A series of low stone mounds lie nearby. Hikers and explorers arent quite sure what to make of these. Although some sources estimate up to 40 people vanished within the Bennington Triangle, Resch contends Middie Rivers, who vanished in 1945, is the only person who was verified to have gone missing from inside the triangle. Another odd character entered Bennington folklore in 1892. In October 1950, Frieda Langer was on a family camping trip at Somerset Reservoir in the Bennington woods. Farmers left them wherever they settled to make . Of them, there is a trio of three ghost towns that should be on everyone's road trip list: Glastenbury, Somerset, and Lewiston. It's not all that surprising that there are a few ghost towns throughout Vermont that have long histories, some more seemingly wicked than others. The area is also the location of several unexplained disappearances . Mount Girnar is a major igneous plutonic complex which intruded into the basalts towards the close of the Deccan Trap period. So she hitchhiked to the Long Trail in the Glastenbury Mountains in the afternoon. The hike is nothing short of spectacular. Years and years and years longer. According to legend, one of the main roads through the Green Mountain National Forest was washed out during a heavy storm. Authorities promptly launched a search, but, despite hundreds of local volunteers, the assistance of New York and Connecticut law enforcement, and even the enticing offer of a $5,000 reward, no trace of Welden ever turned up, according to NY Daily News. We recommend that you check out this road trip toabandoned places in Vermont. This Creepy Ghost Town In Vermont Will Haunt Your Dreams - OnlyInYourState An Algonquin legend warned of a Man-Eating Stone in the mountains that would open up and devour anyone unlucky enough to step on it. Could cougars have something to do with the disappearances in Bennington? Over the years there has been between 30 - 40 unexplained disappearances of people. Time to start exploring! As the ages and sexes of the missing were widely varied, it is even less likely that they were victims of a serial killer. The Yowie: More Than Just Australias Bigfoot? But if you decide to hike the Long Trail, just dont go alone. The white blazed LT/AT is just to the east.Branch Street Extension TH: From Bennington go 1 mile north on VT 7 from the VT7/9 intersection. Donning a fiery-red jacket, the bright and spunky five-foot-five blond left the college. This picture of Paula Jean Welden circulated during the investigation of her disappearance. But she never made it back to the campsite. Five in number, they stand two to four feet high and nearly eight feet in diameter. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! Some places will not be safe for entering, but you will still be able to get a glimpse of these places from the outside. Middie Rivers was a 74-year-old mountain guide in the area. On the third day, Squandro vowed to get revenge upon the whites who had killed his son. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. Around the Goddard Shelter it is best that you camp at the designated sites because of the delicate vegetation.Shelters:Melville Nauheim on LT near the VT 9 trailheadGoddard at the junction of the LT and West Ridge Trail .3 miles south of the summitKid Gore and Caughnawaga shelters 4 miles north of summit on the LTStory Spring on LT 8.6 miles north of the summit.No fees should be paid for using the shelter or camping. The entire region was searched extensively. Estimates vary but approximately 10% - 20% succeed. Be prepared. But be forewarned that for some the hike has taken much, much longer. The Long Trail/Appalachian Trail crosses the entire area from north to south by an old fire tower on the top of Glastenbury Mountain . A sudden downpour caused them to pull the coach over, as the road had washed out. After the first season, a flood in 1898 washed away all the railroad lines and bridges. Length 23.0 miElevation gain 4,534 ftRoute type Out & back. 2006-2021 SummitPost.org. Just beyond route 4 at Sherburne Pass the trails diverge. The Long Trail, a 272-mile (438-km) hiking trail running the length of Vermont, passes over the summit of Glastenbury Mountain. Unlike the other disappearances, however, Langer was the only missing person whose remains were discovered. The oldest legends about the Bennington Triangle came from Native Americans in the region, who believed Glastenbury Mountain was cursed. In addition to being a hub for the local charcoal production and logging industries, it had a railroad, a post office, a school, and several residential homes. Some people speculate that he saw a friend at the stop before Bennington town and got off to talk to the person. According to Obscure Vermont, the woods are so dense and thick on Glastenbury Mountain that some locals still get easily turned around and disoriented. Every square inch of the mountain was searched and re-searched, Daily the headlines of The Bennington Banner screamed for anyone to come forward who might have any information. Though they combed through the vast wilderness for eight days, they found no evidence of what may have happened to him. They watched her as she turned a corner, but when they caught up to the same spot, she was nowhere in sight. At Kocher Drive travel east about 1 mile to a small parking lot with a blue blazed utility pole. To this day, a majority of details regarding the six major disappearances in the Bennington Triangle are still undetermined. The southwest end of Glastenbury Mtn. About 70 people per year successfully complete the LT and become End to Enders. Toward the end of the decade, an attempt was made to turn Glastenbury into a tourist destination. Aconcagua mountain page is a child of the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits.' The Bennington Triangle encompasses the cursed Glastenburry mountain where people have vanished and died mysteriously for centurieshttps://www.instagram.com/. If you are looking for more scary and abandoned places, take a look at 17 scary and, Yes, you can. The Curse of the Saco River, ME - New England Ghost Stories As reported by Obscure Vermont, Glastenbury Mountain is one of 12 mountains in the range, with a maximum altitude of 3,747 feet.. Revelator Network reports the region surrounding Glastenbury Mountain was home to the Abenaki tribe, which was part of the . However, they found absolutely nothing. drains into Bolles Brook, thence into the Roaring Branch of the Walloomsac River, the Hoosic River, the Hudson River, and into New York Bay in New York. Related: Why You Should Visit Vermont During Maple Sugaring Season. The Curse of the Saco River, ME The Saco River originates in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and meanders 136 miles through the southeast corner of the state and into Maine, until it finally joins the Atlantic Ocean where Saco and Biddleford are located. The authorities caught the killer and put him in an insane asylum. Glastenbury Mountain via Appalachian Trail - AllTrails.com Bennington Triangle lore insists that the most famous of all these events was Paula Weldens disappearance. A Net Inceptions project. The Abenaki also believed the mountain was cursed because the four winds appeared to meet at the peak, and often changed direction erratically. There's something eerie about driving down a dark road that's flanked on both sides by woodland. Exactly three years to the day after Welden's disappearance, a man named James Tedford vanished, seemingly into thin air, while onboard a bus travelling down Route 7, directly through the Bennington Triangle. Shortly after, in 1945, people began disappearing from around Glastenbury with such frequency that the area was dubbed the "Bennington Triangle" by writer and Vermont native Joseph A. Citro. Old-timers recall hearing the legend told by parents and grandparents, and they maintain a healthy respect for the curse. "Glastenbury Mt. Chaplin recalls writing plenty of stories about drownings on the river. Depending on the area and attraction, you can visit abandoned places in Vermont. Therefore, the conclusion can be drawn that Glastenbury was either fated from the start by some unseen foe or was simply just built in the wrong place, at the wrong time. In 1992, Joseph Citro, a local author on all things ghostly in New England, created the term The Bennington Triangle due to some similarities to the Bridgewater Triangle disappearances in Massachusettes. And it turns out that they had good reason to fear the mountain. DAgostino, Thomas, (2013) A Guide to Haunted New England, Charleston, SC, Haunted America, A Division of the History Press. But it wasnt always this small. As reported by Vermonter, the mysterious occurrences have always been a fundamental part of the region's culture and folklore. Among them are a 75-year-old hiking guide, an 18-year-old college student, an 8-year-old boy and a 53-year-old woman. However, as reported by Happy Vermont, the town thrived in the mid to late 1800s. The trails stop part way up the mountain, suggesting that no one ever goes up any farther. Soon the FBI, along with New York and Connecticut State Police, joined Vermont authorities in the hunt. It appeared that Tedford had gotten up out of his place and disembarked without anyone else noticing. Some firmly believe that the real cause of the trouble is a much more supernatural one. A clairvoyant was even brought in. Goddard Shelter has been replaced with one of the same design possibly to be named Keenan. With the angry spirits that dwelled in the forest, the tribes stayed away. Get more stories delivered right to your email. And perhaps the most famous town in Vermont for having ghosts and spirits is Stowe. There are 15 miles (24 km) of hiking trails in Glastenbury Wilderness, including a section of the Long Trail . The fire-tower is off limits, but from the top four states could be seen and endless rows of mountains like the Adirondacks, the Tactonics and the Berkshires.The summit is traversed by the famous Long Trail of Vermont. Today, the town of Glastenbury is home to only eight residents and is an unincorporated part of Bennington County (which has a paranormal reputation, in itself). Like the others, the child vanished off the face of the earth without a trace. 2. Over the years, multiple sightings of UFOs and Bigfoot have been reported in the Bennington Triangle. Frieda Langer, who was the only of the reported missing whose body was found, fell into a creek while camping near Glastenbury Mountain. He waited in the family's pickup truck while she went out to feed the pigs, but when his mother returned to the truck about an hour later, he was gone. One way to get this rush is to visit some of Vermont's ghost-haunted and eerie attractions. Mysterious disappearances arent the only strange things that have kept people steering clear of this area, dogs and horses are easily spooked, not to mention the ghost town remnants that have been left behind. Unless you're a marathon trail runner, that kind of distance requires a very early morning and speedy travel or a more leisurely overnight in the nearby log shelter. As reported by Legends of America, witnesses claim the monster is similar in appearance to Bigfoot or Sasquatch. After its logging and mining days, South Glastenbury was briefly transformed into a trolley-equipped summer resort, with the old loggers boarding house becoming a hotel, and apartments being renovated into a casino. . Yes, you can. This case occurred in 1945. A grim-faced Vermont Governor, Ernest Gibson, reached for the phone. It was at the exact spot where Paula Weldon was last seen years before. The Long Trail, which is part of the Appalachian Trail, is a 272-mile hiking trail that runs the length of the state and passes over the summit of Glastenbury Mountain. 2,000 - 3,000 backpackers per year attempt to thruhike the entire AT in 4-8 months. It was mid-afternoon on a bright and clear Columbus Day. royswkr - Apr 15, 2006 2:13 pm - Hasn't voted shorter ways to fire tower. If that was the case, why were his luggage and other effects on the bus? 10 Creepy Mysteries Of The Bennington Triangle - Listverse All Rights Reserved. Although many people believe the disappearances have a paranormal explanation, others believe a serial killer may have been in the area between 1945 and 1950. You will need to spend the night at Glastenbury Mountain, unless you have the energy to hike out 14.4 miles to Route 9 in Woodford. No one discovered evidence of an animal attack, and his body is still missing to this day. Curse Of Glastenbury Mountain Native Americans called Glastenbury Mountain in Vermont's Green Mountains "cursed", and used it strictly for burying their dead. Recurring sightings of the Bigfoot-like monster became so common that locals dubbed the creature the "Bennington Monster." Weldens red jacket would have been hard to miss against the foliage. Vermont's Bennington Triangle, which includes a large portion of the Green Mountain National Forest and the Glastenbury Mountains, has been the epicenter of unusual activities and sightings, as well as a number of unusual disappearances, for centuries. More information about Paula Jean Weldens Disappearance. Image Source. To understand why this town is heralded in the manner that it is today, we must first go back and understand the timeline between its boom days and its eventual abandonment. They suggest that sudden local wind patterns on the mountainside can be erratic and changeable. Not a single passenger had any idea what might have happened to him in the time between the last stop and the bus pulling up in Bennington. (13), Climber's Log Entries Space Station Mission Commercializes Space Freight, 1984 By George Orwell Part 4 | By Ron Murdock, I Will Pass On The Pantyhose | By Val Enders, English Is A Hard Language To Learn Part 2, I Didnt Know How To Teach Until I Met You, English Is A Hard Language To Learn Part 9 | By Ron Murdock. Geography. If youre looking for more haunted places in Vermont then check out and learn about the legends surrounding this creepy ghost town in Vermont. Glastenbury Mt. But after being open for just one season, flooding in 1898 washed out the railroad tracks beyond repair, and the resort was abandoned for good. The Long Trail is totally contained within Vermont while the mighty Appalachian Trail spans 14 states from Georgia to Maine.The US has a well organized and active long distance community and both these paths see lots of use by backpackers hiking the whole trail in one season. Additionally, Welden was the third of six people to go missing in the Bennington Triangle between 1945 and 1950. Mount Abu. Indeed, the most tragic disappearance of the entire flap must be that of 8-year-old Paul Jephson. Overlooked True Crime Cases Connected To Famous Cases - Ranker The Maelstrom As a result, a stagecoach full of passengers was forced to stop along the road. Henry found Carls body three days later in a bizarre scene. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 10 h 14 min to complete. Accept Read More, Many hikers and hunters report cougar sightings in the area. To this day, it is considered bad luck to wear red when hiking on the Long Trail.But the strange disappearances were only beginning. He later claimed "he heard voices telling him" to do it. Later legends suggested the region is haunted by their spirits. By 1898, Glastenbury was essentially gutted by a massive flood, which heavily damaged the town's largest resort and completely destroyed the railroad tracks. The parking lot is on the north side of the highway. Her friend left the area to get Frieda some clean and dry clothing. In 2005 AT hopefuls were about 1000 people less but the success rate shot up to around 25%.For more information on the mountains along the trails please visit:Long Trail MountainsAppalachian Trail MountainsFor more information on the organizations behind the trails please visit:Green Mountain Club and LT websiteAppalachian Trail Conservancy and AT website, TrailheadsVT 9 Forest Service TH: This trailhead is on route 9 between the cities of Bennington and Wilmington. Friedas disappearance, such a short distance away, defied most explanations. Glastenbury Mountain via Long Trail (Appalachian Trail) Mrs. Jepson searched frantically, but couldnt spot his bright red jacket. Tedford was traveling by public bus and was just one of 14 passengers that were on board when the bus left St. Albans. Paul Jepson Sr. would later comment that he found his sons unusual yen to go to the mountain baffling. This was further popularized in two books, including . Terrifying Letters: The Watcher House of Westfield, NJ, Chase Vault Mystery at Christ Church Cemetery, The Dog: One of Japans Oldest Mysteries. It's a ghost town in Vermont you've possibly never even heard of despite it being right in your backyard. Gujarat | History, Map, Population, & Facts | Britannica DAgostino, T. and Nicholson, A., (2013) Legends, Lore and Secrets of New England, Charleston, SC, The History Press, Judith Hansen, (2020), The Curse of the Saco River, downloaded from https://newengland.com/today/living/new-england-history/curse-saco-river/, Thomas Verde, The Curse of the Saco River, downloaded from http://www.oocities.org/yosemite/rapids/2211/curse.html, Photo courtesy https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/maine/cursed-saco-river-me/, S2E11 Little Rose, the Stigmatist of RI, S2E09 - The Fake Legend of Ocean-Born Mary, S2E11 - Little Rose, the Stigmatist of RI, S2E08 - Tony Chop Chop Costa, The Magic Garden Killer, S2E05 - Dungeon Rock in Lynn Woods Reservation, S2E03 - The Tragic Tale of Nancy Barton, White Mountains, NH, S2E2 Mysterious Glastenbury Mountain, Vermont. By some accounts, its also silent, devoid of the usual sounds of nature, such as birds and insects. Theres nothing like autumn in New England. Even those very familiar with the area could suddenly suffer from disorientation. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Legend says that between 1945-1950, there were 5 separate disappearances including a college student and a group of hunters. Southwestern Vermont is known for its bucolic setting, but one 93 sq km area of thick woods was also the scene for one of America's great enduring mysteries. Be sure to have all of your personal affairs in order, and inform people of when youd hope to return. But as strange as the disappearances are, when you walk into the forest that blankets the mountain the silence is deafening. The trails to the summit are well marked and easy to follow. The discovery of Langer's body only raised more questions, as she was found seven months after she vanished, in an area that was previously searched multiple times. However, others were not as fortunate. By some accounts, it's also silent, devoid of the usual sounds of nature, such as birds and insects. In 1945, strange disappearances began taking place on Glastenbury mountain. Interesting history topics are just a click away. The two small towns of Lewiston and Somerset in Vermont both boast an eerie history of ghosts and horror. The northeast side of Glastenbury Mountain drains into Deer Lick Brook, thence into the Glastenbury River, the Deerfield River, the Connecticut River, and into Long Island Sound in Connecticut. Its woods are dark and isolated. The hunters realized that he was no longer with them, but none of the hunters was unduly concerned. The Otomi: Mesoamericas Forgotten Civilization? Mostly lost at the turn of the century, Glastenbury Mountain, located just outside of Bennington, is no stranger to tales of legend and creepy stories. Tedford was a veteran of the Second World War. This Vermont Mountain Ghost Town Has A Chilling History - TheTravel Legends of America reports Paul Jepson's mother left him inside the cab of her truck while she was working. Local superstitions include the belief that it is bad luck to wear red while in the forest. It's hard to believe that Glastenbury Mountain, a place known for its scenic trails and fire tower, has such a wild reputation among locals, but it does. Just ahead, reach the firetower near the summit of Glastenbury Mountain. (About 21 miles in all and one of my longer day hikes). As reported by Happy Vermont, the former town of Glastenbury and the surrounding region are currently owned by the US National Forest Service. If you are looking for more scary and abandoned places, take a look at 17 scary and haunted places in Vermont. 2009-2021 Historic Mysteries. For those who are drawn to such areas, hiking to Glastonbury begins as a 22.3-mile, two-day hike. Glastenbury Mountain is a mountain located in Bennington County, Vermont, in the Green Mountain National Forest. As reported by Obscure Vermont, Glastenbury Mountain is one of 12 mountains in the range, with a maximum altitude of 3,747 feet. The shelters are first come, first served. The caption reads, On trail up Glastenbury Mountain Photo 1917. He had also gone missing on at least one other occasion. Visit these places at your own riskyouve been warned. For instance, this mountain wilderness in southern Vermont, which is home to a portion of the Appalachian Trail, a ton of gorgeous views, a ghost town, a string of mysterious disappearances, and an Algonquin curse. Did the river really claim the lives of three white people each year? So much strange activity has taken place on the mountain, along with the neighboring towns of Bennington, Woodford, Shaftsbury, and Somerset, that author Joseph A. Citro named it The Bennington Triangle. This area is full of UFO activity, bigfoot sightings, strange lights and the disappearance of at least five people from 1945 to 1950.According to local lore, the mountain is said to be cursed. The first notable disappearance occurred on November 12, 1945, when an accomplished outdoorsman and hunting guide named Middie Rivers went missing while leading a team of hunters through the surrounding mountains. Others have suggested the missing people may have been killed by a mountain cat. But during the late 19th century, industry began to decline and the forest began thinning out. Legends, myths and tales of hauntings in and around New England. The site of a ghost town which was lost at the turn of the century, mysterious Glastenbury Mountain is located just outside of Bennington, Vermont. Then, in the late 1940s and early 1950s, mysterious disappearances began being reported in the area. It just suddenly got dark, and then it was like, 'Where am I?' Welcome to Glastenbury Mountain. Although her disappearance was weird, the discovery of her body was even more puzzling. Not far from the summit of Glastenbury Mountain in Southwestern Vermont, the Long Trail passes by an old fire tower. According to Legends of America, a Native American curse is one of the possible explanations people have given for these strange disappearances. The house and the family have a long history of strange and spooky behavior, full of ghosts, haunted rooms, and a terrifying family history. Others claim it was something or someone else. After a long, thorough search of the area, the only thing anyone found of Rivers was a spent rifle cartridge of the same type he used. She says, The curse has been carried out many, many years in drownings up and down the length of the Saco.Finally in 1947, a year passed with no drownings. There are abandoned settlements (aka: the ghost towns of Fayville and South Glastenbury), and oddly, theres a large stone cairn near the summit of Galstenbury Mountain to guide hikers above treeline during foggy weather. A veteran and resident of Bennington Soldiers' Home, Tedford had taken a bus into St. Albans to visit relatives. Disappearances of people like Middie Rivers, a lifelong area resident and experienced hunting and fishing guide, who led a group of hunters into the wilds of Glastenbury Mountain in early-November, 1945. He was never seen again.A year later, 18-year-old sophomore from Bennington College was the next to disappear. Even modern inhabitants of the region avow that on average three lives are lost on the Saco River per year. A town by the same name used to be near the mountain's peak. Bigfoot is often implicated in any mysterious event in the woods. Kristin Grimes lives in Vermont, is a freelance writer and busy MOM (Manager of Madness) and WIFE (Washing, Ironing, Feeding, Etc.). . But just west of Glastenbury Mountain, at the intersection of Chapel and East Roads, the team of dogs provided by New Hampshire State Police lost the boys scent. Only Glastenbury Mountain stood between him and his home. Listen to the podcast for more stories of people who vanished into thin air. Where do you go?Good question. However, bobcats and lynx, which are prominent in the region, are not aggressive. In addition to the disappearances, there have been Bigfoot sightings and rumors of a "man-eating" rock. Bennington Triangle Disappearances - Historic Mysteries Missing 411: Strange Disappearances in the Wilderness. Near the bottom of the descent from Glastenbury, the trail passes a junction to the Kid Gore Shelter. When the bus arrived in Bennington, Tetford was gone. Whether there's any truth to the remains of this ghost town has yet to be seen. Gujarat, state of India, located on the country's western coast, on the Arabian Sea. Whether it's a natural feature or an ancient curse, though . According to reports, dozens of people have mysteriously vanished from the region, with a majority of the disappearances occurring on or near Glastenbury Mountain. Other places, however, you will be able to enter and explore inside. The only loop trail option is to go from the south to the summit, then the West Ridge Trail (7.8 miles) to the junction with the east trail to Bald Mountain. As far back as the 19th century, the forests surrounding Glastenbury Mountain have been a common location for reported Bigfoot sightings and other unexplained paranormal events. Glastenbury mountain, according to Joseph A. Citro, in his book Passing Strange Tales of New England Hauntings and Horrors, is an inaccessible region, remote, full of dark places, jutting outcrops, vast marshlands and quiet pools. Situated on the highest peak of the Aravalli range, this famous tourist spot is known for its Dilwara Jain temples. What You Need To Know About The Mysterious Bennington Triangle - Grunge At least four people in five years have been reported to be hiking on the mountain, and were never seen again. The passengers did not see the creature, but they saw its glowing eyes and heard it roar before it disappeared back into the forest.