American urban legends. Urban legends of the USA: who are residents of different states afraid of?

Admit that you are still shuddered by memories of scary stories from your youth. Every child has heard stories about maniacs, ghosts and alien abductions. And all these stories are, of course, true, because... Happened to none other than your cousin's girlfriend's friend's friend. Isn't there enough evidence? While you have time and the opportunity, download torrent movies for free and watch horror films, in principle they are no different from these terrible urban legends

10. The Suscon Screamer.

Is there anything more creepy than a dead bride? I think no. Stories about these unfortunate people can be found in any country.

Suscon Road is a road in Pennsylvania, where the Railroad Bridge over the Susquehanna River is also located. There are many legends associated with this place. Locals claim that if you come to this place, turn off the engine, put the keys on the roof of the car and wait a little, then you will be able to see in the rearview mirror the so-called “the Suscan Screamer” (from the English Scream - to scream shrilly; screamer - the one who is screaming).

Most stories boil down to the fact that this is the ghost of a woman who was abandoned right at the altar and who then committed suicide on this bridge. They also say that after jumping from the bridge, she let out a piercing scream.

Another version features a creature with webbed feet, large claws and a huge head. Maybe someone should ask this dead bride what really happened when she sits in the back seat?

9. Lillian Gray.

This story begins with a tombstone that sits in the center of a cemetery in Salt Lake City, Utah. It "belongs" to a woman named Lillian E. Gray, who died in the 1950s at the age of 77. At first glance, this tombstone is no different from the others, until you come across the inscription “Victim of the Beast 666”.

Now this is alarming.

What could this mysterious inscription mean? Maybe this is some kind of indictment of the believers of one of the most religious cities in the country? Could she have been sacrificed for a satanic cult? Maybe she herself worshiped the devil? Or was she the victim of a witch hunt? But, all these are just rumors that intrigued residents came up with to explain this.

And as always, there will be someone who will come and ruin everything. The inscription was ordered by a paranoid husband who hated the government and blamed the police for his wife’s death. It's hard to say whether this makes the story any less terrible, but that's how it happened.

8. The Stow Lake Ghost.

Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California is known for its paranormal stories. If you believe the locals, then it is teeming with spirits, and you risk bumping into one of them while doing yoga. This park might as well be called “Undead Park.” But one ghost story was especially popular. It was published in the San Francisco Chronicle on January 6, 1908. This is the story of the Stow Lake ghost.

Newspaper publication begins with the name Arthur Pidgin. He was driving along the road, slightly exceeding the speed limit. A policeman stopped him. Arthur said that it was not his fault, he had to drive quickly to leave the lake as quickly as possible. He saw the ghost of a woman. She had long ones blonde hair, and there were no shoes on my feet.

Legends say that she was a mother who lost her child, or even killed her, and then committed suicide. Yeah, of course, it was impossible to come up with a better excuse for my violation...

7. Gates of Hell

Bobby Mackey's Music World is a popular bar in Wilder, Kentucky. The owner of this establishment is country singer Bobby Mackey. Three legends are associated with this place, which have become so popular that the building is put up for sale.

First. There are the gates of hell, which allow demons to enter our world. It is not yet clear why they come. Maybe they really like country music or beer.

As for the other two stories, they are more traditional. The first is about Pearl Bryan, a real-life pregnant woman who was found beheaded in the late 19th century. Her lover Scott Jackson and his friend Alonzo Walling were hanged for her murder.

The second legend is that of a woman named Joanna who is said to have fallen in love with a singer at a club. Her furious father allegedly hanged her lover in the dressing room, causing Joanna to commit suicide by poisoning. Bobby McKay wrote a song about this incident that suggests that the girl is still stalking him in that bar.

6. Patterson Road.

In Houston, Texas, numerous urban legends are associated with memories of the Civil War. One of the creepiest is associated with Patterson Road, which is located next to Interstate 6. All the locals agree on one thing that the ghosts that live there were soldiers of the Civil War. Those who believe this say that if you drive to the Langham Creek Bridge on Patterson Road at night and turn off the lights, you will hear a tapping sound or the car will be engulfed in fog. More skeptical locals point out that parking a car with the lights off on a busy bridge would be a good opportunity to become a ghost yourself.

5. Goat Man

Many stories are often made up by adults to scare children when they misbehave. Anyone who grew up in a Mexican family is familiar with this method of parenting, and many are probably still afraid of El Cucuy (Spanish).

El Cucuy, or boogie man, or more simply “the evil guy”.

The stories seem to have been made up by idiotic older brothers who are always trying to scare the younger ones. For example, the story about the goat man in Beltsville, Maryland. Official version This legend does not exist, but most claim that a scientist from the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center experimented on goats. And this somehow led to the fact that he himself partially became a goat, such, you know, a hybrid of a human and an animal.

4. The Snallygaster

In the 1730s, immigrants in Frederick County, Maryland, claimed to have encountered a terrifying creature. Soon after establishing a city on the site, residents began reporting sightings of a beast that was half bird and half reptile with a metal beak and razor-sharp teeth. It also had octopus tentacles, which it used to grab people and carry them away to feed its baby squid lizards.

When you hear this story for the first time without mentioning the nickname of this creature - Snelligaster, you can easily scoff. The plot of this story acquired new details as residents reported their “sightings” from New Jersey to Ohio. But let's not find fault with these states where every second person uses drugs

3. Green man.

This is probably the only story from this list, which is associated with real person with truly horrific details.

In the Koppel, Pennsylvania area, it is easy to spot a horribly disfigured man wandering the dark streets at night. He was nicknamed "Charlie without a face" or " green Man", and everyone has their own story of meeting him.

This is all because he really existed! Raymond Robinson, born in 1910, at the age of eight tried to look into a bird's nest on a bridge but had an accident. He touched a power line, which electrocuted him, causing horrific facial injuries that were permanent.

As it happens, such an appearance caused people to panic, children began to cry, so for almost all 74 years Robinson hid from people at home and went for walks at night. He became a living legend, and some people even went out at night to get a glimpse of him.

2. Dog boy.

Quitman, Arkansas is another place full of ghost stories. Most houses have their own history, and to stand out from “this crowd” you need to try hard. And such a story takes place. Here it is - the legend of the boy-dog.

In 1954, Floyd and Ellyn Bettis had a son, Gerald. By the way, this house is called the Battis house. Those who knew him in his youth claim that he caught dogs and cats, kept them in his home, mercilessly tortured and killed them. But what he is really famous for is the fact that he kept his parents captive in the attic for many years. He was arrested after his father died.

Gerald himself died in prison from a drug overdose. Since then, people have been claiming that things are happening in their home. paranormal activity. Flickering lights, strange sounds and moving objects. Considering Gerald threw his father out of the window, it seems unsurprising that there are ghosts there.

1. Coal Man.

Famous Californian urban legend originates from the Ojai Valley, Park Camp. They say that the spirit of a man who was burned alive lives there, and now he suddenly appears from the forest and attacks cars and tourists. They call him the Coal Man.

There are several versions of the origin of the "coal" man, but they all begin with forest fires that occurred in the park in 1948. The main version is that father and son were held hostage by fire. The father died in the fire, but the son survived. When the rescue team arrived at the scene, they found that the son had suspended his father and pulled off his skin. At the sight of the firefighters, the son disappeared into the forest.

Another story tells about married couple, who also became a victim of the fire, and tells us that the young man, also falling into the power of the fire, suffered greatly and also went crazy, because he could not help his wife, who was screaming for help.

And yet, as usual, people say, if you come to this park, stop on the bridge and get out of the car, the Coal Man will come out to you. A horribly burned man will stumble upon you and try to rip your skin off.

January 16th, 2018

Recently we actively discussed the other way around. Let's continue the topic of edged weapons.

The existence of edged weapons is always accompanied by beautiful legends. Sometimes they displace the very image of a sword, knife or ax and live own life and even give rise to entire schools of weapons science. Well, who can now say exactly what King Arthur’s “Excalibur” looked like? But we all remember that this sword was used to pierce a stone, where it awaited the contender for the throne. However, a weapons legend can be found not only by rummaging through hoary antiquity.

Take, for example, the history of the famous Bowie knife. If you haven't even heard of a Bowie knife, you've definitely seen one. Well, at least in Tarantino’s latest masterpiece “Inglourious Basterds”. Here, a huge, creepy-looking knife acts as a full-fledged hero of the picture. It is he who Brad Pitt takes with him to the last fight. It is they who carve bloody swastikas on the foreheads of hated Nazis. And it’s not surprising, because the Bowie knife has long become a real weapon symbol of America. So are the Colt revolver, Thompson submachine gun and Winchester rifle.

Despite the fact that this type of knife has become widespread throughout the world, and the Americans themselves have elevated it to the rank of a pop idol, a lot of sometimes completely crazy legends have developed around it. And although serious American researchers periodically try to reason with the myth-makers, the voice of reason is drowned in the streams of novels and film epics.

But now we will try to figure out what the real Bowie knife was like.

Texas Militia Colonel James Bowie

The history of the most legendary edged weapons in the United States of America began in the 20s years XIX century. The legend of this knife is closely connected with the biography of its “creator” Jim Bowie. Born in 1796, this man was a true son of his era. Resold land and livestock. He traded in “ebony,” as African slaves were called back then. Fought with the sheriffs. He fought with the Indians. Hang around with pirates. Received the rank of colonel. Participated in the Texas Revolution, during which the cowboy state won its independence from Mexico. He said goodbye to his life defending the famous Alamo Fort. Along with Billy the Kid, Butch Cassady, Buffalo Bill and other notorious scumbags, he took his place in the pantheon of heroes of the Wild West.

But what made Jim Bowie famous was the knife named after him. This is where the legends begin. Many are sure that it was the future colonel who invented and made his monstrous cleaver. But no. Actually it was like that.

The eldest of the brothers Reason Bowie somehow, after a hunt, he was cutting up a carcass (according to another version, it was at a slaughterhouse), a very unpleasant incident occurred, the knife he was working with came across a bone, and his fingers slipped from the handle onto the blade, this almost cost Reason four fingers right hand. After this incident, Reason thought about a new knife that would fit securely in the hand, but would also be an excellent hunting assistant.

Having developed it myself appearance knife, he turned to the blacksmith who lives and works on the Bowie family plantation - Jesse Clifft, and he made a blade following Reason's instructions. The blade was based on an old hoof rasp (a special large file used to prepare a horse’s hooves for shoeing), and the handle was made of wood (in American legends, the knife was made from a piece of meteorite steel, found either by a blacksmith or by Reason) .

From a modern point of view, it seems very impractical and stupid to make a hunting cleaver from an old rasp, but at that time such a tool as a file was made of high quality steel, and it was valued much more than many other tools. For example, when a file became unusable, it was released, cut again and hardened. For most blades, local blacksmiths used various metal fragments as a basis: wheel and barrel rims, fragments of scythes, old horseshoes.

All these things were made of low-carbon steel, and a knife made from them had a very unstable cutting edge and was generally quite brittle. On the other hand, in American newspapers of that time there were frequent advertisements about the sale of high-quality steel, both domestic and imported (Sheffield steel was imported from Great Britain in the form of bars). Based on all this, Reason’s choice becomes clear. Unfortunately, not a single drawing or sketch of this knife has survived, only a description made by Reason Bowie himself for the American newspaper Planters Advocate: “the length of the blade was nine and a quarter inches (23.5 cm), the width was one and a half inches (3.8 cm), one blade, the blade is not curved (the butt line was straight), metal guard. In fact, it was a simple hunting cleaver of quite impressive size, equipped with a metal guard to protect the fingers. Most likely, the “Bowie knife” would have remained nameless, a simple “hunter”, if not for Reason’s younger brother - James Bowie.

One of the first knives copied from James Bowie's knife

Since childhood, James has been a “go-getter” and got involved in various adventures, not always legal. The younger Bowie hunted in the Louisiana swamps, was involved in smuggling and slave trading with the pirate Lafitte, and was involved in sales and resale. land plots and cattle, traveled a lot, fought with the Indians and eventually received the rank of colonel. But fame James Bowie began after a conflict with Major Norris Wright. Norris Wright was the president of the bank, and he refused to give James the loan needed to conclude a very profitable deal on the resale of land. The deal fell through and Bowie suffered significant financial losses. The situation was made worse by the fact that Wright, using bribery and slander, won the election for sheriff (Bowie supported Wright’s opponent). In 1826, the first skirmish between James and Wright occurred.

During a chance meeting in the city of Alexandria (Louisiana), Wright shoots James Bowie, but the bullet hits the gold watch in his vest pocket (according to another version, a silver medallion) and does not harm him. The Bowie pistol misfires when fired, causing opponents to engage in hand-to-hand combat. The stronger James knocks Wright down and tries to finish him off with a folding knife (the only weapon Bowie had at hand), but he cannot hold Wright with one hand and open the knife with the other, and he, throwing away the useless knife, begins to choke him. If passers-by had not separated them at that moment, James would most likely have killed his enemy with his bare hands. It was after this skirmish that the older brother Reason gives his younger brother James his hunting cleaver, so that the youngest will always have a decent weapon for close combat. In 1827, another skirmish with James took place, this time becoming fatal for Major Noris. The younger Bowie was called by his friend Samuel Wells as one of his seconds in the duel; it so happened that Norris Wright was the enemy’s second.

The duelists, after exchanging shots and both missing, decided to settle the matter peacefully, and Wells apologized to his opponent and went to drink the “peace settlement.” Immediately after the peaceful end of this duel, Wells’s second second, Samuel Kani, challenges Robert Crane (another second of Wells’ opponent) to a duel. Crane, without hesitation, pulls out two pistols and shoots Kani and James Bowie, Norris Wright also unloads his pistol on James. As a result, Kani was killed by the first bullet, Bowie was slightly wounded twice in the thigh and left hand shoots back, but misses, and, snatching a gift cleaver, rushes at the enemies. Crane grabs his pistol by the barrel and hits Bowie in the head, knocking him to the ground, and Norris Wright snatches the sword hidden in the cane and strikes the fallen James twice in the chest, with the second blow the thin blade of the sword breaks, hitting the bone. At this moment, Bowie with a sharp movement takes sitting position, catches Wright by the arm and yanks him towards himself, at the same time delivering a strong ripping blow to his stomach. Bowie's second opponent, seeing the death of Major Norris, also draws his sword and rushes at him. James manages to strike first and rips open his enemy's stomach with a horizontal slash. In two strikes scary cleaver James Bowie shakes with both enemies.

The day after the duel, Bowie and his cleaver became famous. The news of a terrible duel, which escalated into a massacre, during which one man armed with only a knife dealt with two opponents armed with pistols and swords, was instantly carried by local newspapers. Newspapers do not skimp on details and colorful details in the description of the battle, and they embellish the events more and more. Pistols of that time were predominantly single-shot and often misfired, and as the example showed James Bowie A good knife in close combat is a reliable weapon. People all over the country are starting to take newspapers to blacksmiths and ask them to make a “fighting knife like Bowie’s.” So a purely peaceful hunting knife one day becomes a combat cleaver.

After James healed his wounds, he and his brother travel a lot, in many places where they appear with the “legendary” knife, local craftsmen make copies. The brothers order copies of knives, simple and richly decorated. The elder brother always carries a knife decorated with silver with him, and from time to time he gives it either to one of his friends or to some important person. All this, as well as participation younger brother in countless bloody knife duels, from which he always emerged victorious without serious injury, makes the Bowie brothers popular figures at that time. Of the most famous duels, this was the duel with "Bloody Jack" Stedivant, the fight took place in a 12-foot circle, and the opponents were tied together with a three-meter rope. James soon became interested in searching for the lost silver mine of Los Almagres. He assembles an expedition of volunteers and goes to the territory in search of a mine. Indian tribe Comanche. On November 19, 1831, a battle took place between Bowie's detachment of 10 people and several hundred Indians. As a result of the battle, which lasted about thirteen hours, the Comanches left Bowie's detachment alone, losing about a hundred people killed and wounded. James's squad killed one man and injured several others. Although Bowie did not find the mine, this battle glorified him even more and he received the rank of colonel of the Texas militia.

James Bowie's last fight

Last Stand James Bowie and his death is also shrouded in legends and myths. In 1836, he participated in the heroic defense of the Texas Fort Alamo from Mexican troops (during the Texas War of Independence from Mexico of 1835-1836). During the last stage of the battle for Fort Allamo, Colonel Bowie was bedridden in his room, he had tuberculosis (according to another version, a severe form of pneumonia). After the Mexican soldiers, embittered by heavy fighting and serious losses, broke through the defenses and entered the fort, they killed everyone in their path. James Bowie, as soon as the Mexicans burst into his room, emptied both pistols at them, killing two, and pulled out his trusty knife, was shot at point-blank range and bayoneted by a dozen soldiers.

The fate of the very first Reason knife, given to James Bowie, is not fully known: according to one version, it was destroyed by Mexican soldiers, according to another, it was lost while crossing the river. American scientists have repeatedly organized expeditions to search for the first of the Bowie knives, but none of them have achieved results.

Life James Bowie and his exploits made him a real American legend, several films have been made about him, and dozens of books have been written. And his knife truly became the “American Excalibur”

Colonel James Bowie knife, myths and legends:

1. James Bowie's very first knife was made from a meteorite and hardened seven times in the blood and fat of a jaguar.


2. The knife was invented by Reason Bowie after he saw a medieval falchion in a museum or private collection.


3. James Bowie, armed only with his knife, fought five hitmen armed with pistols and knives and killed them all, suffering a couple of minor wounds in the process.


4. In his last battle, James Bowie, bedridden by illness, shot and stabbed ten Mexican soldiers to death before being shot dead.

The very first copy, unfortunately, was not documented or sketched. But eyewitness accounts suggest that at the beginning of his career, the Bowie knife bore little resemblance to its version today. The blade Reason ordered was simply a large butcher's cleaver. No fancy guard. Without coffin handle. Without its famous bevel of the butt. Everyone who saw the first Bowie knife in action noted not its shape, but its size. And Jim didn’t demonstrate particularly clever ways of using this tool - he took it out, poked it, slashed it. But the legend needed more, especially since people were already willing to pay real dollars for it.

These Bowie knives were also produced in Shefeld.

This is how the “Bowie knife” was born. The funny thing is that such blades were not produced in very large quantities in America itself at that time. They were mainly imported from the British metalworking center in Shefeld. It was from there that all these monsters with inscriptions like “American Patriot” and “Ranger's Hope” were supplied en masse. English marketers (or whatever they were called then) very accurately grasped market trends and managed to promote the “Bowie knife” not just as a weapon or tool, but as national symbol. So much so that they very quickly and forever forced the authentic shape of the colonel’s knife out of the market.

These Bowie knives were popular with Confederate soldiers.

Of course, the patriotic inscriptions, the intricate shape of the blade and the silver finish were all very attractive to potential buyers. But the reason for the popularity of the Bowie knife as a weapon lay elsewhere. The reason for this was extreme imperfection firearms those years. Only one shot could be fired from a pistol or rifle - the process of loading the weapon was long, and the range was short and the enemy had time to get close to hand-to-hand combat. That is why a large, heavy knife was so in demand. Which, moreover, unlike a sword or saber, could also be used for economic purposes. And such a subject did not require long training.

However, the Bowie knife never showed itself as an army weapon. They were mainly armed with Confederate soldiers from the southern states. But as the inexorable statistics of the war showed, they used it not to shred the northerners, but purely in internal squabbles and drunken fights. The final verdict on the “big knife” came from the appearance of new effective firearms among the troops. For example, Colt revolvers.

The film "The Iron Lady" raised new wave interest in the Bowie knife.

The Bowie knife would have remained a vague memory if Paul Wellman’s book “The Iron Mistress” had not been published in 1951 ( The Iron Mistress). The author is in it bright colors described a fairly mythologized life path Jim Bowie, with special emphasis on his famous knife. Moreover, Wellman initially had it as we know it today. The book became wildly popular and soon a film was made based on it. So it began new page in the history of the legendary knife. Many companies began to produce their own types of Bowie. Numerous “teachers” appeared who claimed to have secret techniques for using these weapons. This is how the cult was born.

1. Chambers Mansion

The Chambers mansion was built in 1887 in San Francisco (California). Its original owner, Richard Chambers, had two nieces who lived with him. One of them was named Claudia. According to stories, she often appears there to this day. Why? This may have something to do with her death. She died because a farm harvester cut her in half. Today this mansion is a hotel. Many guests complain about strange things happening there during their stay.

2. Franklin Castle

Guests at this castle in Cleveland, Ohio, report hearing screaming babies, constant footsteps, and slamming doors. But there is no one there...

3. Amity House

The Amityville House of Horror in Amityville, New York is the site where, in 1974, 23-year-old Ron DeFeo Jr. killed his mother, father, two brothers and two sisters with a shotgun while they slept in their beds at night.

The family who bought the house after this said that many creepy things began to happen to them, including mucus oozing from the ceiling, strange smells, moving furniture, swarms of flies in the middle of... cold winter, and constant slamming of doors. Their experiences spawned a book, The Amityville Horror: The True Story, and nine movies. So what about those stories? It turns out they were fictitious. Other people who lived in this house did not notice any supernatural phenomena at all.

4. LaLaurie Mansion

Could the LaLaurie mansion, in New Orleans, Louisiana, be haunting victims of enslavement through torture? In the 1830s, many rumors circulated around New Orleans about the torture and mistreatment of slaves who worked in this house. The perpetrator was said to be Madame Delphine LaLaurie, a very rich and well-known socialite throughout the city. Since then, there has been talk from all sides about ghosts allegedly living in this house.

The Lizzie Borden home in Fall River, Massachusetts is the site of the grisly ax murder of Andrew and Abby Borden on August 4, 1892. To this day, no one knows what really happened. But Lizzie, Andrew's daughter and Abby's stepdaughter, became the main suspect in the crime.

At first she was convicted of murder, but a jury soon acquitted Lizzie. After that, she and her sister moved to live in another place, and the house turned into a small B&B-type hotel (Bed-and-Breakfast - one-night hotels, as we usually call them). As many say, Andrew and Abby are still wandering around the house for over a hundred years. Maybe they are still looking for justice?

6. Myrtles Plantation

Myrtles Plantation, in St. Francisville, Louisiana, is said to be haunted by spirits and ghosts that frequently haunt the plantations and fields. The house itself is now a B&B. Want to visit?

7. Sprague Mansion

The Sprague Mansion is located in Cranston, Rhode Island. A place frequented by the son of the original owner, William Sprague, is Amas. He was beaten and shot on the road between the textile factory he owned and his mansion. People say they heard his voice in the wine cellar. Another ghost, Charlie the butler, was seen walking down the main staircase. He was still upset because he did not marry his daughter to a wealthy landlord.

8. Stranan's House

Located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the Stranan House is said to be haunted by businessman Frank Stranan, who built it between 1893 and 1906. When Stranan's successful businesses were destroyed by a hurricane, he committed suicide. Having tied himself to the iron gate, he threw himself into the river. Some say they still see him and his whole family walking near the house.

9. White House

Is the White House haunted too? Maybe…

Abigail Adams, wife of second President John Adams, is the "oldest" ghost in the White House. Her underwear has already been seen several times hanging in the East Room of the house. President Abraham Lincoln is also the spirit of this house. Many former presidents and heads of state, including British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Queen William of the Netherlands, are reported to have seen Lincoln or felt his presence. The queen even fainted when she saw him once.

10. Whaley House

The Whaley House is located in San Diego, California. It is believed to be haunted by "Yankee Jim" Robinson, who was hanged for attempted theft. Thomas Whaley testified against him in court, and some time after the verdict, he bought his property. After moving, he often heard heavy footsteps " big man" According to Thomas, this was Yankee Jim. Tragedies in the family of Thomas Whaley are also associated with the history of the house - his second child died at 18 months from scarlet fever, and his fifth committed suicide in 1885.

11. Winchester House

Winchester's home is located in San Jose, California. It was built over 38 years (from 1884 to 1922) and was intended for Sarah Winchester. The woman claimed that the design was suggested to her by the spirit of her deceased husband. The house design is made in the form of a labyrinth, with twisting corridors, dead ends, and secret places. Everything is designed to scare away and confuse evil spirits.

12. Jenny Wade's House

There are rumors that the ghost of her owner lives in Jenny Wade's house. Jennie is the only civilian killed at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. She died on the final, third day of the battle, after a stray bullet flew through the kitchen door and mortally wounded her.

13. Hull House

Hull's house in Chicago. It is rumored to be haunted by the spirit of the wife of real estate magnate Charles Jay. Halla, who died in the bedroom of her home. Others claim that there is also a crippled child still living in the attic of the house.

Halloween is a holiday of fun, absurdity and, of course, fear. A selection of tales - urban horror stories that American boy scouts still tell each other around the campfire - will help you not feel like a stranger at this holiday, because an immigrant was frightened by completely different characters in childhood.

Riverdale Road, Colorado

Why is this creepy: Riverdale Road near Thornton, Colorado, stretches for 11 miles (17 kilometers) and is literally teeming with legends that can scare even the most seasoned paranormal investigator. Here we met a ghost runner, a wide variety of demons and even a ghost Chevrolet Camaro. But most strange place here are the "Gates of Hell". This is the name of the entrance to the old estate, where, according to legend, the distraught head of the family burned his wife and children alive. The gate itself has long been demolished, the mansion has turned into ruins, but the ashes are still there. A woman in white wanders around it. And the ghosts of slaves allegedly hanged on a tree here. And even a pack of ghost 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 this come from: It is not known exactly when many local legends arose. Given the history of slave spirits, it is logical to assume that creepy things have happened 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. Those who still find his last name funny have the best chance of seeing him.

Where did this come from: Samuel Chew did serve as chief judge of three counties until his death in 1743. The legends surrounding him so disturbed the people of Dover Green that the ghost was even “buried” in an ornate grave. They say that after this he calmed down, but he can still scare the presumptuous lover of phonetic jokes.

Skunk Ape, 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 cause people to die. However, in these places we also encountered something truly strange: a “skunk monkey.” The height of this relative of Bigfoot is from 1.5 to 2 meters, and its weight is about 200 kilograms. You can tell that a skunk monkey is somewhere nearby by its disgusting smell, reminiscent of rotting meat. Skunk monkeys are said to eat berries and small animals, but they have been known to attack wild boars and destroyed farms. Recently, a headquarters for the search for this mysterious creature appeared in the Everglades. 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 the one to prove the existence of this beast once and for all.

Where did this come from: 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 it is a tale invented by pioneers to scare away strangers from their lands. No matter what you believe, if you're camping in the Everglades and smell a pungent odor, you'll want to be on the lookout. It could be a skunk monkey.

The Curse of Lake Lanier, Georgia

Why is this 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 inexplicable 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 ghostly female figure, which 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 this 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 to the Army Corps of Engineers for development. The ruins of the previous buildings remained at the bottom. The old cemetery was also flooded, which was partly the reason for the lake’s creepy reputation. Of course, most incidents on the lake occur due to the well-known combination of “drinking + swimming = tragedy” (people go to the lake primarily to have fun). However, many deaths remain unexplained, leading one to believe that there is something sinister 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 them is "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 worst legend about ghost runners. What about the spirit that shits on lawns?

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

Goat Man, Maryland

Why is this creepy: The infamous Goat Man of Maryland is said to do everything you'd expect from a crazy half-human, half-animal: killing teenagers, eating dogs, screaming goat, etc. But the most terrifying aspect is how widespread this legend is. Ministry Agriculture The United States was even forced at some point to publicly deny the accidental creation of such a creature in 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 this come from: Journalist Karen Hosler from the newspaper first wrote about the goat man Prince George's County News in 1971. The material was devoted to the study of 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 large note dedicated to this legend. The Goat Man instantly became famous throughout the country. The legend about him remains one of the most popular in the United States. The Goat Man is regularly “meeted,” and notes about him, sometimes incredibly detailed, appear in the Maryland press to this day.

Vampire Saint Germain, Louisiana

Why is this creepy: When it comes to scary things, Louisiana doesn't just rely on voodoo, ghosts and Woody Harrelson's accent in 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 in early XVIII century. According to another, he 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 still plies his murderous deeds in the city's French Quarter, but now calls himself Jack.

Where did this come from: The Comte de Saint-Germain was a real person, an alchemist and a real snob from high society, 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. Besides, he never ate in public. In the 1970s, French showman Richard Chenfray declared that he was the immortal Saint Germain. However, less than 10 years later Chenfrey died of a drug overdose. Or not?

Dog Boy, Arkansas

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

Where did this come from: Real story, which is behind this legend, is much darker. Gerald Bettis, the only son of the Bettis family at 65 Mulberry Street, was always a troubled child. But not like in the movie Difficult child" As a child, Bettis tortured animals (hence his nickname, Dog Boy). As he grew older, his sociopathy spilled over into his elderly parents. He did not 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's Bridge, Michigan

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

Where did this 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 has become forgotten how alarming the whole situation looked in the very beginning. However, government silence, dead aliens and sinister experiments in desert Nevada look more disturbing than the movies about it. There is a lot of speculation about what is really going on at Area 51. They 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, its 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. The laboratories and test airfield were located in the area that later became known as Area 51. The experimental plane resembled a UFO. Local residents who saw his flights, of course, made theories about him 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 a good name for a dessert. However, the legend behind this name is much darker: it talks about pale, sick children who were subjected to genetic experiments. They are reputed to have huge heads and sharp teeth, perfect for tearing apart babies (and maybe you). Doesn't sound like dessert at all.

Where did this come from: Similar stories exist in Michigan and Connecticut, but Ohio's 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 treatments on them. It didn't turn out very well. Now the test subjects hunt in the forests of Kirkland, ready to flay the skin of any random passerby. According to other versions, children simply run away when they see strangers. Finally, some consider them to be ordinary ghosts. One thing is for sure: one super-low-budget horror film was made based on this legend.

Hobo 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 Hobo Sam. Teenagers who tried to commit suicide said that a tall and thin figure appeared to them, who called himself Sam, and demanded to kill himself. A year earlier, five members of the Oglala Sioux tribe committed suicide. In 2015, the head of the tribe published in Facebook photo from a local forest with already prepared loops on the trees. This is how the plan for mass teenage suicide was revealed.

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

Rabbit Bridge, Virginia

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

Where did this come from: According to legend, in 1904, a group of prisoners were transported by bus from a mental hospital in Clifton, Virginia, to a nearby 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. During further searches Police began finding gnawed carcasses of rabbits in the woods near the 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 a bridge to spend time away from their parents. The next morning they were found hanging from the bridge supports. Since then, it has been believed that anyone who finds themselves under the bridge that night will face imminent death.

Ghosts on the road

This story is probably common in absolutely all countries where there are cars. Its essence is this: on an empty road at night, a motorist picks up a voting person who asks for a ride to some place. Arriving at the place, the driver discovers that his mysterious companion has disappeared without a trace, and the place where he was picked up is the place of his death.
Sometimes the fellow traveler is a beautiful girl, sometimes a man, and often the ghosts of children are encountered on the road. And the range of places to which ghosts ask for a ride is quite wide - from their former home or a certain place on the road, to cemeteries or burial places of bodies. The details, of course, vary, but the essence remains - it is better not to pick up night companions, unless you want to communicate with a ghost.

Candyman

This urban legend is so intertwined with modern culture, that at first glance it is not clear whether it spread after Barker wrote the story “The Forbidden” or whether the story itself was based on urban folklore. In any case, Barker's treatment, and later the filming of the film, named after the bloody hero, added a unique charm to this story and complemented it with vivid details. One story There is no Candyman - according to one version, he was an ordinary beekeeper who was robbed and abandoned in an apiary, smeared with honey. According to another he was talented artist- an African American, brutally killed with the help of bees for his love for the customer’s daughter. Before leaving him in the apiary, the guy's hand was cut off and now, if you call him from a parallel dimension, he will come to the daredevil and kill him with his hook instead of a hand. You can summon him by calling him five times in complete darkness while standing in front of a mirror. Remember the hand - the hook and the challenge from the mirror - they will appear in today's selection.

Body parts in school lockers

The regional horror story is little known in Europe, but I found it so interesting that I decided to include it in my personal top American urban legends. According to this legend, in one of the Chicago schools, a ninth-grader from the school orchestra stayed after school to practice playing the flute and was killed by one of the school employees. The killer not only killed the girl, but also dismembered her body and placed the parts in the students’ lockers. So what would you think? Probably, the sounds of the flute are still heard around the school and the sad ghost of the dead girl wanders? But no! The sounds of the flute, of course, are heard in the very room where the murder supposedly took place, but the ghost does not wander, but lies completely to itself. Sometimes, students, opening their lockers, see cut off body parts, which, however, immediately disappear. Quite an original ghost, isn't it?

White eyes

Stories like this are often told by miners and diggers in all countries of the world, so here too the Americans turned out to be unoriginal. Allegedly, about a hundred years ago, a group of miners found themselves trapped in a tunnel. They waited a long time for salvation, but soon realized that no one was going to rush to their rescue. Buried in impenetrable darkness, they had to drink the water that seeped through the ground and feed on the bodies of their dead, and then their killed comrades. All this time they were digging a passage and, having dug it, decided not to return to those who betrayed them. Every night they went out hunting, killing and devouring people. Why is the legend called “White Eyes” you ask? Yes, because during the time spent in the darkness, the miners’ eyes changed and began to glow in the darkness with white light.

Glad you didn't turn on the light?

Probably only in America there are so many mind-blowing stories about crazy, bloody maniacs. This simple story is no exception. To many, it seems quite creepy precisely because of the lack of unnecessary art and details that distract attention. In the most common interpretation, it echoes the story “People can lick too” and sounds like this:

Two girls lived in the same dorm room in college. One of them was going on a date, and then to a student party. The girl called her neighbor with her, but she decided to stay at home and prepare for the exams. The party dragged on and the girl came at about 2 am. She decided not to wake her friend. As quietly as possible, without turning on the light and trying not to make noise, she climbed into bed and fell asleep. Waking up far from early in the morning, she was surprised that her neighbor was still sleeping and went to wake her up. She was lying under the blanket on her stomach and apparently fast asleep. The girl pulled her friend by the shoulder and suddenly saw that she was dead, she had been stabbed to death. On the wall was written in blood: “Are you glad you didn’t turn on the light?” An almost identical story exists in Japan. It is not known who stole this plot from whom, but we will agree that ideas are in the air and we will continue to move on.

Slenderman or Skinny Man

When compiling the top American urban legends, I could not ignore this real - unreal character.
The trick is that initially it was not positioned as a real thing - simply as a result of one of the threads on the forum, the legend of the Skinny Man, enclosing victims in his deadly embrace, spontaneously appeared. This happened in 2009, but now Slenderman has left the Internet and has every chance of becoming a full-fledged member of the team of terrible monsters from scary tales.

Bloody Mary

American Bloody Mary is somewhat reminiscent of ours Queen of Spades. She can also be summoned using a mirror and she also kills anyone who disturbs her peace. Summoning her is as simple as calling Candyman - just say “I believe in Bloody Mary” three (or five) times while standing at the mirror and she will immediately appear. According to one legend, Bloody Mary is the ghost of a burned witch who killed girls to preserve her youth. According to another, the ghost of a brutally murdered girl. I think if you dig further in this direction, you can find a couple more options.

Mothman

The legend of the Mothman appeared in the mid-sixties, when a strange winged monster resembling a human was allegedly first spotted. Such monsters are not exclusively American - in almost every country in the world there are legends or at least mentions of strange pale people with glowing eyes flying above the earth at night. There are many versions of the origin of the human moth, ranging from mutations of cranes to ghosts and guests from a parallel world. Only one thing is clear: meeting the Mothman does not bode well.

Hook

This urban legend, which appeared in the sixties, is indeed based on real facts - at that time in America, Caryl Chessman was operating, a maniac who lay in wait for couples secluded in a car and brutally dealt with them.

So the story is about a couple who went to the wilderness to indulge in carnal pleasures, but left because the girl became scared. Arriving at the gas station, the couple discovered a fresh scratch on the car door, apparently made by a hook.

Angel statue, clown toy and others

Short and simple stories There are a lot of strange things that bring death in American folklore, so I decided to combine them into one group. The most popular of them are the stories about the killer clown and the angel statue. In the first case, the nanny, left alone at home with the children, calls the parents to ask permission to remove the scary clown doll. As it turns out, there was never such a doll in the house, and the parents returned home and found the nanny and children dead or missing.

It's the same story with the angel statue in the garden. Although such a statue was never placed there. The scheme is the same, the end is predictable. And there are a great many variations of these stories.