Tag Archives: article

Ukategorisert

Uncovering the Ghostly Legends of The Driskill Hotel in Austin

Leave a comment
Advertisements

The ghost stories about the cigar smoking cowboy, the two suicide brides as well as the playful ghost of a little girl has haunted the pristine rumor of The Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas. But how much of the stories are true, and how many ghosts are still checked into the hotel?

Downtown in Austin, Texas, stands a grand hotel with a dark and mysterious past. The Driskill Hotel, built in 1886 by cattle baron Jesse Driskill has been a staple of the city’s skyline for over a century and is the oldest operating hotel in the city. But behind its impressive architecture and luxurious amenities lies a darker side. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

Over the years, the Driskill has gained a reputation as one of the most haunted hotels in the country, with countless ghostly sightings and eerie occurrences reported by guests and staff alike. From the ghost of a young girl who fell to her death down the hotel’s grand staircase to the spirit of a cowboy who met his untimely demise in one of the guest rooms, Driskill’s history is steeped in supernatural lore. 

History of The Driskill Hotel

The Driskill Hotel was built in 1886 by Jesse Driskill, a wealthy cattle baron who wanted to create a luxurious hotel that would be the jewel of Austin’s social scene. The hotel was designed by Jasper N. Preston, one of the most prominent architects of the time, and its grand exterior and opulent interior made it an instant icon after its grand opening close to Christmas that year. The Driskill quickly became the center of Austin’s social and political life, hosting events and galas that drew the city’s elite.

Read More: Check out all haunted hotels around the world

But the hotel’s fortunes took a turn when Jesse Driskill lost his fortune in a high-stakes poker game. He was forced to sell the hotel, and it changed hands several times over the years. By the 1920s, the Driskill had fallen into disrepair and was in danger of being demolished. That’s when a group of Austin citizens banded together to save the hotel and restore it to its former glory.

Driskill Hotel: The lobby of the Driskoll Hotel in Austin Texas, a portrait of the founder by the stairs believed to still haunt the hotel. // Source: Kenneth C. Zirkel/Wikimedia

Today, The Driskill Hotel is a beloved landmark in Austin, known for its rich history and luxurious amenities. But the hotel’s past is not all glamour and elegance – it’s also steeped in ghostly legends and spooky stories.

Ghostly legends of The Driskill Hotel

The Driskill Hotel is no stranger to supernatural activity. Over the years, countless guests and staff members have reported eerie encounters and ghostly sightings. Disembodied voices, apparitions, strange noises, mysterious leaks and cold sensations are only some of the rumors people staying and working at the Driskill have experienced. 

The Haunted Song: “Ghost of a Texas Ladies’ Man” is a song from rock band Concrete Blonde, from 1992. Napolitano was inspired to write “Ghost of a Texas Ladies’ Man” after a supernatural experience she had during an overnight stay at the Driskill Hotel, in March 1991, on tour as the opening act for Sting: “There’s this horny ghost there that goes for women. ‘I wanna see you naked,’ that was the vibe. The minute I took my clothes off, I felt like there was someone watching me. He kept turning the lights on and off in my room. I finally unplugged all the lamps. Then he turned on the light in the closet and really slowly opened the closet door, just like a hand was opening it. The light in the closet shined out into the room onto the bed. Then I knew for sure he was there. I just said, ‘I know you’re here, but I know that you’re not going to hurt me, so I’m going to go to sleep now.’ I just got this feeling of amusement, like he was playing. He was just like a rascal. It was like a game. I guess I’m lucky he was in a good mood.”

The amount of information that has been passed down through the years have created many different variations and at times conflicting ghost stories. Here are just a few of the most chilling legends associated with the hotel.

The Ghost of Colonel Driskill

Jesse Driskill, the hotel’s founder, is said to haunt the halls of the Driskill to this day. Right after the hotel opened, he fell under financial stress as he had spent it all on alcohol, women and gambling as well as hotels. Besides the harsh winter and drought the following year after opening killed his cattle. Because of this, he had to give the Driskill up almost as soon as it opened and sold it to his brother in law. He had lost his fortune and built it up again many times, but this time, he wouldn’t recover financially. He died in May, 1890 of a stroke.

Legend has it that his restless spirit wanders the hotel, checking on the guests and staff and making sure everything is running smoothly. Some guests have reported hearing footsteps and the sound of a cane tapping on the floor, as if Colonel Driskill himself is still in residence.  Driskill’s portrait hangs in the hotel’s grand lobby and some claim that this is the man they interacted with. 

It is especially the room that was his favorite, overlooking 6th Street & Brazos that is haunted according to the stories. He has been seen by visitors, smoking a cigar as he looks out the window. 

The smell of cigar is most connected with his haunting, the smell lingering in the lobby he used to greet guests. Security guards also claim to have heard his voice, asking for a match behind them, although nothing was there except the smell. 

The Suicide Brides of The Driskill

Some of the more well known ghost stories from the Driskill are about the brides supposedly haunting it. The staff have reported about a woman crying on the floor when it is empty. Even the singer Annie Lennox claimed that one of the ghost brides had helped her choose a dress when she put two on the bed before taking a shower. When she came back, one of them was back in the closet. 

Some say that perhaps in the 1950s, a bride stayed in room 525 when the fiance called the wedding off the day before. According to the lore, she hanged herself in the room. 

The same thing happened several years later in the same room twenty years later on the same day. Or was it really the same room? Was it even a suicide the first time? Some claim that both brides killed themselves in room 525, but one of the stories is also said to have taken part in Room 329, and at least one source claiming it was in room 427 or 29.

One story goes like this: A bride checked into her room in the early 1990s. Or was it in the early 1980s? 1989 as some claim it was? This was by the way during a time when room 525 was shut off before it reopened for guests in 1998. 

According to the legend, she was a socialite who had just been left by her fiance. She booked a five day stay at the Driskill. She had one final day where she went shopping for around 10 to 40k the second day she stayed there, all on her fiance’s credit card. 

On her third day, she put up a “do not disturb” sign on her door. She lined up all of her new stuff by her bed before shooting herself in the head with a pillow muffling the sound. Some say they found her in the bathtub after they broke into the room after they suspected something was wrong. 

The True Story of the Ghost Brides

How true this story is, is uncertain. There are many dates, room numbers and little detailing of the incidents, especially the first. According to the Austin Ghost Tour, this version was written by an employee in India for a company in New York that has never been to Austin. So what is the true story then?

Police reports talk about Tara, and she was not a socialite. She was said to have bought alcohol, cigarettes and a people magazine, instead of shopping goods. It is said that she would have died of alcohol poisoning if she hadn’t shot herself. 

According to guests staying there, they claim to sometimes see the ghost of the woman dragging her many bags from her shopping day up and down in the halls of the hotel. There is also said to be a ghostly wailing coming from the rooms the brides died in. 

The Child Ghost Playing at the The Driskill Hotel

On the fifth floor of the hotel is a mysterious portrait that is said to have caused supernatural occurrences. The portrait is unnamed, but based on a painting by Charles Trevor Garland (1855-1906) known as “Love Letter” by or for a Richard King. 

It depicts a little girl with flowers in one hand and a letter in the other. Some claim it is haunted by the four year old daughter named Samantha Houson, of the US Senator Temple Lea Houston, who died in a horrible accident at the hotel. 

The girl often called Samantha was playing in the Grand Staircase of the Mezzanine in 1887. This is before the painting was created though, or perhaps around this time. That May the hotel also closed its doors, so it had to have been before this.

Driskill hosted a function that year for a Legislative Session that year. US Senator Temple Lea Houston had seven children. Only four of their children survived childhood and one of them who didn’t was said to have been Samantha. The Senator had given his daughter a ball to play with. Skipping in the staircase she reached for her ball to bounce, but she fell and died of a broken neck. 

People claim to have heard the sound of the ball bouncing from the walls as well as hearing the giggles of a little child. Guests have reported seeing apparitions of children playing in the hallways. When children come back from playing, they often claim to have played with a little girl called Samantha. 

It is especially heard around the stairs, but as mentioned, the portrait on the fifth floor is also said to have strange things like dizziness and strange sensations around it that people often claim is connected to the girl. It is said that the painted girl looks eerily similar to Samantha. Perhaps the wildest story is how the girl’s expression in the painting seems to change when looking away. 

The Presidential Ghost

One of the more famous ghosts said to haunt the hotel is Lady Bird and Lyndon B. Johnson, often referred to as LBJ. The couple first met in the Driskill Dining room in 1934 and returned every year for special occasions. It is said that the hotel was Lyndon B. Johnson’s favorite place in the city. It was even here he waited for the results of his 1948’s Senate run, his 1960’s Vice President run and in the presidential election in 1964. 

Read Also: The Ghost Within The White House

According to those visiting the ballroom, they sometimes claim to see the late president with his wife in the mirrors as they pass by.

The Ghost of a Mrs. Bridge Minding the Front Desk

One of the former employees of the hotel said to haunt it, is Mrs. Bridge. She worked at the hotel for many years in the early 1900s and it is said she is sometimes still working. At night, people claim to have seen a woman in a Victorian dress, fussing over flower arrangements in the lobby. It is said that her apparitions are often accompanied by the smell of roses as she loved flowers when she was alive. She has also been seen walking from the vault to the lobby where the old front desk used to be. 

The Ghost of Peter Lawless

One of the ghosts haunting the hotel is said to have a more poltergeist presence than the other. Peter Lawless worked as a ticket agent for the Great Northern Railroad in the early 20th century. Peter Lawless was born July 23, 1851 and died in Austin on June 29, 1931. After his wife passed, he moved into the Driskill. 

From 1886 to 1916, he lived and worked from the fifth floor where he set up shop. Years it is said he lived there vary. Ever since his death people claim to have seen Lawless coming out from the elevators, looking at the time and his railroad watch and greeting the staff at the front desk before vanishing into thin air. 

Housekeeping claims he is watching them as they are cleaning and there have even been those claiming to have seen him stepping in front of a bus outside the hotel. His ghost is said to have dark hair and pants with a white shirt and a pocket watch.

The Royal Haunting in the Mirrors

The Driskill Hotel is also said to be the place of a certain royal haunting.This haunting legend tied to Empress Carlotta of Mexico. She was born Charlotte and was a princess of Belgium. In the 1850s, Carlotta and her husband, Emperor Maximilian, ruled Mexico, seen as a puppet regime, but their reign ended in tragedy when Maximilian was executed, and Carlotta descended into madness. Heartbroken she survived with the support from European courts, suffering paranoid delusions.

The Ghost of an Empress: Empress Charlotte in mourning clothes. Photography by Eugène Disdéri, 1867.

After their fall, eight ornate gold-framed mirrors, originally meant as a belated wedding gift for Carlotta, made their way to the Driskill in 1930. It is not known if Empress Carlotta knew about the wedding gift at all, but some say that she is now haunting the mirrors. Adorned with a color palette of gold and white, the Maximilian Room features unique accents such as eight lavish gold leaf mirrors, originally discovered in the 1930s. This charming space has since been converted into an area for premium dining events, with 1,500 square feet of space and room for 20 to 150 attendees.

Since their installation in the hotel’s “Maximilian Room,” guests and staff have reported eerie experiences, including sightings of Carlotta’s ghost. One photographer claimed to see a woman in a white gown appear in the mirrors but vanish when he turned around, leaving only her reflection. Many believe Carlotta’s spirit haunts the mirrors, watching over the last remnants of her lost empire.

Why did the Hotel Become Haunted?

The Driskill has had many faiths coming through its doors throughout the years, but could it be another reason for it being haunted? Something older perhaps? One of the many reasons the hotel was built on this exact spot was because of the artesian water right by it. Driskoll thought that this would supply the hotel with water for years to come. 

This artisan water used to be hollow ground for the native Americans though. Both the Apache, Tonkawas as well as the Comanche used to believe that the water from the spring had the power to hold spirits. Many believe this is the foundation that started the haunting. 

Many paranormal investigators have spent numerous nights in the hotel in search of ghosts. Could the hotel really be haunted? Could it be that the ghost of Driskill is still smoking in the lobby, or could it actually be from the tobacco shop that used to be in the lobby still lingering? Could there be something lurking within the mirrors and paintings as well as the rooms not of this world?

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

Featured Image: Spawnzilla/ Wikimedia

The Haunted Driskill Hotel – Austin Ghosts

The Haunted Driskill Hotel | Austin’s Haunted Hotel

Who is Haunting the Driskill Hotel? – Austin Ghost Tours

Is this Painting in the Driskill Hotel Haunted by a Little Girl’s Ghost?

The Haunted Driskill Hotel – Austin Ghost Tours 

The Haunted Driskill Hotel — Eerie Lights 

‘I talk to ghosts and they’re my friends – what it’s like working in a haunted hotel’ – Mirror Online

Room With A Boo: Haunted Hotels in Texas

Haunted Driskill Hotel, Austin, Texas

Driskill hotel in Austin Tx… Suicide Bride from Houston?

Driskill Hotel

9 Allegedly Haunted Paintings — And The Disturbing True Stories Behind Them

The Love Letter’s Replica Painting Inside The Driskill Hotel

Home of “The Ghost of a Texas Ladies’ Man” | bumpinthenightblog

Ghost of a Texas Ladies’ Man – Wikipedia 

Ukategorisert

Ghostly Enigmas of Grand Canyon Caverns

Leave a comment
Advertisements

Inside the Grand Canyon Caverns you can explore, have dinner in their restaurant or even sleep in their overnight suit. According to the stories, there are also stories about the possibility of encountering ghosts within the deep dark caves. 

Venture to the western expanse of the Grand Canyon, and you’ll find yourself within the mystical embrace of the Hualapai Indian Reservation, home to a haunting mystery that unfolds in the depths of the Grand Canyon West Rim near the Peach Springs in Arizona along Route 66. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

Amidst the expansive terrain lies a subterranean wonder known as the Grand Canyon Caverns, discovered by Hualapai woodcutters in the year 1917, revealing itself as the largest dry cavern system in the United States. Some also claim they are some of the most haunted ones. 

The Grand Canyon: The National park of the Canyon encompasses over 1.2 million acres of rugged landscape, with the Colorado River carving a mile-deep gorge that stretches 277 miles long and up to 18 miles wide around 5 or 6 million years ago. The park’s striking geological formations, vibrant hues, and dramatic vistas attract millions of visitors each year, offering opportunities for hiking, rafting, and exploring the highs and lows of the Canyon. It is also said to have several haunted places.

The Grand Canyon Caverns History

These dry caverns, situated 220 feet below ground level, were formed 65 million years ago through the action of an ancient inland sea that covered the area. Visitors can explore the extensive underground network of rooms and passageways, which are known for their stunning geological formations, including stalactites and stalagmites. 

The cave system is the largest dry caverns in the U.S and visitors can both tour, eat at the restaurant as well as stay the night. The caverns house the unique Grand Canyon Cavern Suite, a luxurious hotel room that provides an extraordinary and eerie overnight experience. 

Yet, beneath the surface beauty of these colossal caverns lies a veil of spectral enigma, where shadows dance with the echoes of a bygone era, and the whispers of restless souls seem to linger in the eternal darkness.

Inside the Caves: Grand Canyon Caverns was designated a fallout shelter in 1961 and is believed to be haunted. // Source: Lauri Väin

The Haunting of the Caves

Inside the Grand Canyon Caverns: Lauri Väin

It is said that the Grand Canyon Caverns are so dry that no bacteria or viruses can survive there for more than 72 hours. But could ghosts still be lingering here? According to the stories they do. The question that perplexes both visitors and locals alike is: Who are the spectral inhabitants of the Grand Canyon Caverns? Some believe that the ethereal presence of Native Americans, who found their final rest within these rocky chambers, continues to wander among the subterranean labyrinths. 

It is said that many Hualapai tribe members were buried in the caverns centuries ago as an ancient burial place. It is the spirits of these tribesmen that haunt the caverns today. In the past 50 years, there have also been at least 8 people who have died or at least been buried on the property around the caves. Could some of these also be haunting the caves?

Other chilling accounts tell of a ghostly mine worker, a phantom of the past whose apparition has been glimpsed standing beside the cavern’s eerie elevator. His spectral form, frozen in time, echoes the tales of labor and sacrifice that once resonated within the subterranean depths.

The Haunted Grand Canyon Cavern Suite

For a truly haunted experience, there is also the Grand Canyon Cavern Suite found in the caves where a lot of the haunted rumors come from. This subterranean hotel room, situated within the expansive Grand Canyon Caverns, provides guests with an extraordinary opportunity to sleep in a lavishly appointed space surrounded by ancient rock formations. The room dates back to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, when a corner of the caverns was set up as a fallout shelter.

Grand Canyon Caverns Luxury Suite: For around 1000 dollars you can stay underground in the caves. Several of the guests that have stayed the night claim to have experienced what they believe to be paranormal. // Source: Flickr

Haunting of the Cave Hotel

One of the most common reports from the cavern suite involves rocks inexplicably whizzing through the air, especially after the Grand Canyon Caverns appeared on an episode of “Ghost Adventures.”. 

Many guests have been disturbed by strange noises emanating from around the bed’s headboard. These sounds range from soft whispers to loud thumps, and often occur in the dead of night when the caverns are at their quietest. Some visitors have even reported feeling an unseen presence moving near the bed, as if someone—or something—is watching them as they sleep.

Dancing Shadow Figures

Shadow figures are another common sight within the cavern suite. Guests have described seeing dark, humanoid shapes dancing along the walls of the room, moving in eerie, fluid motions. These shadowy apparitions often vanish as quickly as they appear, leaving behind an unsettling sense of unease and the feeling of being observed. Could it be the pressing feeling of being placed deep in a dark cave or could it be something else?

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Haunted Hotels

Perhaps the most unnerving reports involve the sounds of chanting that echo through the cavern’s depths. These chants, often described as rhythmic and otherworldly, seem to emanate from deep within the earth, reverberating through the suite’s stone walls. Some believe these chants are connected to ancient rituals or spirits that dwell within the caverns, adding to the suite’s mystique and haunted reputation.

Who are Haunting the Caves?

As mentioned, there are not many names attached to the possible hauntings said to go on inside of the Grand Canyon Caverns. 

Some believe one of the ghosts to be that of Walter Peck, the man who turned the cave into a tourist attraction after he stumbled over it in 1927 on his way to a poker game. Perhaps it could be the two brothers of the Hualapai woodcutters who died of the flue when they discovered it in 1917 and were buried there after being trapped in a snow storm in 1917?

Or could it perhaps be something more ancient and unknown, lost in the darkness and deepness of the Grand Canyon Caverns?

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

Grand Canyon Caverns 

Grand Canyon Caverns Hotel – Deepest, Darkest, Oldest Room In The World 

Most haunted places in Arizona: These 11 surprising places will give you the chills 

Grand Canyon Caverns: Ancient History To Present Day | Desert Wonder Tours 

Ukategorisert

Pegue’s Ghost in the Abandoned Antebellum Cahawba Town

Leave a comment
Advertisements

The ghost town of Cahawba is a remnant of southern antebellum life that died with the Civil War. It is said that the former state capital still has some ghosts living in Cahawba Town the rest of the world abandoned.

Along the confluence of the Cahaba and Alabama rivers lies Cahawba, Alabama’s first state capital and one of its most haunted places if we are to believe the legends. Established in 1819 not far from Selma, Cahawba Town thrived as a bustling antebellum river town for years. Today it is a ghost town in what is called Old Cahawba Archaeological Park.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

Cahawba Town is listed on many most haunted lists, and they also provide haunted ghost tours around the place. But what are the haunted legends from the ghost town said to be one of the more haunted places in the country?

The History of Cahawba Town

Let’s first have a look at the history of the town and those who lived there. Cahawba Town or Cahaba as it is sometimes spelled, used to be fertile tallgrass prairies before the 1830s. Then, as mentioned, it was the first permanent capital of Alabama from 1820 to 1825 as well as being the country seat of Dallas Country until 1866. 

This was during the wealthy antebellum years, based on cotton money, made on the back of slaves. Even though it was wealthy it still had a reputation of not being the best place to live because of the location. The floods were said to be big and happened too often. The very air was thought to be bad, as they believed that miasma in the air caused diseases like malaria, yellow fever and cholera. In reality it was the mosquitoes who carried the diseases. 

Cahawba Town: Kirkpatrick mansion on Oak Street, burned in 1935. The two-story brick slave quarters remains intact. // Source: Leigh T Harrell/Wikimedia

By the time the Civil War started, the town had around 2000 residents, where around 64 percent of the population were the black slaves. The Civil War changed everything here though, and during it, the prison known as Castle Morgan held more than 3000 Union soldiers. 

Read More: Check out more ghost stories from Haunted Towns

Its prosperity was short-lived, however, as the Civil War and subsequent flooding led to Cahawba Towns abandonment because it lost the businesses and jobs that were associated with it being the county seat. Some say that the story about the flooding was exaggerated, or even a lie seeing that 1925 was a drought year by the media because of the competition of becoming the capital. 

The Selma newspapers called ‘The Mecca of the Radical Republican Party,’ after the white residents left and more black communities started to grow in town. Although it became a popular place for the freed slaves after the war for a while, they too soon left for a better place in the Reconstruction Period. 

Today, the Cahawba Town is a ghost town, its empty buildings, slave burial grounds, and eerie cemeteries providing a chilling backdrop for tales of the supernatural.

The Legend of Pegues’s Ghost

Christopher Claudius Pegues

Among the many haunted tales of Cahawba Town, the most famous is that of the luminous floating orb known as “Pegues’s Ghost.” Shortly after Colonel C.C. Pegues, who was the head of Alabama’s Fifth Rifle Regiment. He was killed in the Battle of the Seven Pines in Virginia on July 15th in 1862, witnesses reported seeing a mysterious glowing light appearing in the garden maze of his former home and favorite Magnolia trees. 

When the news of his death reached the village, a slave boy rang a bell, walking from his house with the funeral notice as well as a black streamers known as ‘weepers’ from his shoulders, a custom now gone. 

One evening in 1862 a young couple was walking close to the cedar maze. It was then they saw a white orb floating past them. When they tried to touch it, the ghostly orb vanished into the green, although it appeared again. Because of its timing, the strange orb was named after the colonel.

The maze is now gone, and so is the house that used to be located on a lot that occupied a block between Pine and Chestnut streets. The unexplained phenomenon of the Will’O’the’Wisp like light has captivated locals and visitors alike, with many seeking out the ghostly light that continues to manifest to this day.

The Haunted Cemeteries

But “Pegues’s Ghost” is not the only source of eerie activity in Cahawba Town. The cemeteries of Cahawba are another focal point for ghostly encounters, especially the one known as The New Cemetery. 

Eerie whispers, phantom footsteps, and shadowy figures are frequently reported by those who dare to venture into these hallowed grounds after dark. Many believe that the souls of the town’s former residents remain tethered to this place, unable to find peace.

Read More: check out more ghost stories from Haunted Cemeteries

It is especially around the burial grounds for the slaves many of the haunted reports come from. It was created in 1819 and many of the graves are unmarked and without headstones. It is said that the last burial was in 1957.

The abandoned streets and structures have given rise to numerous reports of ghostly apparitions and unexplained sounds. Visitors often speak of feeling a chilling presence while walking through the ruins of the once-grand statehouse and the numerous homes that have long since been vacated. The town’s slave burial ground is particularly noted for its paranormal occurrences, where the anguished spirits of those who suffered in life are said to roam.

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

Thirteen Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey: Commemorative Edition by Kathryn Tucker Windham, Margaret Gillis Figh: https://books.google.no/books?id=OR7zAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA44&lpg=PA44&dq=Pegues+Ghost&source=bl&ots=7B5gnWrwGW&sig=ACfU3U0VKhwNeEod4g3KG-mOf4IwzhU3lA&hl=no&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwil8caz0pKHAxUGGxAIHXe0A9gQ6AF6BAgdEAM#v=onepage&q=Pegues%20Ghost&f=false 

Cahaba, Alabama – Wikipedia 

Ukategorisert

The Haunting of Bodie Ghost Town Frozen in Time

1 Comment
Advertisements

Frozen in time, the Bodie Ghost Town, once a big mining town in the Sierra Nevada mountains during the Gold Rush, now only sand, dust and ghost lives. It is also said to be cursed.

 “Goodbye God! We are going to Bodie.”
Prayer from a little girl moving to Bodie

High in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, Bodie was once a bustling gold-mining town in the 1870s and ’80s Gold Rush, drawing thousands of hopeful prospectors with gold fever. As the gold dried up, the people left the town to die. Now there are only tumbleweeds, dust and ghosts left. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

Today, Bodie Ghost Town stands as a State Historic Park and has done so since 1962, preserved in a state of “arrested decay,” where the remnants of its vibrant past remain eerily untouched. Visitors wandering through the abandoned streets of over 150 buildings still standing as they did the day the people left, they can peek into homes with tables set for dinner and shops still stocked with supplies, as if the townsfolk might return at any moment.

History of Bodie Ghost Town

Founded after gold was discovered in the hills surrounding Mono Lake in 1859 by W.S. Bodey, the town rapidly grew, especially during the 1870s and ’80s, reaching a population of around 10,000 at its peak, becoming one of the most successful gold mining places in California. 

Bodey searched the area for 10 years in the area and the mining camp he and his friends founded in 1859 soon grew into a prosperous town. The same year though, he was caught in a blizzard on his way to Monoville. The next spring his friends found him and named the town after him, although the painter did misspell his name on the sign and they never changed it. 

The Gold Rush really kicked off in 1876 when the Standard Company discovered a large deposit of gold ore and people flocked to the place to get a piece of it. 

Brodie Ghost Town: Bird’s Eye View photograph of Bodie, California in the 1890s when people still lived there. Looking east from the cemetery. // Source: William Thompson – Heritage Auction Gallery

Bodie became infamous for its lawlessness and rough reputation, filled with 65 saloons on the Main Street stretching for a mile down the road, brothels, and gambling halls in the red light districts on the northern end of town. As a true Wild West town it had a Wells Fargo Bank, several fire departments, a railroad and its own Chinatown with several hundreds of Chinese residents, a Taoist temple and plenty of Opium dens. 

Life could be rough in the town with gunfights and murders as well as the harsh working conditions in the mines took many lives. The weather was harsh and the winters could take hundreds of lives in blizzards, exposures and other diseases. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Haunted Towns

However, as the gold veins were exhausted and mining operations became less profitable, the population dwindled, and by the early 20th century, Bodie was in decline. After the second world war, they never resumed mining and only six people lived there at the time. The last residents left by the 1940s, and Bodie became a ghost town. 

As mentioned, Bodie Ghost Town stands as a State Historic Park, preserved as a ghost town where everything is left, offering a glimpse into the past with its abandoned buildings. The term used to describe the stillness of the town, arrested decay, means the state park only intervenes to prevent the remaining buildings from collapsing and no more restoration will be done. Around 10 % of the original buildings are still standing, and perhaps soon, they too will only become a distant memory.

The Haunting of Bodie Ghost Town

Bodie’s ghostly atmosphere is more than just a preservation effort; it is a place steeped in supernatural lore. Many who visit the Bodie Ghost Town report ghost sightings, particularly of miners and townspeople from the town’s heyday. A woman in a white hood and black and white dress holds a basket in her hand and wanders the town at midnight. Around the mines a tall figure is said to hold a light as he enters the mines and walks them until dawn. 

Phantom music sometimes drifts from the shuttered bars, evoking the rowdy nights when saloons were filled with the sounds of clinking glasses and laughter. There are also particular ghost said to haunt the houses mostly named after the families who lived there. 

Storm over Bodie Ghost Town: Dave Bradford Condit/ Flickr

Ghost of the Last Residents of Bodie Ghost Town

But what happened to the last people living in Bodie? According to the legends, they are now haunting it. One of the men named Ed shot his wife dead, but then three other men came and killed the murderous husband, beating him up and leaving him to drown in a creek. 

It is said the ghost of the murdered man came two months after his death back to haunt his killers, shaking his fist and trying to attack them. The three men soon died themselves, said to be from different strange diseases. One died from a huge cut on his face, the other died from a hemorrhage that made his head blow up like a balloon. The third walked off and died in a ravine.

The three men remaining in town thought it had to be because of the curse put on them by the man they murdered. Sometimes, people claim they still haunt the Bodie Ghost Town.

The Angel of the Bodie Cemetery

Many of the lawless people and prostitutes were not buried in the local cemetery, but in the Boothill Graveyard known as the Bodie Outcast Cemetery. 

This is also where they buried the Chinese residents, often in unmarked graves. The idea was to be buried in the ground until the bones were clean so they could be sent back to their homeland and family. However this has not been the case for many of them, and the unrest people think must be over these graves are thought to be the paranormal reason to many of the strange things happening around the old Chinatown that are no longer standing. 

Read also: Check out the ghost stories from haunted cemeteries

In the Bodie Cemetery though, you can find the grave marked with a child angel. This is the grave of Evelyn, now known as the Angel of Bodie, said to haunt the cemetery. She was a three year old child, the daughter of general shop owner Albert and Fanny Myers. She died when she was hit in the head with a miner’s pick by accident. 

The Angel of Bodie: The grave of Evelyn, said to haunt the cemetery. // Source: George Oates/Flickr

Now people claim to have heard giggles of a small girl in the cemetery, and they believe that it must be Evelyn, the Angel of Bodie. Parents that have brought their children also claim that they have started playing with a thing the only child sees. 

The J.S Cain House

One of the haunted buildings in Bodie Ghost Town is the J.S Cain House. This used to be the home of a banker and businessman at the corner of Park and Green Streets. James S. Cain made his fortune from lumber and banking before finding gold. They were perhaps the riches in town and ended up owning most of the property in it.

Now the house built in 1879 is occupied by Park Rangers and their families. Strange things like doors and window opening by themselves happen from time to time. It is said to be haunted by a Chinese woman, appearing to children who visit the bedrooms on the second floor. This has made people think that she might have been a maid used to taking care of the children of the house. 

According to a park ranger staying there, he used to have friends and family with children come to stay with him. One day the children came downstairs and asked who the nice Chinese lady that read them a bedtime story was. 

But it is not only children that have felt her presence. Although the ghost is said to be friendly with children, she seems to hate the adults and people talk about being pushed and having a suffocating feeling when staying there. 

The wife of a ranger once talked about when she went to bed in the room and woke, feeling something sitting on top of her. She almost suffocated and had to fight her way out, falling to the floor. A ranger named Gary Walter also claimed to have had an encounter with her in the same room. He saw the door open and felt a heavy presence again, giving the same suffocating feeling. 

What could the resentment come from though? Some say that there is more to the story, and the maid and nanny working in the house did not have a happy ending. It is said that she was fired when the wife, Martha Delilah Cain threw her out on the street on a cold winter night. The woman wandered off in the snowstorm and was never heard from again. It was also said that her reputation was ruined and the woman killed herself. 

The Gregory House

The modest house in Bodie Ghost Town close to the stamp mill Is said to be haunted by the ghost of an old woman, sitting in a rocking chair as she is knitting an afghan. It is also said that at times, the rocking chair has seen rocking by itself. 

The Gregory House: King of Hearts/Wikimedia

It used to belong to Nathan Gregory and his son, Spence who were cattle ranchers. Spence was one of the last residents of the town, and a retired mining engineer. 

It is also said that park rangers have seen something sitting down at the foot of a bed in one of the rooms, invisible, but leaving marks of leg and hands on the quilt. Could it be Spence Gregory himself haunting it?

The Dechambeau House

The Dechambeau Hotel was first a post office in 1879, but then it became a hotel before it turned into a bar and cafe, operating until the early 1930s as Bodies last businesses. It is said to be haunted by a female ghost said to be looking out from the upstairs window. 

The building itself is named after the miner family Dechambeau, originally from Lonqueil, Quebec Province Canada. Could it be one of those still remaining inside? 

The Dechambeau House: King of Hearts/Wikimedia

The Mendocini House

On Union Street there is the haunted Mendocini House, that was the house to an Italian family said to still have ghostly gatherings and dinners. It belonged to a man who drove freight trucks from Aurora and several generations of the family lived in the house. Annie Mendocini herself is said to be haunting the house and the smell of her Italian cooking sometimes comes from the window. Park rangers in Bodie Ghost Town claim to have smelled the scent of garlic as well as seen the steam from boiling water. 

There are also reports about the sounds like there is a large gathering happening inside, as if they are holding a large meal. It is also said to be haunted by children and people claim to have heard their laughter. 

The Mendocini House: Daniel Mayer/Wikimedia

The Haunted Mines of Bodie

But what about the mines that drew the people to this deserted place in the first place? Over the years it is said many died working the mines right outside of Bodie Ghost Town. 

It is said a miner who was killed in the Lent Shaft explosion is still haunting the mines. This came after the story from a park ranger who threw rocks down the shaft when the ghostly voice of the miner yelled back, “Hey you!” at him.

Read Also: The Glowing People in the Mines of Barranco de Badajoz or The Gold Fevered Ghost of the Lost Horse Mine in Joshua Tree National Park for more haunted mines.

There is also a tale of a white mule who started to haunt the mines two weeks after it died when the mine was still in operation. The workers smelled mule droppings and appeared in front of the miners 500 feet below the ground, making many of them refuse to work there.

The Curse of Bodie

One of Bodie’s most chilling legends warns of a curse that befalls those who take anything from the town, even a simple rock and bad luck will follow those breaking the rules. 

Every year there are around 200. 000 people visit the park, and some can’t help themselves and take things from Bodie Ghost Town. Even a whole piano was loaded on the truck before being returned after they heard about the curse. Tales abound of visitors who, after pocketing a memento, experience a string of misfortunes—health issues, accidents, and unexplained bad luck. Desperate to rid themselves of the curse, they often return the stolen items to Bodie, hoping to appease the restless spirits.

The rangers receive letters and packages from the visitors that regret that they stole and believe themselves to be haunted by the curse. Even things like purchased things at the gift shop are sometimes returned. The letters are often anonymous and handwritten, telling the town that they are very sorry and for the spirit to forgive them.

“You can have these godforsaken rocks back. I’ve never had so much rotten luck in my life. Please forgive me for ever testing the curse of Bodie.”
– From a letter to Bodie, 2004

Is the curse said to linger in Bodie Ghost Town real though? As with more than one park, there is a curse put on parks where the rangers get frustrated with visitors taking bits and pieces with them. In an attempt to stop people, it is said the Californian Department of Parks and Recreation started the rumor. Perhaps they didn’t realize how big it would get, but it surely did deter people from stealing, or at least giving it back when they think they are cursed.

Although the curse of Bodie Ghost Town is said to have been made as a cautionary tale from a well meaning ranger, it seems to have brought more work than worth. Now people are said to have started stealing, just to see if the curse works or not before sending the items back. Every time an item is returned, they have to file a police report for it, and most often, they can’t put it back as they have no idea where it came from, now only sitting in storage or on display. This is why they have stopped talking about the curse all together.

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

Bodie Cemetery – Haunted Houses 

This Ghost Town’s ‘Curse’ Isn’t What You Think | KQED 

The Spooky Story of Bodie Ghost Town | Mammoth Lakes Blog 

The Spirit of Bodie: A Walking Tour of the Ghost Town | Visit Mammoth 

https://eu.vvdailypress.com/story/lifestyle/travel/2021/10/24/beyers-byways-seeking-ghosts-bodies-arrested-decay/6140108001

Mendocini House 

Bodie State Historical Park Mines – Haunted Houses 

Gregory House 

John S. Cain House 

List of buildings in Bodie, California – Wikipedia 

de chambeau ranch california 

Ukategorisert

The Ghosts of Dukhani House in Shimla Hills

Leave a comment
Advertisements

The House of Dukhani is a beautiful house once used for gatherings and parties for the British. The Dukhani House is also thought to be haunted by the ghost of an old man wearing a gown that is said to have shot himself in the house. 

Shimla, with its enchanting cold airs and mystical ambiance, has always been a magnet for ghostly tales from the mountains and forests and otherworldly phenomena in the old colonial haunted houses and ghosts of dead British settlers and locals alike. 

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

Amidst these hills lie the echoes of the British colonial era, where grand mansions and bungalows once hosted British officers that used this area as their vacation spot. However, some of these elegant houses continue to house more than just memories, as they are believed to be inhabited by the spirits of their former occupants. 

Dukhani House, an old and sprawling house in the beautiful Shimla hills, is one such place where the spirits of the past persist.

A Haunted Night in Dukhani House

This bungalow was once the property of an elderly British gentleman known as Buck or Bucky, who primarily resided in Delhi, but came to Shimla in the summer times with the rest of the British to escape the worst heat further down the mountain. His home, Dukhani served as the venue for his occasional weekend gatherings. Among the regular attendees of these gatherings was an English officer named Sir John Smith, a close friend of Buck’s.

One night, Sir John and his wife found themselves staying at Dukhani House overnight. Sir John was given Buck’s room together with the host, nestled in one of the oldest sections of the house.

British Houses and Architecture in Shimla: Still to this day, there are many houses left from the colonial times like the Dukhani House.

Despite being tired after the late night, Sir John found it challenging to fall asleep due to Bucky’s snores. As the night wore on inside of the Dukhani House, he was awakened by the curtains billowing in the breeze, allowing moonlight into the room. He contemplated whether to get up and close the window but decided to return to sleep. Just then, he spotted an elderly man with silver hair, clad in a dressing gown. Assuming this figure to be Bucky, Sir John asked him to secure the window. However, to his shock, he heard another thunderous snore coming from a different corner of the room, where Bucky was sound asleep.

Panicking, Sir John tried to approach the elderly man, who seemed to retreat outside the window, vanishing into the garden. When he ventured outside to investigate, the specter had vanished, leaving only the memory of the old man’s forlorn expression etched in his mind. Sir John’s nights were haunted by this eerie encounter.

Further inquiries into the incident led Sir John to a startling revelation. He learned that an elderly man, wearing a dressing gown, had tragically taken his own life in the very same room where he had seen the apparition by shooting himself. It was apparent that he had encountered the ghost of this desolate soul that had died around 40 years before that night.

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

If you do not believe in Ghosts, then Visit these places in Shimla, Opinion will Definitely Change 

10 Best haunted places to visit in Himachal Pradesh 

The Ghosts of Dukhani- A Lovely House in Shimla Hills – Mysterious Himachal

Ukategorisert

The Haunted Chittoor Railway Station and the Violent Death of an Officer

Leave a comment
Advertisements

After a violent clash between two factions of officers at the train station, a CRF officer was beaten to death by the time they reached the Chittoor Railway Station. It is said that ever since that fateful day, the station has been haunted by the ghost seeking justice for his death. 

Along the coast of Andhra Pradesh lies the Chittoor Railway Station—a station with 3 platforms and a local rumor passed around. It is said that the station along the Gudur-Katpadi branch line is one of the most haunted stations in India. 

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

Legend has it that the ghost of a Central Reserve Police Force jawan named Hari Singh from Jharkhand roams the deserted halls of Chittoor Railway Station.

Haunted Railway Station: According to the legend, the Chittoor Railway Station is haunted by an officer who was beaten to death as he was on one of the trains. // Source: Moulalisaheb.g /Wikimedia

The Ghost of CRF Hari Singh

Source: Moulalisaheb.g /Wikimedia

According to local lore, on that fateful day of October 31, 2013, Singh was aboard a New Delhi-Kerala train when he was attacked by Railway Protection Force personnel and a few Traveling Ticket Examiners.

Exactly why this happened is not specified, but there have been situations before this where the two forces have ended up in an argument or fight on the train, often because of unpaid tickets. Although, there was no mention of the cause for this incident in most of the sources.

As the train pulled into Chittoor Station, Singh was badly injured after the fight. He was rushed to a hospital in Chennai, but succumbed to his injuries ten days later.

The Haunted Chittoor Railway Station

Since that tragic day, the ghost of Hari Singh has been said to haunt the grounds of Chittoor Railway Station, forever wandering in search of the justice that eluded him in life. Locals speak of his ghostly apparition, his presence felt in the eerie silence that descends upon the station after dark.

According to a chilling report by The Hindu in 2015, the people of Chittoor have reported feeling the icy touch of Singh’s ghostly presence. This is also the earliest source found for this said incident, although not referring to other sources and if we are to believe the story, we must also believe that the death never reached the news.

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

Know The Truth of 8 Most Haunted Railway Stations in India | RailRecipe Report 

‘Ghost tale’ haunts Chittoor railway station | Andhra Pradesh News – The Hindu 

Chittoor railway station – Wikipedia

Ukategorisert

The Haunting Secrets of Indira Gandhi Medical College in Shimla

Leave a comment
Advertisements

The Indira Gandhi Medical College is located deep in the mountainous Shimla in India. The college campus as well as the road leading up to the school are thought to be haunted.

In the scenic lap of Shimla, the prestigious Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) stands as both a medical college as well as a hospital. Established in 1966, it initially bore the name “Medical College, Shimla” and was housed in the former Snowdon Hospital. 

IGMC, or इंदिरा गांधी राजकीय आयुर्विज्ञान महाविद्यालय और अस्पताल began its journey in the early 1960s, slowly growing into one of Himachal Pradesh’s preeminent medical institutions. Initially offering only MBBS classes, it progressed with time. 

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

Over the years, it evolved, and in 1984, it was rechristened as Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla. Today, it is the largest medical set up in not only Shimla, but the whole of Himachal Pradesh. 

The Campus on the Hillside: Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) is a state-owned medical college and hospital in Shimla. It was established in 1966 as the Himachal Pradesh Medical College (HPMC), and assumed the present name in 1984.// Source

Mysteries Beyond Medicine at Indira Gandhi Medical College

There exists an eerie and mysterious side to Indira Gandhi Medical College though and talks about paranormal experiences. It is said that patients, their families, doctors, and staff have encountered inexplicable incidents that lend an aura of mystery to the institution. The corridors, lifts, and rooms have become the stage for bizarre occurrences. 

Strange noises, unexplained voices, and unsettling sensations have become a part of daily life for some within the college. Some claim they have had their names called out, only to turn and not see anyone there. 

Visitors and personnel alike have described sensations of being pushed from behind while coming up and down some of the staircases. Some claim they have been stuck in the lifts for hours without it being anything wrong with them. 

The collective belief holds that these perplexing activities are attributed to the lingering spirits of individuals who have met their fate within the hospital’s walls. Although the motives for these spirits to haunt the college remain uncertain, their presence has created an air of trepidation that envelops the premises.

The Haunted Road to IGMC

Not only is the building itself haunted, but it is also claimed that the road up to the hospital and college is also believed to be haunted. The forest road leading to the institution is not devoid of eerie legends, although not connected to the hospital legends at all. 

Read more: Check out all of the Haunted Roads around the world

In the 1960s, it is said that a man who sold oranges along this very road met a tragic end while he was working. Some have claimed to witness his apparition while walking there. Clutching his basket of oranges, the spectral vendor appears, though he does not inflict harm on those who encounter him.

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

If you do not believe in Ghosts, then Visit these places in Shimla, Opinion will Definitely Change 

Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) – Premiers Institute of Himachal 

Ukategorisert

Haunting Tales of The Lower Circular Road Cemetery

Leave a comment
Advertisements

After the mutilated body of Sir William Hay MacNaghten was brought back to Kolkata from Kabul, he was buried in the Lower Circular Road Cemetery. After his death it is said that he is haunting the place and the nearby tree shivers every time someone tells the tale. 

Source

At the Lower Circular Road Cemetery that are constantly being filled up with the Christians in Kolkata, there is one grave said to house the ghost of Sir William Hay MacNaghten that are said to haunt the cemetery. 

The Lower Circular Road Cemetery in Kolkata, stands as a silent sentinel to bygone eras as it was established in 1840 during the colonial times in Kolkata and can be found a short walk away from the South Park Street Cemetery. 

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

This cemetery is still in use and this historic burial ground also known as General Episcopal Cemetery serves as a poignant memorial of the city’s rich and tumultuous past with over 12 000 graves. Although many have been moved to make way for new burials, there is one grave at The Lower Circular Road Cemetery left said to be haunted.

And if we are to believe the stories, there is a tree in The Lower Circular Road Cemetery that shakes every time someone narrates this story, at least while being close to it. 

The Barbaric and Bloody First Anglo Afghan War

Legend has it that The Lower Circular Road Cemetery harbors a spectral presence, none other than Sir William Hay MacNaghten, a prominent civil servant during the British colonial era. His untimely demise at 48, a grisly affair that sent shock waves through the community, has become the stuff of local lore. 

Sir William Hay MacNaghten: Buried in the Lower Circular Road Cemetery

MacNaghten was also a Baronet born in 1793, came to India at 16 and played a big part in the first Anglo-Afghan War from 1838-1842. The British had successfully invaded the country after using an internal dispute of the rulers in Afghanistan to their advantage. 

Although an important figure in history, people were surprised by his involvement in war. “What? Lord William Bentinck was to exclaim when he heard Macnaghten had launched an army against Afghanistan. “Lord Auckland and Macnaghten gone to war? The very last men in the world I would have expected of such folly”.

Macnaghten purchased a mansion in Kabul, and brought his wife, decorating their home with crystal chandeliers, a fine selection of French wines, and hundreds of servants from India. The act of just making themselves at home further enraged the Afghans. If we are to believe the sources he was not necessarily a well liked man and was known for his arrogant manners, and was simply called “the Envoy ” by both the Afghans and the British.

By 1841 the British forces were depleted and their commanders were old and not up for the task. The plan was for the British to march back to India under a guarantee of safe passage from the Afghan tribal elders. However, in a last ditch effort, they tried to play the chiefs up against each other, and MacNaghten met up with Mohammed Akbar Khan, the son of a chief, but one that had no reason to like the British. 

Macnaghten presented Wazir Akbar Khan with a fine pair of pistols as a gesture of friendship and good faith on December 23rd. However, Wazir Akbar Khan murdered Macnaghten on the spot. If he meant to kill him or if he was killed because he resisted capture is unclear to this day. 

The aftermath of it all was gruesome for the British, as around 120 was taken prisoners, including his wife and a certain Lady Sale who wrote in her diary about the murder: “All reports agree that both the Envoy’s and Trevor’s bodies are hanging in the public chouk: the Envoy’s decapitated and a mere trunk; the limbs having been carried in triumph about the city”

‘Remnants of an Army’: by Elizabeth Butler portraying William Brydon arriving at the gates of Jalalabad as the only survivor of a 16,500 strong evacuation from Kabul in January 1842.

In fact, his death was recorded as “one of the basest, foulest, murders that ever stained the page of history” in the post-mortem investigations. It is said that his wife stumbled upon his lifeless body, horrifically mutilated and strewn across the street. His remains are said to have been recovered from the pit they threw him into and brought back by his widow. 

Awful as it must have been, it is interesting to note that most of the prisoners thought the Afghan kidnappers were polite enough, but Lady Macnaghten remembered in a bad light as she didn’t want to share any of her clothes or sherry. 

The Haunting of the Lower Circular Road Cemetery

Despite his mortal remains finding their resting place within the confines of the Lower Circular Road Cemetery, Sir William’s spirit is said to linger among the tombstones and mausoleums. 

Read more: Check out more ghost stories from cemeteries around the world

One chilling aspect of these ghostly sightings at The Lower Circular Road Cemetery is the peculiar behavior of a solitary tree that stands all by its lonesome over Sir William’s final resting place. According to local lore, whenever the gruesome details of his murder are recounted, the tree above his tomb begins to shiver as if stirred by an unseen force, adding an eerie atmosphere to the already haunted grounds.

The spectral presence of Sir William MacNaghte is not the only source of unease within the Lower Circular Road Cemetery. Late-night guards, tasked with keeping watch over the silent slumber of the dead, have reported spine-tingling encounters with inexplicable phenomena. Eerie noises echoing through the stillness of the night, ghostly whispers carried on the breeze, and fleeting glimpses of shadowy figures flitting among the tombstones have left many a sentry shaken to their core.

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

First Anglo-Afghan War – Wikipedia 

William Hay Macnaghten (1793-1841) – Find a Grave Memorial 

“One of the basest, foulest murders that ever stained the page of history”? The brutal death of Sir William Macnaghten 

William Hay Macnaghten – Wikipedia 

Lower Circular Road cemetery – Wikipedia  https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/places/drowning-hands-to-headless-bodies-these-haunted-places-in-kolkata-are-filled-with-ghost-stories-pbfhhotogallery/cid/1869126?slide=5

Ukategorisert

The Dark Side of Christmas: La Befana – Italy’s Christmas Witch

1 Comment
Advertisements

On an eternal path to greet the baby Jesus, the Italian Christmas Witch, La Befana leaves candy for the children and a question to the grown ups: Who was she really, and could her origins be older than her own tradition perhaps?

The Befana comes by night
With her shoes all tattered and torn
She comes dressed in the Roman way
Long live the Befana!

Italy, with its rich tapestry of folklore and traditions, adds a unique twist to the festive season with the legend of La Befana. This Christmas witch, who predates Santa Claus in Italian tradition, is a figure shrouded in mystery, magic, and a touch of spookiness.

La Befana: a custom in January in Rome”, Italian illustration from 1821 showing children and women at a market stall with a Befana figure.

The Legend of La Befana

La Befana is an old woman, often depicted as a witch with a broomstick, who visits children on the night of January 5th, the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany. According to Italian folklore, she flies through the night sky, delivering gifts to children much like Santa Claus does on Christmas Eve. However, La Befana’s tale is much older and imbued with a darker, more mystical aura.

The origins of La Befana’s legend are diverse and multifaceted, drawing from ancient Roman, pagan, and Christian traditions, sources going back as far as the eighth century. Some say it evolved from the Sabine/Roman goddess named Strenia who symbolizes the new year and the seasonal cycles linked to agriculture, or relating to the harvest of the past year, now ready to be reborn as new.

The Goddess Strenua: a Sabine deity associated with the new year, purification, and health, was often depicted with a snake like the Roman God of medicine, Aesculapius. Her cult was introduced by the Sabine King Titus Tatius, and on new year’s day in ancient Rome, her image and branches of bay laurel from her sacred grove were carried in procession from her shrine to the Arx on the Capitoline Hill. The Romans included Strenua in the annual auspices, seeking her blessings for the coming year, and the ceremonies evolved to include the custom of exchanging gifts on the first day of the New Year, often laurel twigs symbolizing good health that were then burned as incense for Strenua.

Some believe that Strenua is the origin of “Befana”. In Italian folklore Befana is an old witch that flies around Italy on a broomstick and comes down chimneys on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5) to deliver gifts.On the twelfth night after the winter solstice, the death and rebirth of nature was celebrated through Mother Nature . The Romans believed that in these twelve nights, female figures flew over the cultivated fields, to propitiate the fertility of future crops, hence the myth of the “flying” figure. According to some, this female figure was first identified in Diana , the lunar goddess not only linked to game, but also to vegetation, while according to others she was associated with a minor divinity called Sàtia (goddess of satiety), or Aboundia (goddess of abundance ). Another hypothesis would connect the Befana with an ancient Roman festival, which always took place in winter, in honor of Janus and Strenia (from which the term “strenna” also derives) and during which gifts were exchanged [9] .

One popular version of the story recounts that La Befana was approached by the Three Wise Men during their journey to find the newborn Jesus after the Betlehem appeared in the sky. They asked for directions, but La Befana, busy with her housework, initially refused to help. Later, feeling remorseful, she tried to find the Wise Men and the baby Jesus, bringing gifts for the child. Unable to find them, she continues to search for Jesus every year, leaving gifts for children in the hope that one of them might be the Christ child.

The Spooky Aspect of La Befana

While La Befana is generally seen as a benevolent figure, her appearance and certain aspects of her legend lend her a spooky, witch-like quality. Dressed in tattered clothes, with a soot-covered face from climbing down chimneys, La Befana’s witch-like appearance contrasts sharply with the jolly figure of Santa Claus.

Her annual visit is not without a touch of fear. Italian children believe that La Befana will leave a lump of coal or dark candy if they have been naughty, rather than the sweets and small gifts she bestows upon the well-behaved. The thought of a witch visiting their home in the dead of night can be as thrilling as it is terrifying for young children.

Read More: Check out all haunted legends from the Christmas Season

Moreover, the image of an old witch flying through the night sky, broomstick in hand, evokes classic Halloween imagery, adding a layer of spookiness to the festive season. The idea that she continues her eternal search for the Christ child, year after year, wandering the dark winter skies, gives her story a haunting, almost ghostly dimension.

La Befana’s Rituals and Traditions

In Italy, the arrival of La Befana is celebrated with various customs and traditions. On the night of January 5th, children hang stockings by the fireplace and leave out food and wine for La Befana, hoping to appease the witch and receive her blessings. The next morning, they eagerly check their stockings for gifts or coal, depending on their behavior over the past year.

Throughout Italy, especially in the regions of Rome and the surrounding Lazio area, towns and cities host Epiphany fairs and parades. Dolls are made of her and effigies are burnt and bonfires are often lit.  One of the most famous celebrations takes place in Urbania, where thousands gather to celebrate La Befana with a grand festival featuring street performers, music, and, of course, the arrival of the Christmas witch herself.

La Befana in Modern Culture

Despite her spooky undertones, La Befana remains a beloved figure in Italian culture. She represents the blending of ancient traditions with modern festivities, embodying the spirit of both giving and penance. There is even a Viva la Befana in Roma at St. Peter’s Square in the mornings.

In recent years, La Befana has also become a symbol of female empowerment and independence, reflecting the strength and resilience of the old woman who braves the winter night alone. La Befana’s tale is a fascinating blend of whimsy, mystery, and a hint of spookiness. As Italy’s Christmas witch, she adds a unique and eerie charm to the festive season, reminding us that the magic of Christmas is not just about joy and light, but also about the mysteries that lurk in the shadows Her story continues to captivate and enchant, ensuring that the Christmas witch will remain an enduring part of Italy’s rich cultural heritage.

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

La Befana: an Epiphany tradition in Italy – Wanted in Rome 

Screw Santa Claus and Celebrate Befana, Italy’s Kidnapping Christmas Witch 

La Befana brings holiday treats 12 days after Christmas – The Washington Post 

Ukategorisert

The Dark Side of Christmas: The Terrifying Legend of Père Fouettard from Lorraine

Leave a comment
Advertisements

One of the many evil helpers of St. Nicholas, coming during the Christmas season to punish children, we find the story about Père Fouettard, or Father Whipper from Lorraine.

While Christmas is often associated with joy, kindness, and festive cheer, certain legends remind us that this season also harbors a darker side. One such legend is that of Père Fouettard, or Father Whipper, a fearsome figure who emerges from the folklore of Lorraine, France, to cast a sinister shadow over the holiday celebrations.

He is one of the many helpers of St. Nicholas to punish the bad children together with Krampus, Frau Perchta and Hans Trapp among others in areas that culturally used to be a part of the Holy Roman Empire. This particular helper is mostly known in the north and east in Franche, South in Belgium and in the French speaking part of Switzerland. 

The Origins of Père Fouettard

The story of Père Fouettard dates back to 1252. The legend was particularly popular in the regions of Lorraine and Alsace, where he became an integral part of the Christmas traditions.

Père Fouettard is often depicted as a grim, bearded man dressed in dark, tattered robes, wielding a whip, switch, or rod. His face is sometimes shown as sinister and sooty, reflecting his role as a punisher of naughty children. The character is believed to have been inspired by various European tales of dark, punitive figures who accompanied benevolent gift-givers during the festive season.

The Dark Tale of Père Fouettard

One of the most chilling versions of Père Fouettard’s origin story involves a gruesome crime. According to the legend, Père Fouettard was once an innkeeper or butcher who, along with his wife, lured three wealthy boys into their home. The couple murdered the children, planning to rob them and in the darkest versions, cut them up to eat them. 

However, their heinous act was discovered by Saint Nicholas, who revived the boys and condemned Père Fouettard to an eternity of penance, or just simply forces him. 

In some versions of the story, the children were salted and left in barrels for around seven years until St. Nicholas came knocking on their door. 

As punishment, Père Fouettard was forced to serve as Saint Nicholas’s dark companion, responsible for doling out punishments to naughty children. While Saint Nicholas would reward the good children with gifts and sweets, Père Fouettard would whip the misbehaving ones, leaving them with painful reminders of their misdeeds.

Père Fouettard in Christmas Traditions

In many parts of France and Belgium, Père Fouettard is still a prominent figure in Christmas celebrations. On December 6th, Saint Nicholas Day, he accompanies Saint Nicholas on his rounds, adding a touch of fear to the festive joy. The contrast between the kind, generous Saint Nicholas and the fearsome Père Fouettard serves as a moral lesson, reinforcing the importance of good behavior throughout the year.

Read More: Check out all haunted legends from the Christmas Season

Children are often warned that if they do not behave, Père Fouettard will pay them a visit, armed with his whip or rod. This fearsome aspect of Christmas traditions acts as a cautionary tale, ensuring that children remain on their best behavior during the holiday season.

The Enduring Legacy of Père Fouettard

Despite his terrifying reputation, Père Fouettard remains an integral part of the Christmas folklore in many French-speaking regions. His story has been passed down through generations, evolving over time but retaining its core message of reward and punishment. The local twist on this story though, might come from when Charles V attacked Metz and the tanner’s guild came up with the story, making an effigy of the emperor with a whip to mock him. After the siege, it is said that the stories merged. 

Modern interpretations of Père Fouettard often tone down his more gruesome aspects, portraying him as a stern but necessary figure who helps maintain the balance between good and bad. However, his presence in the festive season still serves as a reminder that Christmas, with all its joy and warmth, also has a darker side that must be acknowledged.

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/pere-fouettard-french-christmas-monster

Père Fouettard: Unraveling the Dark Side of Christmas in France – French Moments 

Père Fouettard – Wikipedia