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.”
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?
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.
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
