Urban legends of the USA: who are the inhabitants of different states afraid of. Ten Creepiest American Urban Legends Alabama: Hell Gate Bridge

Slender man, or Slenderman

According to legend, the Slender Man is a tall, thin man dressed in a black suit with a white shirt and a black tie. He has long thin arms and legs, and his face is completely devoid of features.

His arms are able to stretch, and tentacles grow from his back.

When the Slender Man appears, his victim loses his memory, experiences insomnia, paranoia, a coughing fit, and blood flows from his nose.

If Slenderman was noticed in the area, then the children will soon disappear. He lures them into the forest, deprives them of their minds and takes them with him. Those children who were fascinated by the Slender Man were never seen again.

In 1983, 14 children went missing in Stirling City, USA. Their disappearance was linked to the Slender Man. Later, in the city's library, a picture was found by an unknown photographer, which was taken on that day, and the monster was allegedly present on it.

Both girls ended up in a psychiatric hospital: one for 25 years, the other for 40.

Black Dog of Meriden

The Meriden Black Dog from the US state of Connecticut is a small ghost dog that leaves no tracks or sounds. According to legend, if you saw the Black Dog three times, death awaits you. It appears silently, leaves no traces (even in the snow), after which it just as suddenly disappears.

In the early 1900s, geologist Pynchon explored a mountain in Meridena called West Peak. One day he saw a black dog among the trees. As Pynchon turned to head home, the dog disappeared into the trees.

The second time the scientist saw a black dog a few years later in the same place. One of his friends, with whom he climbed the mountain that day, said that he had already seen the dog twice.

They wandered around and finally reached the top. But the enemy was waiting for them. The black dog stood in front. Pynchon turned away only for a second, when suddenly he heard a terrible cry. His friend fell and hit the rocks.

In Meriden, locals told Pynchon about the legend of the Black Dog, but he did not believe it. Several years passed, the geologist decided to visit the same mountain. He left his apartment at dawn and never returned. His dead body was later found at the bottom of a ravine.

Pisadeira

In Brazil, there is a legend about a terrible woman named Pisadeira. She comes to men who are afraid, or to those who have had a hearty dinner and lay on their backs - in this position, the victim of Pisadeira is practically unable to escape.

Pisadeira is a bony and thin creature, she has short lower limbs and long dirty hair, a hooked nose, reddish eyes, thin lips, sharp teeth with a greenish coating. On her long fingers are wide yellow nails. But even more frightening is the laughter and mocking giggle of the monster. If a person hears a characteristic laugh at night, then Pisadeira will come to him soon. It is a terrible laugh that precedes her appearance.

The monster torments his victim until she suffocates from fright, but Pisadeira can also leave a person, having been fed up with fear.

Phantom of Benito Juarez Park in Mexico

In the small Mexican town of Haral del Progreso, there is a Benito Juarez park. This is one of the sights of the city, but the park was laid out on the site of an old cemetery, so a bad reputation spread about it. The city authorities did their best to improve the square. They installed benches and paved paths for people to enjoy the beauty of nature. However, as the locals believed, the authorities woke up the local spirits and put a curse on the place.

Every evening in the park, someone would destroy the benches and disappear. Then the authorities hired security guards to patrol the area at night.

And then one evening the guard went on duty. At first everything was calm. The riots began when a thick fog covered the park. The guard heard a woman scream and went to check what had happened. When he reached the place, an elderly woman dressed in a white dress was standing in front of him. The watchman followed her, and she began to smash and throw the benches.

When the guard approached her, he saw that the woman had no legs, she was floating in the air. Suddenly, the old woman attacked him and began to beat him furiously. The guard managed to escape, the next morning he told about what he saw. Shortly after this incident, he fell ill with a mysterious illness and died. The city authorities banned this story from the media, but the rumor still spread throughout the city, no one else wanted to be on duty at night.

The locals called the ghost the phantom of the park.

closet girl

One day, a 57-year-old Japanese man noticed that someone was swapping things in his house, food was disappearing from the refrigerator, and strange sounds woke him up at night. The man decided that he was going crazy, because he lived all alone. Both windows and doors in his house were always closed.

One day he decided to act and installed hidden cameras in all rooms.

The next day, he looked at the footage. In the footage, an unknown woman crawled out of the Japanese man's cupboard. The man assumed she was a robber. But the police said no one picked the locks.

After a thorough search, the woman was found in a small locker. As it turned out, she lived for a year in the house of a Japanese.

Goat Man from Maryland

For many US residents, Prince George's County in the US state of Maryland is associated with a bloodthirsty monster named Goat Man.

According to legend, the monster used to be an ordinary goat breeder. Once his wife became seriously ill, he had to work tirelessly to help his beloved. But the cruel teenagers decided to play a trick on the poor fellow and poisoned all his goats. The family was left without a single source of income, and the woman died.

Grief turned the farmer into a terrible monster, he ran into the forest and began to kill everyone who met him on the way.

According to another version, the goat-man is a scientific experiment of the mad scientist Dr. Fletcher. Local residents believe that prohibited experiments on animals were carried out in the agricultural scientific center of the district. Once, by experiment, a scientist created a half-man, half-goat. The researchers decided to keep him alive for study. But the creature grew up and turned into a cruel monster. He killed several scientists and escaped from the center.

True or myth, but in the 50s of the XX century, strange events took place in the district. In 1958, residents found a German Shepherd dead: the dog was torn to shreds, but its meat was not eaten.

In the spring of 1961, two students were found dead in Bowie, Maryland. The girl and the boy went to the forest at night. In the morning, a local hunter found a car with broken windows and many deep scratches on the body. The bodies of teenagers, mutilated beyond recognition, were found in the back seat. The perpetrator was never found.

In 2011, the American horror film Death Detour was released, inspired by the Maryland monster.

According to Irish folklore, a banshee is a spirit from the underworld. She appears in the form of an ugly woman to the relatives and friends of the one who is about to die. It is believed that if the banshee did not cry loudly enough before her death, then in the next world her cries will be several times worse.

Banshees look like terrible screaming women, old women with flowing gray hair, a terrible wrinkled face and a skeletal thinness.

The legend of an American girl who took revenge on her lover

In the USA, there is a terrible legend about a girl who took revenge on her lover for unrequited love. In the small town of Stahl, Texas, there once stood a small church surrounded by graves. Next to the church there was a cellar, which was very difficult to find, as it was overgrown with grass.

The priest's daughter fell madly in love with a neighbor's boy, but he broke her heart by choosing another girl. They got married, his chosen one became pregnant. Shortly after the birth of the child, the priest's daughter visited the couple. They greeted her cordially, but the girl herself looked at their child with hatred.

The priest's daughter suddenly attacked her parents and cut their throats, then she dragged their bodies to the hill where the church stood. She left the dead in the cellar, she placed the living child between them.

The priest's daughter closed the door to the cellar and soon died. The bodies in the cellar could not be found for three weeks.

Many believe that the voice of a crying child is still heard near the church at night.

Corpse House in Mexico

In the Mexican city of Monterey, there is a famous legend about an abandoned building called the "corpse house". The strange building was built in the 1970s, but no one has ever lived in the building.

From the street, the house looks like a structure made of concrete pipes. According to legend, the house was built by a wealthy couple who had a sick, paralyzed daughter. My father wanted to build a special house that would be suitable for people with disabilities. The design of the house included ramps that led from one floor to another.

The family started building. One day the girl wanted to look at the house. She began to ride ramps, her parents were distracted for just a moment, when suddenly her wheelchair flew down the ramp. The girl could not stop, as a result she flew out the window and crashed to death.

Years later, the unfinished building was put up for sale. But no one wanted to buy it for a long time. Once there were clients. They came to see the building with their little son. While the couple were considering the situation, the boy went upstairs, and after a few minutes they heard him scream. On the top floor, he fought with a little girl. An unknown person grabbed their son and threw him out the window. The boy died, the girl could not be found.

After this story, the authorities fenced off the area.

In 1941, in one of the theaters in the American city of Ravens Fair, a certain Mary Shaw performed with her doll Billy. Once one of the spectators - a little boy - called the woman a liar. He saw that the woman's lips moved as Billy spoke. A few weeks later, the unfortunate critic was gone.

Residents of the city and the boy's parents blamed the ventriloquist for his disappearance. Soon Mary Shaw was found dead. According to local legend, the Eshen family (the boy's relatives) committed lynching against the woman. They broke into the dressing room, made Shaw scream, and then ripped out her tongue.

Before her death, the woman wished that all her dolls were buried with her, there were 101 of them.

After the funeral of the ventriloquist in Ravens Fair, massacres began. And the victims of the crimes were those people who raised their hand to the show. They, like Mary, had their tongues torn out.

Incredible Facts

People have been making up legends and legends ever since they discovered communication. Despite some true facts, most of the terrible legends still remain fiction. However, chilling urban legends can often turn out to be true.

Sometimes turning a tragic event into a legend helps people cope with grief, as well as protect the younger generation from realizing the reality of what is happening.

In this article, we have collected for you the creepiest urban legends based on real events.

City's legends

Faceless Charlie

Legend:

Children living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania love to tell the story of faceless Charlie, also known as the Green Man. Charlie is believed to have been a factory worker disfigured in a horrific accident, some claiming it was the acid, others the power line.

Some versions of the story claim that this incident caused his skin to turn green, but all versions have in common that Charlie's face was so disfigured that it lost all features. According to legend, he wanders in the dark through oppressive places, such as, for example, the old abandoned railway tunnel in South Park, also known as the Green Man Tunnel.

Over the years, curious teenagers have visited this tunnel looking for signs of Faceless Charlie. Many claimed that they felt a slight electric shock and had trouble starting the car after calling Faceless. Others said they saw a slight glow of his green skin in a tunnel or at night by a country road.

Reality:

Unfortunately, in this tragic story lies the lion's share of truth. The legend of Faceless Charlie appeared due to the fact that he had a very real prototype - Raymond Robinson. In 1919, Robinson, who was 8 years old at the time, was playing with a friend near a bridge with high voltage tram tracks.

Raymond suffered horrific injuries after he accidentally touched a power line. As a result of the impact, he lost his nose, both eyes and an arm, but survived. He spent the rest of his long life - 74 years - withdrawing into himself, and went out for a walk only at night, but he reciprocated the friendly appeals of people to him.

killer in the attic

Legend:

This chilling story appeared many years ago. It tells about a family unaware that a dangerous intruder has settled in their house, secretly living in their attic for weeks. They lose or move things, suspicious objects appear in the garbage. They joke sweetly about the brownie until a cruel killer living near them kills them in their sleep.

The worst thing about this legend is that, it would seem, it is quite possible - and it really is.

Reality:

This story began in March 1922 on a German farm called Hinterkaifeck. The owner, Andreas Gruber, began to notice that things were periodically disappearing in the house, lying in the wrong places. His family heard footsteps in the house at night, and Andreas himself, on the eve of the tragedy, noticed other people's footprints in the snow, but after examining the house and territory, he did not find anyone.

At the end of March, the man who left these traces came down from the attic and brutally dealt with six inhabitants of the farm - the owner, his wife, their daughter, her two children 2 and 7 years old and their maid with the help of a hoe. Their bodies were found only 4 days later, and it turned out that at that time someone was looking after the livestock. The identity of the offender has not yet been established.

legends

night doctors

Legend:

Stories of night doctors in the past were often heard from slave owners who used them to intimidate their slaves so they wouldn't run away. The essence of the legend is that there were some doctors who operated at night, kidnapping black workers to use them in their terrible experiments.

Night doctors caught people on the streets and took them to their medical facilities to torture, kill, dismember and cut out their organs.

Reality:

This creepy story has a very real continuation. Throughout the 19th century, grave robbery was a big problem, and the African American population could not protect either their deceased relatives or themselves. In addition, medical students did perform operations on living members of the African American community.

In 1932, the Alabama State Health Service and Tuskegee University launched a program to study syphilis. As terrible as it sounds, 600 African-American men were taken to perform the experiment. Of these, 399 already had syphilis and 201 did not.

They were given free food and a guarantee to protect their grave after death, but the program lost funding, but the participants were not told about their terrible illness. Researchers sought to study the mechanisms of the disease and continued to monitor patients. They were told that they were being treated for a non-serious blood disease.

The patients did not know they had syphilis or that they needed penicillin to treat it. The scientists refused to give any information about the drugs or the condition of their patients.

This story, spiced up with slave owners riding horses in white clothes at night, has long instilled fear and awe of the legend in black people.

Alice murders

Legend:

This is a fairly young urban legend from Japan. It says that in the period from 1999 to 2005 in Japan there was a series of brutal murders. The bodies of the victims were mutilated, their limbs were torn off, and a distinctive feature of all the murders was that next to each corpse, the name "Alice" was written in the blood of the victim.

The police also found one playing card at each of the creepy crime scenes. The first victim was found in the forest, and parts of her body were strung on the branches of various trees. The second victim had his vocal cords torn out. The third victim, a teenage girl, had her skin severely burned, her mouth cut open, her eyes torn out, and a crown sewn to her head. The last victims of the killer were two little twins - they were given lethal injections while they slept.

Police allegedly arrested a man in 2005 who was found wearing a jacket from one of the victims, but they were unable to link him to any of the murders. The man claimed that the jacket had been given to him.

Reality:

In fact, there have never been such murders in Japan. However, shortly before the appearance of this legend, a maniac was operating in Spain, who was called the Card Killer. In 2003, the entire police force in Madrid was sent to capture the man responsible for 6 brutal murders and 3 assassinations. Each time he left a playing card on the body of the murdered. The authorities were at a loss - there was no connection between the victims or an obvious motive.

All that was known was that they were dealing with a psychopath who chose his victims at random. He would never have been caught if one day he himself had not come to the police with a confession. The card killer turned out to be Alfredo Galan Sotillo. During the trial, Alfredo changed his testimony several times, retracting his confession and claiming that the Nazis forced him to confess to the murders. Despite this, the killer was sentenced to 142 years in prison.

scary urban legends

The Legend of Cropsy

Legend:

Among the people of Staten Island, the legend of Corpsi has been around for decades. It tells the story of a crazed axe-wielding killer who escaped from an old hospital and hides in the tunnels beneath the abandoned Willbrook Public School. He comes out of hiding at night and preys on children: some say that he has a hook for a hand, and some that he wields an ax. The weapon does not matter to him, the result is important to him - to lure the child into the ruins of the old school and cut him to pieces.

Reality:

As it turned out, the crazy killer was quite real. Andre Rand was directly responsible for the kidnapping of two children. He worked as a janitor at this very school until it closed. There, children with disabilities were kept in terrible conditions: they were beaten, insulted, they had neither normal food nor clothes. The homeless Rand returned to the tunnels under the school to continue the atrocities that had previously reigned in this school.

Children began to go missing, and the body of 12-year-old Jennifer Schweiger was found in the woods near Rand's camp. He was charged with her murder of Jennifer and another missing child. It has not been fully proven that these murders were his doing, but the police managed to prove that he was involved in the abductions of children. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison. The whereabouts of the other missing children have not yet been disclosed.

Babysitter and killer on the second floor

Legend:

The story of the babysitter and the killer hiding upstairs is undoubtedly an urban horror classic. According to this legend, a girl who works as a nanny for a wealthy family gets a creepy call. In almost all versions of the story, the caller asks the babysitter if she has checked on the children. The nanny calls the police, where it turns out that they are calling from the house where she is with the children. According to most versions, all three are found brutally murdered.

Reality:

The reason for the spread of this terrible story was the very real murder of 12-year-old girl Janet Christman, who looked after three-year-old Gregory Romak. In March 1950, when this brutal crime took place, there was a terrible thunderstorm in Columbia, Missouri. Janet had just put the child to bed when an unknown person entered the house and brutally raped and killed the girl.

The main suspects for a long time included a certain Robert Muller, who is also accused of another murder. Unfortunately, the evidence against Mueller was only circumstantial, but he was nevertheless accused of killing Janet. Some time later, he sued for wrongful detention, the charges were dropped, and he left town for good. After his departure, such crimes ceased.

Legends based on real events

rabbit man

Legend:

The story about the rabbit man appeared around the 70s of the last century and, like many urban legends, has several versions. The most common of these speaks of events that occurred in 1904, when the local psychiatric institution in Clifton, Virginia, closes and it becomes necessary to transfer patients to a new building. According to the classics of the genre, transport with patients gets into a serious accident, most of them die, and the survivors break free. They are all successfully brought back... except for one - Douglas Griffin, sent to a psychiatric hospital for killing his family on Easter Sunday.

Shortly after his escape, exhausted and mutilated carcasses of rabbits appear in the trees in the area. Some time later, the locals discover the body of Marcus Wallster hanging from the ceiling of an underpass under a railroad track in the same terrible state as the rabbits before it. The police tried to drive the madman into a corner, but he, while running away, was hit by a train. Now his restless ghost roams the area and still hangs the carcasses of rabbits on the trees.

Some even claim to have seen the rabbit-man in person, standing in the shadow of the underpass. The locals believe that whoever dares to enter the crossing on Halloween night will be found dead the next morning.

Reality:

Luckily, this creepy legend is just a legend, and there really was no crazy killer. There was no Douglas Griffin, no Marcus Wallster. However, in Fairfax County, there lived a man who was unhealthy obsessed with rabbits and terrorized the locals in the 70s of the last century.

He rushed at passers-by and pursued them with a small ax in his hands. Some claimed that he once threw a hatchet through the window of a passing car. One incident occurred in the house of one of the local residents. The madman took an ax with a long handle and began to chop down the porch of the unfortunate man's house. He escaped before the arrival of the police and no one still knows who he is and what motivated him.

Hook

Legend:

The legend of the Hook is perhaps the most common of all urban horror stories. It has several versions, each scarier than the previous one, and the most famous one is about a couple making love in a parked car. The radio is suddenly interrupted to tell the listeners the terrible news - a cruel killer has escaped, wielding a hook, and now he is hiding in the very park where the lovers are.

The girl, having heard the news, asks her beloved to leave from there as soon as possible. The guy is annoyed, but they are going, and he takes her home. When they arrive, they find a bloody hook hanging from the door handle on the passenger side.

Reality:

Whether the couple makes it home without incident, or the girl is horrified to hear her lover's fingers touch the roof of the car as his bloodied body hangs from a tree, the story didn't come about by accident. In the late 1940s, a small and peaceful town was rocked by a series of horrific murders. The culprit was dubbed the Moonlight Killer, but was never found.

At night, he killed young people in parked cars. Frightened residents were returning home long before the curfew announced by the authorities. The bloody crimes stopped as quickly as they started, and the Moon Slayer vanished into the night.

dog boy

Legend:

In the city of Quitman, Arkansas, the legend of the Dog Boy has long circulated. Locals claimed that it tells the story of an evil and very cruel little boy who loved to torture defenseless animals, and then completely switched to his parents. After the death of the boy, his ghost lived in the house where he killed his parents, in the form of a half-man, half-dog, instilling horror and fear in people. People often notice his outline in the room where he kept the animals he abused.

Witnesses describe him as a large furry creature resembling a dog with glowing cat eyes. Those who pass by his house notice that he is watching them closely from the window of the house, and some even claim that an incomprehensible creature on all fours was chasing them down the street.

Reality:

Once upon a time, an angry and cruel boy named Gerald Bettis lived in an old house at 65 Mulberry Street. His favorite pastime was catching neighbor's animals. He had a separate room where he brought the unfortunate. There he tortured them and brutally killed them. Over time, his cruelty began to manifest itself in relation to elderly parents. He was huge and overweight.

They say that it was he who killed his father, but no one has ever been able to prove that he provoked him to fall down the stairs. After his father's death, he continued to abuse his mother, keeping her locked up and starved to the sea. Law enforcement agencies intervened and they managed to save the unfortunate mother. Some time later, she testified against him for growing and using marijuana. He was sent to prison, where he died of an overdose.

Legends that turned out to be true

Black water

Legend:

This rather famous story begins with an ordinary family buying a new house. They are doing great until they turn on the faucet, which pours black, muddy, foul-smelling water. After checking the water tank, they discover a rotting body. It is not known when this legend was born, but a similar story really took place.

Reality:

Eliza Lam's body was found in a water tank at the Cecile Hotel in Los Angeles, California in 2013. Her death is still a mystery, and the killer has not been found. By the time the guests complained about the tainted water and her body was found, it had been decomposing in the tank for a week.

The creepiest legends

Bloody Mary

Legend:

According to an eerie folk belief about Bloody Mary, in order to invoke her evil spirit, one must light candles, turn off the lights, and whisper her name while gazing into a mirror. When she arrives, she can do a range of harmless things, as well as terrible things.

Reality:

According to psychologists, if you stare in the mirror for a long time, you can see how someone else is looking at you in response, so most likely the legend of Bloody Mary did not appear out of nowhere. The Italian psychologist Giovanni Caputo calls this phenomenon "the illusion of an alien face."

According to Caputo, if you stare long and hard at your reflection in a mirror, your field of vision will begin to distort, and the outlines and boundaries will become blurred - your face will no longer look the same. The same illusion manifests itself when a person sees images and silhouettes in inanimate objects.

Halloween is a celebration of fun, absurdity and, of course, fear. A selection of tales - urban horror stories that are still told to each other by American Boy Scouts around the campfire - will help you not feel like a stranger at this holiday, because as a child, an immigrant was frightened by completely different characters.

Riverdale Road, Colorado

Why is this creepy: The Riverdale Road near Thornton, Colorado stretches for 11 miles (17 kilometers) and is literally teeming with legends that can frighten even the most seasoned paranormal investigator. Here they met a ghostly runner, a wide variety of demons, and even a ghost chevrolet camaro. But the strangest place here is the Gates of Hell. This is the name of the entrance to the old estate, in which, according to legend, the distraught head of the family burned his wife and children alive. The gate itself has long been demolished, the mansion turned into ruins, but the ashes are still in place. A woman dressed in white walks along it. And the ghosts of slaves, allegedly hung on a tree here. And even a pack of ghostly dogs! Some believe that there is a portal to hell here, which is why so much horror is concentrated in such a small area.

Where did it come from: It is not known exactly when the numerous local legends originated. Given the history of the slave spirits, it is logical to assume that terrible things have been happening here since the 50s of the 19th century. Every time something else terrible happened, the legend about it added to the list, which eventually became like a horror show in a provincial amusement park.

Mr. Sneeze, Delaware

Why is this creepy: In colonial times, Samuel Chu ( Chew) was a respected man - the chief judge of the state. However, even at that time and in his position, those around him laughed at his last name, pronouncing it like “Sneeze” (“apchhu!” - Ah, Chew!). This infuriated the judge so much that even after death he could not calm down, and his spirit still haunts the descendants of his offenders. The ghost appears before his victims in a judge's robe and a starched wig. The most likely to see him are those to whom his last name still seems ridiculous.

Where did it come from: Samuel Chu did serve as Chief Justice of the three districts until his death in 1743. The legends around him disturbed the people of Dover Green County so much that the ghost was even "buried" in an ornate grave. They say that after that he calmed down, but he can still properly scare the presumptuous lover of phonetic jokes.

Skunk Monkey, Florida

Why is this creepy: The Everglades swamps in Florida are known for a number of nightmarish creatures and phenomena - man-eating alligators, man-eating snakes, car accidents and road robberies, which also kill people. However, something really strange was also encountered in these places: the “skunk monkey”. The growth of this relative of Bigfoot is from 1.5 to 2 meters, and the weight is about 200 kilograms. To understand that a skunk monkey is somewhere nearby, you can by the disgusting smell, reminiscent of rotting meat. Skunk monkeys are said to feed on berries and small animals, but have been known to attack wild boars and ravage farms. Recently, a headquarters has appeared in the Everglades in search of this mysterious creature. Of course, it is designed primarily for tourists: at the headquarters you can book a safari in the swamps. Who knows, maybe you will be able to prove the existence of this beast once and for all.

Where did it come from A: Nobody knows for sure. Some believe that this is Bigfoot, who, due to the invasion of civilization, left the mountains for the southern swamps, where it is easier to hide from hunters and find food. Others think that this is a fairy tale that the pioneers invented to scare away strangers from their lands. It doesn't matter what you believe, but if you're camping in the Everglades and you smell a strong smell, you should be on the lookout. It could be a skunk monkey.

The Curse of Lake Lanier, Georgia

Why is this creepy: A huge artificial lake north of Atlanta is intimidating for several reasons. An abnormally large number of boats and swimmers sink on the lake, and unexplained murders regularly occur along its shores. In the early 90s, a car was found at the bottom with the skeleton of a woman locked in it, who disappeared back in 1958. Since then, eyewitnesses have reported a ghostly female figure that can sometimes be seen above the surface of the water. They also talk about a giant catfish that lives in the depths of the lake. It is rumored to be large enough to swallow a dog and even drown a diver.

Where did it come from: The creation of the lake was accompanied by a lot of problems associated with the eviction of families and businesses from the territory, which was transferred for development to the Army Corps of Engineers. The ruins of the former buildings remained at the bottom. The old cemetery was also flooded, which partly served as the reason for the terrible reputation of the lake. Of course, most of the incidents on the lake are due to the well-known combination "drinking + swimming = tragedy" (they go to the lake first of all to have fun). However, many deaths remain unexplained, leading to believe that something sinister is behind them.

Ghost Runner from Canyon Hill Cemetery, Idaho

Why is this creepy: There are many rumors about ghosts at the old Canyon Hill Cemetery in Caldwell, Idaho. The most famous of these is the "Midnight Runner". This is a legless woman who appears if you park between certain trees near the cemetery. She knocks on the window and then continues her "run", which looks more like flying. It sounds creepy, but this is far from the most terrible legend about ghost runners. How about a spirit that shits on lawns?

Where did it come from: The origin is unknown, but given another conspiracy legend, according to which the state of Idaho does not exist at all, it can be assumed that this is another invention of the government.

Goat Man, Maryland

Why is this creepy: The infamous Maryland Goatman is said to do everything you would expect from a demented half-human, half-animal: kill teenagers, eat dogs, scream like a goat, etc. But the most horrific aspect is how much the legend has been circulated. The USDA was even forced at some point to publicly deny the accidental creation of such a creature at its research center in Beltsville. Another story about the appearance of the goat-man tells of a goat breeder who, upon learning that a group of rowdy teenagers had killed his herd, went crazy and turned into a monster.

Where did it come from: For the first time, journalist Karen Hosler from the newspaper wrote about the goat-man Prince George's County News in 1971. The material was devoted to the study of the urban folklore of Maryland and was accompanied by the story of one of the local families about how someone cut off the head of their puppy. Of course, the family - not without a hint from the journalist - blamed the goat-man for everything. A month later The Washington Post published a long note on this legend. The goat-man instantly became known throughout the country. The legend about him remains one of the most popular in the United States. The Goatman is regularly "meeted" and notes about him, sometimes improbably detailed, appear in the Maryland press even now.

Vampire Saint Germain, Louisiana

Why is this creepy: When it comes to scary things, Louisiana relies on more than voodoo, ghosts and Woody Harrelson's accent on the show True Detective. Jacques Saint-Germain, like any self-respecting vampire, seduced young girls and drank their blood. According to one version, he was born at the beginning of the 18th century. On the other - lived since the time of Jesus. After his "death" in 1783, he appeared here and there throughout Europe until he moved to New Orleans in 1902. Rumor has it that he is still doing his bloody business in the French Quarter of the city, but now calls himself Jack.

Where did it come from: The Comte de Saint-Germain was a real person, an alchemist and a real high society snob who was friends with all the celebrities of his time. He communicated with Louis XV, Catherine the Great and Voltaire. The latter called him "an immortal man who knows everything." He was even suspected of a series of murders. Also, he never ate in public. In the 1970s, French showman Richard Chenfrey claimed that the immortal Saint-Germain was him. True, less than 10 years later, Chenfrey died of a drug overdose. Or not?

Dog boy, Arkansas

Why is this creepy: Perhaps the name of this character sounds silly. However, you will not be laughing if in the town of Quitman, Arkansas, you suddenly see in the window of the house 65 on Mulberry Street the silhouette of a 140-pound half-man-half-beast with luminous eyes. In this case, it's better to get out of there as soon as possible, because he has a habit of chasing people on the street, biting his legs like a dog.

Where did it come from: The real story behind this legend is much darker. Gerald Bettis, the only son of the Bettis family at 65 Mulberry Street, has always been a problem child. But not like in the movie "Problem Child". As a child, Bettis tortured animals (which is why he was nicknamed the dog boy). As he grew older, his sociopathy spilled over into his elderly parents. He didn't let them leave the house. Rumor has it that he killed his father. Bettis was eventually arrested for growing marijuana in his backyard. He died in prison from a drug overdose in 1988.

Hell Bridge, Michigan

Why is this creepy: The Michigan legends of Detroit's Red Dwarf or the Dog Warriors are nothing like the story of Elias Friske, the demented old preacher who is said to have tormented children in the woods where Algoma now stands. He kept his victims bound and killed one by one. The remains were drowned in the Cedar Creek. When he was caught by the parents of those killed, he said that he was possessed by demons. This did not prevent his parents from hanging him. The Hell's Bridge is a narrow passage across a stream in the middle of forests. Those who dare to cross it at night can hear the cries of the victims of the mad preacher, and sometimes see his black figure with glowing eyes.

Where did it come from: There is no record of Elias Frisk in official state records, although such a family is known to have lived here in the early 1910s. However, everyone who has been on the bridge agrees that there is something there - and it most often makes itself felt at night.

Area 51, Nevada

Why is it (still) creepy: The story of Area 51 has been retold (sometimes in a humorous way) so many times that it is forgotten how disturbing the whole situation looked at the very beginning. However, the silence of the government, dead aliens and sinister experiments in the desert Nevada look more disturbing than the movie about it. There is a lot of speculation about what really happens at Area 51. They also talk about time travel, genetic experiments, and autopsies of aliens. However, no one except the authorities knows the truth.

Where did it come from: First of all, it is worth remembering that Area-51 really exists. This is a well-equipped military base in southern Nevada. However, no one knows her purpose. Early in the Cold War, in the 1950s, President Eisenhower approved a plan to build the first aircraft based on stealth technology, the U-2. Laboratories and a test airfield were located precisely in the area, which later became known as Area-51. The experimental aircraft resembled a UFO. Local residents who saw him fly, of course, made theories about his extraterrestrial origin, which immediately hit the press. The scandal was further fueled by news of a "UFO crash" in Roswell. Since then, Area 51 has been the center of conspiracy theories around the US government.

Watermelon heads, Ohio

Why is this creepy: The name "Watermelon Heads" could be suitable for a dessert. However, the legend behind this name is much darker: it is about pale, sick children who were genetically experimented on. They are believed to have huge heads and sharp teeth, perfect for tearing up babies (and possibly you). Doesn't sound like dessert at all.

Where did it come from: Similar stories exist in Michigan and Connecticut, but the Ohio version is the darkest. According to this legend, the "Watermelon Heads" are the adopted children of a certain doctor who tested new surgical and pharmaceutical means on them. It didn't turn out very well. Now the test subjects hunt in the woods of Kirkland, ready to flay any passer-by. According to other versions, at the sight of strangers, children simply run away. Finally, some consider them to be ordinary ghosts. One thing is for sure: one super-low-budget horror film was shot based on this legend.

Tramp Sam, South Dakota

Why is this creepy: In December 2014, a wave of suicide attempts swept across the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota - a total of 103 cases occurred. The incident is associated with the legend of Tramp Sam. Teenagers who tried to commit suicide said that they were a tall and thin figure who called himself Sam, and demanded to kill himself. A year earlier, five members of the Oglala Sioux had committed suicide. In 2015, the head of the tribe published in Facebook photo from a local forest with already prepared loops on trees. Thus, a plan of mass teenage suicide was uncovered.

Where did it come from: The figure of Tramp Sam also refers to the legends of the Boogeyman, which still work today - one has only to recall the Slenderman hysteria in 2008. The idea of ​​the “shadow people” is also so old that it is difficult to find its origin. However, Tramp Sam himself is a relatively new local legend of the Lakota and Dakota Indian tribes. Sam was first written about in 1980 by journalist Peter Matthiesen in his article The Spirit of a Crazy Horse. According to the material, Sam was first seen by the Sioux and Little Eagle Indians. Tramp is sometimes referred to as taku-he or "Bigfoot with a Straw Hat".

Rabbit Bridge, Virginia

Why is this creepy: This legend is fun to retell at night by the fire, but the real events behind it are truly frightening. In the 1970s, police repeatedly reported people being threatened by an ax-wielding man dressed as a rabbit. Some eyewitnesses said that he threw his ax at them. To this day, dead rabbits are often reported being found in the woods around Fairfax Bridge, also known as Rabbit Bridge. There is also a story about a man in white who was seen under the bridge.

Where did it come from: According to legend, in 1904 a group of prisoners were transported by bus from the mental hospital of Clifton, Virginia, to the nearest prison. On the way, the bus overturned, many prisoners died, but some managed to escape. The next day, the police began searching for the fugitives, and caught all but one. In the course of further searches, the police began to find gnawed carcasses of rabbits in the forests near Fairfax Bridge, but they were unable to catch the one who ate them. A year later, on Halloween night, a group of teenagers went under the bridge to spend time away from their parents. The next morning they were found hanging from the bridge piers. Since then, it has been believed that anyone who finds themselves under the bridge that night will face inevitable death.

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This infamous cemetery has many nicknames: The Seven Lost Gates of Hell, the Cemetery of the Damned, Satan's Burial Ground, or the most popular, the Seventh Gate to Hell.

The gates to hell should be protected by a pentagram, which was made up of 5 cedars planted here, but at the moment only two of them remain.

They say about this necropolis that the Devil himself administers judgment here together with his followers.

Some argue that the cemetery does not deserve the chilling reputation it has gained over the years. Shall we try to figure it out?

The graveyard and the ruined church are located on a picturesque hill (Stull's Emmanuel Hill) near the tiny, almost forgotten, village of Kansas Stull.

One of the legends about this mystical place has lived for 100 years, but first appeared in print only in 1974, when an article appeared in the November issue of the Kansas State University student newspaper about several strange incidents in the cemetery church. Legend has it that the cemetery is one of two places on earth where the devil himself appears twice a year: on the night of the vernal equinox and on Halloween. And the reason for his appearance was that his son was buried here. It was also said that the cemetery had long been the source of many myths and strange stories on the subject. How did the students find out about this? Did their grandparents tell them these stories, or was it their own experience? One student claimed that while visiting the cemetery, someone unseen grabbed his hand; another reported unexplained memory loss at that location.

Residents of these places said that they heard such stories for the first time. The article caused indignation and irritation because such things discredit the honor of the town. The pastor of the new church, located directly across the street from the old one, said he believes these stories are young people's inventions.

Whether it was true or not, the article caused a strong resonance among the population. On March 20, 1978, more than 150 people came to welcome the devil. In addition, there were rumors that all those who died a violent death and were buried in this land would return from their graves. Unfortunately, the night was without exciting events.

There are a lot of stories told, but nothing has been documented. Just an urban legend.

But let's get acquainted with those frightening events that people retell to each other.

One story tells of two young men arriving at Stull Cemetery at night. Suddenly, a strong wind began to blow out of nowhere. They ran back to their car and found that the car had been moved to the other side of the road. Another eyewitness also spoke about the anomalous wind, making a clarification that such a phenomenon occurs only inside the church, and not in the cemetery itself. He claimed that an ominous air current knocked him to the floor and prevented him from moving for several minutes. By the way, it is in this church that during heavy rains, there is no rain! But the ruined building has no roof.

Legends say that the Devil began to appear here from the 1850s, and the original name of the city was "Skull" because the entire local population dabbled in black magic. But in reality, the city was called "Deer Creek Community" until 1899, in which the city received a new name in honor of the first postmaster, Sylvester Stull. The post office was closed in 1903, but the name stuck.

in 1980, an article in the Kansas City Times added fuel to the fire. The printed edition reported that the devil chose two places to appear on Earth: Stull City (somewhere near the church there was a staircase to hell. Whoever found it disappeared for several weeks, and then appeared with a blackout) and a deserted plain where something in India. In these areas, the dark lord gathers all those who died a violent death in the past years for dancing at the hour of the witches. But why in Stall? The article indicates that he appears in this locality because of the events that took place in 1850, when the mayor was killed in the cemetery stone shed. Years later, the barn was turned into a church, which in turn was destroyed by fire. At midnight, the dilapidated wooden crucifixes on one of the walls are sometimes turned upside down. However, the tales forget that, from a historical point of view, this settlement never had an official mayor.

Author Lisa Hefner Heitz has collected numerous legends that make the mythology of Stull Cemetery even more eerie and mysterious. Some versions say that Satan also visits this place on the last day of winter and the first evening of spring. He comes to the witch who was buried here - Wittich. An old tombstone with such a surname is located quite close to the wall of the church. In addition, an ancient tree (pine) allegedly existed on the territory of the cemetery - it had already been cut down in 1998 - a gallows for convicted witches. Rumor has it that the tree still survived, and until now, servants of the devil gather near it on certain nights and pay tribute to the memory of their once executed friends in the craft, and the ghosts of the hanged sway on the branches.

What kind of being is called the son of the Devil? Either from Wittich, or maybe from another witch, a terribly crippled child was born, who was immediately dubbed the Child of Satan. He was so deformed that he only lived for a few days. He found his refuge in this cemetery. Rumor has it that his ghost still haunts the area, and a recent photograph showed the Devil's son peeking out from behind a tree.

Another strange creature is buried somewhere here - a boy of 9-11 years old, who believed that he could turn into a cat, a dog and a wolf. Werewolf or insanity? He was born covered in long red hair and had two rows of teeth. He was chained in the basement, leftovers were thrown like to a wild animal. Once, when he was 10 years old, he bit off his left hand, for which he was put on a chain, and ran away, killing everyone he met. After 11 months, the series of murders was interrupted - a lone farmer killed a creature born in the guise of a half-beast, half-man. The people saw that, in addition to everything else, he (o) was (o) a hermaphrodite.

During the spring and autumn equinoxes, luminous balls and lights materialize in the air. They fly over his grave, which remains nameless.

Of the ghosts here, you can meet the spirit of a witch who promises to curse everyone who steps on her grave. "Stay away from my bones," warns a tall lady with gray hair. It is said that she greatly hated her last husband, who was buried with her. Even after death, she is dissatisfied with his neighborhood.

In the Times magazine (from 1993 or 1995 - the number has not been preserved, and the versions give different time frames) there was a strange note that Pope John Paul II ordered his private plane to be rerouted in order not to fly over an unholy place.

The number of legends increased so much that by 1989 on Halloween night, crowds of onlookers rushed to the cemetery. According to some reports, about 500 people gathered there. Incidents of vandalism have been on the rise. The indignation of local residents reached a critical point, and they turned to the local authorities with a request to install a fence and increase patrolling of the territory. This reduced the influx of "tourists". Only October remained as noisy.
So what really happened? Are these legends taken from cheap horror novels, or is there really a grain of truth in the dark tales? Perhaps there were cases of the supernatural, but over time they grew to gigantic proportions.

No one knows, and the locals keep a strange silence. Although the inhabitants are against vandals and dark stories, they have done little to end the legends forever. If almost all paranormal activity is connected with the death of the old church, why not demolish it? The building has stood empty since 1922 and has been vandalized for many years. In 1996, the remains of the roof were torn off. Lightning struck the church, and it turned into a web of numerous cracks.

In 1999, on the eve of Halloween, journalists from the local newspaper and television, along with a group of spectators, came to the cemetery. The sheriff looked at this matter calmly, but then an unknown representative of the owners of the cemetery appeared and ordered everyone to leave the territory. The people had no choice but to comply. The owners of the cemetery, through a representative, said they do not want media attention, as it attracts vandals. But it wouldn't be easier to let the film crew shoot midnight and show that there is no devil there. That would debunk the legend.

But a much stranger event happened in 2002. A Journal-World journalist reported that the old stone church was demolished on Friday, March 29, 2002. A man named Major Weiss, who owns the land along with two other people (whom he declined to name), said he did not give permission for the demolition of the abandoned church . People living in the neighborhood, too, were not aware of the demolition. Only one person admitted that the walls of the temple collapsed about 2 weeks ago. From what - is unknown.

There is a story that The Cure refused to play in Kansas because this cemetery is located in the state.

Goatman, ghost Camaro and Judge Sneeze - what scares Americans from Florida to Michigan.

Halloween is a holiday of fun, absurdity and, of course, p-r-rah! And also the release of the second season of Stranger Things. Especially for the most fun weekend in the United States, we have prepared a selection of tales - urban horror stories that American Boy Scouts still tell each other around the campfire.

Riverdale Road, Colorado

Why it's creepy: The Riverdale Road near Thornton, Colorado, stretches 11 miles (17 kilometers) and is literally teeming with legends that can frighten even the most seasoned paranormal investigator. Here they met a ghostly runner, a wide variety of demons, and even the ghost of a Chevrolet Camaro. But the strangest place here is the Gates of Hell. This is the name of the entrance to the old estate, in which, according to legend, the distraught head of the family burned his wife and children alive. The gate itself has long been demolished, the mansion turned into ruins, but the ashes are still in place. A woman dressed in white walks along it. And the ghosts of slaves, allegedly hung on a tree here. And even a pack of ghostly dogs! Some believe that there is a portal to hell here, which is why so much horror is concentrated in such a small area.

Where it came from: It is not known exactly when the numerous local legends originated. Given the history of the slave spirits, it is logical to assume that terrible things have been happening here since the 50s of the 19th century. Every time something else terrible happened, the legend about it added to the list, which eventually became like a horror show in a provincial amusement park.

Mr. Sneeze, Delaware

Why it's creepy: In colonial times, Samuel Chew was a respected man—the state's chief judge. However, even at that time and in his position, those around him laughed at his last name, pronouncing it like “Sneeze” (“apchhu!” - ah, Chew!). This infuriated the judge so much that even after death he could not calm down, and his spirit still haunts the descendants of his offenders. The ghost appears before his victims in a judge's robe and a starched wig. The most likely to see him are those to whom his last name still seems ridiculous.

Where it came from: Samuel Chu did serve as Chief Justice of the three counties until his death in 1743. The legends around him disturbed the people of Dover Green County so much that the ghost was even "buried" in an ornate grave. They say that after that he calmed down, but he can still properly scare the presumptuous lover of phonetic jokes.

Skunk Monkey, Florida

Why it's creepy: Florida's Everglades swamps are known for a range of nightmarish creatures and phenomena - man-eating alligators, man-eating snakes, car crashes and highway robberies - that also kill people. However, something really strange was also encountered in these places: the “skunk monkey”. The growth of this relative of Bigfoot is from 1.5 to 2 meters, and the weight is about 200 kilograms. To understand that a skunk monkey is somewhere nearby, you can by the disgusting smell, reminiscent of rotting meat. Skunk monkeys are said to feed on berries and small animals, but have been known to attack wild boars and ravage farms. Recently, a headquarters has appeared in the Everglades in search of this mysterious creature. Of course, it is designed primarily for tourists: at the headquarters you can book a safari in the swamps. Who knows, maybe you will be able to prove the existence of this beast once and for all.

Where it came from: no one knows for sure. Some believe that this is Bigfoot, who, due to the invasion of civilization, left the mountains for the southern swamps, where it is easier to hide from hunters and find food. Others think that this is a fairy tale that the pioneers invented to scare away strangers from their lands. It doesn't matter what you believe, but if you're camping in the Everglades and you smell a strong smell, you should be on the lookout. It could be a skunk monkey.

The Curse of Lake Lanier, Georgia

Why it's creepy: The huge man-made lake north of Atlanta is scary for several reasons. An abnormally large number of boats and swimmers sink on the lake, and unexplained murders regularly occur along its shores. In the early 90s, a car was found at the bottom with the skeleton of a woman locked in it, who disappeared back in 1958. Since then, eyewitnesses have reported a ghostly female figure that can sometimes be seen above the surface of the water. They also talk about a giant catfish that lives in the depths of the lake. It is rumored to be large enough to swallow a dog and even drown a diver.

Where did it come from: the creation of the lake was accompanied by a lot of problems associated with the eviction of families and businesses from the territory, which was transferred for development to the Army Corps of Engineers. The ruins of the former buildings remained at the bottom. The old cemetery was also flooded, which partly served as the reason for the terrible reputation of the lake. Of course, most of the incidents on the lake are due to the well-known combination "drinking + swimming = tragedy" (they go to the lake first of all to have fun). However, many deaths remain unexplained, leading to believe that something sinister is behind them.

Ghost Runner from Canyon Hill Cemetery, Idaho

Why It's Creepy: Ghosts at the old Canyon Hill Cemetery in Caldwell, Idaho, are rumored. The most famous of these is the "Midnight Runner". This is a legless woman who appears if you park between certain trees near the cemetery. She knocks on the window and then continues her "run", which looks more like flying. It sounds creepy, but this is far from the most terrible legend about ghost runners. How about a spirit that shits on lawns?

Where it came from: the origin is unknown, but given another conspiracy legend, according to which the state of Idaho does not exist at all, it can be assumed that this is another fiction of the government.

Goat Man, Maryland

Why it's creepy: The infamous Maryland Goatman is said to do everything you'd expect from a demented half-human, half-animal: kill teenagers, eat dogs, scream like a goat, etc. But the most terrifying aspect is how publicized this one is. legend. The USDA was even forced at some point to publicly deny the accidental creation of such a creature at its research center in Beltsville. Another story about the appearance of the goat-man tells of a goat breeder who, upon learning that a group of rowdy teenagers had killed his herd, went crazy and turned into a monster.

Where it came from: The Goatman was first written about by journalist Karen Hosler of the Prince George's County News in 1971. The material was devoted to the study of the urban folklore of Maryland and was accompanied by the story of one of the local families about how someone cut off the head of their puppy. Of course, the family - not without a hint from a journalist - blamed the goat-man for everything. A month later, The Washington Post published a long article dedicated to this legend. The goat-man instantly became known throughout the country. The legend about him remains one of the most popular in the United States. The Goatman is regularly "meeted" and notes about him, sometimes improbably detailed, appear in the Maryland press even now.

Vampire Saint Germain, Louisiana

Why it's creepy: When it comes to scary stuff, Louisiana doesn't just rely on voodoo, ghosts, and Woody Harrelson's True Detective accent. Jacques Saint-Germain, like any self-respecting vampire, seduced young girls and drank their blood. According to one version, he was born at the beginning of the 18th century. According to another, he lived from the time of Jesus. After his "death" in 1783, he appeared here and there throughout Europe until he moved to New Orleans in 1902. Rumor has it that he is still doing his bloody business in the French Quarter of the city, but now calls himself Jack.

Where it came from: The Comte de Saint-Germain was a real person, an alchemist and a real high society snob who was friends with all the celebrities of his time. He communicated with Louis XV, Catherine the Great and Voltaire. The latter called him "an immortal man who knows everything." He was even suspected of a series of murders. Also, he never ate in public. In the 1970s, French showman Richard Chenfrey claimed that the immortal Saint-Germain was him. True, less than 10 years later, Chenfrey died of a drug overdose. Or not?

Dog boy, Arkansas

Why it's creepy: This character's name might sound silly. However, you will not be laughing if in the town of Quitman, Arkansas, you suddenly see in the window of the house 65 on Mulberry Street the silhouette of a 140-pound half-man-half-beast with luminous eyes. In this case, it's better to get out of there as soon as possible, because he has a habit of chasing people on the street, biting his legs like a dog.

Where it came from: The real story behind this legend is much darker. Gerald Bettis, the only son of the Bettis family at 65 Mulberry Street, has always been a problem child. But not like in the movie "Problem Child". As a child, Bettis tortured animals (which is why he was nicknamed the dog boy). As he grew older, his sociopathy spilled over into his elderly parents. He didn't let them leave the house. Rumor has it that he killed his father. Bettis was eventually arrested for growing marijuana in his backyard. He died in prison from a drug overdose in 1988.

Hell Bridge, Michigan

Why It's Creepy: The Michigan legends of Detroit's Red Dwarf or the Dog Warriors are no match for the story of Elias Friske, the demented old preacher who is said to have tortured children in the woods that is now Algoma. He kept his victims bound and killed one by one. He drowned the remains in the Cedar Creek. When he was caught by the parents of those killed, he said that he was possessed by demons. This did not prevent his parents from hanging him. The Hell's Bridge is a narrow passage across a stream in the middle of forests. Those who dare to cross it at night can hear the cries of the victims of the mad preacher, and sometimes see his black figure with glowing eyes.

Where it came from: There is no record of Elias Frisk in official state records, although such a family is known to have lived here in the early 1910s. However, everyone who has been on the bridge agrees that there is something there - and it most often makes itself felt at night.

Three-Legged Lady of Nash Road, Mississippi

Why it's creepy: In general, if at night someone strange starts to run after your car, it's always annoying. Even worse, if at the same time you are knocked on the body of the car. But when a woman with three legs turns out to be the pursuer, and the extra one is a bloody stump sewn to the body - it's really scary. According to legend, it can be found on a section of Nash Road near the city of Columbus.

Where it came from: There are plenty of ghost stories in Mississippi - from Robert Johnson, who sold his soul to the witch Yazu. The story of the Three-Legged Lady is interesting because it changes depending on the fears of the narrator. Someone says that the extra leg belongs to the murdered lover. According to another version, this is the ghost of a woman who was looking for her missing daughter, and found only her dismembered body. Still others believe that if you meet the Three-Legged Lady, you will have to overtake her on the nearest bridge. In any case, if you turn off the headlights on Nash Road at night, there is a risk of encountering a ghost in person.

Area 51, Nevada

Why It's (Still) Creepy: The story of Area 51 has been retold (sometimes humorously) so many times that it's forgotten how disturbing the whole situation looked in the beginning. However, the silence of the government, dead aliens and sinister experiments in the desert Nevada look more disturbing than the movie about it. There is a lot of speculation about what really happens at Area 51. They also talk about time travel, genetic experiments, and autopsies of aliens. However, no one except the authorities knows the truth.

Where it came from: First of all, it is worth remembering that Area-51 really exists. This is a well-equipped military base in southern Nevada. However, her purpose is unknown to anyone. At the very beginning of the Cold War, in the 1950s, President Eisenhower approved a plan to build the first aircraft based on stealth technology, the U-2. Laboratories and a test airfield were located precisely in the area, which later became known as Area-51. The experimental aircraft resembled a UFO. Local residents who saw him fly, of course, made theories about his extraterrestrial origin, which immediately hit the press. The scandal was further fueled by news of a "UFO crash" in Roswell. Since then, Area 51 has been the center of conspiracy theories around the US government.

Watermelon heads, Ohio

Why it's creepy: The name "Watermelon Heads" would be appropriate for a dessert. However, the legend behind this name is much darker: it is about pale, sick children who were genetically experimented on. They are believed to have huge heads and sharp teeth, perfect for tearing up babies (and possibly you). Doesn't sound like dessert at all.

Where it came from: Similar stories exist in Michigan and Connecticut, but the Ohio version is the darkest. According to this legend, the Watermelon Heads are the adopted children of a certain doctor who was testing new surgical and pharmaceutical remedies on them. It didn't turn out very well. Now the test subjects hunt in the woods of Kirkland, ready to flay any passer-by. According to other versions, at the sight of strangers, children simply run away. Finally, some consider them to be ordinary ghosts. One thing is for sure: one super-low-budget horror film was shot based on this legend.

Tramp Sam, South Dakota

Why it's creepy: In December 2014, a wave of suicide attempts swept across the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota - a total of 103 cases. The incident is associated with the legend of Tramp Sam. Teenagers who tried to commit suicide said that they were a tall and thin figure who called himself Sam and demanded to kill himself (remember anything?). A year earlier, five members of the Oglala Sioux had committed suicide. In 2015, the head of the tribe posted on Facebook a photo from the local forest with nooses already prepared on the trees. Thus, a plan of mass teenage suicide was uncovered.

Where it came from: The figure of Tramp Sam refers back to the legends of the Boogeyman, which still work today - one has only to think of the Slenderman hysteria in 2008. The idea of ​​the “shadow people” is also so old that it is difficult to find its origin. Nevertheless, Tramp Sam himself is a relatively new local legend of the Lakota and Dakota Indian tribes. Sam was first written about in 1980 by journalist Peter Matthiesen in his article The Spirit of a Crazy Horse. According to the material, Sam was first seen by the Sioux and Little Eagle Indians. Tramp is sometimes referred to as taku-he or "Bigfoot with a Straw Hat".

Rabbit Bridge, Virginia

Why it's creepy: This legend is fun to retell around a campfire at night, but the real events behind it are truly scary. In the 1970s, police repeatedly reported people being threatened by an ax-wielding man dressed as a rabbit. Some eyewitnesses said that he threw his ax at them. To this day, dead rabbits are often reported being found in the woods around Fairfax Bridge, also known as Rabbit Bridge. There is also a story about a man in white who was seen under the bridge.

Where it came from: According to legend, in 1904, a group of prisoners were transported by bus from the mental hospital of Clifton, Virginia, to the nearest prison. On the way, the bus overturned, many prisoners died, but some managed to escape. The next day, the police began searching for the fugitives, and caught all but one. In the course of further searches, the police began to find gnawed carcasses of rabbits in the forests near Fairfax Bridge, but they were unable to catch the one who ate them. A year later, on Halloween night, a group of teenagers went under the bridge to spend time away from their parents. The next morning they were found hanging from the bridge piers. Since then, it has been believed that anyone who finds themselves under the bridge that night will face inevitable death.

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