Singer/Songwriter/Actress/Writer Tiffany Apan shares some of her favorite parts of the holidays...
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Happy Halloween! Here is a quick video I took just before the Halloween Lantern Tour at the Depreciation Lands Museum! This year I was a storyteller, telling a ghost tale from days of old...
Sometimes it's the smaller towns that have the richest history. Including haunted history.
One such town is one hidden among the steel city of Pittsburgh, PA, just among the Monongahela River. That town is Monongahela.
Now those of you that read my main blog and view my website, you likely know that I am a re-enactor of history at the Depreciation Lands Museum in AllisonPark. Last summer, I also posted an article on this webzine about The Deacon, the museum's benevolent resident ghost.
Now every Halloween, the museum puts on their Lantern Tours each year with an ever changing theme. Last year's theme is a dramatized reenacting of the witchcraft trial of real life 17th century accused 'witch', Mary Bliss Parsons in Colonial America. And I was the one playing Mary Parsons.
Now as I was reading over the script for the Mary Parsons witchcraft trial tour and doing research, I came across another interesting figure (also being portrayed in the lantern tours event). And that is Mary or "Moll" Derry, who was also known as the Fortune Teller of the Revolution and/or The Witch of Monongahela.
According to a brief description in a sample from Thomas White's book, Witches of Pennsylvania: Occult History and Lore (a book that is definitely on my 'to read' list), Derry was born in Germany during the year 1760. During the Revolutionary War, she moved to America with her husband, who was a Hessian soldier.
After the war ended, they moved to Fayette County in the 1790s. It is said that Derry lived in Georges Township until her death from old age in 1843 (which would have made her 83 at the time of her death).
Throughout her lifetime, Derry was said to have told fortunes, removed hexes, and cured ailments. There is even a story of how she tried to help a young woman by warning that young woman of what seemed to be an abusive fiance. Unfortunately, the young woman did not listen and she was later found dead. Derry was also said to have a vengeful side to her, and pity the fools that dared cross her. There are many stories of curses and affliction place upon those that angered Derry, from farmers having their livestock mysteriously perish to men that tormented her having their lives cut short by hanging.
Either way, her reputation as "the most well-known witch of the western side of the [Pennsylvania] state" made her a legend long before her earthly life ended.
What is even more curious is that in a time that is known to severely frown upon practices of any type of magic, Derry (and probably even others) managed to somehow slip beneath the radar of the witchhunts and trials. It is suggested that perhaps people feared crossing her just that much. It definitely makes you wonder. Then again, history really is a giant, mysterious labyrinth with many different and unexpected twists and turns.
Today I venture outside of the lines of the state of Pennsylvania in which I live. One night this passed Halloween season, I was watching Destination America and caught a few programs covering supposedly real life ghostly encounters. One legend in particular caught my attention, one that I had never heard of before until I was watching that program. And that was of a legend from Topeka, Kansas about a specter known as the Blue Albino Woman (or "Witch") haunting Rochester Cemetery, located on the northwest outskirts. The legend tells of a disfigured woman born with bluish white skin, white hair, and whose eyes were also red, according to some reports. As a child, she was teased mercilessly by her classmates. Upon growing into adulthood, the teasing continued, mainly by the neighborhood children that feared her. During the day, she glared at them while they (the children) were on their way to school. Nightfall was when she would venture out and wander the town (due to her skin condition, going out in the sun reportedly caused her great pain, therefore resorting her to going out mainly at night). The friendless woman is said to have died in 1963 from mysterious circumstances. That was when residents began reports of seeing a glowing white female figure walking through the area after dark. The most frequent sightings seem to be along Shunganunga Creek, which flows near Rochester Cemetery where the woman was buried. Several individuals are said to have had encounters with her, including some employees at a nearby Goodyear Tire Factory and residents that see the apparition quite often (sometimes as much as once a week). Some of those individuals were featured on the Destination America program I happened to catch. One of these individuals was a woman by the name of Jessica Streeter, who had ventured into the cemetery on her birthday for some romance and fun with her boyfriend. According to her interview on the program, she and her boyfriend were getting it on when the 'witch' came up from the ground and started chasing them. And not in an 'I'm just trying to scare you off' kind of way. According to the account, the witch seemed to be out for blood. In fact, Streeter was afraid of the possibility of the woman following them home. So much so, that she performed a sort of ritual at the door as a way of trying to fend the 'witch' off. Another account featured on the program belonged to that of a man by the name of James George. Now interestingly, Mr. George himself commented on an article of the Blue Albino Woman as reported on the website Muldersworld.com. In his comment, he states that while what Destination America said on their show was based in fact, the producers did take some liberties. He then provided his own telling of his story. One of the embellishments on Destination America's part that I immediately noticed upon reading George's recounting was when the program's report stated that the woman was captured and buried alive in the cemetery by a group of thugs (which is also re-reported by Muldersworld). However, George's telling (along with the tellings of others) states that she died under mysterious circumstances. So while the thug story could be possible, there doesn't seem to be any confirmation of that, at least as far as I could see. Anyway, the version of George's account given by Destination America is as follows: He was in a department store with his mother, shopping for back to school clothing. While shopping, he managed to wander into a rather dark corner of the store where a group of mannequins were being stored. As he was checking them out, one moved and turned to face him, turning out to be the blue albino woman. It was then he screamed, sending his grandmother running over to him. It was then his grandmother also saw the woman and told her that she was not welcomed there. Then she glided passed them and out the door.
Now here is an excerpt of George's story in his own words (you can read it in its entirety in his comment on the Muldersworldarticle or at artist-alley.net: It was August of 1964 and I was trying on clothes in the dressing room of the children's department on the second floor of Pelletier's Department store which my Grandmother was Manager of. It was time for me to get my new school clothes. School was going to start soon and I would be entering the second grade. Suddenly the door to the dressing room flew open and there stood a tall veiled woman dressed entirely in black. Her red eyes were visible through the dark veil as she reached out a gloved hand towards me. As the arm came closer I saw with horror the pale almost bluish flesh of the arm between her sleeve and glove. I let out a scream and she froze in her movement. Appearing behind the tall frightening figure was the small stature of my Grandmother. Summing up the situation quickly my Grandmother forcibly ordered, "Leave! You are not welcomed here!" The veiled woman slowly turned as I crouched back against the wall. I heard my Grandmother repeat, "You are not welcomed here." She then ordered, "Now leave!" The tall figure with the red eyes and bluish skin silently glided past my Grandmother and towards the stair well. I ran to my Grandmothers arms and watched, along with the employees that had come running when I screamed, the frightening figure descend the stairs and quickly disappear. I was to learn later that this was the Albino Woman who had died the next year. I was not to learn until four years later why she had sought me out...
Again, you can check out the entirety of his story (and it is quite interesting) in the comments section at Muldersworld.com or at artist-alley.net (you can also see an image of his painting featuring the blue albino woman). Other reports include drivers seeing her lurking in the Rochester Cemetery at night, prowling the interior woodlands near the cemetery and the creek. Some children have even reported waking up late at night to seeing her gazing into their windows. So if you happen to be driving by the Rochester Cemetery in Topeka late at night, you just might catch a glimpse of the legendary Blue Albino Woman, also referred to some as the Witch of Topeka, Kansas.
Tiffany Apan is a critically acclaimed independent recording artist, a stage/film actress, author, and award-winning producer/writer. You can find more about her at her Official Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, and her production company website. She can also be found on IMDb and her music releases on CDBaby along with iTunes, Amazon, and other digital retailers. She also does freelance writing, and editing. Her own stories are available at Smashwords, Barnesand Noble NOOK, Amazon, and other retailers. Her novel series, The Birthrite Series, is also available in both ebook and paperback form. In addition, she is a contributor to Ravenous Monster Webzine.
Few things fulfill a cold autumn night more than a ghostly tale, or one that delves into the unknown, does.
One particular urban legend that has always intrigued me is the legend of The Seven Gates of Hell, which is supposedly located in York County, Pennsylvania (Hellam Township). According to legend, passing through all seven gates leads the traveler straight into Hell. To quote Dante: "Abandon all hope ye who enter here."
My interest in this legend lies partially in the basis of the legend lying upon an old isolated asylum that was once on a wooded road called Toad Road.
According to some sources, the asylum was erected during the 1800s, housing the most criminally insane (needless to say, the locals were likely quite relieved in not having this establishment close to their places of residence). Then one night, a mysterious fire broke out, killing many of the inmates (due to its remoteness, firefighters could not reach the building in time). Some were able to escape, but were hunted down by a search party and law enforcement. They were either beaten to submission or killed. The asylum was never rebuilt, but the role of the gates in this version is often disputed, the most popular theory seeming to be that they (the gates) were built by the search party teams as a way to capture the escaped inmates.
Another version of the legend suggests that the property on which the pathway to Hell is said to be was once owned by a rather eccentric and temperamental doctor who had the seven gates built on the path leading up to his home. I haven't found any concrete source with information on exactly how these gates came to be a pathway into the bowels of Hell, but the stories continue, even to a point to having claims of daring travelers reach the fifth gate, only to be dissuaded from continuing when the sounds of the damned would reach his or her ears and a sense of foreboding would take over. Even the bravest adventurer is said to have not made it passed gate number five.
In addition, both versions of the legend agree that only the first gate can be seen in the light of day. The other six can appear to an onlooker at night (perhaps by moonlight?).
As a side note, I wonder if the Seven Gates of Hell of legend have any ties with the Seven Gates of Virtue (in Limbo) and the Nine Rings of Hell from Dante's Inferno. Perhaps that is where this part of the myth came from. Might be worth exploring. Perhaps we might even be able to unlock yet another door in this mystery.
With that said, a couple websites state that the land on which the gates are said to be is in fact private. So if you venture there, you do so at your own risk. There is also debate on the area, and Toad Road in general. Some say that no asylum or physician ever resided there. Some even go as far to say that Toad Road never existed, though others claim that it was changed to Trout Run Road due to its sordid past. Some who have traveled out there claim nothing out of the ordinary while others swear to hearing rather unworldly sounds.
I guess this is one urban legend that remains shrouded in the veils of mystery.
Tiffany Apan is a critically acclaimed independent recording artist, a stage/film actress, author, and award-winning producer/writer. You can find more about her at her Official Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, and her production company website. She can also be found on IMDb and her music releases on CDBaby along with iTunes, Amazon, and other digital retailers. She also does freelance writing, and editing. Her own stories are available at Smashwords, Barnesand Noble NOOK, Amazon, and other retailers. Her novel series, The Birthrite Series, is also available in both ebook and paperback form. In addition, she is a contributor to Ravenous Monster Webzine.
Paperback copies of Descent (The Birthrite Series, #1) and Sacred Atonement:Novelette (The Birthrite Series, # 1.5) available together for the low price of $21.00 at my Official Website
So we are on Episode 20 of The Parting of Veils (what???). In this episode, I recount a true scary tale that happened to me during the Halloween season a couple years ago. So sit back and enjoy...
Paperback copies of Descent (The Birthrite Series, #1) and Sacred Atonement:Novelette (The Birthrite Series, # 1.5) available together for the low price of $21.00 at my Official Website
Paperback copies of Descent (The Birthrite Series, #1) and Sacred Atonement:Novelette (The Birthrite Series, # 1.5) available together for the low price of $21.00 at my Official Website
My music projects are available at CDBaby My filmwork is on IMDb
Check out what Castle Blood has in store this year!
Tiffany Apan is a critically acclaimed independent recording artist, a stage/film actress, author, and award-winning producer/writer. You can find more about her at her Official Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, and her production company website. She can also be found on IMDb and her music releases on CDBaby along with iTunes, Amazon, and other digital retailers. She also does freelance writing, and editing. Her own stories are available at Smashwords, Barnesand Noble NOOK, Amazon, and other retailers. Her novel series, The Birthrite Series, is also available in both ebook and paperback form. In addition, she is a contributor to Ravenous Monster Webzine.
If you are a resident of North Hills (Wexford, Gibsonia, Allison Park, and other surrounding areas) in Southwestern Pennsylvania (near Pittsburgh), you are likely quite familiar with North Park. I myself enjoy going there to hike and jog as it is quite beautiful and - even in its busiest hours - offers much serenity. But one road in particular that intrigues many (myself included) and is fodder for much local legends in the area is an old dirt road called Irwin. Or, "Blue Mist Road" as it is often referred.
Now, I am the sort who loves to explore old buildings and churches (especially ones that have been abandoned) and will also never shy from entering a cemetery, regardless of the time of day (or night). But something about this particular road unnerves me and always has since I moved to the area.
At first glance, it seems fairly innocuous. Just a dirt road that eventually leads out to one that is more traveled (910).
I have walked it a few times, determined to make it down to the end. But somewhere at about halfway down, I always get the feeling that I shouldn't go much further. At least not by myself. Perhaps it is just me being superstitious, but there is a certain point where I do feel I should turn back.
Now, this could be partially due to the fact that some of the supposed history and urban legends behind Irwin or "Blue Mist" Road are quite disturbing. One in particular stating how the road was once a haven for the KKK. It is also said that the tree on which they used to execute lynchings still stands. This has been disputed, however, by some investigators, particularly the folks at Weird U.S (a site that I do encourage you to check out). According to them, this is doubtful. They report that the branches of the tree aren't strong enough to hang a human on. They also go on to state that because Pennsylvania was an abolitionist state (and even abolished their anti-miscegenation laws in the year 1780, long before the Civil War came to fruition), the Klan would not have had that great of a stronghold. In this, I can see where Weird U.S. is coming from. But I will also say that just because Pennsylvania in general might not have been huge Klan supporters, that does not mean that there weren't groups whose ideas coincided with such a group. Even if such ideals weren't acceptable by most, that doesn't mean that even a small group formed a chapter and worked at more underground level. And if you look into the history of the Klan, there is talk of how they did have disturbingly higher connections (but that's a whole 'nother post). Either way, the story of The Hanging Tree remains as one of the more prominent legends of Irwin.
Now, less disturbing, but still eerie is the reason behind the nickname, "Blue Mist Road." Why Blue Mist, you ask? Well, apparently this due to tellings of a blue mist covering the road at nightfall. Some have even claimed to have seen blue orbs among the trees.
Toward the end of the road, there is a point where the road diverges into three paths. One of these paths is marked with a rusty mailbox and leads up to a foundation where The Witch House once stood. Another leads to place known as the Midget Farm (or Midgetville). The Witch House was said to have been home to a few satanic covens (animal mutilations and disappearances of local teens were widely circulated during the 1980s and 1990s according to a few sources).
As for Midget Farm, it is said that it was inhabited by a little person trying to escape scrutiny. Anytime a curious local might venture onto the path, the "midget" would chase him or her away. There have even been stories of rabid dogs coming out of nowhere and sitings of a half-deer-half-man.
Among the creepy tales is one of doomed romance. Near the three-way fork in the road is a small cemetery. The graveyard is said to be so old that the names and dates on the worn down headstones are mostly unreadable (I will add that the idea of such a graveyard was also part of the inspiration for my short story, The Cemetery by the Lake). The cemetery is said to have two particular graves belonging to two former star-crossed lovers. According to legend, anytime the moonlight hits these two stones, they supposedly lean in to one another as if to try and touch or kiss. Hence, they are referred to as the 'kissing stones.'
Of course, every urban legend has believers as well as those who will debunk it. Whether or not you choose to believe is entirely up to you. As for myself, I will say that I do feel as though I am entering a world different from my own in the few times I've set foot on Irwin. And not matter how crowded North Park gets during its peak hours, Irwin or "Blue Mist" is almost always deserted, save for maybe one or two occasional jogger or biker.
I will also add that if you do decide to venture onto Irwin Road, it is not illegal to do so (at least as of this posting) though only authorized vehicles are permitted. Meaning you will have to walk or bike (though do check into what the rules may be before going on any sort of adventure).
And speaking of not taking your vehicle onto Irwin, that may be a good thing. As another legend states that if you park your car beneath the hanging tree (and some stories say to honk three times), the car will fail to start up and strange things will begin to happen. And according to some, one unfortunate teen met his demise by doing so...
Tiffany Apan is a critically acclaimed independent recording artist, a stage/film actress, author, and award-winning producer/writer. You can find more about her at her Official Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, and her production company website. She can also be found on IMDb and her music releases on CDBaby along with iTunes, Amazon, and other digital retailers. She also does freelance writing, and editing. Her own stories are available at Smashwords, Barnesand Noble NOOK, Amazon, and other retailers. Her novel series, The Birthrite Series, is also available in both ebook and paperback form. In addition, she is a contributor to Ravenous Monster Webzine.
