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What's an urban legend or myth of your region?
- Thread starter Plague Doctor
- Start date
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Lots of the typical stuff so I'll go with
Grew up hearing how haunted the place was long before I recall it being a Halloween attraction or those ghost tv shows existed.
Basically the management was awful and hundreds of people died working there over the years that now haunt it supposedly.
My grandma used to tell stories about ghost workers walking home even after the place had been closed
Grew up hearing how haunted the place was long before I recall it being a Halloween attraction or those ghost tv shows existed.
Basically the management was awful and hundreds of people died working there over the years that now haunt it supposedly.
My grandma used to tell stories about ghost workers walking home even after the place had been closed
Shadow Puppetry
Member
The Skvader (a hare with the wings of a grouse) roams the forests of Lunde in northern Sweden. One of them got caught once back in the 1920s I believe and is now in a museum. Legend has it you can encounter it when walking and getting lost in these woods...
As a rabbit parent, I've never heard of this one.
Most of the urban legends from around here are probably going to be pretty standard but when I first got my drivers license I researched and explored a bunch of places so I know a number of things. I live just at the edge of the Greater Toronto Area so even though its a city, areas can get rural and uninhabited quickly. Anyways here's some of the ones I know:
1. The Bottomless Pit - This is a local legend that actually affected a friend of my parents. There is a creek that runs through the town and all roads have a bridge that goes over top except for one spot in the middle of the forest where the road dips down almost to meet the water. On one side the pond is slightly larger than a car and it's believed the water there is bottomless. One of my parents friends accidentally drove their car into it when they were a teenager (and drunk) and they tried to recover it but they weren't able to find it because it was too deep. Someone had done the same when my parents were children as well but it had a reputation for being bottomless even before that.
2. Ghost Road of Scugog Island - There are a number of ghost stories in Port Perry (Including a blue ghost woman that haunts a restaurant) but the best known and most cliche is Ghost Road. The legend is that a man was trying to see how fast his motorcycle could go on the dirt road and wiped out at the end of the road and smashing his head onto a large boulder (You can see the 'bloodstain' but I'm pretty sure it's spray paint). The road is in the middle of no where in a dark forest, there is only a farm that is nearby as well as a casino about 8km down the road. You park your car on the road facing the boulder and you can see the headlight of his motorcycle coming at you until it dissipates. This actually works as I've tried it but I am pretty sure it's headlights of cars on the adjacent road shining off the dead end sign at the end of the road (it's not a dead end so I dunno why it's there). I had some strange experiences around this area that didn't involve the ghost light too.
3. Salem's Lot - Salem's lot is an old cemetery from the 1800's in the middle of a forest. There is nothing that suggests you are coming upon the cemetery so when you are driving the trees just turn into tombstones and they are right up against the road. It's terrifying when you are driving at night, it feels like you warped. There are ruins of a couple of buildings on the lot and people say that at night they can see lights within the buildings and people inside as if someone is living there. When I visited we didn't see anything too strange other than people lit some lamps on the tombstones which was kind of unsettling considering they are all from the early 1800's and one was from around 1780.
4. Whitby Psyche - As of about 10 years ago this one doesn't exist anymore but Whitby Psyche was a mental hospital that was laid out like a small town and covered about 600 acres. It was also used as a hospital in WW1. Because it was so spread out it had a series of underground tunnels and rooms and it was easy to get lost. The whole building was extremely dilapidated except one of the rooms deep in the basement which always had a light on and was in perfectly fine condition with made up beds, machines and everything. I went once to take photos for photography class, I went to go down to find the room but something screamed from the bottom of the stairwell so I took off and almost got caught but some guards who happened to show up.
5. The Alien Tunnels of Cabbagetown - In the 70s a man searching for his cat stumbled into a tunnel which lead underground and connect with the sewers. As he got deeper into the tunnel he stumbled upon a small glowing man with orange eyes and grey fur on his body who hissed at him to 'get out' and took off into a side-tunnel. The man immediately took off and returned with a news team but the entrance had caved in. There is also there is believed to have been UFOs that have landed in Lake Ontario which is close to this area. Anyways here is the photo he took of the caved in entrance:
There are a couple more of varying notoriety but this is already a lot so I'll stop here.
1. The Bottomless Pit - This is a local legend that actually affected a friend of my parents. There is a creek that runs through the town and all roads have a bridge that goes over top except for one spot in the middle of the forest where the road dips down almost to meet the water. On one side the pond is slightly larger than a car and it's believed the water there is bottomless. One of my parents friends accidentally drove their car into it when they were a teenager (and drunk) and they tried to recover it but they weren't able to find it because it was too deep. Someone had done the same when my parents were children as well but it had a reputation for being bottomless even before that.
2. Ghost Road of Scugog Island - There are a number of ghost stories in Port Perry (Including a blue ghost woman that haunts a restaurant) but the best known and most cliche is Ghost Road. The legend is that a man was trying to see how fast his motorcycle could go on the dirt road and wiped out at the end of the road and smashing his head onto a large boulder (You can see the 'bloodstain' but I'm pretty sure it's spray paint). The road is in the middle of no where in a dark forest, there is only a farm that is nearby as well as a casino about 8km down the road. You park your car on the road facing the boulder and you can see the headlight of his motorcycle coming at you until it dissipates. This actually works as I've tried it but I am pretty sure it's headlights of cars on the adjacent road shining off the dead end sign at the end of the road (it's not a dead end so I dunno why it's there). I had some strange experiences around this area that didn't involve the ghost light too.
3. Salem's Lot - Salem's lot is an old cemetery from the 1800's in the middle of a forest. There is nothing that suggests you are coming upon the cemetery so when you are driving the trees just turn into tombstones and they are right up against the road. It's terrifying when you are driving at night, it feels like you warped. There are ruins of a couple of buildings on the lot and people say that at night they can see lights within the buildings and people inside as if someone is living there. When I visited we didn't see anything too strange other than people lit some lamps on the tombstones which was kind of unsettling considering they are all from the early 1800's and one was from around 1780.
4. Whitby Psyche - As of about 10 years ago this one doesn't exist anymore but Whitby Psyche was a mental hospital that was laid out like a small town and covered about 600 acres. It was also used as a hospital in WW1. Because it was so spread out it had a series of underground tunnels and rooms and it was easy to get lost. The whole building was extremely dilapidated except one of the rooms deep in the basement which always had a light on and was in perfectly fine condition with made up beds, machines and everything. I went once to take photos for photography class, I went to go down to find the room but something screamed from the bottom of the stairwell so I took off and almost got caught but some guards who happened to show up.
5. The Alien Tunnels of Cabbagetown - In the 70s a man searching for his cat stumbled into a tunnel which lead underground and connect with the sewers. As he got deeper into the tunnel he stumbled upon a small glowing man with orange eyes and grey fur on his body who hissed at him to 'get out' and took off into a side-tunnel. The man immediately took off and returned with a news team but the entrance had caved in. There is also there is believed to have been UFOs that have landed in Lake Ontario which is close to this area. Anyways here is the photo he took of the caved in entrance:
There are a couple more of varying notoriety but this is already a lot so I'll stop here.
Yup, I remember the Bunnyman story when I was in high school (NoVA).
There's also "Midgetville", which was an actual thing (though blown out of proportion in the telling).
ClearMetal
Member
Most famous one I know of in my direct environment is a hellhound myth. Just the usual tale of a hellish dog (called a 'Kardoeshoond' in local dialect) that roamed the local towns and cemeteries. In the latter case, he would be a portent of someone dying soon.
There's actually a statue of him in a nearby village. First time I saw it myself was when I was small and I was on my way to a wedding reception with my parents. It was already dark and the statue is located at the side of the road, so you can't miss it. Thing scared the hell out of me. Said reception was being held at a house in the middle of the goddamn woods, making it even worse.
Here's a picture:
It doesn't look that bad in daylight, but seeing it suddenly appear in the headlights of the car at night? Bah.
I also know about tales of the Witte Wieven (literally: White or Witty Women). These were wise women, whose spirits remained after their death. They lived in burial mounts (see image below) and could either bless or hinder (to the point of death) the people that encountered them (often lone wanderers).
There are also local stories of Witte Wiefkes ('wiefkes' being a diminutive form of 'wieven'), who were benevolent house spirits and were content if they had a place to stay near the fireplace.
Last but not least are creatures known as Heemennekes ('Hey men'), pesky little buggers that would follow farmers to the doorsteps of their homes, constantly shouting "Hey! Hey!"
So yeah, basically Navi from the Ocarina of Time, but only a few hundred years ago.
There's actually a statue of him in a nearby village. First time I saw it myself was when I was small and I was on my way to a wedding reception with my parents. It was already dark and the statue is located at the side of the road, so you can't miss it. Thing scared the hell out of me. Said reception was being held at a house in the middle of the goddamn woods, making it even worse.
Here's a picture:
It doesn't look that bad in daylight, but seeing it suddenly appear in the headlights of the car at night? Bah.
I also know about tales of the Witte Wieven (literally: White or Witty Women). These were wise women, whose spirits remained after their death. They lived in burial mounts (see image below) and could either bless or hinder (to the point of death) the people that encountered them (often lone wanderers).
There are also local stories of Witte Wiefkes ('wiefkes' being a diminutive form of 'wieven'), who were benevolent house spirits and were content if they had a place to stay near the fireplace.
Last but not least are creatures known as Heemennekes ('Hey men'), pesky little buggers that would follow farmers to the doorsteps of their homes, constantly shouting "Hey! Hey!"
So yeah, basically Navi from the Ocarina of Time, but only a few hundred years ago.
Go for it haha. I know high school kids in my town would always go looking for them. But when I got to high school the area you were suppose to find them became private property and people would get in trouble for trespassing.
Purple Aki - Liverpool.
I'm 35 and I can't remember a time that I didn't know and fear the name: Purple Aki. He is spoken about like Freddie Krueger.. Kids and adults fear him and he is often spotted in a blue mack, carrying a plastic bag.
"Arobieke became sexually aroused while forcing terrified young men to perform "inverted piggybacks" ordering them to squat so he could lean over their backs with his face by their buttocks and his genitalia on their necks, while squeezing their quad muscles"
This guy is a myth around Liverpool and is famous for approaching meat heads and gym rats, groping them and 'squeezing their muscles'. He has been banned from the city centre loads of times but is always on the prowl.
"On 25 May 2007 Arobieke approached a man in a shopping centre in Preston and commented upon the size of his biceps before "touching them without permission". He was arrested shortly afterwards, on suspicion of breaching his Sexual Offences Prevention Order, and later convicted.[20][21] and jailed for a further 15 months,[22] with the muscle touching ban being made permanen"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm0FQMo85GM
'The man who squeezes muscles'
I'm 35 and I can't remember a time that I didn't know and fear the name: Purple Aki. He is spoken about like Freddie Krueger.. Kids and adults fear him and he is often spotted in a blue mack, carrying a plastic bag.
"Arobieke became sexually aroused while forcing terrified young men to perform "inverted piggybacks" ordering them to squat so he could lean over their backs with his face by their buttocks and his genitalia on their necks, while squeezing their quad muscles"
This guy is a myth around Liverpool and is famous for approaching meat heads and gym rats, groping them and 'squeezing their muscles'. He has been banned from the city centre loads of times but is always on the prowl.
"On 25 May 2007 Arobieke approached a man in a shopping centre in Preston and commented upon the size of his biceps before "touching them without permission". He was arrested shortly afterwards, on suspicion of breaching his Sexual Offences Prevention Order, and later convicted.[20][21] and jailed for a further 15 months,[22] with the muscle touching ban being made permanen"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm0FQMo85GM
'The man who squeezes muscles'
forgeforsaken
Member
Not really current, but when I was growing up around Boston back in the early 80s there was a big scare of Clowns going around in vans kidnapping children.
http://newenglandfolklore.blogspot.com/2013/04/evil-phantom-clowns.html
This was well before It, and I'm pretty sure it served as King's inspiration.
http://newenglandfolklore.blogspot.com/2013/04/evil-phantom-clowns.html
This was well before It, and I'm pretty sure it served as King's inspiration.
Vancouver has a history of the abandoned bunkers and watch posts that were created during the Second World War and are left abandoned.
There's also the infamous McBarge, which (last time I've checked) is currently stationed in Maple Ridge.
There's also the infamous McBarge, which (last time I've checked) is currently stationed in Maple Ridge.
We have both of these near where I live as well, our midget town is listed there under Mississauga.
Also our bunny man is not scary and you see him all the time playing chess with himself in the mall food court. He just dresses like a bunny everyday and spends all day walking so you see him everywhere.
The lost Roanoke Colony founded by Walter Raleigh the namesake of North Carolina's capital city. A whole colony disappeared without signs of violence. It was probably just people moving to find a better location and integrating with local native tribes but of course it became the source for a lot of urban legends and you can go on Lost Colony Ghost tours. It became a season of American Horror Story.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roanoke_Colony#Lost_Colony
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roanoke_Colony#Lost_Colony
Shadow Puppetry
Member
It didn't closed down?
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
That there's a community built for the actors who played the Munchkins in the Wizard of Oz hidden on a local mountain in San Diego.
Also UCSD allegedly has secret tunnels built into the plans for secret escapes.
Also, there's a rumor that the Spanish forces garrisoned near the Franciscan mission buried a huge treasure somewhere because they were under siege by local Native Americans.
Also UCSD allegedly has secret tunnels built into the plans for secret escapes.
Also, there's a rumor that the Spanish forces garrisoned near the Franciscan mission buried a huge treasure somewhere because they were under siege by local Native Americans.
i don't live near anywhere there but:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nam_Koo_Terrace
there're a lot of fun stuff people believe in here
but unfortunately people do kill themselves near that building but the article i searched for did exist but with graphical content
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nam_Koo_Terrace
there're a lot of fun stuff people believe in here
but unfortunately people do kill themselves near that building but the article i searched for did exist but with graphical content
The Dungarven Whooper. (Hooper)
Ghost story - young lad gets murdered for money, said to be roaming the woods, whooping it up for all to hear.
https://www.mysteriesofcanada.com/new-brunswick/dungarvon-whooper/
Ghost story - young lad gets murdered for money, said to be roaming the woods, whooping it up for all to hear.
https://www.mysteriesofcanada.com/new-brunswick/dungarvon-whooper/
Plague Doctor
Member
These are great, go for more!
peppermints
Member
eKongDiddy
Member
Dont cut yourself on your edge there.
Ive actually seen a Jackalope where Im from. Around here theres a haunted roadShed Rd.where you might see the ghost of slaves hanging from trees. Also have a lot of haunted plantations and old schools.
I remember after boot camp at Camp Johnson there was a ghost story of a little girl walking around the training grounds at night. I swear we used to hear crap while going to the latrines at night.
The movie Wrong Turn And Texas Chain Saw Massacre were also apparently based on areas nearby. That was always a fun one as a kid.
In my hometown we have the Lagaroo in the creeks and bayous.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soucouyant
Reptars Revenge
Member
People getting decapitatd or losing their hands on space mountain.
I would think that wouldn't come as a surprise.
Godzilla's Left Toe
Member
Well since i'm from NYC Someone already mention sewer gator. So I will mention my favorite Urban Legend since I don't think anyone mention it Mothman the fact the people of Point Pleasant have a statue of it makes it great.
bernardobri
Steve, the dog with no powers that we let hang out with us all for some reason
The Kennedy Blonde: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubia_de_Kennedy
Basically it's a vanishing hitchhiker myth in a uptown avenue in my city. As you can guess, the avenue name is named after JFK.
The myth is been around 1979 and it persists to this day, and there's even a movie based on it.
Basically it's a vanishing hitchhiker myth in a uptown avenue in my city. As you can guess, the avenue name is named after JFK.
The myth is been around 1979 and it persists to this day, and there's even a movie based on it.
Thequietone
Member
Naval base turned into a low income housing has lots of ghost sightings. Seen some shadow people there when I stayed there. Stories include a janitor getting picked up by an invisible force and tossed around the room a few times into the walls. My cousin woke up one night with a ghost in his bed at around 1 am or so. The ghost (male) sat up and walked towards the window, turned around and smiled at my cousin and walked through the window. Needless to say he had trouble sleeping that night.
Stiler
Member
Ok here are a few more, these are ones I remember from when I was a kid that my parents told me.
The Black Dog and Twins of the Nash House - This house no longer exists as it was destroyed to put up a grocery store about 15 years ago. The employees of the store have said they have still seen these ghosts though. Anyways the house was built in the early 1900's and people are not sure what might have caused the ghosts but people often say murders or suicides took place there. The first ghost is a black dog that could talk and made it's way around the house by running through the vents and between the walls. This dog apparently terrorized the daughter of the family that lived there in the 80's frequently and she would ruin her toys and furniture etc. because of it. The second ghost was a pair of twin girls, you'd know if they were around because they smelled like talcum powder and would often be seen running between the rooms. People who have moved out have said they still have dreams of the twin girls being crushed by a large bloody hand.
Well of Rats - Unfortunately again this is a house that was torn down around a year ago. This one doesn't have a very in-depth story but again, it was an old farm house from around 1930-40. At some point the original owners and their entire family died from an illness that spread through the house. Ever since then people who live their frequently have to remove tons of dead rats from the well and people think it is the original family trying to kill them with a disease.
The Blue Lady of Jesters Court - This is one I mentioned previously. It's an old farm house turned restaurant called the Jesters Court. It's haunted by a lady in a dress that glows blue. She mostly just throws things at people and turns on taps and things like a normal poltergeist but at night you can apparently see her sitting at the table arguing with someone. She was supposedly pushed out of the window on the top floor and died.
soldierblue
Member
The Foot Locker in the mall is haunted.
In my town there's the Ghost Tracks, where if you park your car on a certain train track it will be pushed off the track by an invisible force.
People have put baby powder on their cars and after it was pushed saw little hand prints on the back. They say some children died in an accident on those tracks.
Same here. Lambton is actually in my family tree, so I have some connection to that story.
People have put baby powder on their cars and after it was pushed saw little hand prints on the back. They say some children died in an accident on those tracks.
Same here. Lambton is actually in my family tree, so I have some connection to that story.
mariachi507
Member
We've got a stretch of road that goes up a mountain called Tipton Ridge. At the bottom there is this faucet (I don't know why) encased in cobblestone. When you drive by you stop at the faucet and open your door, it's also important that there is one seat empty in the car. When you get to the top of the mountain you stop and once again open your door.
The legend is that a woman from the area needed emergency help for one of kids, but she couldn't find a ride and either her, the kid, or both died. It might have have been car crash related at some point. The legend kind of changes, but the part about picking up her ghost and giving it a ride stays the same.
The legend is that a woman from the area needed emergency help for one of kids, but she couldn't find a ride and either her, the kid, or both died. It might have have been car crash related at some point. The legend kind of changes, but the part about picking up her ghost and giving it a ride stays the same.
Several miles north, springs to mind: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunny_Man
But this is the Old Dominion. We have tons of folktales and such going back to before the country was formed.
But this is the Old Dominion. We have tons of folktales and such going back to before the country was formed.
Black Shuck (that dog don't give f**k)
We get a lot of big cat sightings around here.
o/
I'm from one of the towns mentioned.
So there's a 1 lane bridge in town called Town Bridge
It's a pretty standard 100+ yr old truss bridge, except that you shouldn't walk it at night. If you're alone and it's night time, as soon as you make it halfway past the bridge you'll hear the sputtering of an old engine. You'll look behind you and see nothing, but you'll still hear it. The engine gets louder and louder and the lights will crest the hill. It keeps coming towards you and you're left with a choice, run to the end of the bridge or jump over the side. It feels like the car will reach you before the bridge ends. Always run, never jump,. the car wants you to jump.
It's a pretty standard 100+ yr old truss bridge, except that you shouldn't walk it at night. If you're alone and it's night time, as soon as you make it halfway past the bridge you'll hear the sputtering of an old engine. You'll look behind you and see nothing, but you'll still hear it. The engine gets louder and louder and the lights will crest the hill. It keeps coming towards you and you're left with a choice, run to the end of the bridge or jump over the side. It feels like the car will reach you before the bridge ends. Always run, never jump,. the car wants you to jump.