Folklore
1. At a clearing surrounded by huge rocks, the rocks have on them a type of witch writing.
2. I have also heard about a car coming from out of nowhere driving fast and backwards and then just disappearing.
3. The cemetery is a burial ground for witches.
4. There is either an abandoned farmhouse or barn somewhere along the hunting trails, it is said someone hung them self there on July 7, 1977 (7/7/77). Inside the place, there is a chair in the middle of the room. The story goes that every seventh person to sit in the chair will die within 7 days and have symptoms or visions of death within 77 hours. The thrill is to go and sit in the thing cause you do not know how many people have sat in it before you.
5. An old woman walks the dark trails and roads in that area and will stop your car and ask if you have seen her cat. The story is that she lived in a shack somewhere in the woods. One night she was outside trying to find her lost cat. A hunter was out as well, heard the movement in the bushes, and thought it was an animal and shot her. The story is the woman walking in the dark only has 1/2 a head.
6. There are satanic & KKK meetings/rituals held someplace up there as well. The satanic ones are rumored to be held deep in the woods just past the cemetery. The KKK meetings are held near an old church if you take the second road (not Star Hill Rd). I have only seen the fire from one and we all left.
Statement: At a clearing surrounded by huge rocks, the rocks have on them a type of witch writing.
Research: The writings on the rocks at the scenic overlook are not witch writings. They are graffiti left by partygoers.
Statement: I have also heard about a car coming from out of nowhere driving fast and backwards and then just disappearing.
Research:
Interviews:
1. We interviewed four people at the overlook. They blame the taillight story on the “Hatcher” case. Rumor has it that in the 1970’s Hatcher tied his victim, Mary, to the back of his car and dragged her up and down the road until she died.
2. We interviewed a New York State Trooper who had responded to the Hatcher incident. It happened on Potato Hill Road not Penn Mountain Road.
This was witnessed. However, the story about it being Hatcher is inaccurate.
Statement: The cemetery it's self is a burial ground for witches.
Research: The Penn Mount Cemetery contains the earthly remains of very religious, Welsh Methodist family members. Welch immigrants stayed in very small close knit groups containing very large families. The habit of staying to ones self could have lead to this rumor.
Statement: There is either an abandoned farmhouse or barn somewhere along the hunting trails, it is said someone hung them self there on July 7, 1977 (7/7/77).
Research: No standing, abandoned house has been located as yet. No foundations have been located that have not been abandoned for less than 50 years. All trees in and around the foundations appear to be more then 50 years in age.
Statement: An old woman walks the dark trails and roads in that area and will stop your car and ask if you have seen her cat.
Research: There have been no witnesses and no evidence located.
Statement: There are satanic & KKK meetings/rituals held someplace up there as well. The satanic ones are rumored to be held deep in the woods just past the cemetery. The KKK meetings are held near an old church.
Research: A circle of stones has been located but no evidence can be located as to it ever being used. May be natural.
Conclusion
Due to the sparse availability of information about this rural location, most of this folklore will be difficult to prove or disprove. Although there have been first hand accounts of some of the above events, we have no documented proof and must list all the rumors as “Urban Legends”.
We list our findings as inconclusive at this time pending further investigation. |
