pocomoke State Forest
Hook Man of the Pocomoke State Forest
This urban legend has also been told with the story of the Hook Man that has been told as far back as the 1950s, possibly being even older. In this legend, they were driving or parked somewhere in the woods as a news bulletin comes on the radio and warns them about a mental asylum patient having escaped and can be recognized with a hook as a hand. In this version it is from the Cambridge State Hospital.
In this version of the urban legend, he is mad at those who disturb the Pocomoke State Forest. The girlfriend gets scared and makes her boyfriend drive her home. As they are in the forest they hear strange things in the bushes and when they get home, they find a hook wedged into their car door handle.
The Bus Driver
Another urban legend told is coming from Pocomoke State Forest is the haunted bus. A school bus was taking a shortcut through the forest once when they experienced engine troubles and the bus had to stop. The bus driver went outside and tried to fix it, but strange things started to happen to the bus.
The sound of something walking on the roof of the bus started to scare the children and they saw ghostly and monstrous faces in the windows. The teacher accompanying them told them all to close the windows and went to the front of the bus to find the bus driver and get them out of there. The only thing the teacher found was a skeleton by the front of the bus.
The teacher slammed the door shut and got into the driver seat and drove them all back to the school when the bus started working again.
This story is a little bit more difficult to pinpoint where it comes from though.
A Stay at the Haunted Pocomoke State Forest
The trees seem to reclaim the old legends and places, but the spirit and ghosts remain. Pocomoke State Forest becomes a realm where the line between the living and the supernatural blurs, beckoning both the curious and the cautious to delve into its haunted mysteries.
Urban legends coexists with old ghost stories and both human spirit as well as something inhuman are said to roam around the trees.
The sky burial method by the Tower of Silencefor the Zoroastrian in Mumbai has been up for debate after the vulture population started to decline. There has also been a rise of haunted horror stories in later years circulating online, but just what is supposed to haunt the ancient burial place?
Right by the exclusive neighborhood of Malabar Hill in Mumbai lies a centuries-old structure shrouded in mystery and macabre legend – the Tower of Silence. This imposing structure deep in the 54-acre forest has long been associated with the Parsi community’s unique funeral customs, which involve leaving the dead on the tower’s rooftop to be devoured by vultures.
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However, reports of strange sightings and eerie happenings surrounding the Tower have sparked widespread speculation about the supernatural. Some say that the spirits of the departed are haunting the Tower, while others believe that darker forces may be at play. Is there something behind these rumors, or are they only fancy tales about a dwindling minority?
History and significance of the Tower of Silence in Mumbai
The Tower of Silence is a circular structure located in Mumbai’s Malabar Hill area. This particular tower was built in 1672 by Seth Moti Hirji and the Parsi community who practice the Zoroastrian religion and is not meant for outsiders to come and see, but for the community to bury their own.
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The Tower is a significant part of the Parsi community’s funeral customs that date back 3000 years, which involve the disposal of the dead in a sky burial. The concept of the towers are as old as 900 years. The Parsi religion believes that the body is impure after death and should not be buried or cremated. Instead, the dead are taken to the Tower of Silence, where they are left on the rooftop to be consumed by vultures.
The Zoroastrian religion and its beliefs around death
The Parsi community is an ethnic and religious minority in India that came to India around the 8th or 10th century AD after escaping from the rise of the Islamic Empire. In 1941 there were around 114 000 of them in India, but today, they estimate around 50 000. This does have something to do with 40 % of Parsi marrying outsiders, but you are only considered Parsi if you have a Parsi father. The women are often ostracized if they marry outside of their community.
The Parsi follow the Zoroastrian religion, which originated in ancient Persia and is one of the world’s oldest faiths that possibly dates back to the 2000 BCE. The Zoroastrian religion has a unique view on death and the afterlife compared to most religions. This comes from the prophet Zarathushtra that believed that the soul is immortal and will eventually reunite with its creator.
The Faravahar: also known as the Foruhar or the Farre Kiyâni, is a well-known symbol of Zoroastrianism. There are different interpretations of what the Faravahar represents, and there is no definite agreement on its meaning. However, it is commonly believed that the Faravahar is a Zoroastrian depiction of the fravashi, or personal spirit. The Faravahar is widely recognized in Iran and is often worn as a pendant. Although it has religious origins, it has also become a secular and cultural symbol for Iranians.
However, the body is considered Nasu which means impure after death and should not be buried or cremated. Instead, it should be left to decompose naturally. Not only was there the danger of spreading diseases, but it was also believed that corpses would attract evil spirits to possess them, also known as the Nasu Daeva, the body demon that infects the bodies.
The Parsi community’s funeral customs involve taking the body of the deceased to the Tower of Silence, where it is left on the rooftop to be consumed by vultures. This funeral process is known as “dokhmenashini,” which means “to place the body in the Tower of Silence.” and the towers themselves, called The Dakhma, originated in ancient Persia around 900 AD.
The process of disposing of the dead at the Tower of Silence
The process of disposing of the dead at the Tower of Silence is a unique and complex one. When a Parsi person dies, the body is taken to the Tower of Silence and placed on the rooftop in the dakhma, which is the funerary tower. The rooftop has three concentric circles, each with a specific purpose. The outer circle is for men, the middle circle is for women, and the inner circle is for children.
The Tower of Silence in Mumbai: A late 19th century engraving of a Zoroastrian Tower of Silence in Mumbai. Engraving from 1886 book “True Stories of the Reign of Queen Victoria” by Cornelius Brown.
Along with placing the body in the Tower of Silence, they recite the Vendidad which is a religious chant against the demons.
Once the body is placed on the rooftop, it is left to decompose naturally. The vultures consume the body, leaving only the bones behind in a matter of days. The bones are then collected and placed in an ossuary, which is a receptacle for human bones.
Controversies and debates around the Tower of Silence
The Tower of Silence has been a subject of controversy and debate for many years. Some people believe that the Parsi community’s funeral customs are inhumane and should be abolished. They argue that the Tower of Silence is a health hazard and a breeding ground for diseases, especially after Mumbai’s urban growth closing in on the once isolated sky burial sites. In Iran, they were banned in the 1970s after urbanization declared it a health hazard.
There was also the case of a shortage of vultures in India that made the burial method a controversy. After the drug Diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory medicine was introduced to livestock in the 1990s, it killed off 95 % of the birds as it was toxic for them to feed on the carcasses. It was banned in 2006, but the damage was already done.
On the other hand, the Parsi community argues that their funeral customs are an essential part of their identity and cultural heritage, although many Parsi have started to use cremation or burial instead, especially during Covid when the Tower of Silence was closed.
Entry Forbidden: An old photograph of the Dakhma from around ca. 1880 – ca. 1890. Today it is found inside of a dense forest and is off limit to outsiders.
They believe that the Tower of Silence is the most natural and respectful way to dispose of the dead. But when a woman named Dhun Baria took pictures of the piled up corpses in the dakhmas, they saw for themselves that their ancient way of purification didn’t work as it should after the vulture shortage. The rumors about the delayed decomposing of the corpses and a smell coming from the forest, although not confirmed, took hold over the narrative of the ancient tradition.
In recent years, there have been efforts to preserve and renovate the Tower of Silence, trying new and modern ways of decomposing. Like how they use solar power to speed up the process and work toward vulture conservation. The Parsi community has been working with the government and other organizations to ensure that the Tower is properly maintained and preserved for future generations.
Theories and speculations surrounding the macabre mystery
Now, perhaps this ancient and mysterious and different practice of disposing of the dead is what makes the place sound a little eerie and makes people question if there is something going on there. Perhaps it is the dwindling population that is leaving the Zoroastrian ways behind in the modern world that makes it all seem a bit out of place in modern Mumbai?
Or perhaps it is even the controversies and the difficulty the community had of disposing and honoring the dead after the vultures almost died out? Perhaps it is what the prophet said that the corpses are more vulnerable to attracting evil spirits and that is what is happening surrounding the legends and folklore of this cemetery?
There have been numerous reports of strange sightings and eerie happenings around the Tower of Silence. Some people have reported seeing apparitions of the deceased, while others have reported hearing strange sounds and voices. There have also been reports of unexplained movements and objects moving on their own.
The Tower of Silence’s Future
The Tower of Silence is a unique and fascinating structure with a rich history and cultural significance. It is a testament to the Parsi community’s unique customs and beliefs, which have been passed down through generations. Despite the controversy and speculation surrounding the Tower, it remains an essential part of the Parsi community’s identity and a significant landmark in Mumbai.
A Virginian forest at Chesapeake Bay has centuries of ghost stories to tell. The Old House Woods are packed with the spirits of pirates guarding treasures, soldiers from the wars as well as entire ghost ships lingering above the dense treetops.
A man was making his way through the Old House Woods in the dead of night. His car had broken down and as he was trying to fix it, a dark shape came closer and closer. Too close, and too late the man fixing his car noticed the horror of what was happening. The man realized that it was something that looked like a skeleton wearing a golden armor.
“Is this the Kings Highway? I’ve lost my ship,” the skeleton asked, the bones cracking, a voice coming from nowhere, the dark sockets of where the eyes should be, seeing nothing. The man freaked out and ran off, but this was not the first time armed skeletons were seen in the forest, as local, Jesse Hudgins reported of as early as in 1929, and perhaps not the last either along with the other strange mysteries of haunted treasures, ghosts of redcoats and even ghost ships.
The Deep Dark Old House Woods
The boggy and dense pine tree forest close to the serene Chesapeake Bay, is an 50-acre expanse known as Old House Woods in the little town of Diggs in Virginia, holds more than just the remnants of an abandoned colonial-era homestead and has been known as the Black Forest or Haunted Woods by the locals for centuries.
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This mystical forest down the Beach Haven Road is said to be steeped in history and mystery. It is said to be haunted by the lingering spirits of British soldiers and pirates who sought to conceal their treasures in the shadows of the 17th and 18th centuries as well as many other shapes and echoes of ghosts. We will now have a look at some of the stories that came out of these woods.
Frannie Knight House of Angry Spirits
The ghost stories from this area go back centuries as it has been used as a secret port by many and the eerie early colonial area is all steeped in mystery.
The woods are said to have gotten its name from an old colonial building from the late 1700s that was built in the middle of the woods. Whose house and where it was is uncertain. The building was abandoned and simply known as Frannie Knight House, and already then the place was said to be a haunted one.
People believed the abandoned house to be haunted by angry spirits and two times it caught fire spontaneously, the second time it burned down. As the locals said at the time, it was like the house set itself on fire.
The Storm Woman Looming Above the Trees
Another strange thing seen around Old House Woods is the story about The Storm Woman. She can sometimes be seen, hovering above the treetops in her white nightgown. It is said she is surrounded by a green or blue light.
Hanging above the trees she screams loudly, her ghostly voice echoing to the beach, as if she is warning the sailors about a storm that is coming. So although her appearance is fighting, perhaps she is one of the more kinder spirits you can encounter in the forest.
The ghosts of redcoats from the wars are seen as shadows between the trees as well as stranger stories. Ghost animals are seen as horses and crows are attacking wanderers of the woods as well as Black Hounds. As well as some strange stories about the forest being haunted by headless cows as well. This haunted forest covers all sorts of specters.
Buried Treasure and Vanishing Fishermen
The eerie tales of Old House Woods began with the pursuit of hidden riches, and there are many stories about hidden treasures in the forest or on the beach. One of the stories is that a ship sailed from England in 1651 by King Charles II after the Battle of Worcester. The ship was on its way to Jamestown, but got off course and ended up in White Creek.
The ship was seized by bandits that killed the crew and stole the treasure to bury it in the forest. It is said lanterns can be seen, green glowing in the dark and the ghost of the crew are still trying to protect the treasures as the ghost of the bandits are trying to dig it up.
Legend has it that in 1880, a daring fisherman named Tom Pipkin embarked on a quest for buried treasure within the forest’s depths. The locals were all warned to stay away from the forest as the woods were deep and the trees grew thick. There were also rampant pirates and thieves in the area and it was said that huge treasures were buried.
To the dismay of the locals, Pipkin never returned, and his boat, discovered days later, held not only an air of mystery but also two gold Roman coins and a silver cup. The forest had claimed another seeker, leaving the treasure untouched and enigmatic.
Ghostly Maritime Spectacles of Ghost Ships
Old House Woods extends its supernatural influence to the nearby Chesapeake Bay, where maritime mysteries unfold and there are also many stories about seeing ghost ships on the misty shore as well as above the forest. One of the more well known stories is when local fisherman Ben Ferbee recounted an otherworldly encounter when he claimed to have heard the ethereal strains of harp and organ music emanating from an unseen source.
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As he gazed upon the waters as he came out from White’s Creek, a colossal ghost ship materialized on the bay, defying the laws of the physical world. The phantom vessel glided over the beach, hovering above the woods, and revealed a surreal scene—an otherworldly crew descending from the deck on a rope ladder, armed with mysterious tools.
He called out, but they didn’t respond as they were heading straight towards him. It floated over his head and sailed ghostly up the beach over the trees. According to him, the ship stopped above the pine trees and threw down rope ladders the ghost climbed down from and disappeared through the trees.
Ghost Ships: One of the many legends about the woods is seeing the strange and haunted ghost ships floating above the trees or disappearing in the mist of the bay.
The Many Specters of Old House Woods
Old House Woods, with its spectral tales of vanished treasure seekers, ghostly maritime apparitions, and the secrets buried within its ancient trees, stands as a testament to the enigmatic forces that dwell within its borders. As night falls, and the whispers of bygone eras echo through the forest, those who venture into Old House Woods may find themselves facing a broad spectrum of ghosts.
Armed skeletons and pirates still guarding their gold, ghost ships trying to find their ports and strange ghosts warning against an oncoming storm.
In Salamanca in Spain we find the Castle of Buen Amor or the Castle of Good Love. It used to be the love nest of a Bishop and his mistress, and according to the legend her ghost is haunting the place that now is a hotel perfect for romantic getaways, just as intended.
In the heart of the Castilian countryside in Spain, this enigmatic fortress has stood the test of time, captivating locals and visitors alike with its romantic, yet tragic history. From ghostly apparitions to inexplicable phenomena, the Castle of Buen Amor is shrouded in mystery with an aura of eternal love.
Read more: Check out all of our ghost stories from Spain
History and Background of the Castle of Good Love
In Salamanca province, there is a castle dubbed, the Castle of Good Love. It is a reference of the romance between the Bishop, Alonso de Fonseca Quijada and Teresa de las Cuevas. Their love ended in tragedy though as well as it became a ghost story. To this day, people claim to have seen their ghosts.
The Castle of Good Love: Castillo de Buen Amor is said to be haunted by the lady in white, the woman the castle was built for.//Source: El Pantera/wikimedia
The Castle of Buen Amor, also known as the Castle of Good Love, has a rich and fascinating history that dates back centuries. Originally built as a defensive fortress in the 11th century, it served as a stronghold for various noble families throughout the years.
The Love Nest of the Bishop and his Mistress
Legend has it that the Bishop, Alonso de Fonseca Quijada, infatuated with Teresa de las Cuevas, commissioned the construction of the castle as a gift to her. He couldn’t give himself away as her husband, but he could give her a home. He bought the fortress in the 15th century and remade it to their love nest with more care for the architectural details to be a home for them rather for military defense.
Together they lived in this castle away from the talk of the town, trying to hide their unforbidden love. Although talk traveled fast and everybody knew of this affair, and so the castle was dubbed the Castle of Good Love.
The castle became a symbol of their love, and their story continues to be told to this day. It is said that their spirits still roam the halls of the castle, forever bound to each other and to the place they called home.
Castle of Buen Amor Made into a Hotel for Romantic Getaways
In the 1950s, the abandoned castle was bought by the family that now owns it. They spent the next decades restoring it to its former glory as it had been used as a warehouse until then.
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In 2003 they opened their doors and offered the castle as a location for weddings and a stay for honeymooners and people at a romantic getaway. Again it became a castle for romance and love.
The Lady in White Haunting the Castle
One of the most enduring legends associated with the Castle of Buen Amor is that of the Lady in White. Countless visitors and mediums have reported seeing ghosts in this fairytale romance castle.
More often than not they see a spectral figure dressed in flowing white robes, wandering the corridors of the castle. Some claim to have heard her soft footsteps and the rustling of her gown, while others have caught glimpses of her ethereal form disappearing into the shadows.
The identity of the Lady in White remains a mystery, but many believe she is the ghost of Teresa de las Cuevas, forever searching for her love, wandering within the walls they used to call their home.
The Enduring Allure of the Castle of Buen Amor
The Castle of Buen Amor continues to captivate the imaginations of all who dare to explore its haunted halls. It beckons you to uncover its secrets, to embrace the unknown, and to experience the romance of the paranormal.
On a bike path inside of Randolph Forest in Maine, it is said that strange things are heard and seen. The Old Narrow Gauge Volunteer Trail is said to be haunted by strange orbs, sounds and screams as well as the ghost of the local Bicycle Larry after he went missing.
In Randolph, Maine, lies a seemingly tranquil forest that conceals a tapestry of haunted legends and ghostly mysteries. The Randolph Forest, just a stone’s throw from Augusta, harbors tales of spectral occurrences and unexplained phenomena that have left visitors both intrigued and spooked.
Tracing the 1.25 mile long path of a long-defunct railroad that once transported Union soldiers to and from a veterans’ home in Togus, the hiking trail through Randolph Forest is steeped in history.
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Along the path of shallow streams and silent trees it is said that former soldiers’ spirits may linger, and the remnants of the bygone era add an eerie ambiance to the woods. As visitors venture deeper, they might encounter unexplained orbs of light and hear ethereal voices echoing like a mysterious chant.
Bicycle Larry’s Ghost
Over the Old Narrow Gauge Volunteer Trail there is now a bike path that transported the injured veterans up to Togus hospital in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Among the spirits said to roam Randolph Forest is the ghost of “Bicycle Larry,” a local legend known for pedaling around town. He is also sometimes known as bicycle Eddie and was often seen riding on a red Huffy or a gray mountain bike. The legend goes that, in 2004, Bicycle Larry mysteriously disappeared without a trace, leaving behind an air of uncertainty and they never found his body, or his bike.
Because of this people think that his dead body is still in the forest, perhaps buried in a shallow grave, still waiting to be found as police think there were suspicious circumstances around his disappearance. Some even claim he was murdered by a man called Norris Perry, a man he was staying with after a series of arguments between them the month he went missing.
Perry committed suicide before the entire story came into light. Before he died after an overdose of pills and alcohol he left a voice message, telling them that they would find Lawrence “Bicycle Larry” Farrell in a brook behind his trailer home. However, the police had to wait until spring, many months after his disappearance to investigate further.
Some daring visitors claim to have witnessed his spectral figure cycling through the woods, perpetually lost in the ethereal twilight.
The Strange Haunting in Randolph Forest
While the Randolph Forest may appear harmless during the day, a transformation occurs as the sun sets, and nightfall shrouds the landscape. As darkness descends, the whispers become more pronounced, and the shadows seem to dance with unseen entities. Daredevils who venture into the heart of Randolph Forest after nightfall may find themselves entwined in the ghostly embrace of the unknown.
People that have ventured to the deep parts of the forest claim to have seen orbs, or strange flashes of lights. There are also those that claim to have heard someone screaming, sometimes the words, Get Out can be heard, although they can never find a single living soul in the forest.
An online magazine about the paranormal, haunted and macabre. We collect the ghost stories from all around the world as well as review horror and gothic media.
