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Halloween is just around the corner, so I wanted to share my top 12 haunted places in Nebraska. Whether or not you believe in ghosts and the paranormal, these are still fun urban legends you can tell around a campfire, or try to scare your younger siblings with. Disclaimer: Some of these places are private property, so if you do decide to check these places out, make sure you have permission from the owner or local authorities!
12. Witch's Bridge, Weeping Water.
Legend has it that a witch once hanged herself from the bridge and now she haunts the area. If you go to the bridge on an odd-numbered night with an odd number of people and look over the edge of the bridge, you will see yourself hanging in the reflection of the creek. Some say if you're not careful, the witch herself will pull you over and drown you in the creek!
11. Fairview Elementary, Platteview.
The land for the Fairview Elementary School was previously owned by a farmer and his son. The tale goes that the son cut off his father's head, and now he roams around with his head in his hand.
10. Hannah's Grave, Taylor Cemetery, Plattsmouth.
Hannah was a 16-year-old girl who got pregnant in the 1800s. Her parents disapproved, and when the baby was born in their home, they took the baby and drowned it in the Missouri River, telling Hannah that her baby was stillborn. Hannah, heartbroken, died shortly thereafter and was buried in a nearby field. Now there have been reports of floating lanterns, and hearing a woman cry out for her baby. Some say that snow never falls where Hannah is buried.
9. Lake Street Lake, Lincoln.
The corner of 14th and Lake Street in our state capital, was once a dairy farm, and then an ice skating rink. After several accidental deaths, the most famous being a young boy killed by a gang of bullies, the lake was drained and is now a deep grassy area, with the original tree from when it was a dairy farm standing on an island. There have been reports of ghosts being seen here on cold winter nights.
8. Centennial Hall, Valentine.
Centennial Hall got its start as a high school in 1897 and is now a museum. The story goes that when the building was still a school, a girl was killed in 1944 after someone poisoned her clarinet reed. Teachers soon began reporting seeing her ghost before the school was converted. Now people say that music can be heard from the old music room, even though there are no instruments anymore.
7. Devil's Canyon, North of McCook.
In the western part of the state, is Devil's Canyon, which lies 11 miles north of McCook. Legend says that a man killed his wife and kids, before killing himself, and now his spirit wanders around the area. He is said to be a shadowy figure, known to play pranks on passersby and make cars and other mechanical objects malfunction.
6. Hastings College, Hastings.
Hastings College is known to have two ghosts. The first is the spirit of Hayes Fuhr, for whom the Fuhr Hall of Music is named. He was one of the first music professors on campus. He appears as an apparition, or sometimes as a floating orb of light. He's known to play pranks on students, making banging noises and turning lights on and off. Many music students, myself included, say they've had experiences with him, especially after making mistakes during practice sessions on stage. The other ghost on campus is Clara Altman, the namesake of Altman Hall. She is said to protect the residents, and is known to play pranks such as turning radios on and off.
5. Hummel Park, Omaha.
Located in North Omaha, Hummel Park has obtained many legends over the course of time, including tales of lynchings, satanic rituals, phantom lights, a pack of albinos living in the woods, and stairs that change the number of steps every time you walk up or down them (the "Staircase to Hell"). None of these stories have been proven to be true. However, there are a few documented murder cases, the earliest being from the 1900s. A German immigrant was murdered by his wife and buried in the park. Another case was the murder of Laura LaPointe, a known sex worker in the area. Four other sex workers had assaulted her and beat her to death with a tree branch. The most recent case was that of 12-year-old Amber Marie Harris. She disappeared in November 2005, and her remains were discovered in the park in May 2006. It's said that these poor souls haunt the area, and they can be heard screaming.
4. The Speakeasy, Holdrege.
The Speakeasy is a restaurant in Holdrege known for being the home of Faceless Fred. The story goes that Fred was a little too friendly with female patrons, and his wife decided enough was enough, killed him with an ax, and cut off his face. His body was buried in a well and the restaurant now sits where the well once stood. Now he is known to haunt the kitchen, throwing pots and pans, and checking out the women who dine there.
3. Seven Sisters' Road (Road L), Nebraska City.
Seven Sisters' Road, officially known as Road L, located in Nebraska City is the site where a man killed his seven daughters by hanging them each on trees located on separate hills. People driving down this road claim to hear screaming women and having car troubles. A nearby cemetery adds 10 points to the creepy factor.
2. Dorchester High School, Malcolm.
Legend says that a student once locked themselves in the boiler room of the school and died. Now their screams can be heard throughout the school, but when janitors go to investigate, no one will be there.
1. The Haunted Bridge, Spring Ranche, Clay County.
The haunted bridge in the ghost town of Spring Ranche gets its story from 1885, when siblings Tom Jones and his widowed sister, Elizabeth Taylor were accused of murder. They were lynched by a mob on March 15 before their trial could be set. It's said that they now haunt the bridge, and possibly the cemetery they were buried in.
