12 American Urban Legends to Creep You Out
Dec 17, 2025
As an Amazon Associate, Modded gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
When you think of popular urban legends, which are the ones that immediately spring to mind? Bloody Mary, Bigfoot, the sewer alligators and the legend of the Bunny Man are likely all up there, but what about the others that may not be as recognizable? Every state in the country has its own collection of urban legends that will creep you out, from those that have inspired movies and documentaries to others that remain entrenched in local folklore.
The following urban legends and spooky tales sit deeply in their communities across the United States. These are only a few of those that creep out further generations as time passes, frequently appearing on their state’s “well-known” lists nationwide.
1. The Annabelle Doll
The Annabelle Doll, displayed in a glass case at the now-closed Warren Occult Museum in Connecticut, is a Raggedy Ann doll said to have inspired the toy depicted in “The Conjuring,” a reputedly genuinely scary horror movie from 2013. Given as a gift to a nursing student in 1970, Annabelle’s behavior escalated from shifting positions to leaving messages and manifesting blood droplets on her hands and chest.
Following several alleged attacks, the owner gave Annabelle to Ed and Lorraine Warren, paranormal investigators who believed the doll was a conduit for malevolent spirits and secured it. A warning — Annabelle does exist outside of the movies, but there is no truth in recent rumors of her glass case’s disappearance.
2. The Boston Light Hauntings
The Boston Light, the iconic Massachusetts lighthouse known as the oldest continually operational one in the U.S., is also famous for its hauntings. Built in 1716, it’s said to be haunted by the ghost of a former keeper named Worthylake, his family and an enslaved person who all drowned after a canoe capsized two years later.
Since then, other lighthouse keepers frequently report unexplained laughter, ghostly figures and a little girl’s cries for help. By the way, lighthouses are still seeking keepers, in case you’re interested.
3. The Carter Brothers
The history of New Orleans, LA, is filled with legends of vampires and the undead. One such legend involves the Carter brothers, who believed they were vampires. Only after a young girl escaped their clutches in 1932 did the brothers find themselves arrested, with four half-dead victims bleeding from their wrists and two other dead women in their home.
Authorities tried and executed the Carters, with their crypts only discovered empty many years later. Could John and Wayne Carter still be active as vampires in the Deep South’s bustling nightlife?
4. The Char Man of Ojai
The Char Man is a chilling legend surrounding a horribly burned figure near Ojai, CA. One of the various stories claims that the great fire of 1948 burnt a son and his father, with the father succumbing to the blaze. The son lost his mind, removing his father’s burnt skin and hanging the remains on a nearby tree.
When rescuers arrived, the son — soon to become the Char Man — disappeared into the woods and soon afterward, began attacking passers-by, which he still does to this day. The Char Man legend is so popular in California that there’s even a hot sauce named after him, with the catchphrase, “Char Man’s Revenge may become a reality.”
5. The Erskine House Ghost
The Erskine House Ghost, from Kodiak, AK, is a chilling legend. Built in 1808, the Erskine House was home to local fur trappers by the 1900s. One of these was Robert MacIntyre, a nasty man who someone from the woods outside shot in the long run.
Now the site of the Baranov Museum, townsfolk report that Erskine House remains home to MacIntyre, who is said to still roam the property, emerging at night to make strange noises and cause flickering lights. The Baranov Museum is reportedly the oldest building in Alaska. It should be no surprise that Mr. MacIntyre is happy there — he’s been around a long time.
6. The Gurdon Light
The Gurdon Light is a mysterious glowing orb that hovers above railroad tracks near Gurdon, AR. According to local legend, it’s linked to the murder of a foreman by a railway worker in 1931. Another suggestion is that a man wanders the tracks with a lantern, looking for his decapitated head, which he lost in a train accident.
The ghostly light continues to intrigue locals and visitors alike, drawing adventurous spirits to the area, seeking its eerie allure. Naysayers attribute the Gurdon Light to natural causes, such as reflections or swamp gas, but it’s known to appear in all weather conditions.
7. The Hell’s Gate Bridge
Hell’s Gate Bridge in Oxford, AL, built in the 1930s, is among the most famous urban legends in the state. According to local lore, a young couple tragically drove off the bridge, drowning in the dark waters below, with their bodies never recovered. To this day, their spectral figures are said to haunt the site, which is now in ruin, appearing to those who dare to stop there after dark.
Some visitors take the legend further, insisting that the ghostly couple appears in their back seat when they switch off their lights. Is the bridge living up to its name as a gateway between worlds?
8. The Lady in Blue
The Lady in Blue is a ghostly figure reported in several locations across Florida, including Gainesville, Marianna, and Vale End Cemetery. It is unclear whether these sightings are of the same woman, but Captain Tony’s Saloon in Key West is another frequently reported location. A local legend claims that a woman named Elvira was hanged there in the 19th century for killing her husband and children.
Many visitors to Key West’s oldest saloon have reported seeing her ghost, dressed in a bloodstained blue gown, especially near the old hanging tree that still stands. Two questions — how long had they been whiskey-tasting and has anyone thought of cutting down the hanging tree?
9. The Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine
The Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine is a legendary tale nestled in Arizona’s Superstition Mountains. Rumored to hold vast treasures, the mine owned in the late 1800s by a German immigrant known as the Dutchman lures adventurers and treasure hunters alike.
Many search for riches at the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine, yet a high percentage never return, with legend hinting that supernatural guardians defend the riches. Some locals believe there’s a curse on the area. Remember, Arizona is also home to the legendary Skinwalker Ranch and sightings of the Chupacabra, so could those locals have a point?
10. The Lums Pond State Park Murder
Lums Pond State Park in Delaware is a picturesque destination. However, it also carries a dark history of murder and the urban legend that goes with it. In the 1870s, a young runaway, seeking refuge in the woods behind Lums Pond, was tragically attacked, raped and killed by a crazed man who authorities never caught. To this day, visitors report hearing a woman’s muffled screams and pleas in the vicinity of the crime, haunting reminders of this chilling past.
Apparently, visitors in and around the park also see apparitions of enslaved men who didn’t make it to freedom along the Underground Railroad. Visiting Lums Pond in the daylight might be a safer option if you’re easily creeped out.
11. The Pali Highway
Way back in Hawaiian mythology, a mythical conflict between the goddess Pele and the demigod Kamapua’a had a long-standing dispute, with the shape-shifting demigod — half man and half pig — pursuing the goddess’s affection. In a final truce, the pair decided to remain on opposite sides of the island of Oahu.
The Pali Highway, which crosses Oahu, carries a legend that anybody who travels over it carrying pork will experience car trouble, weird happenings and even ghostly encounters that would remain until the pork’s removal. Strangely, pork remains a widely-eaten and popular dish in Oahu.
12. The Stony Hollow Road
At the center of the Stony Hollow Road legend is Lucinda, who jumped to her death from a cliff near the road in Burlington, Iowa. She believed her husband was being unfaithful when he failed to return home, whereas, in reality, he’d gotten his wagon stuck in the mud. According to legend, Lucinda haunts Stony Hollow Road and appears if you say her name three times.
If Lucinda drops a rose at your feet upon appearing, legend has it that you will die the next day. If you’re going to try and summon Lucinda, perhaps don’t do so when the roses bloom in summer until early frost.
Are Urban Legends Only Legends?
Is the validity of urban legends entirely dictated by what people believe? If you believe in the possibility of the Char Man or an Annabelle Doll’s supernatural existence, will you be more likely to experience it during your lifetime? The fact that they’re known as legends seems to be proof enough that these occurrences are purely figments of widespread imaginations.
Their enduring qualities sometimes make you wonder whether they’re all just legends. Perhaps you have a legitimate reason to get creeped out. Maybe?
Stay up to date with the latest by subscribing to Modded Minute.
Author
Martin Banks is the managing editor at Modded and a regular contributor to sites like the National Motorists Association, Survivopedia, Family Handyman and Industry Today. Whether it's an in-depth article about aftermarket options for EVs, or a step-by-step guide to surviving an animal bite in the wilderness, there are few subjects that Martin hasn't covered. When he's not writing, Martin spends his time making music with friends, mixing drinks and hiking the Pennsylvanian wilderness. You can also find him watching old horror movies and playing with his dog, Pelligrino.
