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- This Vermont Mountain Ghost Town Has A Chilling History
There's something eerie about driving down a dark road that's flanked on both sides by woodland. While it's not something that's inherently menacing, it is something that visitors will encounter quite a lot when visiting the rural state of Vermont. Known for its remote towns and the picturesque Green Mountains, it's a haven for skiers and summer hikers - but what about the parts of Vermont that have long since been forgotten and abandoned?
It's not all that surprising that there are a few ghost towns throughout Vermont that have long histories, some more seemingly wicked than others. Of them, there is a trio of three ghost towns that should be on everyone's road trip list: Glastenbury, Somerset, and Lewiston.
UPDATE: 2022/11/11 12:51 EST BY TYLER GOLEC
This Vermont Mountain Ghost Town Has A Chilling History
The haunting story of Glastenbury Vermont, and its descent from a thriving community to a place that locals warn Travelers about visiting. In time, new details may be added to a story or new evidence may show something interesting. Also, new pictures are discovered all the time, so to make sure this article remains up-to-date, updates have been made to it.
Don't Go There: The Abandoned Logging & Mining Ghost Town Of Glastenbury
It's easy enough to say that visitors to Vermont's now-ghost town of Glastenbury have been warned, several times over. It's hard to believe that Glastenbury Mountain, a place known for its scenic trails and fire tower, has such a wild reputation among locals, but it does. From UFO disappearances to a paranormal-active forest, Glastenbury has had no shortage of legends to its name. To understand why this town is heralded in the manner that it is today, we must first go back and understand the timeline between its boom days and its eventual abandonment.
The Founding Of Glastenbury
Today, the town of Glastenbury is home to only eight residents and is an unincorporated part of Bennington County (which has a paranormal reputation, in itself). In 1880, the town became home to a school, a post office, and some small houses, making it a modest town of 241 at the height of its population. At the time, the town was known for its charcoal and logging railroad operation which made it an essential part of Bennington County.
The Downfall Of Glastenbury
Within only two years, Glastenbury had already seen two mysterious incidents involving the lives of one resident from the Fayville settlement and one from Bickford Hollow. While this gave Glastenbury its initial chill (and we're not referring to Vermont's infamous winters), it would not be the last tragedy to befall the town.
Toward the end of the decade, an attempt was made to turn Glastenbury into a tourist destination. The addition of a trolley resort, casino, and renovated hotel was intended to put Glastenbury on the map. However, tragically in 1898, the town was flooded after its new summer renovations had only been opened for one year. The flood was so bad, according to Happy Vermont, that the railroad was in complete disrepair with no chance of a rebuild, the resort town had finally seen the end of its days. The town was active for less than one decade before it was eventually incorporated by the state in 1937.
The Mystery Of The Glastenbury Disappearances
Despite the fact that a town no longer existed in Glastenbury, the strange phenomena surrounding the area continued well into the 20th century. There were disappearances throughout the 1940s and 1950s, almost immediately after the town was disincorporated. While some might think it is a coincidence, others have attributed more sinister causes to be the result of these unsolved cases. The first disappearance was a man by the name of Middle Rivers; the strange thing is that Middle Rivers was a hunting and fishing guide, who would have been familiar with woodlands such as these. The second disappearance was a college student by the name of Paula Weldon, who had set a goal to hike Vermont's famed Long Trail and never returned.
- Note: While Paula Weldon was last seen in the area of Woodford, which is near enough to Glastenbury that it became part of the list of mysterious disappearances that occurred there.
Is There Any Truth To The Ghost Town Of Glastenbury?
While some ruins from the original town can be seen on various hikes today, there's not much left from the original town. Therefore, the conclusion can be drawn that Glastenbury was either fated from the start by some unseen foe or was simply just built in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Whatever one believes, there's no denying that being in the thick of the Vermont wilderness, on the side of a mountain, especially for those who are unfamiliar with the land, is an intimidating experience. According to Obscure Vermont, the woods are so dense and thick on Glastenbury Mountain that some locals still get easily turned around and disoriented.
Whether there's any truth to the remains of this ghost town has yet to be seen. While some believe there's a type of interdimensional gateway that explains the disappearance of so many people, others err on the side of sinkholes and hidden wells, perhaps leftover from the town that existed prior. One thing is for sure: No one should venture into Glastenbury alone.