These urban legends are far from fictional. For this list, we’ll be looking at the myths and legends that have a little more truth to them than we first realized.
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00:00 It brings back bittersweet thoughts.
00:05 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 more urban legends
00:10 that turned out to be true.
00:12 I don't know what's true and what's not true.
00:14 For this list, we'll be looking at myths and legends that have a little more truth
00:18 to them than we first realized.
00:20 Are there any urban legends from your area that you know to be true?
00:24 Let us know in the comments below!
00:28 Number 20. The Dog Boy of Quitman
00:30 The simplicity of this tale is what makes it so frightening.
00:34 In the 50s and 60s, a couple who had struggled to conceive finally had a baby boy named Gerald
00:39 Bettis.
00:40 In his early childhood, there were several reports of his cruelty and stubbornness, but
00:45 this goes far beyond behavioral issues.
00:49 With time, he began abusing cats and dogs.
00:52 As he fully matured, he used his size to intimidate and imprison his elderly parents in their
00:58 own home.
00:59 When his abuse caught the attention of authorities, he was placed in jail and passed away.
01:04 As the legend tells, the spirit of Bettis lurks around the small Arkansas community.
01:09 Witnesses have reported that this apparition resembles the victimized dogs from his youth.
01:15 Number 19. Stairway of Mayhem
01:18 In your childhood, you'd likely have been scared out of your mind at the prospect of
01:22 being gobbled up by escalators.
01:29 Children have shared terrifying stories of man-eating escalators to impress their peers,
01:34 but the scary stories seem to be more of a cautionary tale than a purely made-up legend
01:39 to scare kids.
01:40 There have been several reports of injuries and fatalities from riding these metal staircases.
01:46 Sometimes an article of clothing gets caught in a grate.
01:49 "Phil, Phil, my coat is stuck."
01:51 "No, not now, seriously, my coat is stuck."
01:54 "Oh, honey, take off your coat!"
01:56 Other times, people lose their balance and fall several feet.
01:59 It's no wonder that some folks hesitate to use these metal stairs.
02:03 So next time you board an escalator, please proceed with caution.
02:07 Number 18. He's in the Walls
02:10 After a long day, nothing can beat the sheer comfort of being at home.
02:15 But what if you sensed that you weren't really alone?
02:24 The story of the man hiding within the walls has been dramatized and shared as a spooky
02:29 myth.
02:30 But in the 80s, a man named Daniel LaPlante allegedly had a crush on a young woman.
02:36 When she and her sister tried to have a seance, they heard eerie knocking around the house
02:40 with bizarre messages.
02:42 It appeared that LaPlante had been hiding in the house's secret crawlspace, tormenting
02:47 the object of his obsession.
02:49 But that's not the only case.
02:50 A simple Google search will show several instances of people secretly living in others' homes.
02:57 Number 17. Halloween Hangman
02:59 During this spine-chilling holiday, mind-blowing decorations are essential.
03:04 Each display sets out to out-scare or out-gore the last.
03:08 But what if a Halloween prop seemed too convincing to be fake?
03:12 This legend generally follows a performer who attempts to shock the audience by pretending
03:17 to hang himself.
03:18 But he tragically takes his own life by accident.
03:22 Real-life misfortunes have contributed to the spread of this legend.
03:26 In 1990, a teen passed away attempting to do this same act.
03:29 A similar instance occurred at a haunted house in 2001.
03:34 Halloween is supposed to be a time for cheeky, spooky fun.
03:37 But when the line between fiction and reality is blurred, the consequences can be horrifying.
03:43 Number 16. The Uncanny Doll
03:46 The Japanese doll named Okiku certainly gives Annabelle a run for her money.
03:52 But the true story is just as tragic.
03:54 In the early 20th century, a young boy gifted his little sister a doll.
03:59 She and the doll were inseparable until she tragically passed away from illness.
04:03 As a tradition of memoriam, her family erected a shrine in her honor and placed her doll
04:08 there as well.
04:09 But over time, they claim that the doll's hair had been growing.
04:13 The family was convinced that the spirit of their child had possessed her favorite toy.
04:17 They gave the doll to a local temple where it currently resides.
04:21 Her hair has reportedly reached past her knees, despite the priest's efforts to keep it
04:26 trimmed.
04:28 Number 15. Aliens in New Mexico
04:30 Since its inception, this phenomenon seems to have gotten a little more validity.
04:48 In the 1930s, rumors of a secret military base kept conspiracy theorists preoccupied.
04:54 To them, there was a multi-level building buried underground that contained experiments
04:58 on extraterrestrials.
05:00 There have been revelations in Congress where individuals allege an actual alien conspiracy,
05:05 but no hard evidence was offered.
05:08 However, in the 1980s, there were reports of everyone's favorite alien, E.T., found
05:20 buried in New Mexico.
05:23 Technically speaking.
05:24 After an effort to create a video game based on the film disappointed fans, Atari allegedly
05:30 dumped unsold copies in a landfill.
05:33 This is far from the fabled government complex, but in this case, the truth is sillier than
05:39 fiction.
05:40 Number 14. Forbidden Garments
05:42 In horror movies, we've seen villains use human remains to make a bevy of household
05:47 items.
05:49 Lampshades, coats, tools, and several other items were repurposed in a dark fashion.
06:00 This legend has more real-world truth than one would think.
06:04 In the late 19th century, a frontier outlaw named "Big Nose George" was caught and
06:09 executed.
06:10 His remains were sent to a tannery, where his skin was turned into a pair of shoes.
06:16 Who would conceive of such a thing?
06:17 Well, a Wyoming doctor by the name of John Osborne was the recipient of these heinous
06:22 shoes.
06:23 If this story wasn't bizarre enough, he went on to become the first Democratic governor
06:29 of Wyoming.
06:30 The shoes are currently on display in a Wyoming museum.
06:34 Number 13. The Mysterious Stain
06:37 The picturesque town of Bucksport, Maine has an intriguing tourist attraction.
06:42 The tomb of the town's founder, Jonathan Buck, lies in the cemetery with a creepy characteristic.
06:47 There's a stain, shaped like the leg of a woman, that will not go away.
06:51 No matter how many times his descendants have had the stain removed, it reappears.
06:56 It goes on to say that they somehow removed the image of the leg and it reappeared.
07:01 They removed the stone entirely, replaced it with a new stone, and the leg appeared
07:06 exactly as before.
07:08 The legend tells of a witch who was burned at the stake and cursed Buck shortly before
07:13 she died.
07:14 People started believing the story that Jonathan Buck had condemned this woman to burn at the
07:19 stake and that as she was dying, her leg supposedly fell off.
07:25 And she pointed that out to him and said that, "An image of my leg will appear on your gravestone
07:33 and a curse will affect all of your family and your descendants."
07:40 It sounds more like an inconvenience than a curse, but it's still bothersome hundreds
07:44 of years later.
07:45 Details of the story differ, but historians claim that no executions were carried out
07:50 during the witch trials.
07:52 But if you're ever in Maine and feel confident, feel free to check it out!
07:56 #12.
07:57 Underground Cities For the past several decades, rumors of secret
08:01 subterranean towns have been a hot topic for conspiracy theorists.
08:05 Locations like the Denver Airport have been suspected of housing covert meetings of the
08:09 New World Order.
08:11 Exactly!
08:12 Have you heard about the horse?
08:15 But in reality, these structures are more likely than you'd think.
08:20 In Beijing, China, there exists a bomb shelter that's said to be capable of accommodating
08:25 millions of people for several months.
08:28 This project has schools, water wells, and even a roller skating rink.
08:32 When it was opened for tourism, visitors described the tunnels as "genuinely eerie."
08:37 There's also a network of underground tunnels in Turkey that runs roughly 60 meters deep.
08:42 No apocalyptic meetings are held in these structures, but it's a fascinating topic
08:46 nonetheless.
08:47 #11.
08:48 What's That Smell?
08:50 When we check into a hotel room, we like to think that there will be some respite from
08:55 our travels.
08:56 The amenities are wonderful, and if you're lucky, the toiletries are fully stocked.
09:00 But what if there's a lingering scent of a rotting corpse?
09:04 The legend about bodies hidden in hotel rooms has developed from real-life incidents.
09:08 In 2003, a man checked into a hotel room and complained to management about an awful odor.
09:14 After a few days and likely several showers, the man couldn't bear the stench and checked
09:19 out.
09:20 When the cleaning crew did their rounds, they discovered a body stuffed into the room's
09:24 mattress.
09:25 There have been other similar cases that highlight the transient nature of hotels and the people
09:30 who frequent them.
09:32 #10.
09:33 Playing Cards Fans of creepypasta are well aware of the
09:37 Alice killings.
09:38 For the uninitiated, they were a series of crimes in Japan.
09:42 The culprit would leave a playing card next to the victim's bodies with the name "Alice"
09:46 written in blood.
09:47 But this real-life crime bears an eerie resemblance to the online horror story.
09:53 In 2003, Alfredo Galán Sotillo terrorized the streets of Madrid, Spain.
09:58 He would leave playing cards next to the bodies of his victims.
10:02 The media appropriately dubbed him "The Playing Card Killer."
10:05 It's alleged that seeing his nickname in the newspapers encouraged him to continue
10:10 his horrific rampage.
10:25 He eventually turned himself in and claimed that the playing cards were more of an afterthought
10:30 after seeing the detail depicted in the news.
10:34 #9.
10:35 Familiar Cadavers Some folks elect to have their bodies donated
10:39 to science in the event of their passing.
10:41 But what happens in the name of science is rarely confirmed to them.
11:00 In some rare cases, it's been alleged that some medical students have dissected former
11:06 acquaintances.
11:07 There was an incident in 1982 at the University of Alabama where a student recognized one
11:12 of the cadavers.
11:13 In fact, she recognized it as the body of her great-aunt.
11:17 She promptly received a replacement.
11:19 The history of medical education regarding cadavers was initially plagued with ethical
11:24 dilemmas.
11:25 In the 18th and 19th centuries, some had to resort to grave-robbing to secure specimens
11:30 to dissect.
11:31 #8.
11:32 Le Léon Also known as the Ghost of Mola, this legendary
11:36 figure was described as a humanoid that lurked on the outskirts of a Swiss village.
11:42 The description of this entity sounds like it was ripped straight out of Scooby-Doo.
11:48 Dressed in a cloak, gas mask, and coveralls, it eluded confirmation for decades.
11:53 But in 2013, a newspaper published an alleged photo of Le Léon.
11:58 The image went viral and the Ghost of Mola was not happy about it.
12:02 A note was found in the forest that was ominously titled "Death Certificate and Testament
12:07 of the Ghost of Mola."
12:09 The letter detailed annoyance with the unwanted attention.
12:13 Sightings of Le Léon have stopped since then, and if it's a real person, we hope they're
12:18 okay.
12:19 #7.
12:20 The North Pond Hermit In these modern times, we're inundated with
12:24 social media, emails, and a million different things competing for our attention.
12:29 It may feel like we just want to run for the hills in hopes of escaping.
12:32 In the area surrounding the Belgrade Lakes of Maine, folks would share campfire stories
12:37 about an enigmatic person who would burglarize lodges for supplies.
12:46 Although he was never violent, his mystery filled the imagination of campers.
12:51 In 2013, Christopher Thomas Knight was arrested following 27 years of living alone in the
12:57 forest.
12:58 He subsided on foraged supplies and whatever he could get his hands on after breaking into
13:02 cabins.
13:04 When asked about his solitude, he said he simply wanted freedom.
13:08 After a brief jail sentence, he's living a quiet life.
13:11 #6.
13:12 Polybius This legend perfectly captures the distrust
13:16 that surrounded technology during the 80s.
13:19 Around this time, an arcade game appeared in several regions surrounding Portland, Oregon.
13:25 It was a massive hit.
13:27 Folks quickly developed an addiction and disputed over who would go next.
13:35 There would be further rumors of men in black.
13:47 They would allegedly collect data from this game to study how it affected the players'
13:52 minds.
13:53 Unsurprisingly, these games vanished after a month.
13:56 The first record of this game didn't appear until decades later, and it's unlikely that
14:01 it ever existed.
14:03 However, there were claims of FBI raids in Portland during that same time period.
14:08 But they weren't trying to brainwash teens; they were investigating arcade owners for
14:13 illegal gambling.
14:15 #5.
14:16 The Red Room The truth behind this contemporary folklore
14:20 is much more grim than one would expect.
14:22 The Red Room was an Adobe Flash horror animation that existed on the hosting service GeoSites.
14:28 It tells the story of a young boy who was cursed by a pop-up on his computer.
14:33 The curse proceeds to do what curses do, and the boy meets his end.
14:36 However, in 2004, this animation gained infamy.
14:41 A schoolgirl brutally attacked her classmate.
14:44 She allegedly had the cursed website bookmarked on her computer at the time of the murder.
14:50 Perhaps the most chilling part of this case is that, regardless of what you believe of
14:54 curses, the Red Room was involved.
14:57 Here, the line between fact and legend is dismally blurred.
15:01 #4.
15:03 Hotel Hell In the coastal county of Manitowoc, Wisconsin,
15:07 there lies a decrepit building that used to be called the Maribel Caves Hotel.
15:12 In its heyday, it was a travel destination for a high-luxury clientele.
15:17 But there was a sinister side to this premium travel destination.
15:20 The building was allegedly taken over by organized crime when the business went under.
15:25 As legend has it, the ghosts and spirits still haunt the grounds.
15:29 Some have even claimed that the building used to stand over a portal to hell.
15:40 The building was partially destroyed thanks to a tornado in 2013.
15:44 Let's hope that that didn't awaken any ancient demonic spirits.
15:48 #3.
15:52 The House Under the Lake There's something ominous about a large
15:55 body of water.
15:57 We never know what may be lurking in that dark abyss.
16:00 This small Connecticut community has reported strange goings-on around one lake in particular.
16:07 In the late 19th century, a family enjoyed life in their house that overlooked Gardner
16:12 Lake.
16:13 Over time, they would be happier with the view from the other side of the lake.
16:17 That's when a mostly brilliant plan was hatched.
16:20 In the middle of winter, they contracted someone to move the house across the ice once the
16:24 lake had frozen over.
16:25 The house fell through and sunk into the lake's icy depths.
16:30 We guess we'll never know if the grass is greener on the other side of that frozen pond.
16:35 #2.
16:36 The Woman in Black In this Appalachian legend, a mysterious
16:40 woman would appear to men who had done misdeeds such as adultery.
16:44 The Phantom would use several different tactics to set these men straight, or else they'd
16:49 suffer dire consequences.
16:55 But in more recent years, a woman cloaked in black garments caught national attention.
17:00 Reports of this mystifying woman dominated social media, and people would try to predict
17:05 where they'd find her next.
17:07 She was eventually identified as a military veteran who had recently shaved her head.
17:11 According to her brother, she suddenly started traveling south to her hometown.
17:16 When asked, she says she wishes for people to mind their business.
17:21 Maybe we should take her advice.
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17:42 #1.
17:45 Don't Eat the Candy Arguably the best part of Halloween is stopping
17:53 by your neighbor's houses to collect delicious treats.
17:57 Surely nobody would dare to tamper with that sacred tradition, right?
18:01 There's been massive moral panic over the rumors of drugged Halloween candy over the
18:06 past several decades.
18:08 Parents are rightfully weary of allowing their children to accept sweets from strangers.
18:13 Their fears aren't totally unfounded.
18:15 In 1959, a dentist in California allegedly gave out candy laced with laxatives to several
18:21 trick-or-treaters.
18:23 The next decade, a woman reportedly gave children arsenic traps and steel wool.
18:28 Although none of these instances resulted in fatalities, they still serve as a strong
18:32 reminder to proceed with caution with strangers, especially during All Hallows' Eve.
18:46 #2.
18:54 (upbeat music)
18:57 (upbeat music)