Some of us still get the chills when we remember the urban legends of our youth. We have all heard tales of ghosts, masked maniacs, and even alien abductions. Most of these stories are dismissed as little more than myth. But what if they were true?
7 Dog Boy
Quitman, Arkansas is one of the areas filled with ghost stories. Most of the older houses appear to have a spirit attached to them, so it would take a grand legend to stand out from the crowd. The Dog Boy tale has managed to make its way to the top of the list.
In the year 1954, Floyd Bettis was born to Alline and Floyd Bettis in what has been named the Bettis House. Those who knew him allege he used to catch cats and dogs and hide them away in his home. They said he was not taking care of them. Instead, he would torture and then kill the poor animals.
He was also known for the way he treated his parents. The tale says that he imprisoned them in the attic, keeping them trapped in there for years. As the police report states, he abused his parents but was not arrested for it until after he murdered his father and the police noticed the continual abuse of his mother. He died in prison due to a drug overdose.
After that incident, people have alleged that paranormal occurrences are common around the Bettis House. Strange noises, moving objects and lights flickering have been reported. Bettis murdered his father by throwing him out of a window. Maybe the father is haunting the home, alone and angered after being killed by his own son.
6 The Ghost of Stow Lake
In San Francisco, the Golden Gate Park is renowned for its paranormal legends. If you feel what the locals say is true, then you will feel the chills they encounter. One such ghost story has become very popular and highly circulated; it appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle on January 6th, 1908. The newspaper article starts with a man known as Arthur Pigeon. He was driving too fast in his vehicle when he was pulled over by the police. He told the officers it was not his fault, as he was attempting to escape from something. He alleged that he saw the ghost of a woman at Stow Lake. He described her as having long fair hair and being barefoot.
This legend claims that this woman was a mother who had lost her child, or that she murdered her baby before killing herself.
5 Goatman
Many stories are made by parents who want to scare their kids into behaving. One of these is the legend of the Goatman, who is said to stalk the streets of Beltsville, Maryland. But who is the Goatman? The story is that a scientist at the Agricultural Research Center performed research on goats; his experiments went awry, and he turned into a hybrid with no humanity. He is said to roam in the backwoods of Fletchertown Road. But beware: he will come after you with his axe, planning to make you his next meal. Drive as fast as can if you are ever unlucky enough to cross his path.
4 Maryland’s Crybaby Bridge
Crybaby Bridge is a one-lane bridge in Prince George’s County, Maryland. It is alleged to be one of the same areas where the Goatman has been spotted. The bridge goes over a section of the Patuxen River, the same river documented as being the grave of an innocent baby in the 1950s.
This bridge is commonly referred to as “Crybaby Bridge” for the reason that the dead baby’s cry can still be heard. Locals driving across the eerie one lane bridge have reported hearing noises of a baby crying. There are several different version of events. One tale is of a young mother running out into the road to greet her husband, who was coming back home after months away. The mother was struck by her husband’s car; he did not see her through the fog that was covering the bridge that dreadful night. The baby flew out of her hands. She fell into the water as well, crying in agony with tears in her eyes. Another legend is that the young mother could not handle raising a child, and just dropped the baby into the river.
3 Green Man
This is one of the few tales on this list that is about a real person, including the scarier details. In Koppel, Pennsylvania, it is common to see a terribly disfigured man walking down darkened streets at night. He was given the name Green Man, or No Face. Every person has their own story of when they encountered him.
But the Green Man was real. His name was Raymond Robinson. Born in 1910, he was only eight years old when he was trying to view a bird’s nest on Morado Bridge and fell victim to a tragic accident. He had touched the power line, which electrocuted him. His horrific facial injury never healed properly.
Because of his appearance, he caused panic and babies would cry when they saw him. He spent most of his 74 years hiding in his home with his family. At night he would take a walk through the streets when people could not see him. This did not always work, and he became an urban legend to the extent that people would drive about all night wanting to catch a glimpse of his disfigured face.
2 Char-Man
A well-known urban legend in California comes from the Ojai Valley, located in Camp Comfort County Park. It is alleged that the spirit of a man whose face was burnt in a fire would emerge from the forest and attack hikers and cars. He is known as the Char-Man for the reason that most of his body and face is covered in burn scars.
There are countless versions of the Char-Man’s origins, but they start with a wildfire that happened in the park in the year of 1948. The most famous story goes that a father and his son were caught in the blaze, but the older man met his demise in the flames. Only the son survived, and when a rescue group arrived they discovered that he was strung up by his son, and his skin was pulled off. He then vanished into the woods. An additional story is about a husband and wife. The man went mad as he lay trapped and injured by the fire, incapable of aiding his wife, who was screaming for his help.
1 The Suscan Screamer
Is there anything creepier than a dead bride? Seemingly not, because stories of these ghostly women show up all over the world. On Suscan Road in Pennsylvania, which used to be known as Susquehanna Railroad Bridge, another one of these legends has taken hold. Several locals claim that if you drive onto the bridge, turn off the ignition, and place your keys on top of the roof and patiently wait, out of nowhere you will see the Suscan Screamer in your review mirror, staring you in the face.
The stories agree that she is the ghost of a woman who hanged herself on the bridge after being left at the altar. As she was jumping to her demise, she was alleged to have screamed so loud it would have pierced your ears. In the same area, there is a story of a creature that was alleged to have webbed feet with long claws and had a huge head. It remains unclear whether the two are connected.
It is said that if you drive onto the in the park, and you get out of your vehicle, Char-Man will come for you. This horribly burned man will run towards you and attack, trying to tear off your skin to replace his own.