The world is a mysterious place. The can of mystery highlights some of those mysteries. This site is a class project for Amanda Warren's English 101 class at the University of South Carolina Aiken.
Articles are uploaded once a year (on average) in the fall and/or spring.
If you have questions or tips on mysteries, please leave a comment or contact AmandaW at USCA dot EDU.
The Gold Brook Covered Bridge is a bridge built in 1844 in New
England Stowe, Vermont. The bridge is tied with the story of a young woman
named Emily, who tragically ended up taking her own life. According to The Drivin’ & Vibin’ Team, around
the mid 1800’s Emily came from a poorer family, but her lover came from a
wealthy family. The two were madly in love and planned to meet at the bridge so
that they could elope together. Emily’s lover never showed, and with a freshly
broken heart, she decided she couldn’t continue on with life, giving the bridge
the nickname “Emily’s Bridge”. How Emily killed herself is still in debate of
if she hung herself from the railings or jumped into the creek under the
bridge.
Emily's Bridge photo by Scott McCracken
The Drivin’ & Vibin’ Team mentions that people come worldwide just to get a glimpse of the ghostly occurrences that happen. There’s a legend Emily takes her heartbreak out on cars that pass through the bridge by scratching the paint on them and letting out her cries throughout the tunnel of the bridge. Around Emily’s Bridge it is rumored that unexplained lights surround the location at night.
Spontaneous Human Combustion was once a real concern amongst individuals after it has been used in different novels and media as stated by Radford in his article titled “Spontaneous Human Combustion: Facts & Theories.” There is even a scene in South Park where it is referenced and picked fun at, which is one of the reasons it is even a concern to those who are. Spontaneous human combustion is essentially when a person’s body just randomly bursts into flames with no real cause and leaving most of their surroundings untouched. How exactly would that even be possible? There have been many theories, though all of them have either been proven to be false, or they’re just left unanswered. There has been rumored to be cases with that being the cause of one’s death, but there is no living proof of that, leaving it just be a science question as pointed out in this South Park scene.
Spontaneous human combustion has been questioned for years on whether it was fact or fake. Some may even call it “fat wick burns” as mentioned in Kolijonen, and Klugers article called “Spontaneous human combustion in the light of the 21st century.” There has even been those who are so convinced it to be true, that there are cases that have not ruled out spontaneous human combustion as a potential factor in play. Though there has never been any substantial proof that this phenomenon exists, there is such thing as spontaneous combustion with things like coal, and lithium-ion batteries. Morse has stated in “Oropharyngeal Injury From Spontaneous Combustion of a Lithium-ion Battery: A Case Report” a case for where a battery spontaneously combusted, causing an injury in someone’s mouth, which is probably the closest evidence to even the possibly of someone spontaneously combusting. Even then, that would be the human body itself bursting into the flames by itself, it would be due to other factors.
Sometimes, in cases involving fire, with no known cause to how it started, they question the paranormal possibilities such as spontaneous human combustion, though majority of the time, it just gets ruled out to an accident caused by the victim. Like this one case mentioned by Mekeres in “Spontaneous human combustion, homicide, suicide, or household accident” , there was an old man who lived alone, was found almost completely burnt outside his house where there was minimal damage to his surroundings was ruled out as a potential oven misuse. There is no real reason to fear igniting into flames if you’re careful around fire as there is no scientifically proven way for your body to just ignite without other external factors being included as it’s just a myth and a hoax.
Works cited:
Koljonen V, Kluger N.
“Spontaneous human combustion in the light of the 21st century”. J Burn Care
Res. 2012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22269823/. Accessed on 20 October
2022.
Mekereş,
Florica, and Camelia Liana Buhaş. "Spontaneous human combustion, homicide,
suicide or household accident." Rom J Leg Med 24.1 (2016): 11-13. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Camelia-Buhas/publication/298817707_Spontaneous_human_combustion_homicide_suicide_or_household_accident/links/5759bfed08aed884620b2837/Spontaneous-human-combustion-homicide-suicide-or-household-accident.pdf
Morse, Justin,
et al. “Oropharyngeal Injury From Spontaneous Combustion of a Lithium‐ion
Battery: A Case Report.” The Laryngoscope, vol. 129, no. 1, 2019, pp.
45–48, https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.27275.
Radford,
Benjamin. “Spontaneous Human Combustion: Facts & Theories.” Live Science.
18 December 2013. https://www.livescience.com/42080-spontaneous-human-combustion.html.
South Park Clips.
“South Park: Another Combustion.” YouTube, 4 August 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxFT7rvz-Zk.
Tomlin, Jimmy, “North Carolina’s 1932 Series of Spontaneous Combustions is Still Unsolved.” Atlas Obscura. 19 January, 2016. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/north-carolinas-1932-series-of-spontaneous-combustions-is-still-unsolved.
Links for Further Research:
Spontaneous human combustion in
the light of the 21st century https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22269823/The writers explain what
spontaneous human combustion is and suggested a new term for it called “fat
wick burns” and they explain the subject in the simplest way possible without
fancy terms.
Spontaneous Human Combustion: Facts &
Theories https://www.livescience.com/42080-spontaneous-human-combustion.html
Spontaneous human combustion was once a real concern amongst individuals after
the usage of the term in fiction novels. There’s even supposed cases in the
past though most of it is inexplainable, so all we’re really left with is
theories.
Oropharyngeal Injury From Spontaneous Combustion
of a Lithium‐ion Battery: A Case Report https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.27275 This
article mentions the increasing quantity of E-cigarettes, vapes and the likely
cases of spontaneous combustion of lithium-ion batteries has increased dramatically.
People all over the world are infatuated with ghost stories, tall tales, folklore, and scary legends. Many people are intrigued by these stories because they contain events that cannot be explained, naturally. So, it isn’t an uncommon occurrence for people to travel long distances, spend unnecessary amounts of money, or even dedicate their entire lives to studying these mysteries, to try to find an explanation. According to author Taffy Brodesser – Akner in an article entitled “Highway to Hell: A Journey Down America’s Most Haunted Road” with such high curiosity, comes popularity. Over the past 20 years, people across the nation have traveled to a small-town in New Jersey, in hopes of experiencing supernatural events that are said to happen there, On Clinton Road.
Clinton
Road from Atlas Obscura article
Ghost boy bridge is one of the most well known legends of Clinton Road. As the legend goes, a young, deceased boy lives under the bridge and returns coins to people that throw them into the river. It is unclear to experts and residents of the area when this legend began. In the article entitled “Clinton Road: A Dark Ride” the anonymous author wrote about how it is obvious to passersby that many people have tried to test this legend. When you look beneath the bridge, down into the tea-colored water that lies below, you can see various coins that have been thrown down for years and years. In an article entitled “ Stranger Jersey: Clinton Road and Dead Man's Curve” author Jessica Presinzano wrote that in 2016 this same bridge where this alleged ghost boy lives, was replaced.
Look closely and you will see coins on the creek bed which were thrown to summon the Ghost Boy.
The people of West Milford are said to have seen sightings of ghosts, strange creatures, gatherings of witches, Satanists, and even the Ku Klux Klan. One legend is that killers dispose their victims' bodies in the surrounding woods of Clinton Road. This legend is partially true. There has been one case reporting that this indeed did happen. In an article entitled “The Most Haunted Road in New Jersey” author Bill Doyle explained the details of this murder. Mobster Richard “ The Iceman” Kuklinski, in attempt to dispose of his victim, threw his into woods in 1983. Later that year, a cyclist seen what appeared to have been a vulture consuming the remains of said victim. Bridge boy and ghosts aren’t the only things loitering Clinton Road. According to an article entitled “Clinton Road, New Jersey: The scariest and strangest road in the U.S.” there has been even stranger occurrences. Author Nick Kurczewski writes about residents who have allegedly seen snow in July and UFO’s. This 10-mile stretch of road is anything but ordinary.
Works Cited:
Brodesser-Akner,
Taffy. “Highway to Hell: A Journey Down America’s Most Haunted Road.” Atlas
Obscura, 27 October 2015. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/highway-to-hell-a-journey-down-americas-most-haunted-road.
Doyle, Bill. “The
Most Haunted Road in New Jersey.” New Jersey 101.5, 31 March 2021. https://nj1015.com/the-most-haunted-road-in-new-jersey/
Kurczewski, Nick.
“Clinton Road, New Jersey: The scariest and strangest road in the U.S.” New York
Daily News, 23 May 2014.
https://www.nydailynews.com/autos/creepy-cursed-curvy-new-jersey-clinton-road-frightening-road-america-article-1.1803331
Presinzano,
Jessica. “Stranger Jersey: Clinton Road and Dead Man's Curve.” North Jersey,
17 October 2017.
https://www.northjersey.com/story/entertainment/2017/10/17/clinton-road-and-dead-mans-curve-stranger-jersey/773080001/
The Bridge at
Dead Man’s Curve on Clinton Road “Clinton Road: A Dark Ride” Weird N.J.,
25 October 2022. https://weirdnj.com/stories/clinton-road/.
Links for Further Reference:
Brodesser-Akner, Taffy. “Highway to Hell: A Journey Down America’s Most Haunted Road.” Atlas Obscura, 27 October 2015. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/highway-to-hell-a-journey-down-americas-most-haunted-road The purpose of this article is to inform the readers of what they might expect on Clinton Road. This source is unique because there are beautiful illustrations to depict what the author wrote about. This source is relevant because it has facts on Clinton Road. As published in Atlas Obscura this article is aimed at those interested in learning about new things.
Doyle, Bill. “The Most Haunted Road in New Jersey.” New Jersey 101.5, 31 March 2021. https://nj1015.com/the-most-haunted-road-in-new-jersey/ The purpose of this article is to explain the legends behind Clinton Road. This source is unique because it, one by one, explains the legends, where they came from, and debunks them. This source is useful because it is informative. This source is relevant because it discusses my topic. As posted in New Jersey 101.5 this article is aimed at the residents of New Jersey.
Kurczewski, Nick. “Clinton Road, New Jersey: The scariest and strangest road in the U.S.” NEW YORK DAILY NEWS, 23 May 2014. https://www.nydailynews.com/autos/creepy-cursed-curvy-new-jersey-clinton-road-frightening-road-america-article-1.1803331 The purpose of this article is to inform readers of the logistics of Clinton Road. This source is unique because not only can you listen to the audio on the website, but it also discusses the layout of the town, where Clinton Road resides, how many miles the road runs, and the neighboring cities around it. This so is relevant because it is specifically based on my topic. As written in NEW YORK DAILY NEWS this article is aimed at those interested in spooky stories
A stone pair of
moon-eyed people from murphy, South Carolinas
The statue is found in the Cherokee legend of the moon-eyed people. Believed to be centuries old, the effigy was carved out by tapping another rock, eventually revealing a two-headed figure with round eyes too large for their faces (Howard). According to legend, it is the Moon-Eyed people.
Nephi’s Land
According to the Mormon legend, the Moon-eyed people lived before Columbus in Northern Georgia, southeast Tennessee, and the southwest part of North Carolina (Nelson). This map connects the possibility that the moon-eyed people were the Nephites. Because the moon-eyed people were continuously moving around Fort Mountain Park is a crucial piece of evidence that due to the proximity with the Mormon people. The movement of the moon-eyed people is along Mormon territory and marks Nephites, similar to the moon-eyed people's migration.
Legend of the Moon Eyed
People
Cherokee discovered the reoccurring stone structures in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, and the Cherokee say the moon-eyed people built them. The moon-eyed people were a race of fair-skinned, light-haired bearded humans. Their large blue eyes were so sensitive to the sun that they lived in caves and came out only at night (The Why Flies). Although they lived in the same area as the Cherokee nation, they were from the Appalachian Mountain. The connection to Prince Madoc of Wales is because he sailed to Mobile Bay, Alabama, left, and then came back to Alabama and never heard from again, which is why moon-eyed people believed to be the Welsh Indians. Morgan Jones, a Welsh minister, and Stedman, a sailor, both encountered the Welsh tribe that is said to have built the stone structures all along the Appalachian Mountains. The first governor of Tennessee, John Sevier, was told by an Indian chief that the statue wasn't built by American Indians but by the Welsh living in that area. The moon-eyed people used technology unknown to other tribes, like rounded-out boats instead of canoes. Cherokee said the moonlight people driven West few people were a tribe who lived in Utah and parts of California, a tribe of red-haired giants with white skin who lived in caves (The Why Flies). They feared the sun, and they only came out at night now (The Why Flies). People were at war with red hair for many years, and eventually, they were able to trap the white-skinned giants in the caves (The Why Flies). They then set a massive fire in killed them all (The Why Flies).
Works Cited:
Howard,
Krissy. “The Ancient Moon-Eyed People Of North Carolina: Fact Or Fiction?” All
That’s Interesting. 10 Jan. 2017.
https://allthatsinteresting.com/moon-eyed-people. Accessed 18 Oct. 2022.
Strange
Carolinas. stone pair of
moon-eyed people. n.d. Photograph. “Exploring the Mysterious North American
Moon-Eyed People Legend “, Ancient Origins, 23 Jan. 2022 stone_9.jpg
(420×700) (ancient-origins.net). Accessed 25 Oct. 2022
Howard, Krissy. “The Ancient Moon-Eyed People Of North Carolina: Fact Or Fiction?” All That’s Interesting. 10 Jan. 2017. https://allthatsinteresting.com/moon-eyed-people. Accessed 18 Oct. 2022. Krissy Howard discusses the moon-eyed people of the Appalachian Mountains in this article. It's an overview describing their connection to Prince Madoc, their war with the Cherokee, and being attacked by the Creek tribe from the south. Using the Cherokee legend, this article explains who the moon-eyed people were.
Nelson,Rian.” White Moon-Eyed People.” Book of Mormon Evidence. 24 July 2021. https://bookofmormonevidence.org/white-moon-eyed-people/. Accessed 18 Oct. 2022. Rian Nelson's article connects the moon-eyed people to Fort Mountain State Park. There is a discussion of their war with the Cherokees and how they might have been Nephites.
Tibbs, David.” Legends of Fort Mountain The Moon-Eyed People / Prin2ce Madoc of Wales.” The Historical Marker Database. 19 Sept. 2008. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=11590. Accessed 18 Oct. 2022. Tibbs writes about different moon-eyed people legends, including the Delaware Indian legend and the Legends of Fort Mountain. They received names from various tribes, such as Allegewi, and Cherokee Chief Oconostota spoke of his interactions with them and where they were located.
Savannah was founded in 1733 and it is known as one of the most historic cities in the United States. Revolutionary and Civil Wars were fought here so it is no surprise they are called the most haunted city, which was called by the American Institute of Parapsychology, which investigated ghost claims. There are many people who have felt the spirit or even captured a spirit before via camera. Therefore, many people have become firm believers of so because of many told stories of experiences with ghost in their home or on a vacation.
Ghost
Conspiracy
In November 1864, General William T. Sherman began his famous "March to the Sea" during the Civil War. After capturing Atlanta, Georgia, Sherman's Union troops marched for weeks--destroying everything in their path until they reached Savannah. There Sherman set up an army hospital at The Marshall House and now a hotel. Many guests believe that dead former soldiers haunt the hospitals. “Two men claimed that when their elevator door opened, they didn't see a hotel anymore," says Emily Kiernan of Ghost Talk Ghost Walk tours. "They saw a Civil War operating room, with wounded soldiers and frantic doctors trying to save them." Others have reported feeling cold areas said to be a sign of ghosts or hearing knocks at their doors when no one was there.
Everything
Is Haunted in Savannah
Savannah's river port was an important stop for cotton, rice, and tobacco ships back in the 18th and 19th centuries. Sailors stayed at inns, and pirates often spent time together at The Pirates' House restaurant. A dark stairway led to secret underground tunnels, where crimes may have happened. People have spoken about how spirits of pirates still lurk in the restaurant. Workers have reported weird flashing lights and mysterious footsteps coming from upstairs, even though no one was there. Chef Harold Bryant even claims he saw a ghost walk right through a closed kitchen door. "He was dressed in a white ruffled shirt, with a sword at his waist and a gold ring in his nose," said Bryant. "Then he just disappeared upstairs." Mant stories have been told and proven by witnesses of the same events happening to them or even just experiencing weird chills.
Works Cited:
Buchholz, Rachel. “Ghosts of Savannah.” National
Geographic Kids, no. 354, Oct. 2005, p. 36. EBSCOhost, https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=shib&db=sch&AN=18386181&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
The Late Show
with Stephen Colbert “Nick Swardson: Everything In
Savannah Is Haunted.” YouTube, 26 May 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQNb__Ar7vQ
Anatomy and medical related classes began to make their appearances into colleges in Scotland, specifically in Edinburgh. In the anatomy classes they would examine human bodies to study, along with practicing some medical procedures. Body Snatching the act of taking freshly deceased bodies from their final resting point, then selling them for money. This act was usually used for lower income or poor men. Two unwealthy men took this particularly too far.
William Burke and William Hare
William Burke, born in 1729, and graduated from Dublin’s Trinity College. Burke set out to study law in London, he eventually gave up on law and began writing. His father being an attorney, the word broke should not associate with him. Down the road, Burke ends up owning his
own lodging place. He would rent out rooms, until one day, that low money got
the best of him. Burke has a conversation with his friend William Hare. Burke
describes how hard it is to be broke, he could use the extra cash. Days later,
a lodger comes up deceased in Burkes rooms. Consulting his friend Hare, the
boys sell the body to a local anatomy professor by the name of Robert Knox at the University of Edinburgh.
Burke
and Hare’s actions are not exact representations of body snatching, but their
murders were inspired by them. The men continued to intoxicate and follow up
with murdering at least sixteen people. Making roughly eight united states
dollars per body, Hare taking the bigger half of the money.
After authoritative forces were notified of a body under Burkes bed, the boys were taken into custody November 1st, 1828. William Hare and his wife Margaret testified the murders against William Burke and his wife Helen. Burke was found guilty Christmas Day of 1828 and was hung on January 28th, 1829. Hare, on the contrary, took a plea and was never heard from again. As for Burke, after being hung, his body could not go to waste. His body was dissected and studied; he was skinned after the dissection. His skin was used to make a notebook, along with having the word “Burking” coined after his committed murders.
Book Bound in Serial
Killer’s Skin
As these murders were horrendous, body snatching helped the world understand how the body truly worked. Anatomy Act of 1832 was eventually passed as well. The act made it legal for the corpse of those who died, who were not claimed, to be used by private anatomical teaching institutes.
Works Cited:
Jacobson,
Molly, 2017. “A Beginner's Guide to
Body Snatching.”Atlas Obscura. Available at:
Deutschmann, Jennifer, 2022. “The Messed Up Truth Of Burke And HareBody Snatchers Turned
Murderers.” Grunge. Available at: <https://www.grunge.com/434607/the-messed-up-truth-of-burke-and-hare-body-snatchers-turned-murderers/> [Accessed 18 October 2022]. This article written by Jennifer Deutschmann gives a brief rundown on what exactly it was that Burke and Hare were doing during the period of body snatching She describes how body snatching is the act of digging up unalive bodies from the ground to then sell them, typically to scientists studying anatomy. The purpose of this article is to discuss the significance of body snatching in the 19th century, with the findings of serial killers. This source is unique over other sources because it gives descriptions of each of the sixteen bodies that were sold, along with how they each occurred. It is relevant to my research because it shows how serious body snatching was taken, along with the side effects of the action occurring in repeat offenders. The article is specifically intended for an uneducated audience, with little background on what body snatching is.
The University of Edinburgh. 2021. “5 Things You Didn't Know About Burke & Hare.” Available at: <https://www.ed.ac.uk/medicine-vet-medicine/postgraduate/postgraduate-blog/things-you-didnt-know-burke-hare>
[Accessed 18 October 2022]. An article written by The University of Edinburgh,
in Scotland, same place these serial killers made their appearances. This
specific article includes “fun” facts on the two serial killers, Burke and
Hare. The purpose of this article is to inform information seeking individuals
with a few extra facts that may not be told in other articles. This article is
special for my paper being I can use some extra facts to either lengthen or
spice up my paper for the better. It is beyond relevant to my research by
giving a brief background on the individual killers along with facts not
everyone may know. This article is intended for prior knowledge holding
individuals who are interested in small facts on the serial killers.
Museum.rcsed.ac.uk. 2022. “Pocketbook made from Burke's skin - Surgeons' Hall Museums,
Edinburgh.” Available at: <https://museum.rcsed.ac.uk/the-collection/key-collections/key-object-page/pocketbook-made-from-burkes-skin>
[Accessed 18 October 2022]. Although this is not an article, this specific
website contains a key supplement for my research. This supplement is meant for
someone who has detailed background information and education when it comes to
body snatching along with Burke and Hares serial killings. What’s the
background knowledge knowing that Burke was hung, and his skin was made into a
notebook, the specific website contains the picture of the notebook at Burkes
skin was made into. This is severely unique being that I can find a picture and
see why they made Burkes skin into a notebook. The purpose of the picture is to
show what the book look like after it was made, from the picture you can tell
it was stained a darker brown color, not the color of his skin
The Leamington Lighthouse was a beacon of light used to guide sailors on their way. It is located in Hilton Head and served the ocean’s sailors for many years. One night tragedy struck the lighthouse, and the area has never been the same.
On a dark night in 1896 a gigantic storm hit Hilton Head Island. This storm affected the whole town, but most importantly the lighthouse. The lighthouse keeper, Adam Fripp, worked tirelessly to keep the light a flame. Despite his best-efforts Fripp had exerted himself too much and died from a heart attack. Adam Fripp left behind his daughter Caroline Fripp. After not hearing from her father, Caroline set out to the Lighthouse to check on him. When she arrived, she was greeted with the body of her deceased father. She placed pennies over his eyes to give him good fortune in the afterlife. Despite her grief she continued where her father left off servicing the lighthouse. While distributing oil up the lighthouse Caroline fell and died when she me the ground. Days later, once the storm had passed, rescuers found the bodies of the father and daughter. They were laid to rest, and the lighthouse never received another keeper.
Over time the Lighthouses purpose shifted. SC Picture Project describes this shift in their article entitled, “Leamington Lighthouse.” The area around the lighthouse became a Marine base, and then later became a historic monument. Some say the have see a figure wandering the area on stormy nights. This figure is seen radiating blue in a white dress. She was given the name The Blue Lady. Witnesses say when the Blue Lady is spotted, she is heard wailing. Because of the description of the Blue Lady and the area she resides in paranormal experts believe she is Caroline Fripp. They say she is wandering crying out for her missing father.
In the later years the keeper of the lighthouse home has been moved to a location within town. Dennis Woods, a real estate investor based in the state or Oregon who investigates real estate and the stores that coincide with it writes in his article, “The Hilton Head Blue Lady - Paranormal Activity on Hilton Head Island” about the sightings of the Blue Lady. He describes, during the demolition and construction, a blue phone would ring at the house’s new location. Once picked up the phone would scream the sound of cries. Some believes this was the work of the Blue Lady. Construction workers also say that when leaving the sight late at night the see a blue light glowing within the home.
The Leamington Lighthouse still stands tall in Hilton Head. Plaques have been placed around it telling the story of the storm and the Blue Lady. Though it has been many years those who visit the lighthouse on stormy nights may still see the Blue Lady in all her glory.
Works Cited:
Woods, Dennis. “The
Hilton Head Blue Lady - Paranormal Activity on Hilton Head Island” Ezine
Articles, 09 Dec. 2009, https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Hilton-Head-Blue-Lady---Paranormal-Activity-on-Hilton-Head-Island&id=3397164.
Rae and Dad. “Haunted
Lighthouse/ The Blue Lady Ghost of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina” YouTube,
24 March 2021, https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=leeamington+lighthouse+and+the+blue+lady&qpvt=leeamington+lighthouse+and+the+blue+lady&view=detail&mid=656FA0A261C4A24E6EEA656FA0A261C4A24E6EEA&&FORM=VRDGAR.
Segars, Bill. “Leamington
Lighthouse” SC Picture Project, June 2010, https://www.scpictureproject.org/beaufort-county/leamington-lighthouse.html.
“All About Our Island:
Discover Hilton Head.” Hilton Head Island, 25 Oct. 2022, https://www.hiltonheadisland.org/our-island.
For Further Information:
“Haunted Places in Hilton Head” Haunted Places, 16 Oct. 2022, https://www.hauntedplaces.org/hilton-head-island-sc/. This article was written by an anonymous author and serves as a reference for haunted areas near Hilton Head. The source, Haunted Places, also shares haunted areas all around America.
Kauffman, Barry. “So the story goes: The Blue Lady” Hilton Head Monthly, 30 Sept. 2022, https://hiltonheadmonthly.com/living/lifestyle/1463-so-the-story-goes-the-blue-lady. This article was written by Barry Kauffman, a researcher and author who studies paranormal activity and human potential. This article describes the paranormal activity surrounding the Leamington Lighthouse and the story with it.
“Hilton Head/Leamington Lighthouse.” Discover South Carolina, 25 Oct. 2022, https://discoversouthcarolina.com/products/25688. This article was written by an anonymous author and describes the Leamington Lighthouse and the purpose it serves today. IT also discusses the environment around the lighthouse.
Down in the swamps and lagoons of Australia, a creature called a Bunyip prowls the land and water hunting for human prey, especially women and children. Although there are many stories about this terrifying creature, does it actually exist or is it just a hoax?
As described by Bernadette Giacomazzo in “Meet The Bunyip, The Monstrous Cryptid Said To Inhabit Australia’s Swamps," the Bunyip has black fur, a round head, a long neck, sharp teeth, and a body type that is similar to an ox, hippopotamus, or seal. This creature is allegedly between five and fifteen feet long in size. The Bunyip supposedly made load, roaring noises while waiting to devour human beings. Its roars can echo across all of Australia. The article also states that the first sighting of the creature occurred in New South Wales in the year of 1818, when two explorers named Hamilton Hume and James Meehan discovered a large set of strange bones by a lakeshore. Most people believed the bones were from a deceased hippopotamus.
Although the Bunyip’s appearance has not been reported in current time, it began to become popular in the nineteenth century. According to an article called, "18 Facts About The Bunyip, A Cryptic From The Swamps Of Australia," by January Nelson, the most frequent reports of the mythical creature happened throughout the years of the 1840s and 1850s. During these years, the actual term, “The Bunyip,” was given to the creature. The word, “Bunyip,” stands for ‘devil’ or ‘evil spirit’ (Fae). It was given this name as it attacked people which caused a lot of fear among the communities in Australia.
The Bunyip still plays a large role in Australia’s culture today. The creature may just be a myth in a folktale, but it continues to thrive in modern time Australia. As talked about by Gabriel Berreteaga in “A Fantastic Rendition and Jubilee of the Bunyip in Australia,” the Bunyip is seen in many children’s books and films. It is also displayed around the country as statues. This article also acknowledge the Bunyip Park, which is located in southern Australia. The park includes the Button Grass Nature Trail and educates children about the Bunyip through interactive story books.
Overall, it is only up to you whether you want to believe in this man-eating creature. Does it wait through the night for people or was it made up to scare us? Will we ever truly know if it is real or fake?
Giacomazzo, Bernadette. “Meet The Bunyip, The Monstrous Cryptid Said To Inhabit
Australia’s Swamps." ATI. January 25, 2022, https://allthatsinteresting.com/bunyip
This article by Danielle K. presents a
phone interview with a woman who had a personal encounter with a creature in
which she thinks is the Yowie (also known as the Bunyip).
The Age: Rediscovered Rock Art Reveals an
Ancient Monster
This book,
written by a Scottish novelist named Andrew Lang, tells a story about young men
who had an interaction with a Bunyip while on a camping trip.
Death Alley, an ominous name of an alleyway in Chicago where many bodies were laid to be identified. The Alley is rested behind a Theatre that was called the Iroquois theatre in 1903 and is currently called the Oriental Theatre. The Iroquois Theatre is located at 24-28 west Randolph Street, between State Street and Dearborn Street, in Chicago Illinois. The Alley is located at he couch place or 24 Randolph Street.
The Theater was said to be fireproof like how the Titanic was boasted to be unsinkable. The Theater was unfit for fires and had many problems. Inside the theatre there were no sprinklers, alarms, telephones, water connections and not many easily accessible exits. The building was fit with asbestos curtains and the fire man of the building discussed the Deficiencies of the building with the fire chief. The fire chief and fire man of the building did nothing out of fear of the syndicate who owned the building would dismiss their fears, they were also told they could do nothing as the theatre had its own fireman.
On the day of said fire the theater was filled with about 2,100-2200 people in attendance to the theater (most of those being children watching the matinee performance). During the beginning of the second act of a musical called “In the Pale Moonlight” an arc light ignited a curtain, and the fire began to spread, many tried to dose and stop the fire to no avail. As the fire spread many people in the crowd were in unrest and a man named foy attempted to calm the crowd, as he was, he saw just how many people were in the Theater. The audience began to try to flee out of the doors but couldn’t get past bascule locks on the doors. The performers on stage were able to escape out bigger doors that were used to transport props to the Theater but while doing so made the fire bigger as the cold air rushed in.
The fire killed about 300 people and in those were only five actors that were present. The victims of the fire were killed by being trampled by scared people looking to flee, asphyxiated by fire, smoke, and gasses. This event has led to an impact on the change of theater safety laws and all theaters in the country were closed for retrofitting (some in Europe too). The alley that lay behind this ill-fated theater became itself after the fir as many of the dead bodies were laid there to be identified after the fire. The Alley is now a place where many who walk past say they feel phantom hands and whispers of your own name in the alley. Tales of ghouls who stole from the victims of the fire are told also. This Alley is used by commuters of Chicago and stage performers today.
In Fairfax county, there is an urban tale that likes to spring up every October, that being of The Bunny Man. Most variations keep the similar theme of a man in a bunny suit threatening people who come to his bridge, a railroad overpass near Clifton, Virginia, typically with the weapon of choice being an axe. Usually the backstory of the Bunny Man is that either he is an escapee from a local mental asylum, or that he is the spirit of a patient from an abandoned mental asylum. In another rendition, the reason why he is attracted to that bridge is because that is where a bus on its way to an Asylum crashed, causing either him to escape and ‘hunt’ in that area or that is where he died and now is haunting that area. In either case, rabbit corpses would occasionally appear, dangling from the nearby trees.
The origin of the urban legend stems from two news stories that were written in October of 1970 in the Washington Post. The first story was an Air Force cadet telling about how he and his fiance were attacked while trying to park their car. They claim that a man in a bunny suit came out of nowhere and flung an axe into their windshield. Following this a week later, a police officer saw the Bunny Man on top of a newly built house, hacking away at the roof’s support, then when the officer turned his back, he ran away.
The legend would grow to a point that in 2011 a direct to dvd indie slasher movie that was made called “Bunnyman.” that the director would go on to make 2 sequels. In these movies The Bunnyman would proceed to go on to kill a group of teenagers. In 2014, a local band from Fairfax, Mantua Finials, made a rock opera album based off of the story entitled “The Legend of the Bunnyman”.
Mother of 3 kids, herbalist, farmer, and contains warts on her or his body… Witch? These characteristics describe Grace Sherwood. Grace Sherwood was a middle-class woman who lived in Princess Anne, Virginia from 1660-1740. Grace was not only one of the selected few of people who were convicted for being a witch, but also the last person to be convicted of being a witch in Virginia.
Grace Sherwood had been accused of being a witch on multiple occasions. Some of these occasions being she caused crops and livestock to die, put curses on families, and even a woman by the name of Elizabeth Barnes said Grace slipped through her door key hole to get into her bed chamber and ride her like a horse. A little excessive with the details do you think?
After being taken to trial on multiple occasions and having her case looked at by each level of government back then, she was eventually asked to be tested by water. This is called dunking.
The test of water is when such a person is accused of being a witch, they are ordered to be tied to a cucking stool and be dropped into deep water. If such a person can escape and rise to the top they aren’t a witch, but if they sink and drown then they are innocent. That “totally” sounds like a win-win situation. Grace didn’t want to deny such a trial because it would just make her look guilty so she went with it.
Grace then proceeded to save herself and not drown and was placed in jail in Williamsburg, VA. It’s stated that on the night of Grace Sherwood dunking there was a storm with terrible lighting strikes. She was released in 1714. In 1733 she made a will bequeathing her property to her three sons. Beginning in the 20th century according to Emilee Hines in the Book, “Virginia Myths And Legend: The True Stories Behind History’s Mysteries”, held an annual Pungo Strawberry Festival in the still rural part of the city that included a reenactment of Grace Sherwood’s dunking(Hines). Also in the 20th century the mayor of Virginia pardoned Grace Sherwood from her being accused of being a Witch. She is known to be immortalized in Princess Anne, as she has a statue where people can pay due respect to her.
Works Cited:
“Grace Sherwood.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, August
7th, 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Sherwood
Schons, Mary. “Witch Trials in The 21st Century.” Accusations
of Witchcraft persist, Jeannie Evers, Emdash Editing, Kara West. National
Geographic Society. September 15th, 2022. 1145 17th Street NW Washington, DC
20036.
Walk With History. “The Last Modern Day Witch Trial.” The Witch
of Pungo. Youtube. October 17th, 2021. San Bruno, CA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gRXBM5lIyg
Links for Further Research:
Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/10/AR2006071000495.html
This site contains information on Grace Sherwood being pardoned.
National Geographic.https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/witch-trials-21st-century This link provides information on the witch trials in the 21st century.
National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/newsletters/article/why-were-witches-killed-20220516 explains why witches were killed from back then to know.
Ghost Lights are known throughout many cultures, telling the tale of “ghostly lights that hover above the ground deep in marshes, bogs, and wet, decaying places.” (McLeod) They’re known by many names such as the ghost lights, corpse candles, “will-o-the-wisps", Jack-o-the-lantern, fairy lights, spook lights, and many more. Since there are so many different things this phenomenon is called, there are also many different interpretations as to why this phenomenon takes place. The explanations are more widely known in myths, fairytales, or in some cultures. Some say that the eerie lights are the cause of fairies or even leprechauns, goblins, others have said they are the restless spirit of children who passed young or were miscarried. Despite all the differentiations and stories that have been made about these strange lights, they all circle back to one thing: “their cause is unearthly in nature and not to be trusted.” (McLeod)
Flivver 99 “Paulding Light – Wikipedia" Wikipedia
The Free Encyclopedia, 9 October 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulding_Light
There are many stories, theories, and tales of ghost lights from around the world. Most are like each other, and some are exact opposites. An example of related stories is one from Wales and Ireland, they tell a tale of someone named Jack or Will. In the Ireland interpretation, he was doomed by their mischievous behavior to wonder the Earth till the end of time. These gentlemen were denied access to both heaven and hell, he was granted one gift: “an ember from fires of hell to light his way a warm him in his travels.” (McLeod) Then in the Irish version of the tale, it goes on to talk about a traveler named Jack, receiving the same ember, as the previous story, but he kept his ember in a carved turnip that he used to light his way on his everlasting journey. He was named, “Jack-o-the-lantern", because of the turnip lantern he carries. Furthermore, there are tales in the United States, specifically in Arkansas, where these have been seen. Their ghost light is called “the Gurdon ghost light.” In local legend, it says that in 1931 a man by the name, William McClain, a foreman that worked for the Missouri-Pacific railroad. He was involved in a disagreement with an employee, Louis McBride, talking about when he is allowed to work. To say the least, McBride was livid and ended up brutally killing McClain with a shovel to the head and continuously beating him with a railroad spike hammer. (Arkansas)
Even with all the tales and stories of this phenomenon, there has been some scientific research done on them. The hypothesis is that the decaying matter around the area, such as rotting animal corpses or bad vegetation, releasing gases such as methane and phosphine. These gases that are released from the dying creature or plant have been known to spontaneously ignite when encountering oxygen, which causes low temperature flares for a moment. But there is nothing truly deny the existence of these strange ghost lights.
Works Cited:
Paulding Light – Wikipedia" Wikipedia
The Free Encyclopedia, 9 October 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulding_Light
“MARFA LIGHTS” Youtube, 5 June 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhRpMBAeVco.
“The Spook Light” Joplin Missouri. Ex. 20 October 2022, joplinmo.org/575/The-Spook-Light
“Ball lightning” Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. 3 October 2022, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_lightning
“Will-o’-the-Wisp: Monstrous Flame or Scientific Phenomenon?” Youtube, Ex. 25 October 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcNUxb_4qbo
Links for
Further Research:
McLeod, Jamie. “Ghost Lights: A
Weather Folklore.” Farmers’ Almanac – Plan Your Day. Grow Your Life. 21
June 2021, famersalmanac.com/weather-ology-special-ghost-lights-14442 This
source gives information on the folklore and science behind the ghost light sightings.
The purpose of this article is to explain and give information on possible
origins and reasoning as to how/why these sightings happened. This source is
unique because it gives a scientific hypothesis as to why these lights occur.
This source is useful because of the cultural involvement as well as the many
different stories explaining why these are occurring. As posted on Farmers’
Almanac this article is intended for people who have seen/heard of the strange
phenomenon wanting to learn information on the ghost lights or
will-o-the-wisps, as they say in the article, and seeing why they occur.
“Mysterious Lights”. Arkansas. The
Natural State. Ex. 20 October 2022, arkansas.com/articles/mysterious-lights
This sources gives information on the sightings and folklore in Arkansas. The
purpose of this article is to give information on the sightings in the state
and what the origin is. This source is unique because it gives detailed stories
about the lights. This source is useful because of the stories it shares of the
folklore in Arkansas surrounding the ghost lights. As posted on Arkansas: The
Natural State this article is intended for tourist or natives in Arkansas to
bring information on things they have possibly witnessed.
“Atmospheric ghost lights” Wikipedia
The Free Encyclopedia. 5 April 2022,
en.eikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_ghost_lights This source gives information on
the phenomenon and gives many, world wide, examples of sightings as well as
legends/folklore. The purpose of this article is to mostly allow access to more
resources as well as provide information. This source is unique because it
provides hyperlinks and gives resources for further information. This source us
useful because of all the additional details. As posted on Wikipedia this is
intended for someone wanting to find all possible knowledge.
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