The Ozark Howler sightings date back to the early 1800s in some southern regions of the United states. The earliest legend comes from Daniel Boone’s encounter with this creature. Legends say Boone fired a few shots at the creature, some say he took it home as a trophy, but little evidence supports that. The most recent sightings came in 2015 when a local resident claims to have photographed the Howler at Devil’s Den State Park.

Devils Den State Park

An imposing icon in the Arkansas Ozarks, Devil’s Den State Park boasts beautiful natural scenery and structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The park contains a system of caves and underground rivers, as well as trails to surrounding forests that offer hikes and horseback riding opportunities. Lake Devil, a CCC-built dam spanning Lee Creek, also attracts fishing and boating enthusiasts.

Ozark Howler

The Ozark Howler “Howler” has racked up a list of names such as Howler and the Ozark Black Howler. Some of these creatures’ lesser-known names are the Hoo-Hoo, the Nightshade Bear, and the Devil Cat. This creature is known to live in remote areas in the Ozarks. Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas are the four states that make up the Ozark area and have the most sightings of the Howler.

The notable howl is described as eerie, violent and loud. A mixture between several creatures but none specific enough to know its true origins.

Physical Description

These creatures are typically a bear sized being, with a thick and stocky build. It’s covered with black shaggy hair, and in some reports has prominent horns near their ears. This “Howler” has glowing red eyes and the cry of a wolf’s howl, elk’s bugle, and the laugh of a hyena. Often some sightings claim this creature is a large ‘’cat-like’’ monster, but the size of a bear. Still have shaggy hair, but the tan color of a mountain lion or puma. This version does not come with horns, however. Also the “cat” version of the Howler as orangey-red glowing eyes, but the growl of a big cat rather than a true howl.

Origin

This creature has origin tales from Arkansas to Missouri, Oklahoman and Northern Texas and back, all pointing to the 1800s as its true origin date. Many believe this was a hoax to fool the cyptid community from early American folklore, while others have determined the Howlers real. Some claim this is a lost branch of the mountain lion line mix with and unknown ‘big cat’ breed. This missing link from Howler to a big cat has scientists scrambling to match the species and close this unknown link.  

The Ozark Howler is not the only cryptid to be likened to other animals such as the Sasquatch, Dogman and many others.

Mythology and Lore

Some legends state the Howler to be a growling demon stalking its prey across the country or mountainsides. Others report the Howler appearing in the distance just for a look at the passer-byes before disappearing again. The 1800s versions of the Howler telltale of people being attacked and killed; while recent tales to match. Most sightings have become passive walk byes with some strange howling or growling.

Scientists have spent years research breeding populations of big cats in the Ozark area, as well as thermal imagery in hopes of catching a reading of this creature. Many large-scale efforts have been brought to sighting location’s in multiple states, only turning up minor evidence the Howler could have been there. Paw prints and dark hairs are the only traces past blurred out pictures and local tales.  This, however, does not stop locals, researchers, and cryptid hunters from searching out the Howler. Many still comb the area in hopes of seeing this creature.

The Ozark Howler Hoax

Adding even more confusion to this creature’s tale in the late 1990s hoax. Convinced this and other legends were a hoax, an Arkansas student made it his mission to prove the cryptid community wrong. This person flooded websites and blogs with outlandish sighting stories of the Howler, as well as other legends. This made researching and proving the truth of the Howler, to be massively difficult. Scientists have since launched full investigations to get to the bottom of the Howler legend. Chad Arment even states in his book Cryptozoology that the Ozark Howler is definitely a hoax, but there is no further evidence presented.

In 2015 News Leader ran a story from a tipster, John Meyers who sent in photos that were meant to be the Ozark Howler. However, the pictures were thought to be heavily photoshopped and barely resemble the Howler legend.

John was quoted in News Leader saying “Met some family in Devil’s Den State Park this weekend for some camping,” the tipster wrote. “We were up near Yellow Rock trail head this morning and saw this thing chase a squirrel up a tree and I have never seen anything like it. It had short black fur, a broad nose and horns like a young deer but it moved like a cat and had a long tail. Don’t know what else it could be but the Howler.  It was yelping and scratching at the tree and I got this pretty good photo when it stopped and turned to look at me. Wish I had video or more photos but it disappeared too fast….You can give me a call I’m an electrician so usually available to talk for a minute.” 

The Search Continues

Today many still search for the Ozark Howler across the States, others have written this creature off completely. Unfortunately, we will have to make our own choice as to what we believe over this creature’s truth. Hopefully, in a few years, the cryptid community will be able to say for sure what is truth and what is false information. Thus giving Howler hunters a set origin and behavior to match the creature they so long to capture. This is one creature that real or not, has dug deep into American folklore of the Ozark region. It is doubtful the Howler will ever be free from humans searching it out, but it is a fun, albeit potentially dangerous, way to spend your time traveling the Ozarks.

Modern Pop-Culture References

Books & Literature about the Ozark Howler

• Tales of the Ozark Howler (1930) (2019)
• Ozark Superstitions (1983) (2018)
• The Hair of the Black Howler
• Hunt the Ozark Howler (2016)
• Billy Bob’s Howler (2014)
• Ozark Howler (2017)
• Ozark Howler Verse (2019)

Movies about the Ozark Howler

• In Search of Monsters (2019- ) The Ozark Howler               

Index

Fandom
Explore Southern History
Unlock the Ozarks

Is there anything we missed about Ozark Howler? Let us know in the comments section below!

Tritone

Tritone’s love of horror and mystery began at a young age. Growing up in the 80’s he got to see some of the greatest horror movies play out in the best of venues, the drive-in theater. That’s when his obsession with the genre really began—but it wasn’t just the movies, it was the games, the books, the comics, and the lore behind it all that really ignited his obsession. Tritone is a published author and continues to write and write about horror whenever possible.

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“May 4, 1823. No food for 71 days. I am the only one left alive.” – Was the captain’s last entry in the ghost ship Jenny’s log book. Jenny was an 1800’s English schooner that became frozen in ice crossing the Drake Passage in 1823.

Very little in this world is as fascinating and terrifying as a ghost ship. A vessel wandering aimlessly on the vast oceans instills the true meaning of being a ghost. The history of phantom ships dates back to the early 1700’s, with many pieces of ghost ship lore having no known origin date at all. Add in a frozen Antarctic passageway, and Ghost Ship Jenny takes the terror of ghost ships to another level.

Date of Discovery

The ship set sail in 1822 and went missing in 1823. According to Polar Record, it was rediscovered in 1840 by a whaling ship “Hope.” By the time of discovery, the ship had been encased in ice for almost 7 years. Other accounts place the discovery in 1860, however, the most commonly agreed-upon timeline is 1840. On either timeline, the frozen bodies of the crew were encased in ice for no less than 7 years or up to 27 years.

Ghost Ship Jenny’s – Frozen Crew

The article from Globus in 1862, a popular German magazine, recaps the fantastic re-discovery of the ghost ship Jenny. As the story goes the whaling ship, named “Hope,” happened upon Jenny after the ice had broken revealing what appeared to be a fully manned ship. To the horror of the men aboard the whaling ship, the crew for the Jenny were actually frozen in place and had been for 7 years. It is reported that Captain Brighton of the ship Hope found the captain of the ghost ship Jenny still with pen in hand as he scribed the last entry. Some say that Captain Brighton properly buried the ship’s captain, crew, wife, and dog all at sea. Other urban legends state that the Jenny and Crew are still aimlessly lost at sea.

To this date the ship remains a true ghost ship as it has yet to be seen aside from reports that are nearing 200 years old. Are the crew of the phantom ship Jenny still frozen somewhere at the bottom of the ocean near the drake passage or is the ship still completing it’s doomed journey?

Ghost ship Jenny is one of many ghost ships out there, but the way in which it went missing and was re-discovered surely makes it one of the most terrifying.

Books About Ghost Ship Jenny

References

• Ranker.com
• Wikipedia

Tritone

Tritone’s love of horror and mystery began at a young age. Growing up in the 80’s he got to see some of the greatest horror movies play out in the best of venues, the drive-in theater. That’s when his obsession with the genre really began—but it wasn’t just the movies, it was the games, the books, the comics, and the lore behind it all that really ignited his obsession. Tritone is a published author and continues to write and write about horror whenever possible.

puzzleboxhorror.com

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Date of Discovery

If you believe the idea that the Wild Man could, in fact, be the predecessor or most ancient embodiment of the Christmas Devil, then the first report of his existence dates back to 2000 BCE.

Name

Krampus actually goes by several different names, including Knecht Ruprecht, Certa, Perchten, Black Peter, Schmutzli, Pelznickel, and Klaubauf. There is also a record of him being referred to as the Wild Man, but it is unsure if these legends refer to Krampus himself, or Bigfoot. Krampus and Bigfoot are considered distinctly separate creatures.

The name Krampus is derived from the German word krampen which means, “claw.”

Physical Description

Krampus is typically portrayed as a monstrously large, muscled, dark half-goat, half-demon, with horns, fangs, and a ridiculously long tongue. He’s seen as the anti-St. Nicholas who carries a chain with bells to announce his arrival, as well as a wicker basket or, in some cultures, a bag and bundle of birch sticks so he can mercilessly beat naughty children and then haul them to the underworld.

Origin

The origin of Krampus as he is known today relates heavily to German folklore that celebrates Krampus with a December 5th holiday celebration called Krampusnacht, where children placed their shoes out to see whether or not they have been naughty or nice. If a child had been naughty, they would receive either a rod or piece of coal, where good children would receive candies or some other type of sweet treat.

Mythology and Lore

Due to the possible spread of misinformation on the internet, it has recently been proposed that Krampus is the son of Hel, a Norse goddess of the underworld–so much so that it has appeared in articles in National Geographic and Smithsonian Magazine. That claim, however, is not necessarily as factual as it may seem–those who know Norse Mythology either have no record of this part of the mythology or vehemently rebuke the idea.

Instead, Krampus is the Christmas Devil–the evil counterpart of St. Nicholas or Santa Claus whom aside, from leaving children an indicator of their behavior throughout the year, would gather bratty and naughty children into a sack or wicker basket, beat them with the birch sticks he carried and the drag them off to hell.

It’s a popular event in countries such as Austria, Germany, Hungary, and the Czech Republic for men to dress in a Krampus costume and take part in an event called Krampuslauf. Typically this is celebrated as a sort of parade of Krampus monsters as a way to bring back old traditions.

Mythological Timeline

The people over at the Official Krampus website gave a timeline of how the mythology of the Krampus legend is believed to have evolved. There are several references that might indeed be speaking of what we now call Bigfoot, which is also referenced to the Wild Man.

Modern Pop-Culture References

Books & Literature

• Krampus: The Yule Lord (2012)
• The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas (2016)

Movies

• Krampus (2015)

Television Series

• Supernatural (2005 – )
• Grimm (2011 – 2017)

Is there anything we missed about Krampus? Let us know in the comments section below!

Macabre Mary

Georgia-based author and artist, Mary has been a horror aficionado since the mid-2000s. Originally a hobby artist and writer, she found her niche in the horror industry in late 2019 and hasn’t looked back since. Mary’s evolution into a horror expert allowed her to express herself truly for the first time in her life. Now, she prides herself on indulging in the stuff of nightmares.

Mary also moonlights as a content creator across multiple social media platforms—breaking down horror tropes on YouTube, as well as playing horror games and broadcasting live digital art sessions on Twitch.

www.macabremary.com

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The legend of the Qalupalik comes from Inuit folklore, and are said to be as old as the culture itself.

Name

The Qalupalik (plural: Qalupaliit) is also spelled Qualupalik, and Qallupilluit and in the native Inuit writing system is referred to as ᖃᓪᓗᐱᓪᓗᐃᑦ (Qalupalik).

Similar to the Kappa from Japanese folklore, and more distantly related to the Siren and the Mermaid.

Physical Description

The Qualupalik is said to wear an amauti (dual: amautik, plural: amautiit), which is similar to a parka, but traditionally worn by parents so they may carry their young children bundled on their back.

As with most similar legends, there are conflicting reports as to the physical appearance of the Qalupalik—they are, however, always referred to as being humanoid. While there are some reports of a male-gendered Qalupalik, the most traditional depiction of these creatures are believed to be female in nature. They are often referred to as having long flowing hair, as well as elongated, sharp fingernails or talons that tip their webbed hands and feet, and green slimy skin. Other descriptions refer to her skin as being scaly or bumpy and in some depictions they have fins coming out of their heads and backs.

Origin

Northern Alaska and Canada’s first Inuit settlers began crafting tails of these mythical creatures to warn and scare children into taking their harsh environment seriously. This makes dating the origin of a single village or time difficult; however, these tales are still taught today to keep the Inuit cultural folktales alive and the oldest written version of this story dates back to 1888 when Franz Boas, a German Anthropologist took it upon himself to record the oral stories of the indigenous peoples of the North American regions.

There is little information to be found about the Qalupalik whether you’re looking on the internet or in the University archives of Fairbanks Alaska—this is primarily due to the origin of this tale being passed from generation to generation orally until their forced integration into European-American culture and sent to Christian boarding schools. It was at this point in the Inuit culture that many of the old traditions and legends were left behind and forgotten.

Mythology and Lore

The legends perpetuated about the Qalupalik state that these creatures lure children in by humming at the shoreline or knocking under the ice in order to coax a child to a weak part in order to grab them through the thin sheet of ice. In consideration of the amautiit they wear, the Qalupalik secures the child to their back and carries them away to their underwater cave. While in some legends, it is said that the Qalupalik eats the child immediately upon capturing them, other sources state that the Qalupalik places them into a supernatural sleep to feed off of the child’s innocence in order to steal their youth and remain immortal. Most sightings happen and are not properly recorded, or the Qualupalik is mistaken for some other aquatic cryptids that are known to be in the same regions.

These creatures, like many that are derived from Inuit folklore, serve a utilitarian purpose of keeping young children safe in the dangerous icy world they live in. The legend, in essence, keeps children away from thin ice or bodies of water, as this is where the creatures are said to live. Children are warned that if they are found alone at the edge of the ice, the Qalupalik will stuff them into its amauti before drowning them in the icy water. The less supernatural explanation is that an icy shoreline or thin ice is a life-threatening hazard for children and scaring them with a threatening monster is the best way to help children to understand the danger and keep them away.

Modern Pop-Culture References

Books & Literature

• A Promise is a Promise (1988)
• The Qalupalik (2001)
• Putugug and Kublu and the Qalupalik (2019)

Short Films

• Qalupalik (2010)

Check out our article on the Qalupalik below, where you can see Nunavut Animation Lab’s “Qalupalik” animated film.

Works Cited

Akulukjuk, Roselynn. “PUTUGUQ & KUBLU AND THE QALUPALIK.” Kirkus Reviews, Inhabit Media, 7 May 2019.

Houston, James. “Inuit Myth and Legend“. The Canadian Encyclopedia, 04 March 2015, Historica Canada. Accessed 17 December 2020.

Hrodvitnir, Yamuna. “Qalupalik: The Monstrous Inuit Mermaid.” Medium, Medium, 26 May 2020.

“INUIT MYTHOLOGY.” Inuit Mythology.

Kilabuk, Elisha, and Sarah Sorensen. “The Qalupalik.” Quill and Quire, 30 June 2011.

National Film Board of Canada. “Nunavut Animation Lab: Qalupalik.” National Film Board of Canada, 2 Dec. 2010.

Oliver, Mark. “11 Mythological Creatures That Reveal Humanity’s Deepest Fears.” All That’s Interesting, All That’s Interesting, 17 June 2020.

Pfeifle, Tess. Qalupalik. 8 Jan. 2019, www.astonishinglegends.com/astonishing-legends/2019/1/7/qalupalik.

“Qalupalik.” Mythpedia Wiki.

“Tales and Traditions.” The Central Eskimo: Introd. by Henry B. Collins, by Franz Boas, Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of Ethnology, 1888, pp. 212–213.

Toombs, Terrye. “Alaska Folklore: Five Mythical Creatures of the Last Frontier.” Anchorage Daily News, Anchorage Daily News, 2 Dec. 2017.

Is there anything we missed about the Qalupalik? Let us know in the comments section below!

Updated on December 16, 2020 by Mary Farnstrom

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The land Bayview sits on was purchased by the City of Whatcom in 1887 with the plans to form a proper cemetery. Bayview Cemetery was founded in 1887 in Whatcom Country, it’s first burial took place in 1888. These bodies were located on the southwest grounds, and is now known as “dead man’s point”. Bayview officially opened in 1889, and as it expanded acreage Bayview began to take bodies from other smaller cemeteries from outlying areas.  Originally records were handwriting, but in 2017 the city transcribed the records onto a computer database.

Name & Location

The cemetery began as “Whatcom City Cemetery” but in 1902 the name changed to “Bay View Cemetery”. Shortly after the two words were merged into its final name of “Bayview Cemetery” that we know today. Within the grounds, there is a small area named “Deadman’s Point” which holds 64 bodies reinterred from Fairhaven graveyard in 1889. Located on Woburn Street in Bellingham, Whatcom County, Washington this cemetery is still active. If you visit please be sure to not only be respectful to staff and the grounds but the families and visitors as well. You must be guided when visiting the grounds, to ensure the preservation of this famed cemetery.

These grounds hold some major names in Whatcom history, as well as Civil War veterans, and other famed people outside of Bellingham’s limits. Some of the major pioneering families include the Roeder & Eldridge families who started the first lumber mills. The Donovan & Bloedel partners who were in the lumber, coal, and railways within the state.  As well as the Padden, Morse, Hovander, and Deming families who hold fame in Washington. Two good-old-boys bringing some bad boy style to the mix is infamous smuggler and train robbers John “Cowboy Jake” Terry, and “The Grey Fox” Bill Miner. Outside of the Washington state group some individuals claimed their fame across America. This includes the poet Laureate Ella Higginson who also designed her granite bench and tombstone. As well as Charge of the Light Brigade survivor Captain Grahame, and Corporal Matthew Bickford Civil War veteran. Bayview also holds a few notable politicians from Washington and California states.  

Bayview Cemetery is also home to victims of the historic tragedy, Wade King & Stephen Tsiorvas rest hereafter the 1999 Olympic Pipeline Explosion. The Blue Canyon Mine commemorates 23 miners from the deadly 1895 explosion with a monument. This was one of the worst recorded mining explosions inf Washington’s history to this day.  Bayview is committed to paying full respects to these two best-known graves and asks all visitors do the same.

Physicals Description

Bayview Cemetery sits on a total of 234 acres of beautiful land that holds graves, tombs, and monuments for countless past and resting souls. The grounds are vibrant with foliage across the landscape, with over 60 distinct tree species, including a century-old birch tree. Walking through Bayview Cemetery is like looking back at the pioneering families of Bellingham, as well as Washington’s history. Commonly named Veteran’s Plaza commemorates over 200 Civil War veterans, as well as a few from other wars, with its vast brick sculpture engraved “Peace through Strength’’. The markers of Veteran’s Plaza are adorned with various flags flying in the wind, as their resting memory lives on with us today. When the 19^th-century Bellingham Cemetery reinterred bodies to Bayview, some of the headstones and markers were too encroached in foliage to recover. To commemorate bodies and headstones, the Mount Cavalry Cemetery monument was built and still stands to this day. The cemetery’s office sits nestled between three flower garden plots; the Foundation Cremation Garden, Mothers Memorial Cremation Garden, and the Babyland Children’s Garden. The northeastern gate will lead you toward the private cemetery of Beth Israel. Toward the south the Bayview Abbey mausoleum servers as the resting place of the Hovanders, Morses, and Demings. Each corner of these grounds is blessed with nature’s beauty and grace as Bayview continues to grow and add new plots.

There are a few monuments known for their paranormal beauty, rather than its external decorative flairs. The first is the “Death Bed” monument which is also known as the Gaudette tomb. This Greek Parthenon-style tomb resembles a small-scale temple. The columns hold up the top of the monument forming the said “bed” which has traditional leaf branch engravements across it, as well as the family’s name.

The “Angel Eyes” monument was made by Northwest Granite and Marble Works and bares the Bland family name. This Parthenon-inspired sculpture is engraved with “Gaudette” in the Section O and stands over the family tomb in a flowing gown and resting wings.  

Origin

The myth of ‘’the death bed’’ surrounds the tomb of Edmund L. Gaudette (1916) and his first wife (1910) who both died of medical illnesses. The other side of the tomb is empty as Edmund’s second wife was buried in Seattle rather than at Bayview Cemetery. This empty side of the tomb is what is said to drain/steal the years off visitor’s lives and is even rumored to kill. Many thrill-seeks attempt to test this myth to this day, only to be looking around the corner for years to come.

The “Angel Eyes” monument is located near the western side of the grounds under an oak & maple grove. At the foot of Angel Eyes lays William H. Bland as well as his two wives, and various family members. The Bland family was one of the earliest pioneer families in Bellingham’s early years. The statue stand tribute to his first wife, Hattie L. Bland, who died in 1910 in the tuberculosis epidemic. It is said the Great Depression totaled out the Bland family estate and holdings, leaving William troubled. He fell ill on top of the financial overburden he committed suicide in the Whatcom Courthouse’s basement in 1936.

Mythology & Lore

These grounds hold so serious paranormal punch from its apparitions to its monuments. One legend surrounds the monument known as ‘’Angel Eyes’’ which to seep blood from its eyes on the full moon. This angel is also reported to have glowing eyes during the night hours when the spirits are active in the tomb below. Another well know myth holding monument is ‘’the death bed’’ which claims the lives of those who dare to lay on the top of the empty side of the tomb. There are also minor reports this monument can steal years of your life and or possibly cause fatal accidents. However, there are more reports of healthy people who attempted this myth as a teen for nothing to happen. Rather than scores of people being dropped by a nap on the wrong tomb. Some thrill-seekers did have paranormal experiences with the tomb however, some reported a sinking feeling while laying on it, others claimed to be grabbed or pushed off the tomb, and lastly the feeling of being watched as leaving from the tomb.

These grounds also have several unknown apparitions floating around and roaming as they please. There are a few “hot spots” that call attention to paranormal seekers. Server paranormal EVP’s have picked up voices and bits of information from unknown spirits around the cemetery. Several personal reports claim to experience the feeling of being touch, poked, bumped, and even breathed upon while exploring the grounds. Many shadowy figures and strange unknown noises seem to surround you as well while visiting. This, however, does not prevent locals from enjoying Halloween tours though-out the cemetery, as it is Bellingham’s only remaining cemetery. All visitors are asked to make an appointment or check-in with the office before visiting the cemetery and its grounds. As well as maintain respect for other visitors, all monuments, and resting persons.   

Modern Pop-Culture

Books

• Collection of Charts & Data from the Rickard Records Newsletter (1990)
• Haunted Washington Uncanny Tales and Spooky Spots from the Upper Left-Hand Corner of the United States (2013)
• Haunted Cemeteries: Creepy, Crypts, Spine-Tingling Spirits, And Midnight Mayhem (2018)

Index

• Washington Haunted Houses
• Find A Grave
• Interment.net Cemetery Records
• Komo News
• Bigfoot UFO Mysterious Paranormal Seekers (B.U.M.P.S)
• Haunted Places
• Western Front Online
• Whatcom Talk

Is there anything we missed about Bayview Cemetery? Tell us about it in the comments below!

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St. Louis Cemetery is one of the oldest extant cemeteries in the country, it was founded and built-in 1789. This cemetery attracts over 100,000 visitors each year as one of the most haunted travelers’ destinations.

Name & Location

The cemetery is located close behind the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. Before New Orleans was a big city the cemetery sat at the swaps edge of the city. It is now nearly the center of New Orleans, thanks to draining swamp lands letting settlers move past the French Quarter and continuing to build. Author Mark Twain nicknamed St. Louis’s Cemetery “the Cities of the Dead”, and to this day there is not a better fitting nickname.

Physical Description

When you first enter St. Louis Cemetery you are greeted by the bank of “oven vaults” and “wall vaults”. These tombs or vaults are stacked cabinet styles all across the left side of the cemetery. This is because of the swampy nature of this region, which wouldn’t allow for in-ground burials. Across the rest of the grounds, you can see raised or partially visible graves, due to the city sinking.

The tombs themselves do not hold a common description, however. Most are made of stone and carved with decorative designs, while others simply bare a family name and dates. Some of the more famous tombs and graves have offerings and memorial left, some even bare vandalistic marks. Most of the memorial architecture was inherited from France and Spain and matched the city’s overall look.

The character and look of the cemetery show the illusion of days past. Broken shells and cobblestones, crumbling and chipped crypts or tombs, and not to mention the labyrinth of navigating the grounds. These characteristics and more lead to the eerily quiet atmosphere over the St. Louis grounds, and what aids in fueling the “ghost stories” and uneasy feelings.

Origin

As the city of New Orleans grew, they needed a proper place to lay their fallen to rest, and not rise from the swampy wet grounds to scare the locals. In 1788 the city suffered a great fire and an epidemic that overloaded the other cemetery’s around the city. In 1789 the St. Cemetery No. 1 was built about 40 yards from the Charity Hospital, a picket fence lined its borders, and burials began immediately. They soon learned that in-ground graves would not due, as the area surrounding the city is low-lying and flooding caused the graves to rise out of the ground. In 1803 the city mandate called for above-ground tombs and vaults to put this problem to rest and unknowingly gave birth to the classic New Orleans cemetery look we now see today.  

Mythology and Lore

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 has no shortages of myths and lore’s surrounding its history, as it holds some of the most well know “horror figures” within it. For around 40,000 you can grab a spot next to some of the biggest and most haunted graves within the City of the Dead. Nicolas Cage has a tomb within this cemetery awaiting him. “Omnia Ab Uno” (all from one) is engraved in the 9-foot-tall gleaming white pyramid, which leads the world to question if he’s a closet Voodoo practitioner as well, though no proof has been found.

One of the most well known and most visited tombs is that of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau. Laveau was a Voodoo practitioner who used herbal remedies and spells to nurse and heal those that suffered from the yellow fever epidemic of the 19^th century. Many still believe her magick is working from beyond the grave, leading visitors to leave “XXX”s etched into her grave hoping for their wishes to come true. The caretakes no longer let you etch into the stone but will allow you to leave your offerings at the tomb. Her ghost can be seen wearing a red and white turban in her hair and brilliantly colored clothes. She walks between tombs and will disappear at random, only to pop up again later. For those that disrespect her or her beliefs, she will scratch, pinch, and shove you around the cemetery until you leave. Visitors of her tomb have also reported gentle touches, unexplainable feeling ill, hearing voices from inside the tomb.

Another well-known figure to lay at rest within St. Louis’s Cemetery is Homer Plessy. The main spark in the creation of the Civil Rights moment, when he refused to move from the “whites only” section of the train. The St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 holds a large number of historically and culturally significant African American’s, which earned it a place in the African American Heritage Trail.

Another spirit that roams the grounds of the cemetery is that of Henry Vignes, a poor man who had his family tomb stolen from him. Buried in an unmarked grave in the pauper’s section, Henry’s spirit continues to appear to this day. He is described as tall, with blue eyes, so worldly appearing visitors they even speak to him. He approaches visitors and asks where the Vignes tomb is and that he can’t find it. He can also be seen at funerals grieving asking the grieving family if there is room in the tomb for him. Henry’s spirit is also able to be caught on camera as well as on EMP proclaiming “I need to rest!”

The ghost of Alphonse is also like Henry in haunting in the hopes of finding rest. Alphonse’s spirit is known to take the hand of visitors and stop them to ask if they will take him home. He’s been seen gathering flowers off other graves to place on his tomb. Some believe that he was murdered or betrayed by the Pinead family because he appears to warn anyone near their tomb to stay away.

There is no shortage of “ghost” or “spirit” sightings in this cemetery. There are almost 300 years of ghost stories and sightings reported to have happened on the cemetery grounds. To make a complete list of interacts let alone the ghost that did it would be impossible. There are too many ghostly forms to identify which is which. Reports of experiences range from friendly waving, handhold, poking, and games; all the way to attempting to truly cause harm by biting, scratching, or pushing. Scores of people and paranormal teams have examined the grounds finding various results and “proof of hauntings”, yet we still don’t have a complete list of ghostly presents just yet.

The Cemetery no longer lets visitors free-roam the grounds, due to vandalism you must be accompanied by a tour guide or caregiver. Those with family ties or tombs in on the grounds must have a pass to visit their loved ones; all others must have a licensed tour guide with them, which only cost about 15$ to 20$. The Historic Preservation Project is working with the Abandoned Tomb Imitative to restore as many tombs as possible, wither it’s because of old age or vandals recking havoc.

Modern Pop-Culture References

Books & Literature

• City of the Dead: A Journey Through St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 (1996)
• New Orleans Cemeteries (Images of America: Louisiana (1999)
• New Orleans Cemeteries: Life in the Cities of the Dead (2005)
• Stories from the St. Louis Cemeteries of New Orleans (2015)

Movies

• Easy Rider (1969) [Filmed at the cemetery]
• Interview With the Vampire (1994) [filmed in cemetery]

Index

• French Quarter.com
• Louisiana Feed Your Soul
• New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries
• Ghost City Tours

Is there anything we missed about St. Louis Cemetery No. 1? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Finished in late April of 1893 Tacoma’s Old City Hall building was the seat for the city’s government until 1957. Now Placed on the National Registry of Historic Places the build was saved from demolition in 1974. The building originally housed a jail in its basement, however, after the 1959 renovations this space was modernized. Today the owners continue to fix it up while looking for more business and apartments to be leased.

Name & Location

The town of Tacoma, Washington is an urban port city on Washington’s Puget Sound, about 32 miles from Seattle. It adopted its name from the Mount Rainier, originally called Takhoma or Tahoma, but is locally known as the “City of Destiny”. In 1940 the city gained a new nickname of “Galloping Gertie” after the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The town itself was founded in 1864 when a Civil War veteran built his cabinet; which served as the first post office in later years.

Tacoma’s Old City Hall is located in downtown Tacoma, Washington on in the heart of the business district. Designed by E. A Hatherton from San Francisco, the building proudly stood stately and ornate as the apple of civic pride for Tacoma residents. Today the Stratford Company actively owns and leases the spaces, while trying to maintain its historical look.

Physical Description

The building showcases Italian Renaissance-style architecture as it stands five-story high in the middle of downtown Tacoma. It also features a beautiful ten-story clock tower peering down with four massive bells inside. Inside the main building, it is described as “a unique blend of classic architectural details”. With 16-ft heigh ceilings, sweeping archways, and tall windows this building created a distinctive office environment.

Origin

Like most old buildings the true amount of spirits or manifestations to happen is unknown. Some believe the spirits are people who were wronged in the “political game” coming back for vengeance. While others may believe these entities are lonely, missing interaction, or are engaging in pranking for chuckles. Main believes no matter who these spirits are, they want to draw attention and help to their crumbling home, so they may live on with it.

One entity or spirit that stands out is that of Mr. Gus, he is known for talking to the living for attention. He’s reported to roam the 1^st floor where the old Bar area would be. He engages new employees with tricks and disappears when they begin talking about him to others. The origin of the “bell” entity is unknown, mangers have slept in the tower overnight looking for practical jokers only to leave convinced its due to an entity. However, some believe it is the spirit of a young girl, who’s father donated them after her death. The claims from security guards have never been tracked to a specific spirit, nor the basic creepy residual energy.

Mythology and Lore

The Old City Hall is not unlike every old building, it has its share of haunting tales and urban legends. The bell tower is known to ring late-night or early-morning. Since the 70s police have responded to numerous disturbances within the building or bell tower. These include lights flashing, disturbing noises, voices and coughing, shadow figures/apparitions, fire and security alarms being triggered, and so forth. Upon investing the ground, however, the police never find signs of forced entry, tampering, or trespassing. Witnesses have even claimed to see objects flying across the room toward them. Security guards are often the targets of these “spirit’s” pranks, but now and then visitors experience the haunting as well., and even speaking to them.

Most reports from the Old City Hall suggest that “Gus” moves the building’s elevator up and down, and unlocks the door for visitors. Along with any electrical item you can think of being a target for Hall’s spirits. There are too many personal experiences to cover and match up over this building’s history. Up until now, most paranormal teams have been yet to investigate Tacoma’s, City Hall. The residence or businesses still leasing the building continue to report active from time to time, but little is published on the matter.

Tacoma as a troubled history that has 1000s of the reason a ghost may haunt this majestic and creepy old building. From battling Indians to settle the area, railroad misfortune, fires, flooding; this town and its residents have seen it all. As the Historic Society works to rebuild and restore this building, hopefully, the tails from the past will follow. Therefore, giving the spirits that roam here a story to share with the world as their own.

Modern Pop-Culture References

Books & Literature

• Ghost Stories of Washington (2000)
• Ghost Hunter’s Guide to Seattle and Puget Sound (2008)

Movies

• Three Fugitives (1989) [Filmed on site]

Index

• Washington Haunted Houses
• Kiro 7
• Haunted House.com
• Northwest Military.com

Is there anything we missed about Old Tacoma City Hall? Let us know in the comments section below!

The post Old Tacoma City Hall appeared first on Puzzle Box Horror.

After the construction of the Central Washington Railway in 1889, Govan was the spot to be. The town boomed in 1890 and sand extraction was a bustling business to support this railway town. Govan was a small farm town, with merely two churches, a post office, one school, and a handful of businesses. Even once the town boomed a disastrous fire claimed the town, sending it back into the ghost town era. This central Washington ghost town only has 3 residents to this day, a married couple and one other local.

Name & Location

The abandoned town of Govan, WA sits about 50 miles west of Spokane, just down Highway 2 in Lincoln County. The town’s name is derived from R. B. Govan, who was an engineer for the Central Washington Railway.

Psychical Description

Govan was a large sandbank area in Lincoln County WA. With large plains of sands and minimal foliage to remove, it became easy to settle in the late 1800s. In the 1900s the town would have had full streets, schools, shops, and diners. Machines and railway workers digging pits of sand out of the countryside it would seem.

However, by 1933 Govan would be declared a passed by the town as US Route 2 came along. The town grew old, beaten down, and ghostly to outsides. Locals themselves ever relocated and moved on to better things. Leaving the barren mark of what was, and can never be again.

Origin

One haunting lead back to 1902 when a robbery leads to “the most brutal crime” committed in the county. Judge J.A. Lewis and his wife Penelope were murdered during a robbery, but being hacked with an ax. Mr. Lewis was known to keep large sums of money at his estate. Police concluded that was the motive, yet never solved the case and caught the killer.

Years later C. S. Thennes was killed by a masked gunman in the Govan Saloon. The saloon no longer stands today, as most of the business district of Govan, which was destroyed in the fire of 1927. Many believed that locals focusing on rebuilding the town, rather than avenging their dead helped to “haunt” this ghost town.

In 1941 a woman was founded murdered on her farm property, and her son went missing. Eight years later the son’s body was found in the fields on the property. Some claim this is the reported “shadowy figures” seen in the distant fields.

Along with the murders going on in the town, and the first fire, the town was once again seeing tragedy. A second in 1974 left the town unfixable in many local eyes and marked the end of Govan. Many homes and families were affected and even suffered losing loved ones. Within that fire burned most of the written records for the town, so linking any spirit to a real person is undoable.

Mythological and Lore

Although today most of the buildings from this ghost town are gone, a few remain that were from the town’s heyday. One of these is the Govan School which closed in the 1940s, but still gets visitors today. Some leave trinkets, shines, candles, and boxes of keepsakes at the schoolhouse. The residents the Sullivan’s reported have everyone from thrill-seekers to photographs come out to the property.

Various sites around the internet back up claim that the schoolhouse is haunted by shadowy figures. These figures are supposed to be the murder victims attempting to draw attention to the unsolved crimes. Yet, past a few bolstering claims there is little information on the Govan haunting. Few claim to see a shadowy or formless figure in windows or around the surrounding wheat fields. Most visitors claim to have a pleasant experience around the ghost town, however, that doesn’t stop urban tales. The creepy and rundown presence of the last few standing buildings surely adds belief to the “haunted” rumors and tales.

Many photographs visit the old schoolhouse to get some amazing shots of the skies. However, every few have commented past an eerie feeling and overload of spider webs. Some have claimed they may have seen, felt, or hear something ominous; but chalk it up to their minds playing tricks. Most visitors report known about the ax murderer as well as the saloon, which does lead them to be on guard for the paranormal. You will have to take a visit to make the choice between beautiful or haunted.

Modern Pop-Culture References

Movies

• The Govan Schoolhouse (2019) [Youtube]

Index

• Run of the River
• Ghost Towns of Washington
• King5.com
• Pacific Northwest Photoblog

Is there anything we missed about “Govan, WA”? Let us know in the comments section below!

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The Meeker family, Ezra, and Eliza were pioneers in the establishment of the City of Puyallup. Their mansion construction began in 1886 and finished in 1890, and today is a nationally recognized Puyallup landmark that is being restored. From 1914 to 1969 the mansion served as a GAR retirement/nursing home before being closed for good. In 1973 the Puyallup Historical Society stepped in and stopped the planned burning of the building, and started restoration efforts.

After the Meeker’s passed they left the mansion for their daughter to “dispose” of as they saw fit. In 1912 the building was leased to serve as a hospital, but that didn’t last very long. The building was turned into a home for orphans and widows by 1915 and served as such for some time. By 1948 the building needed serious over-hauling and major remodelings were underway, leaving the building to be sold to a nursing home.

The buildings final owner is the Puyallup Historical Society, which currently still operates it as a museum. Over time restorations have brought this historic building back to its original state. These steps continue to this day to help preserve its historical value.

Name & Location

Though Meeker Mansion does not share in having tons of nicknames the mansion is for a significant historical site. Still standing in the heart of downtown Puyallup’s, is a must-see for any visitors to the town. Puyallup Historical Society was formerly known as the Ezra Meeker Historical Society before the 19^th century.

Physical Description

The exterior of this Victorian-style building features white siding and ornate wooden trims. The front porch is spacious and has a 2^nd-floor balcony above it, with another matching it on the east side of the house. Porches and balconies have decorative wooden railings and pillars, as well as the original front porch posts.

Inside this 2-story mansion were 15 rooms, 6 fireplaces, custom gold leaf molding, and 12-foot ceilings. There are speaking tubes and gaslights fitted throughout the entire house, as well as matching metal decorative fittings. Bathrooms are fitted with interior plumbing, marble fixtures, tin bathtubs, and beautiful wooden trims. Almost every type of wood can be found in this house. Ash and walnut frames, teakwood flooring, cedar paneling, redwood library, walnut panels, cherry wood posts, and the list goes on as you look at this house. No detail of elegance was spared during its construction.

Origin

Ezra Manning Meeker was an Oregon Trail pioneer, known as the “Hop King of the World. He became the girts mayor of Puyallup, Washington, and worked to memorialize the Oregon Trail that he traveled through-out his youth. The Meeker family first settled in Puyallup in 1862 and lived out their lives growing hops for brewing beer, as well as numerous other ventures. Meeker fell in on one of his many re-tracings of the Oregon Trial trips, shortly after dying on December 3, 1928, at the age of 97. The Meeker Mansion Museum details Ezra’s life story as well as his detailed experiences of the Oregon Trail.

Mythology and Lore

The Meeker Mansion is rumored to hold a multitude of restless spirits that haunt its walls. Sightings of the founder’s spirits are heavily reported, sometimes in realistic form and others as full-on phantom figures. There are also heavy reports of an overwhelming perfume smell that strongly takes over suddenly. This is said to be the presence of Eliza Meeker’s ghost passing by you.

One personal account of the haunting of Meeker Mansion reported being approached by the Meeker couple within 10 minutes of being in the master bedroom. She goes on to say Eliza Jane showed her an “evenings of quiet companionship in their lamp-lit bedroom”. Eliza even shared details of how the restorations were wrong, and which maids she didn’t care for. Lynne goes into great detail on her experiences with the spirits of the former owner in her Paranormal Blog.

Modern Pop-Culture References

Books & Literature

• Meeker Mansion Mysteries: A Fiction Anthology by Northwest Writers (1994)

Television Series

• Travel Channel’s “Mysteries at the Castle” (2014- )

Index

• Seattle Terrors
• Meeker Mansion Museum
• Puyallup Washington
• Lynne Sutherland Olson’s Paranormal Blog
• Definition.org
  
  Is there anything we missed about Meeker Mansion? Let us know in the comments section below!

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The building now named the Hotel Andra was first built in 1926 for another hotel. During the mid-1940s the building served as a transfer station for the Women’s Army Corps. In the 1970s the building was transformed into a small boutique hotel until it made its final change to Hotel Andra in 2004.

This establishment’s glory days were set in the Roaring 20s during the years of prohibition and the beginning of the organized crime. Through this time the was of this hotel saw and experienced a good deal, but that was only the beginning. The next hard-hitting time was one of a war-stricken country through the 1940s. During these times the true “crimes” that may have happened to cause this haunting, where not well documented or known. Despite all the attempted reputational setbacks this establishment is doing very well and provides Seattle with outstanding lodging.

Name & Location

Formally known as the Claremont Hotel, the building underwent renovations and was renamed the Hotel Andra in 2004. This building is located in the heart of Seattle, Washington, on the corner of 4^th Avenue and Virginia Street. This is known as the Belltown area of Seattle and is about 6 blocks from the Pike Place Market, Seattle Art Museum.

For many years this building has sat at the heart of Seattle, city planners, and hotel owners assure Seattle’s residents Hotel Andra is determined to stay put. This building is one of the few in Washington that has only served the function as a hotel, as well as being haunted by ghosts of the 1920s. With this historical history and haunted lore, it seems to fit perfectly into the busy swing the city Seattle has today.

Physical Description

The building stands 10-stories high and holds a total of 119 guest rooms, along with dining areas. 2004 remolded gave the building a progressive, modern decorum while showcasing a mix of Northwest and Scandinavian styles. The building is flooded with rich woods, plank floors, knotted rugs, and modern furniture. In 2004 remodel they also added sitting areas and an in-house restaurant to provide room service for the guests.

In the highly fought over Andra suite, there is a lobby style living, with floor-to-ceiling maple bookcases. A granite fireplace is wedged in between the bookcases, giving this suite an intimate feel. Suspended over the living room is a reading loft for guests to cozy up in. 

Origin

Our hauntings origin can be a bit tricky to nail down who came from what time. This building has changed names and functions a few times throughout its history. While under the name of Claremont the hotel when though the late 1920s and 1930s, which was prohibition years. During this time the 9^th floor was the spot to be for high-class levels of Seattle residences. Many believe these party-goers are the ghostly figures spotted today on the 9^th floor.

In the 1960s there are reports of a hotel worker who fell to her death from the upper floors of the hotel. However, no one confirmed which floor or window she was reported to fall or jump out of.

Mythology and Lore

Which such a long history it is no wonder there are so many reports or sights within the hotel’s walls. The hotel has a long list of ghosts and or paranormal experiences from both guests and staff. One of the more common ghosts is a woman who stands at the foot of the guest’s bed, before fading away. Her clothes are described as if from the 1930s era, softy and unspoken as she watches the guests. There is also a second reported “female apparition” that appeared to a couple and just roamed around their room.  Others have reported seeing a “Flapper Girl” stomping about the 9^th floor of the hotel as well.

Following our 1930s themed ghost, it seems the Jazz era is still in full swing on floor 9. Numerous guests have complained of loud 1900s style jazz music coming from an unlocated area of the 9^th floor. There are often sounds of glasses crashing, bottles dropping, and even the occasional muffled brawling sounds. The staff remains puzzled as the source of these is unfindable, past random areas of the 9^th floor. They seem to bounce from room to room parting their afterlife away in full jazz swing, can’t say I blame them.

Another common occurrence at the hotel is the moving of objects unaided and levitating. This also comes along with the ever-annoying appearing and disappearing objects that seem to move at random about the room.  One report states a guest saw a paperweight rise above a glass tabletop, all on its own. It hovered there for a few seconds before crashing back down onto the table making a loud noise.

Modern Pop-Culture References

Index

• KIRO 7
• Haunted Houses.com
• Washington Haunted Houses
• Haunted Hovel
• RoadTrippers
• Haunted Places
•  

Is there anything we missed about the Hotel Andra? Let us know in the comments section below!

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