I’m bringing it back to the roots in honor of October: the top 5 spookiest sites to visit in my opinion. Just about every place is arguably a terrifying place to check out. There is always the threat of a Loko-fueled homeless man with absolutely nothing to lose and all of your organs to gain. Whether they’re for sustenance or pleasure, that depends entirely on the flavor Loko he’s on. Then there is the infrastructure to be aware of. When you’re 3 stories up in an abandoned asylum, you certainly need to be sure your next step isn’t your last. The carpet might still be down, but the asbestos below has no problem sending you straight to hell. And of course, the spirits. The ghouls, goblins and restless spirits waiting just around that dark corner to make a new horror movie out of you.
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
For starters, this place rhymes with Transylvania. Pretty darn spooky right there! On top of that, Gettysburg is home to the deadliest homie-on-homie warfare in the United States. Americans at odds slaughtering each other in droves. With 50,000 casualties, there is no doubt some have never left the grounds.
At this particular destination, there is a spot called Devil’s Den. I can say in good faith I have once actually used this den as a bathroom. T’was a rainy day, and bystanders took cover elsewhere. Young me, with a twinkle in my eye and a bladder full of urine, figured this place was as good as any. Two shakes afterwards of course, but I always suspected there was specter guilty of that third one.
'Letchworth Village' NY
Call me biased, but few places have sent a chill up my spine like this one. Walking through this ‘village’ makes one realize just how history has no problem sweeping things under the rug. This is where the Polio vaccine began, and Lord only knows how the first person to react to a syringe full of Windex initially reacted. Say that little multi-million-dollar disinfectant didn’t work in someone’s bloodstream. What’s next? A1? 7-11 Replenisher? The water your grandmother soaked her dentures in overnight?
Not to mention the graveyard of fallen soldiers (victims) a mile away. “Those Who Shall Not Be Forgotten” is the last bastion of the no-name people who were most definitely forgotten. God rest the mother who sent her child off to here thinking he would get top-of-the-line healthcare only to find out her son’s caretaker was the original ‘Hal’ from Happy Gilmore.
'The Clown Motel' NV
This one is easy. Does anyone still fuck with clowns? John Wayne Gacey, Terrifier, or any clown ever? Even the birthday mocks have been stained amongst the world. Remember in 2016 when people just dressed up as clowns at night and stood around parks? The entire face paint color scheme should be outlawed at this point. This motel in Nevada capitalized on people’s fear in the worst way.
It is a clown themed motel referred to as “America’s Scariest Motel’. Siblings Leona and Leroy opened this hotel in honor of their late father, Clarence David, who perished in a mine fire. ‘Ghost Adventures’ even did a stay at this place and was described as ‘unnerving’. From “Full-bodied clown apparitions”, to full blown anxiety attacks, this motel might be a weird kids dream. But after reaching 5 years old, clowns should, and will, terrify you to an extent that cardiologists have yet to define.
Ludlow, Colorado
The Ludlow Massacre of 1914. These miners and their families are the epitome of devastation brought upon by greed stacked upon labor struggles. If somehow January 6th was one of the worst days in American history, it is because history overlooked the harrowing events that occurred in this mining town. Striking miners and their families were mowed down amongst a hail of bullets and fire due to a desire for better conditions. Even John. D Rockefeller supposedly had a little pinky in this massacre brought upon but an anti-striking militia.
I’ve never been, but from what my educated eyes can interpret, there is no happy history here. Ron Howard’s Happy Days never touched upon this, but there were few happy days in this mining town. Hard-working people were killed. Their families relied on said hard work only to suffer a terrible fate fueled by money-hungry politicians who couldn’t imagine spending a summer not by the Eastern seaboard. There is no doubt revenge lurking in the poor town of Ludlow, Colorado.
Salem, Massachusetts
Once again, consider me biased. I’m a northeastern fella that fears the unknown. I’ve never been to Salem, but I’m no fool to the history that occurred in this spot. I still feel guilty lighting a fire knowing about the other logs of wood that might miss their friend, let alone the friends of an actual living female. Imagine making a killer pot pie in the late 1600’s only to be burnt alive for it. Paula Deen wouldn’t have lasted a second back in that day. Then again, her ‘colorful’ language didn’t get her too far in the modern era.
This lands at numero uno simply because of the history. 24 witches were hung because of their black magic, and that type of blasphemy creates an angry spirit. Angry enough to never leave the premises. If Sam and Dean from Supernatural taught me anything it’s that angry spirits do not go happily. There is unfinished business. If I’m going to Salem during October, you can be damn sure I’m going with a 300yr-old cat named Binx to sort this shit out.