HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Legend tripping is a name bestowed by folklorists and
anthropologists An anthropologist is a person engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropology is the study of aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms and ...
on an adolescent practice (containing elements of a
rite of passage A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of status in society. In cultural anthropology the term is the Anglicisation of ''rite ...
) in which a usually furtive nocturnal
pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...
is made to a site which is alleged to have been the scene of some
tragic Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy i ...
, horrific, and possibly supernatural event or haunting. The practice mostly involves the visiting of sites endemic to locations identified in local
Urban legends An urban legend (sometimes contemporary legend, modern legend, urban myth, or urban tale) is a genre of folklore comprising stories or fallacious claims circulated as true, especially as having happened to a "friend of a friend" or a family m ...
. Legend tripping has been documented most thoroughly to date in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
.Peter Monaghan, "The Surprising Online Life of Legends" ''The Chronicle of Higher Education '' Dec 12, 201

/ref>


Sites for legend trips

While the stories that attach to the sites of legend tripping vary from place to place, and sometimes contain a kernel of historical truth, there are a number of motifs and recurring themes in the legends and the sites. Abandoned buildings, remote bridges, tunnels,
cave A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...
s, rural roads, specific woods or other uninhabited (or semi-uninhabited) areas, and especially cemeteries are frequent sites of legend-tripping pilgrimages.


Reactions and controversies

Legend-tripping is a mostly harmless, perhaps even beneficial, youth recreation. It allows young people to demonstrate their courage in a place where the actual physical risk is likely slight.Ellis, Bill. "Legend Trips and Satanism: Adolescents' Ostensive Traditions as 'Cult' Activity." In ''The Satanism Scare'', ed. James T. Richardson, Joel Best, and David G. Bromley, 279-95. NY: Aldme DeGreyter However, in what Ellis calls " ostensive abuse," the rituals enacted at the legend-tripping sites sometimes involve
trespassing Trespass is an area of tort law broadly divided into three groups: trespass to the person, trespass to chattels, and trespass to land. Trespass to the person historically involved six separate trespasses: threats, assault, battery, wounding, ...
,
vandalism Vandalism is the action involving deliberate destruction of or damage to public or private property. The term includes property damage, such as graffiti and defacement directed towards any property without permission of the owner. The term ...
, and other misdemeanors, and sometimes acts of animal sacrifice or other
blood ritual A blood ritual is any ritual that involves the intentional release of blood. A common blood ritual is the blood brother ritual, which started in ancient Europe and Asia. Two or more people, typically male, intermingle their blood in some way. Th ...
. These transgressions then sometimes lead to local
moral panic A moral panic is a widespread feeling of fear, often an irrational one, that some evil person or thing threatens the values, interests, or well-being of a community or society. It is "the process of arousing social concern over an issue", us ...
s that involve adults in the community, and sometimes even the
mass media Mass media refers to a diverse array of media technologies that reach a large audience via mass communication. The technologies through which this communication takes place include a variety of outlets. Broadcast media transmit informati ...
. These panics often further embellish the prestige of the legend trip to the adolescent mind. In at least one notorious case, years of destructive legend-tripping, amounting to an "ostensive frenzy," led to the fatal shooting of a legend-tripper near
Lincoln, Nebraska Lincoln is the capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Lancaster County. The city covers with a population of 292,657 in 2021. It is the second-most populous city in Nebraska and the 73rd-largest in the United Sta ...
followed by the wounding of the woman whose house had become the focus of the
ostension Ostension is the act of showing or demonstrating something. In communication In communication theory and especially in relevance theory, ''ostensive behaviour'' or ''ostension'' is a behaviour that signals the intention to communicate something. ...
. The panic over youth Satanism in the 1980s was fueled in part by
graffiti Graffiti (plural; singular ''graffiti'' or ''graffito'', the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from s ...
and other ritual activities engaged in by legend-tripping youths.


Associated places in the United States

* The Baird Chair monument in Kirksville, Missouri * Bachelor's Grove Cemetery, outside of
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
,
Cook County, Illinois Cook County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Illinois and the second-most-populous county in the United States, after Los Angeles County, California. More than 40% of all residents of Illinois live within Cook County. As of 2 ...
''Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery is the most haunted graveyard in America''
article; Roadtrippers; Accessed 25 June 2022
* The Black Agnes statue, formerly in Pikesville, Maryland and now in
Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...
* The Black Angel monument at Oakland Cemetery in
Iowa City, Iowa Iowa City, offically the City of Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is the home of the University of Iowa and county seat of Johnson County, at the center of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the tim ...
. * Bunny Man Bridge near
Clifton, Virginia Clifton is an incorporated town located in southwestern Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 282 at the time of the 2010 census, up from 185 at the 2000 census. Incorporated by the General Assembly on March 9, 190 ...
* Crawford Road in
Yorktown, Virginia Yorktown is a census-designated place (CDP) in York County, Virginia. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1682. Yorktown's population was 195 as of the 2010 census, while York Co ...
* Devil's Tramping Ground south of
Siler City, North Carolina Siler City is a town in western Chatham County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town's population was 7,702. History Siler City began when Plikard Dederic Siler and his wife, Elizabeth Hartsoe Siler, settled about four ...
, near Harper's Crossroads. * Goat Man's Grave near
Rolla, Missouri Rolla () is a city in, and the county seat of, Phelps County, Missouri, United States. The population in the 2020 United States Census was 19,943. Rolla is located approximately midway between St. Louis and Springfield along I-44. The Rolla ...
. * Hexenkopf Rock in Williams Township, Pennsylvania * The Hornet Spook Light twelve miles southwest of
Joplin, Missouri Joplin is a city in Jasper and Newton counties in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Missouri. The bulk of the city is in Jasper County, while the southern portion is in Newton County. Joplin is the largest city located within both Jas ...
* The Lake View Public School, also known as the Gore Orphanage, near Cleveland, Ohio * McHarry, Captain Frances burial spot in
Harrison County, Indiana Harrison County is located in the far southern part of the U.S. state of Indiana along the Ohio River. The county was officially established in 1808. Its county seat is Corydon, the former capital of Indiana. Harrison County is part of the Lo ...
*
Manteno State Hospital Manteno State Hospital (formerly Manteno State Mental Hospital) was a psychiatric hospital located in rural Manteno Township in Kankakee County, Illinois. Founding The facility was authorized in 1927 by the 55th Illinois General Assembly with ...
in Manteno, Illinois * Mudhouse Mansion in
Fairfield County, Ohio Fairfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,921. Its county seat is Lancaster. Its name is a reference to the Fairfield area of the original Lancaster. Fairfield County is ...
* The Myrtle Hill Cemetery in
Medina County, Ohio Medina County (pronounced ) is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 182,470. Its county seat is Medina. The county was created in 1812 and later organized in 1818. It is named for Medina, a city in Sa ...
*
New Jersey Pine Barrens The New Jersey Pine Barrens, also known as the Pinelands or simply the Pines, is the largest remaining example of the Atlantic coastal pine barrens ecosystem, stretching across more than seven counties of New Jersey. Two other large, contiguou ...
, said to be home to the
Jersey Devil In South Jersey and Philadelphia folklore in the United States, the Jersey Devil (also known as the Leeds Devil) is a legendary creature said to inhabit the forest of Pine Barrens in South Jersey. The creature is often described as a flying ...
* Old Alton Bridge south of
Denton, Texas Denton is a city in and the county seat of Denton County, Texas, United States. With a population of 139,869 as of 2020, it is the 27th-most populous city in Texas, the 197th-most populous city in the United States, and the 12th-most populous ...
* Old Louisville, reported to be the most haunted neighborhood in the United States *
Ong's Hat, New Jersey Ong's Hat (also Ong) is a ghost town in Pemberton Township, Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. It is located on Magnolia Road ( County Route 644) west of the Four Mile Circle, where New Jersey Route 72 intersects with New Jersey Rou ...
* Our Lady of the Angels School in
Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
and its Fire Memorial in nearby
Queen of Heaven Cemetery Queen of Heaven Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery in Hillside, Illinois, a suburban community near Chicago. The cemetery is operated by the Archdiocese of Chicago. Queen of Heaven is located at Wolf and Roosevelt Roads, near the Eisenhower ...
. * The Pope Lick Trestle in
Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
, home to the
satyr In Greek mythology, a satyr ( grc-gre, σάτυρος, sátyros, ), also known as a silenus or ''silenos'' ( grc-gre, σειληνός ), is a male nature spirit with ears and a tail resembling those of a horse, as well as a permanent, exa ...
-like Pope Lick Monster * Rehmeyer's Hollow in
Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania Shrewsbury is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania, York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was three thousand eight hundred and forty-eight at the time of the 2020 census. Shrewsbury is considered a borough and also has a bor ...
* Satansville on Cossart Road near
Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania Chadds Ford is a census-designated place (CDP) in Delaware and Chester counties, Pennsylvania, United States, comprising the unincorporated communities of Chadds Ford and Chadds Ford Knoll. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census ...
*
Stull Cemetery Stull is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. Founded in 1857, the settlement was initially known as Deer Creek until it was renamed after its only postmaster, Sylvester Stull. As of 2018, only a handful of struct ...
in Stull, Kansas, claimed to be a "gateway to Hell" * Sweet Hollow Road and Mount Misery Road in Huntington, New York *
Waverly Hills Sanatorium The Waverly Hills Sanatorium is a former sanatorium located in the Waverly Hills neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky. It opened in 1910 as a two-story hospital to accommodate 40 to 50 tuberculosis patients. In the early 1900s, Jefferson Count ...
, an abandoned hospital for
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, i ...
victims, in
Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
Ohio Trespassers – Ohio legends & Waverly Hills
/ref>


See also

*
Bloody Mary (folklore) Bloody Mary is a legend of a ghost, phantom, or spirit conjured to reveal the future. She is said to appear in a mirror when her name is chanted repeatedly. The Bloody Mary apparition may be benign or malevolent, depending on historic variatio ...
*
Ghost hunting Ghost hunting is the process of investigating locations that are reported to be haunted by ghosts. Typically, a ghost-hunting team will attempt to collect evidence supporting the existence of paranormal activity. Ghost hunters use a variety of ...
*
Haunted house A haunted house, spook house or ghost house in ghostlore is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were otherwise connected with the prope ...
* Kimodameshi * ''Stand by Me'' (film) * The Devil's Chair (urban legend)


References


Further reading

* ''Aliens, Ghosts, and Cults: Legends We Live'', by Bill Ellis (2001) * ''Encyclopedia of Haunted Indiana'', Kobrowski, Nicole, 2008. * ''Legend Tripping: A Contemporary Legend Casebook.'' Logan: Utah State University Press; McNeill, Lynne S. and Elizabeth Tucker, eds.; 2018. * ''Legend-Tripping Online: Supernatural Folklore and the Search for
Ong's Hat Ong's Hat is one of the earliest Internet-based secret history conspiracy theories. It was created as a piece of collaborative fiction by four core individuals, dating back to the 1980s, although the membership propagating the tale changed over ...
'', Michael Kinsella, (2011) * "Legend Tripping: The Ultimate Family Experience, Robinson, Robert C., 2014. * ''Lucifer Ascending: The Occult in Folklore and Popular Culture'', by Bill Ellis (2004) * ''Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media'', by Bill Ellis (2000) * * ''What's in a coin? Reading the Material Culture of Legend Tripping and Other Activities (2007), by Donald H. Holly and Casey E. Cordy. The Journal of American Folklore 120 (477):335-354. {{DEFAULTSORT:Legend tripping American folklore Death customs Rites of passage Pilgrimage Urban legends