Local legends that’d make good books

This post is a topic from the SCAREtober BINGO board that I knew I had to participate in. Now, I am not doing these to win a prize because I helped organize this but you can! There are three wonderful prizes that are up for grabs. Be sure to check them out. Get filling those BINGO slots and most of all, have fun!

Now…those of you who know me obviously know that I am a sucker for horror stories. I love Halloween and everything that goes along with it. Today I am going to talk about local legends that I think would make wonderful books. I live in Western NY…the country area, not NYC. For some reason when I tell people I live in NY they automatically assume NYC. I currently live between two cities, in the middle of nowhere. Well, come to find out, there are loads of local legends. So, let’s get started.

Irondequoit’s White Lady

This local haunting story comes from Rochester, NY. The legend of the White Lady goes back to the 1800s. The woman allegedly lived near Durand Eastman Park in Irondequoit NY with her teenage daughter. Her home is known as White Lady’s Castle…but it is no castle at all. It was the base of a hotel built in the 1800s, the hotel named “The White Lady’s Castle.” Her daughter was incredibly beautiful and pursued by many suitors but her mother was very protective. She told her daughter that these men had nothing but unsavory intentions, hoping to keep her away from the dangers of lustful men. Respectful of her mother’s warnings, the daughter stayed home yet longed for more.

One day her daughter took a walk along the lake. That night, her daughter never made it back home. Her mother was convinced that her daughter had met a man and run off with him. Many say the young woman was too devoted to her mother and would never have done such a thing, believing her to be a murder victim instead. Grief struck, the mother wandered the lakeshore every night, dressed all in white, with her two dogs looking for her daughter or the man she may have run away with. Eventually, she died, grieving and alone.

It is said that on misty nights she walks over the lake, dressed in all white, gliding over the waves. She is partial to women, a man or group of men are thought to be the cause of her daughter’s disappearance. The famous White Lady remains nameless and history cannot confirm nor deny her existence, but locals love to tell this campfire story, especially on misty Halloween nights. This story was made into a movie, the locally directed 1988 movie Lady in White.

March of 2017, during a wind storm a tree in the same area was left splintered, but not without leaving something else behind. Locals believe the tree shows the resemblance of a woman with a skull-like face, wearing a dress, and holding her arm above her head. Some even say it appears as if she is holding a baby. What do you think? I see something that alone makes a great story, but not dealing with the lady in white.

Devil’s Hole Cave

It would take to long to explain what this is so here is a link describing the Devil’s Hole Cave and the massacre that occurred there. That is not where the story ends though. Legend has it William McKinley went into Devil’s Hole cave just prior to his assassination in Buffalo, but he was not alone. Teddy Roosevelt was with him, on a guided tour Roosevelt refused to enter the cave. He was superstitious and aware of the local legends. Not long after their trip, McKinley was assassinated. Roosevelt went all the way to the Adirondacks High Peaks, thinking McKinley would make a full recovery. When he made a turn for the worst, a recovery team was sent to recover Roosevelt from Mount Marcy and prep him for his inauguration. This is a part of their story that is not known by many.

H.H. Richardson Complex

Construction on this historic building known as the Henry Hobson Richardson (H. H. Richardson) complex began in 1871 and concluded in 1880. It opened as the Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, also known as the Buffalo Asylum Psychiatric Center. The hospital closed in 1974. It is now known as Hotel Henry and is packed to the brim with lavish amenities.

Allegedly, the complex was built to hold 1,000 patients but rather held about 10,000. As with any Asylum, there are many stories of pain and torture that happened within these walls. Patients were segregated by sex and the severity of their illnesses. Said to be more human, but eugenics or systematic sterilization of mentally ill patients was common here, ensuring they could not pass on their “flawed” genes. Schizophrenic patients were injected with insulin to induce alleged brain-awakening comas. What this did was deplete their brain of sugar, so much so that the only functioning parts that remained were basic functions, leaving patients nearly dead.

Although now newly remodeled, it is said to have some old residents that stuck around. There have been many haunting stories from those who broke into the building in the past and stayed the night or simply took photos.

Pigman

This legend takes place on Holland road in Angola, NY. Pigman was titled so because this infamous murderer would place the heads of pigs on stakes all along the edge of the woods. He allegedly hunted for his victims in these woods, surrounded by the winding road. He also donned a mask made of pig parts.

According to locals, Pigman is responsible for the murder of a group of teenage boys, their heads found posted on stakes along the woodline. Those who have lived in that area for more than 40 years still believe that Pigman is alive and lives in the woods, leaving evidence behind for neighbors to discover. Many have reported seeing a shadowy figure in the woods and hearing squealing pigs. You can find the full legend of Pigman here.

Holland Road was also the site of what is known as the “Angola Horror,” the worst train wreck in Erie County history that claimed the lives of at least fifty people. On December 18th, 1867, a rear axle on a train traveling into Buffalo loosened and caused the train to derail. The rear coach tumbled down an embankment and ripped in half, killing one and burning countless others. The car in front of the rear coach tipped over and rolled down the embankment. The commotion loosened the giant stoves used for heating and spread the burning coal over the passengers riding in the car, killing all but three.

Well, there you have it. There are so many more stories between Buffalo and Rochester NY but I picked 4 from around these areas that stuck out to me. I found some stories about creatures, satanic tunnels, etc. I am not kidding when I say this place is loaded with great legends that would make amazing horror stories.