The Perplexing Paranormal History of Long Island and the NY Metro Area
Since today is National Paranormal Day, we’re exploring the perplexing history of New York State’s mysterious sightings of spectral visitors and cryptozoological creatures. Have you got any stories of things that go bump in the night? Seen anything on your hikes that may raise a few eyebrows in the scientific community? We’d love to hear your stories and thoughts on some of the local lore we’re sharing on today’s blog. Feel free to share your tales in the comments on any of our social media!
The Montauk Monster is a creature of recent local origin. In July of 2008, an incredibly strange sight washed ashore the beaches of Ditch Plains. The seemingly bloodless carcass of an unknown beast with translucent skin, pink and blue organs was discovered by Jenna Hewitt, Rachel Goldberg, and Courtney Fruin in front of the Surfside Restaurant. Thy snapped a photo which infamously ran in the East Hampton paper, The Independent, and caused quite the local fracas. It appeared to be missing some pieces such as teeth, bones, and any outer fur or scales, but the beaklike face and long fingers caused many to speculate if it was of this earth. Researchers have since theorized it may have been the carcass of a skinned racoon, or perhaps the corpse of a deceased canine, but plenty still believe the Montauk Monster may have nefarious connections to suspicious activity like The Montauk Project.
The Kinderhook Blob Creature has been circulating in local legend since the 1960s when six individuals reported sightings of a bizarre sight. Each of them claims to have encountered a floating, blob-like entity of such devastating appearance that each of them ran screaming in terror. Witnesses claim it felt as though it stared straight through them, but had no perceivable eyes with which to do so. This ectoplasmic apparition was even noted by children who spotted it dipping in and out from behind the trees. Unfortunately, no photograph has ever been documented of this amorphous creature as yet.
Lake Champlain’s Champy the Lake Monster is perhaps the only member of our paranormal pests club to have dual citizenship. Lake Champlain is a 125 mile freshwater lake with shores bordering New York and Vermont in the US, and extending up into Quebec, Canada. Much like it’s notorious Scottish Counterpart, Nessie, Champy has been seen breaching the gentle waves of the lake surface with its long neck and leathery upper back. If you head up to Lake Champlain this summer, maybe you can snag a selfie with this elusive sea monster and share the proof!
Upstate Sasquatch Sightings have been reported all around Northern New York, and it’s ranked as the fifth highest state for Bigfoot reports! In fact, there were over 100 reports of bigfoot sightings in 2020 alone. Folks have also taken quite the shine to this giant furry fiend, with Whitehall New York even going so far as to adopt him as their official mascot.
The Alligators in the Sewers have been cited as an urban legend as far back as the 1920s and 1930s! It is believed to have picked up steam and been given credence after an alligator crawled out of a Harlem street manhole cover! On February 9th 1935, an 8 foot long, 125 alligator waltzed out of the storm sewers on East 123rd street. Legend has it that the teenagers who spied the creature were able to best him before he could grab any pint-sized snacks, but the story has stuck around for decades.
The Buried Treasure of Liberty Island was reportedly unearthed by one Sargeant Gibbs and Private Carpenter in 1825 at Fort Wood, and protected by the vengeful spirit of an undead pirate captain. Could it be that the ghost of Captain Kidd remained tethered to this mortal realm after he was buried? You’ll have to let us know if you spot any roaming pirate spirits on your trips to Ellis Island, once known as Gibbet Island, an execution site for pirates and thieves on the high seas.
Ghost Ship on the Hudson is thought to be the spectral echo of Dutch sea captain Henry Hudson’s vessel, The Half Moon. Local residents tell the tale of an impressive wooden ship with three sail-less masts floating towards the banks. This crewless ship is said to float just along the surface against the tides, leaving no wake, and its only sound is a slight creaking of the wood against water though it touches nary a drop!
The Legend of Cropsey has been circulating for decades, originating in the 1970s. What once began as a mysterious hook-handed boogeyman escaped from a nearby asylum, eventually gave way to tales of a vengeful disfigured camp counselor, to connections with Andre Rand, a convicted child kidnapper from Staten Island. You can explore more about the story and its local history, origin, and decide for yourself in the 2009 documentary “Cropsey” by Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio.
The Victorian Ghost Skaters in Central Park are perhaps the most elegant of spectral speculations on our list! Legend has it that the ghosts of two sweet ladies in Victorian era garb have reportedly been spotted on the Central Park ice rink since World War 1…. An odd fact considering the rink wasn’t even built until the late 1940s. Perhaps the mysterious Rosetta and Janet Van der Voort are just ahead of their time, or galavanting through the space-time continuum for giggles.