America’s spookiest urban legends

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When bad things happen, people will look for any explanation possible for the horror they witnessed. Enter, the rise of America’s most terrifying urban legends. From murdered would-be brides to flying demons, these urban legends are sure to get you in the spooky spirit.

Shadow people
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Shadow People

The Shadow People are said to hide out in Arkansas, Little Rock’s MacArthur Museum of Military History. This museum was once an arsenal tower, which could explain why it’s said to be a hotspot for all sorts of spooky happenings. These shadow people are, unsurprisingly, reported to be the figures of people who roam the museum. Museum visitors have also allegedly reported hearing voices and music without any particular source.

The Fresno Nightwalker
Wiki Commons

The Fresno Nightwalker

About a decade ago, a Fresno, California native allegedly took video footage of a cryptid-like creature with long, white legs and a teeny tiny head. While some speculate that the creature was just a teenager pranking people, others still report seeing the Fresno Nightcrawler to this day.

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Green Lady Snatcher
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Green Lady Snatcher

Hawaii isn’t all fun and games, especially if you’re a kid! On Oahu Island’s Wahiawa Gulch, locals tell the tale of the Green Lady Snatcher. While the name is a bit self-explanatory, legend has it that a childless woman covered in green slime and who has sharp teeth kidnaps unsupervised kids.

Scary foggy road
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Hot Rod Haven Ghost

This urban legend traces back to Kentucky in the 1950s. Locals say that a young couple was driving to a school dance on the curvy Mitchell Hill Road when, surprise, they crashed and died. The woman allegedly still haunts the road, which has since claimed the lives of over 25 other drivers.

Scared woman running in the woods
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The Grunch

In New Orleans, legend has it that an inbred family in the woods can be found hunting for anything to eat, be it animals or, you guessed it, humans. The family, known as The Grunch, hunts in the woods surrounding New Orleans.

Scary hiking trail
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The Hairy Man of Vergas Trails

Minnesota locals have probably already heard this one. In the western region of the state lies the Vergas trails, where an 8-foot monster lurks and looks for his next prey. Locals say this “hairy man” eats small animals, and the sightings of this strange man first started in the 1960s.

Bigfoot
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Momo

Momo is allegedly Missouri’s own version of Bigfoot. This cryptid is about 7-foot-tall, very hairy, and has a pumpkin-like head with orange eyes that glow. Locals say that Momo hangs out along the Mississippi River.

Lake phantom
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Black Horse Lake Phantom

Montana’s Black Horse Lake Phantom can be spotted on the highway leading to Fort Benton. Locals say that if you travel the highway alone at night, a denim-clad hitchhiker could appear in the middle of the road out of nowhere. All of a sudden, the hooded figure will roll over your car hood, but if you get out of your car to check on it, the hitchhiker will be completely gone.

Haunted road
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Seven Sisters Road

Many Nebraskans call L Street, Seven Sisters Road, which is south of Nebraska City. Why this name? Apparently, seven sisters were hung here in the 1900s by a mad family member. The sisters were hung on separate trees, all in a row, and the trees were later chopped down so that L Street could be built there. Travelers on L Street have reported hearing screams and say that their car lights even dim there at night.

The Jersey Devil
Wiki Commons

The Jersey Devil

The legend of the Jersey Devil goes all the way back to 1735, when a local reportedly saw the winged monster for the first time. The devil allegedly roams the Jersey planes and has been terrorizing locals for centuries.

Lady in White
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North Dakota’s Lady in White

While you can find a Lady in White legend in nearly every American state, North Dakota’s is one of the oldest and scariest legends of them all. In Walhalla, locals say that a lady in white was murdered by a man who wanted to take her hand in marriage. However, her family said no to the marriage, and he shot the poor woman in his anger. The lady in white allegedly still haunts the road she was killed on to this day.

Bunny Bridge
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The Bunny Man

In Virginia, tales of the Bunny Man can be found in nearly every town. While the lore may change from town to town, the basic storyline is the same: a killer hunts for victims on The Bunny Man Bridge in Fairfax Country. The killer is dressed in, you guessed it, a bunny costume. Some say the murderer escaped from an asylum and is mentally unwell, while others say he’s a vengeful, angry ghost.

Bigfoot crossing in Oregon
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Bigfoot

Ah, Bigfoot, perhaps the most famous American urban legend of them all. Bigfoot’s legend is traced back to Washington, where this Sasquatch-like cryptid apparently calls home. Bigfoot is most commonly reported in Washington, but sightings have been reported around the U.S. for decades.

The Mothman
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The Mothman

In West Virginia, a red-eyed monster first made its appearance in 1966. The Mothman is apparently a winged monster, and if you see him, it’s said to be a bad omen. Mothman sightings have continued ever since the creature was first sighted decades ago.

This article was produced and syndicated by MediaFeed.org.

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Kaitlyn Farley

Kaitlyn is MediaFeed’s senior editor. She is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, specializing in social justice and investigative reporting. She has worked at various radio stations and newsrooms, covering higher-education, local politics, natural disasters and investigative and watchdog stories related to Title IX and transparency issues.