Mysterious

25
Jul
2024
The Catacombs of Paris

The Catacombs of Paris

Paris, quite poetically known as the City of Light, is perhaps one of the most romantic destinations in the world. Yet, deep beneath its streets lies a labyrinth that is dark, ominous, and truly macabre. I am referring to the famed Catacombs of Paris, where visitors can stroll through tunnels filled with elaborately arranged bones of the city’s long dead. While this subterranean “Empire of Death” may make some shudder, it is truly a unique and thought-provoking experience for those who wish to descend into it.

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Posted by AP Sylvia in France, Mysterious, 0 comments
12
Aug
2023
New Orleans Cemeteries

New Orleans Cemeteries

One of the many distinctive aspects of New Orleans is its approach to cemeteries. Rather than just rows of headstones, the burial grounds of the Crescent City often feature unique, aboveground tombs. These structures create an atmosphere of something not unlike a neighborhood. This is so much the case that the great American humorist, Mark Twain, referred to the cemeteries of New Orleans as “cities of the dead.”

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Posted by AP Sylvia in Louisiana, Mysterious, 0 comments
29
Jun
2022
Spring-heeled Jack, Phantom of Victorian London

Spring-heeled Jack, Phantom of Victorian London

In the 19th century, London was terrorized by what some believed to be a supernatural or demonic entity. There were numerous sightings and attacks around the city and even beyond. Although descriptions varied at times, the entity’s ability to jump great distances earned it the name Spring-heeled Jack. Who or what was this monstrous assailant?

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Posted by AP Sylvia in England, Mysterious, 0 comments
30
Aug
2021
Fossil Tracks at Dinosaur State Park

Fossil Tracks at Dinosaur State Park

On August 23, 1966, an amazing discovery was made quite by chance in the town of Rocky Hill, CT. During excavation for a state construction project, a bulldozer operator noticed some large, three-toed footprints in a slab of sandstone. It turned out that a prehistoric lakebed had been unearthed. It would ultimately yield over 2,000 fossilized tracks that were made by dinosaurs roaming the area 200 million years ago! This find would spark the beginning of what is now Dinosaur State Park.

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Posted by AP Sylvia in Connecticut, Mysterious, 0 comments
02
Aug
2020
The Bones of La Brea

The Bones of La Brea

In the middle of Los Angeles there is an area covered with numerous pits of bubbling black pitch. These sticky, dark pools were once deathtraps for countless prehistoric creatures. Because of this, La Brea Tar Pits became an invaluable source of fossilized remains in the modern era. In addition the wide array of extinct animal bones, the site also yielded a surprising secret – evidence of a 9000-year-old murder mystery. Continue reading →

Posted by AP Sylvia in California, Mysterious, 2 comments
04
Jan
2020
Krampus in Witch City

Krampus in Witch City

On the longest night of the year, the start of Yule, I enjoyed a unique tour of historic downtown Salem, Massachusetts. My guide had horns upon his head and carried a menacing bundle of sticks. Yes, I followed behind none other than Krampus, the devilish December visitor of Germanic folklore known for terrorizing naughty children. Continue reading →

Posted by AP Sylvia in Massachusetts, Mysterious, 0 comments
19
Oct
2019
The Abandoned Metropolitan State Hospital

The Abandoned Metropolitan State Hospital

In the town of Waltham, MA, there is derelict structure that stands among greenery and walking paths. Its slowly decaying form oddly juxtaposed with the surrounding parkland. This is the last remaining untouched building of a former insane asylum complex. Continue reading →

Posted by AP Sylvia in Massachusetts, Mysterious, 0 comments
10
Sep
2018
Abandoned Zoo Enclosures in Boston

Abandoned Zoo Enclosures in Boston

Once a major attraction, the Bear Dens at Boston’s Franklin Park now sit silent and obscure. The old enclosures are tucked away in a wooded area outside the modern boundaries of the zoo. Walking around it, you can sense the former grandeur of the place, which somehow makes it all the more eerie. Continue reading →

Posted by AP Sylvia in Massachusetts, Mysterious, 0 comments
01
Sep
2018
Medfield’s Abandoned Insane Asylum

Medfield’s Abandoned Insane Asylum

Abandoned places often have a strange allure. Locations once filled with activity, now slowly and silently decaying. Of course, the nature of what the place once was often adds to the atmosphere. With that in mind, let’s turn to the town of Medfield, MA. Nestled among trees and fields, you’ll find a large, abandoned campus populated by redbrick buildings. Although it may be reminiscent of a college, it is actually a former insane asylum. The public is permitted to walk the grounds, and I found the site to be both fascinating and somber. Continue reading →

Posted by AP Sylvia in Massachusetts, Mysterious, 0 comments
13
Jul
2018
Yantic Cemetery and the Blue Lady

Yantic Cemetery and the Blue Lady

Situated by the Yantic River in Norwich, Connecticut lies a necropolis filled with elaborate tombstones, towering monuments, and a mysterious woman shrouded in blue. She forever keeps watch over a single grave, though this lady is not a ghost. Rather, this eternal mourner is a striking and enigmatic sculpture made of bronze. Continue reading →

Posted by AP Sylvia in Connecticut, Mysterious, 0 comments