Monday, April 25, 2011

RiverPark Center, Owensboro, Ky.

One night in 1927 a woman, despondent,  jumped to her death from the catwalk over the river. Forced to replay her death over and over, many times at night visitors see a woman, her white, water soaked clothing shining in the night, walk to the edge of the catwalk suddenly fade away.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

The Russellville Girl

The small, historic town of Russellville lies in Logan County in Kentucky.  Settled in 1790, it was, over the years, called Cook's Station, Rogues’ Harbour, and Big Boiling Spring, before finally settling on the name Russellville after General William Russell,  a Revolutionary War soldier and frontier leader.  Residents are quick to point out  the bank robbed by the James' gang in 1868, now used as a residence.  Many will also take you to see the area's most interesting house, the site of their most notable resident, the Russellville Girl.

According to folklore, sometime in the 50's.. or maybe many years before..  a young girl, dressed for a party, watched in dismay from an upstairs window while a storm raged outside.  Some say she was forbidden by her parents to go out in the storm, and some say her beau stood her up.  Filled with teenage fury, she cursed the storm, or God, or her parents, depending on the story you're listening to.  Tragically, lightning struck the window, and she was killed.  Afterward, they say, her image was etched into the glass of the window.  As stories of the phenomena spread throughout the state, visitors showed up to see the ghostly image in the glass.  Some say the glass was even replaced, but to no avail.  The image remained.  The family reportedly boarded up the window and painted over the glass to deter curiosity seekers.  The house remains today, now the residence of the caretaker of the nearby Maple Grove Cemetery.