The United States of Horror: A Spine-Chilling Journey Through America’s Most Disturbing Urban Legends

This article was originally published on absolutelyconnected.com and has been republished here with permission.

Do you believe in ghosts, monsters, and things that go bump in the night? If not, you might change your mind after hearing some of the urban legends we’ve uncovered from every state in America. From the creepy to the downright terrifying, these tales have been passed down from generation to generation, each one more bone-chilling than the last.

Whether it’s a vengeful spirit haunting a small town, a mysterious creature lurking in the woods, or a cursed object that brings doom to anyone who possesses it, these legends are enough to make even the bravest among us quiver in fear. We’ve scoured the country to bring you 50 of the most spine-tingling urban legends from every state in the USA. So turn on all the lights, keep a close eye on the shadows, and get ready to be chilled to the bone by these tales of terror.

Alabama: Dead Children’s Playground

The creepy playground next to Huntsville’s oldest cemetery, Maple Hill, is not simply named after a scary movie. The playground was most likely built to keep children occupied while their parents visited loved ones’ graves. The spirits of children who have been buried in the cemetery since the first grave was dug there in 1822 come out to play at night, according to legend.

Orbs of light have been seen traveling down the slide, swings have moved on their own, and chuckling has been heard. Others think the spirits include victims of a spate of child homicides in the 1960s.

Arkansas: The Dog Boy

This is a rare urban legend in which the backstory turns out to be much scarier than the folklore. Gerald Bettis, the only son of the Bettis family, was a troubled youngster from the start. But not in a regular teenage rebel kind of fashion.

Bettis was known for “collecting” and torturing animals (thus the nickname “dog boy”) before turning his sociopathic attention to his elderly parents, allegedly imprisoning them in their own homes and likely murdering his father. Bettis was eventually arrested for cultivating illegal cannabis plants on his back porch. He died in state jail in 1988.

Alabama: The Eerie Enigma of Hell’s Gate Bridge

The chilling tale of Hell’s Gate Bridge dates back to the 1950s when a tragic accident befell a young couple. As they drove across the bridge, they lost control of their vehicle, plunging into the watery abyss below and succumbing to a watery grave. Two spine-tingling legends have since emerged from this harrowing incident. First, it is said that if you dare to park your car in the middle of the bridge and extinguish the headlights, the phantom couple will suddenly materialize in your vehicle, leaving behind a damp spot on the seat as a chilling reminder of their presence.

The second legend, which inspired the bridge’s ominous name, claims that as you drive across the bridge, glancing over your shoulder halfway through reveals a horrifying transformation. The once tranquil scene morphs into a fiery portal to the infernal depths of hell itself. Hell’s Gate Bridge has been closed to vehicular traffic to deter thrill-seekers and restless adolescents. The bridge’s precarious state has deteriorated so severely that even crossing it on foot is an ill-advised and perilous endeavor.

California: The Many Horrors of Turnbull Canyon

Turnbull is a 49,000-acre feast of nightmare fuel located outside LA, between Whittier and the City of Industry. The indigenous dubbed it “Devil’s Place” since it’s said to be haunted by the spirits of those who were killed for refusing to convert to Christianity, as well as witches who sacrificed children.

Though the site’s bad vibes trace back generations, it wasn’t until it was turned into a fur-trapping site in 1845 that things became intense, with knowledge of the site’s horrors spreading far and wide and making it a spot visited as much for its beauty as for morbid curiosity.