- From eroded statues to poorly maintained wells, anything can turn into a ghost story.
We all like a good story about otherworldly mysteries, but we’re also too lazy to travel very far to find them. That must be why practically every town everywhere has at least one strange tale.
It’s no different here in America. No matter which town you go to in any state, there will be a legend of bizarre and often spooky events the locals claim is absolutely true.
Of course, that’s not always the case, but the stories are still entertaining. Let’s take a look at some U.S. towns with particularly creepy urban legends — and some that are just plain weird.
1) Woodinville, WA — The Stairway to Hell
If you’re tired of hearing Stairway to Heaven, you could try finding its opposite. All you have to do is visit Maltby Cemetery in Woodinville, near Seattle, Washington.
The legend tells that the graveyard has — or had — a stairway that led to an underground crypt. In classic horror story fashion, the staircase has exactly 13 stairs.
If you walked down the stairs and put your foot on the last step, you’ll see a horrific vision of Hell itself.
Of course, no one’s ever found the staircase. People claim it’s been bulldozed, but it probably never existed in the first place.
But that hasn’t stopped people from looking for it.
2) Quitman, AR — The Dog Boy
Be careful when walking by 65 Mulberry Street in the tiny town of Quitman, Arkansas, after dark. You just might notice a gigantic, 300-pound man with the features of both man and animal staring at you from the house.
At that point, you’d better skedaddle. Otherwise, he’ll come running after you and biting at your heels, just like a dog.
That’s pretty creepy, but this story gets worse because it’s partially true. The Dog Boy is based on a real man who lived at the house — Gerald Bettis.
As a boy, Bettis would torture and mutilate animals, earning him the nickname “Dog Boy.” As he grew, he turned his violent tendencies toward his parents.
Bettis got eventually arrested for drug possession and died of an overdose in 1988. But is he still lurking in his childhood home in a new, monstrous form?
3) North Kingstown, RI — Satan’s Footprint
On the appropriately named Devil’s Foot Rock in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, you might spot two strange depressions. One of them looks like a human footprint — while the other resembles an imprint of a cloven hoof.
Locals will tell you that the footprints were left by Satan himself. According to a story, a Native American woman once committed murder and — while running from her pursuers — prayed for the devil to help her.
And the devil answered. A strange man appeared and introduced himself to the woman as the Lord of the Pit.
To prove he was who he claimed, he stamped his foot down on the rock he was standing on. It left the imprint of a goat-like hoof, verifying the man’s satanic nature.
Forgive us, but this story kind of makes us think that the Rhode Island residents of old might have had some prejudices about Native Americans.
4) Iowa City, IA — The Black Angel
In Oakland Cemetery in Iowa City, there stands a large statue of an angel. But this isn’t your usual angelic memorial — the statue is entirely black.
At the foot of the statue are buried the ashes of Teresa and Nicolas Feldevert. Local stories claim that the couple was so evil that their sins dyed the angel black.
The legends also claim that if a pregnant woman walks under the angel, she’s bound to miscarry. Additionally, if you touch or kiss the statue, you will die — unless you’re a virgin.
In reality, the statue is made of bronze and the black coloring is just a product of natural oxidation. Man, the people of Iowa City really must have not liked the Feldeverts.
5) Caldwell, ID — The Midnight Jogger
The Canyon Hill Cemetery in Caldwell, Idaho, is supposedly one heck of a haunted place. Stories claim there are multiple apparitions haunting the cemetery, but the weirdest has to be the Midnight Jogger.
The Jogger appears as a woman with no legs. How she does it, we don’t know, but she still somehow manages to jog through the graveyard.
But she won’t show up to just anybody. To summon the Midnight Jogger, you’ll have to park a car between certain trees at the cemetery at midnight.
The ghastly woman will then jog (or probably hover) over to your car and tap on the window to let you know that she’s there. And then she leaves, supposedly to finish her run.
That’s it, that’s all that happens. Let’s assume that this ghost is real — why would you even bother summoning it?
Just let the undead woman get some exercise in peace.
6) Alma, KS — The Devil’s Chair
Alma is a minuscule town in Kansas, with a small cemetery. In that cemetery, there’s a well.
But in the 1800s, before the land became a graveyard, it was owned by a local farmer. The town wanted to buy the land, including the well, but the stubborn farmer refused to sell it.
At some point, the farmer mysteriously disappeared. Soon after, a foul stench began to emanate from the well.
The townspeople did what any reasonable person would do in this situation. They boarded up the well and the town took over the now-missing farmer’s land.
Since then, strange stories have started circulating about the well. One story tells of a group of youths who were hanging out by the well. One of them sat on it, only to vanish without a trace when his friends looked elsewhere for a moment.
Look, we’re not saying that the well isn’t haunted. But maybe the people of Alma should check down the well. We have a nagging feeling that they might solve a few missing person cases.