Sedlec Ossuary

 Author: Anna Mervine

In Kutna Hora, there is a place called the Sedlec Ossuary. People can take trips and visit the church that has over 35,000 bones in it. The exact number of bones the church has is 40,000. According to the author Michael Turtle, in an article entitled “Visiting the Sedlec Ossuary in Kutna Hora.” The bones are real, and they come from bodies that were buried in the cemetery around the church in the 14th and 15th century. After that, they were moved into the ossuary after they were dug up so the cemetery's size could be reduced. This church has been around for years, and to this day it still fascinates people enough to go out of their way to explore it.

Bone Church

You can visit the Sedlec Ossuary in Prague. The author, Stephanie Hubka, of the article “Sedlec Ossuary: Visiting the Bone Church of Kutna Hora” states that she had to take an organized tour to get there because they did not have a rental car and there is not a direct form of transportation option. “Trains and buses will extend your journey from one hour to almost three hours.” She states. Around Sedlec Ossuary, there are places you can stay if you would rather stay overnight in Kutna Hora. Unless you can get a rental, there is not a formal form of transportation, so if you visit then you would most likely be better off taking a day trip to Prague. If you want to visit, tickets are available on their website. The ossuary is open from 10AM – 6PM between April and September. The Ossuary is open from 10AM – 4PM between October and March. In the article "Czech Republic’s notorious Sedlec Ossuary to ban selfies.” it states that as of 2020 “visitors will need to ask for permission from the parish three days in advance if they wish to take pictures in the ossuary.” Meaning, unless given permission, no photography is allowed inside the building while visiting. Kutna Hora. 
The Ossuary was built during the time of the Plague. People would come to the Sedlec before their death. When they died, they would have been buried in the Sedlec. After that had stopped, the task of creating the Ossuary was given to a half blind monk named Frantisek Rindt who arranged the bones to remember the people who had died during the Plague. Now, in 2022, people can visit the Sedlec Ossuary to view the beauty of the Ossuary and have a tragically gruesome dedication to the dead. Their lives still live on and will always be remembered.

Works cited:
Turtle, Michael. “Kutna Horas Church of Bones.” Time Travel Turtle. 22 September. 2022. https://www.timetravelturtle.com/sedlec-ossuary-bone-church-kutna-hora-czech-republic/. Accessed 23 October. 2022.

Hubka, Stephanie. “Sedlec Ossuary: Visiting the Bone Church of Kutna Hora.” Road Unraveled. 20 March. 2018. https://www.roadunraveled.com/blog/bone-church-sedlec-ossuary-kutna-hora/. Accessed 24 October. 2022.

Prague, Kafkadesk. “Czech Republic’s notorious Sedlec Ossuary to ban selfies.” Kafkadesk. 22 October. 2019. https://kafkadesk.org/2019/10/22/czech-republics-notorious-sedlec-ossuary-to-ban-selfies/. Accessed 24 October. 2022.

Links for Further Reference:
So, Haley. “Sedlec Ossuary – The Creepy Church that Decorated with Thousands of Bones.” The Value. 3 Jan. 2019. https://en.thevalue.com/articles/sedlec-ossuary-church-of-bones. Accessed 25 October. 2022. This article provides information about how the Sedlec Ossuary is decorated and why it is how it is.

Tripadvisor. “Sedlec Ossuary (Kostnice Sedlec).” Viator. https://www.viator.com/Prague-attractions/Sedlec-Ossuary/overview/d462-a22657. Accessed 25 October. 2022. This article, from a trip advisor website, shares need to know information before going to the Sedlec Ossuary. Like how to get there and where you would go.

Lovejoy, Jess. “7 Amazing Facts about the Sedlec Ossuary.” Mental Floss. 27 Feb. 2019. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/575129/sedlec-ossuary-facts. Accessed 18 Oct. 2022. Jess writes an article and in every paragraph, she shares a different fact about the Sedlec Ossuary.

Mysterious Jinn

 Author: Kallista Yeung

If one saw something at night, Persians would say, “there’s a jinn.” Originating from Arabian folklore, jinn are supernatural ghosts or spirits. In the Pre-Islamic period, jinn were worshipped. According to the Quran, they were created on Thursday before the creation of humans. They have the same desires and needs as humans just with higher physically. Jinn are described to have free-will where they were able to choose to be believers or non-believers. The jinn’s downfall was their pride. Allah, the name of Islam’s god, sent angels to kill most of them. Prophets related to jinn are Muhammad and Solomon. They were sent as messengers to the jinn and human communities. As Islam spread outside Arabia, there became more variants and versions of jinn. Surah 72 in the Quran is often referred to when speaking about jinn. (“What is Jinn?”)

“Devil or Angel”

There are many different types of jinn: Ifrit, royals who protect ruins, Madrid, shapeshifters who grant wishes, Ghoul, human-feeding creatures, Hinn, dogs luring soldiers into desserts, Jann, mischievous shapeshifters, Sila, rare meddling creatures, Palis, vampires, Qareen, the bad part of human, Shayteen, evil-doers who gives illness and death, and Vetala, corpse-possession psychics. (Geller) 

Jinn has been used as an explanation for sleep paralysis and other mysterious. Egyptians have a overwhelming fear of death by sleep paralysis. Jinn is said to torment the body when one’s body is weak and powerless. This makes Egyptians wake up more frequently. Jalal, found that those who experience sleep paralysis in Copenhagen, Denmark are three times less likely than those in Cairo, Egypt. (Choi)

A place that is said to have jinn is Wadi-e Jinn. It is a tourist area in Saudi Arabia where the gravity seems to move upwards. The pavement extends up for 9 miles and seeming to move upwards when a car is put on neutral. Cars have reached up to 75 miles per hour. (Cortesi) Another example of jinn, is the genie in Alladin and the lion protecting the ruin.

In conclusion, some still believe in jinn due to several different reasons. For example, some my have heard stories from other peers, friends, and older family members, whereas some simply do not believe in them because they have never encountered such traumatic experiences with ghosts. 

Works Cited:

“Devil or Angel.” LifeForceNetwork, 26 July 2013, https://www.lightforcenetwork.com/morgana/who-are-jinn.

“What is Jinn?”  The Spiritual Life, https://slife.org/what-is-jinn/.

Choi, Annette. “The Nightmare of Sleep Paralysis.” PBS, Brilliant.org, 16 August 2018, https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/the-nightmare-of-sleep-paralysis/.

Cortesi, Max. “Wadi-e Jinn.” Atlas Obscura, 11 May 2022, https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/wadi-e-jinn.

Geller. “Jinn.” mythology.net, 2018, https://mythology.net/mythical-creatures/jinn/.

Khalifa, Najat Hardie, Tim. “Possession and jinn” Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, PubMed Center, August 2005, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1181833/.

The Melonheads of Northeastern US

Author: Nicholas Owens

Artist’s depiction of a melon head

Throughout the Northeastern part of the United States exists a legend which tells the tale the melon heads. Small humanoid creatures with large bulbous heads, who lurk within the forests of mainly Michigan, Ohio, and Connecticut. There’s a variety of stories which try to explain what the melonheads are, and the history of them, but there’s not very much solid evidence.

There are several stories of how the melonheads came to be. The most popular one revolves around a scientist by the name of Doctor Crowe. He had somehow gotten several patients at a mental hospital, either by kidnapping or through some secret deal, who he performed inhumane experiments upon. These experiments focused on the head and the brain and as a result led to their deformed heads. Among Crowes experiments were also lobotomies, making the melonheads not very aggressive, and a little slow. It’s not known whether Dr. Crowe was a real person, some people believe that he was a dentist in the 1940s. Other’s follow the belief that he was a doctor in the early 1800s who practiced medicine from his home. He had obtained kids with mental problems, or maybe even kidnapped and performed bizarre experiments upon them such as injecting their brains with water, leading to further damage. Dr. Crowe kept them locked away in cages, but eventually they escaped to the wilderness. It’s believed that they still live within the woods around Holden Arboretum, Ohio  only coming out at night, feeding on deer and other forest animals for food, and sometimes even humans.

Another story takes place in the 1980’s. A group of teenage girls from Notre Dame High School, decided to go driving around. It was a late Friday night, and they were just looking for harmless fun. They drove around for a while in a blue Granada, but then they decided to go to Velvet Street, nicknamed Dracula Drive. It was given this nickname for all the bizarre occurrences which happened there, the melonheads being one of them. On that road, they decided to stop and get out searching, jokingly thinking they’ll see the melonheads. It just so happened that the car, with its headlights still on, began charging towards them and in the window the girls could see the perpetrators, small human-like creatures with large heads, the melonheads.

People all throughout the area may claim that they have seen a melonhead once in their life, however there isn’t much evidence towards their existence. There is not one definitive answer to what the melonheads are, some believe that they are ghosts of murdered children, some say they’re escaped mental patients and others say that they are the result of inbreeding. But the consistent fact throughout it all is that they have larger than average heads.

Works cited:

Moran. Mark, and Sceurman, Mark. “Melonheads Creep Through the Ohio Woods at Night.” Weird US, http://www.weirdus.com/states/ohio/fabled_people_and_places/melonheads/index.php. Accessed 20 October 2022.

Dimmick, Aaron. “MICHIGAN MONSTERS: Beware the Melon Heads of Saugatuck” WWMT, 9 May 2016, https://wwmt.com/resources/media/a46e9a53-fccb-4891-bdcf-e1edbd4c8f21-jumbo16x9_melon2.PNG?1462797483921

Links for Further Research:

Cryptid Wiki

https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Melon_Heads

The cryptid fandom page holds more information on the melonheads and has similar cryptids with large heads that could have inspired the legend.

 

Melonheads Part I: A Trip Down Dracula Drive

https://newenglandfolklore.blogspot.com/2015/08/melonheads-part-i-trip-down-dracula.html?m=1

This blog post goes into depth on the stories surrounding the melonheads legend.

 

Melonheads Part II: Why So Many Big Heads?

http://newenglandfolklore.blogspot.com/2015/08/melonheads-part-ii-why-so-many-big-heads.html

This second blog post discusses similar creatures with large heads, which may or may not been inspired by the melonheads, or the other way around.

The Appearance of the Clearwater Monster

Author: B. Holt

“30+ Things to do in Clearwater Beach"

 In 1948, random, strange footprints began to appear on Clearwater Beach in Clearwater, Florida. It was said that the footprints appeared to be 14 inches long and 11 inches wide with only three toes. The people of the small town were confused and bewildered by the appearance of the footprints. After a year passed, the “monster” began to start a path. The pathway started on Clearwater Beach, but the monster’s footprints ended up in Indian Rocks, Sarasota, St Petersburg, and Courtney Campbell Causeway. One night, in 1949, according to an article written by Rick Spillman called, “Old-Three Toes- The Giant Penguin of Clearwater Beach, Florida” stated that the monster went on a 100-mile rampage, knocking over lifeguard stands and leaving feathers or “something unearthly.”

"Remember the Clearwater Monster? Its Having a Moment."

It wasn’t very long before people started filing reports claiming that they saw the monster. An article by Lenny Flank entitled “The Clearwater Beach Monster” stated that a local couple saw a “15-foot, bird-like, creature floating in the water”. Another report from Flank’s article stated that another couple “encountered a large, hairy creature with a head like a rhinoceros.” Another report of the creature from the article said the creature looked like a “wild boar.” 

No one knew what this creature could possibly be. That’s where Ivan T. Sanderson, came into play. Sanderson was a well-known zoologist who gave an expert opinion on the monster.  Sanderson state that the monster was a pre-historic, giant penguin. In an article about the Clearwater Monster by James Felton called, “The Giant Penguin Hoax That Fooled Florida for 10 Whole Years” stated that Sanderson ruled that a hoax was very unlikely and the tracks couldn’t have been hand-made. Ever since Sanderson ruled that a hoax was unlikely, the monster caught the attention of the world and the monster was basically a celebrity. 

A Reddit post by Ivan Zlax entitled “The Clearwater Monster” stated that the monster was a hoax and was revealed 40 years later. You’re probably thinking, how was this monster with several different sightings a hoax? Well, local pranksters and employees at an auto repair store, Tony Signorini and his boss Al Williams ended up admitting decades later that they were the Clearwater Monster. In another article by Jefferey Scott called, “Clearwater’s Giant Penguin Mystery” explained that Signorini and Williams made the tracks with iron castings and would leave imprints on the wet sand. 

Even though Signorini and Williams admitted to being the Clearwater Monster, according to that same article by Jeffery Scott, there were people saying they saw the monster standing in the tracks imprinted on the beach. So, I guess some things are still unexplained.

To show you that the Clearwater Monster was actually compared to a giant penguin, in 2007, a student at North Carolina State University named Julia Clarke described the fossils of the giant penguin as a monster. It was stated that the giant penguin was supposedly “1.5 meters tall and weighed the same as a human.” No modern creature or penguin is that large, so it would have to had existed millions of years ago. The Clearwater Monster and the giant penguin share a lot of similarities, such as their size, they both have three toes, and had feathers or bird-like structures. Also, a paleontologist named Leigh Love actually discover the fossils of the giant penguin. Researchers say that these enormous penguins were probably evolved in Palaeocene epoch, which was 56-66 million years ago. There have also been multiple fossils of similar giant penguin such as, the Crossvailla species which was found in New Zealand.

“The Oldest Fossilized Giant Penguin” 

Works Cited:

“30+ Things to do in Clearwater Beach”, GuidedbyDestiny 5 October. 2022, https://www.guidedbydestiny.com/your-ultimate-guide-to-clearwater-beach-activities/

Spilman, Rick. “Old Three Toes- The Giant Penguin of Clearwater Beach, Florida.” Oldsaltblog. September.20.2020. http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2020/09/old-three-toes-the-giant-penguin-of-clearwater-beach-florida/. Accessed 17 Oct. 2022.

Scott, Jeffery. “Clearwater’s Giant Penguin Mystery.” Florida Zone Blogspot. April.3.2014. http://floridazone.blogspot.com/2014/04/clearwaters-giant-penguin-mystery.html. Accessed 17 Oct. 2022.

Felton, James. “The Giant Penguin Hoax That Fooled Florida for 10 Whole Years.” Iflscience. August. 24. 2022. https://www.iflscience.com/the-giant-penguin-hoax-that-fooled-florida-for-ten-whole-years-65020. Accessed Oct 17. 2022.

Flank, Lenny. “The Clearwater Beach Monster.” LennyFlankWordPress. January. 13. 2022. https://lennyflank.wordpress.com/2022/01/13/the-clearwater-beach-monster/. Accessed on October 18. 2022.

Klinkenberg, Jeff. “Remember the Clearwater Monster? Its Having a Moment”, Tampa Bay Times, 5 January. 2021, https://www.tampabay.com/life-culture/history/2021/01/05/remember-the-clearwater-monster-its-having-a-moment/

“The Oldest Fossilized Giant Penguin”, Geologyin, Accessed on 26 October.2022, https://www.geologyin.com/2017/02/the-oldest-fossilized-giant-penguin.html  

Zlax, Ivan. “The Clearwater Monster.” Reddit. October.22.2021. https://www.reddit.com/r/forgeryreplicafiction/comments/qdk1qs/the_clearwater_monster/. Accessed on October 18^th. 2022.

Links for Further Research:

Love, Leigh. “Human Sized Fossils Found in New Zealand.” The Guardian. August.14.2019. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/aug/14/human-sized-penguin-fossil-discovered-in-new-zealand. Accessed on October 26, 2022

Clarke, Julia. “Discovery of Giant Penguins Shakes Theories on March of Evolution.” The Age. June.27.2007. https://www.theage.com.au/world/discovery-of-giant-penguins-shakes-theories-on-march-of-evolution-20070627-ge57ym.html. Accessed on October 26, 2022.

Emily’s Bridge: The Tourism trap

Author: Jazz

Emily's Bridge 
photo by Bryan Alexander 

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. 

Works Cited: 

Alexander, Bryan. "Emily's Bridge"https://live.staticflickr.com/4650/40275749232_cd1af8d1ec_b.jpg accessed 19 Oct 2022.

The Drivin' & Vibin' Team. “Why Do People Visit Emily’s Bridge in Vermont” https://drivinvibin.com/2022/06/17/emilys-bridge/ 17 Jun 2022.

McCracken, Scott. "Emily's Bridge"https://live.staticflickr.com/3948/15055890364_2ab388bf49_b.jpg accessed 19 Oct 2022.

Randy. “Emily’s Bridge” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLOeoK4ocOU 16 Mar 2022.

Links for further research:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/emilys-bridge This article gives light details of Emily’s story and has more insight of the area.

https://archive.vpr.org/commentary-series/mudgett-emilys-bridge/ In this article a historian did her own personal research into the history of Emily’s Bridge.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g57415-d2369721-Reviews-Gold_Brook_Covered_Bridge_Emily_s_Covered_Bridge-Stowe_Vermont.html This website has its users' personal reviews of Emily’s Bridge and more up-close photos.

Spontaneous Human Combustion

 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.

Clinton Road New Jersey

Author: Taryn Mazyck

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

Moon-Eyed People

 Author: Victoria Elliott

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.

Nephi’s Land. n.d. Photograph. “White Moon-Eyed People”, Book of Mormon Evidence, 24 July 2021. https://bookofmormonevidence.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/moon111-696x434.jpg. Accessed 25 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

The Why Flies. “Legend of the Moon Eyed People | America's First Civilization” YouTube, 17 March 2022, Legend of the Moon Eyed People | America's First Civilization - YouTube.

Links For Further Research:

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.

Haunted Savannah

 Author: Diamond White 

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.

“Savannah Ghosts.” Savannah Walks, http://www.savannahwalks.com/savannah-ghosts/.

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

Body Snatching- Easy Serial Killing

 Author: M. Baylee Burckhalter 

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:

<https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/a-beginners-guide-to-body-snatching> [Accessed 18 October 2022].

En.wikipedia.org. 2022. “Body snatching - Wikipedia.” Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_snatching>

[Accessed 18 October 2022].

“The pocketbook, bound in the skin of 19^th century murder William Burke.” businessinsider.com, 26^th November 2014, https://www.businessinsider.com/book-bound-in-serial-killers-human-skin-2014-11

“The Burke and Hare murders.” realmarykingsclose.com, 5^th November 2021, https://www.realmarykingsclose.com/blog/the-burke-and-hare-murders/

Links for Further Research: 

Deutschmann, Jennifer, 2022. “The Messed Up Truth Of Burke And Hare Body 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