In the picturesque town of Bennington, Vermont, you’ll find a setting that feels like it’s straight out of a storybook.
The quaint streets are lined with charming cafes and historic monuments, with trees bursting in vibrant colors during autumn and snow blanketing the mountains come winter.
Bennington, the Green Mountain State’s oldest town, is the epitome of New England beauty.
However, just a short distance away from the town’s bustling breweries and galleries, a dark and chilling mystery lies in the woods.
Bennington’s ‘Bermuda Triangle,’ located near Glastenbury Mountain, has gained a reputation as one of the scariest places in the United States.
This area is steeped in strange occurrences, eerie legends, and unexplained disappearances that continue to baffle those who dare to investigate.
A History of Disappearances and Creepy Encounters
The land around Bennington has been shrouded in mystery for decades, with several people vanishing without a trace over the years.
From Native American folklore to modern-day disappearances, the area is steeped in a dark history that locals believe is cursed.
Five people disappeared from the Bennington Triangle over the span of five years, leading many to connect these eerie events to the strange energy in the area.
One of the most famous cases occurred in 1946 when 18-year-old Paula Jean Welden, a student at Bennington College, went for a solo hike and never returned.
Just a few years later, in 1950, eight-year-old Paul “Buddy” Jepson went missing while out with his mother on a farm.
What makes these cases even more eerie is that both Welden and Jepson were wearing red at the time of their disappearances, and locals still avoid the color when visiting the area today.
The strange vanishing continued with experienced hiker Frieda Langer, who disappeared in 1950, and Middie Rivers, a 74-year-old mountain guide, who vanished in 1945 while leading a group of hunters.
James Tedford, a military veteran, also disappeared mysteriously in 1949 while waiting for a bus.
While Langer’s body was later found, the remains of the others were never discovered.
Unsolved Mysteries and Creepy Findings
Over the years, several investigators and curious individuals have tried to uncover the truth behind these unexplained disappearances.
Joseph Citro, the author of Green Mountain Ghosts, Ghouls & Unsolved Mysteries, has delved into these mysteries and uncovered even more unsettling stories.
Citro recalls an investigator who was trying to solve the Welden case and mysteriously disappeared while doing so.
According to Citro, the last time he spoke with the detective, the investigator claimed to have found Welden’s body, but after that, he vanished without a trace.
Citro also recalls a second investigator who died by suicide, although Citro doesn’t believe this tragedy was related to the Bennington Triangle.
Despite these bizarre occurrences, Citro is still unsure what could explain the strange happenings in the area, acknowledging that no single theory fits all the bizarre phenomena that have been reported.
Modern-Day Sightings and Paranormal Activity
The eerie stories continue today, as more people share their strange encounters while visiting the Bennington Triangle.
Rebecca Silver, who grew up in Bennington, recalls hearing eerie tales about the area since childhood.
She remembers visiting the site at night and feeling as if they weren’t alone, describing the experience as “eerie.”
Others, like Nancy Kozial, a longtime Vermont resident, have had their own unsettling experiences.
Kozial recounted a creepy encounter in 2003 when she was hiking with her dog and found human hair on a trail marker.
Although she tried to rationalize the experience, she admits it left her feeling uneasy and has never gone back to that section of the trail.
Continued Fascination and Local Lore
Despite the eerie tales that surround the Bennington Triangle, many still visit the area for hiking, camping, and sightseeing.
The Long Trail, a famous hiking path, runs through this mysterious region, and while some people are deterred by the legends, others are drawn to it, hoping to uncover the truth behind the strange occurrences.
Even local historians like Joseph Hall, who witnessed the disappearance of Paula Welden and Middie Rivers as a high schooler, remain captivated by the mysteries.
Though he has his own theories about what might have happened to them, Hall admits that the strange happenings in the area continue to elude explanation.
The Bennington Triangle, with its long history of disappearances, bizarre encounters, and eerie sightings, remains one of the most fascinating and terrifying places in the country.
Whether it’s Bigfoot sightings, UFO activity, or unexplainable disappearances, the legend continues to grow, drawing both skeptics and believers to Vermont’s Green Mountain State in search of answers.