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Abby Brenker
3 days ago2 min read
The History of A Christmas Carol, and the Victorian Era Tradition of Ghost Stories
It’s that time of year again, when I get to remind you that the most famous ghost story of all time is a Christmas story. And that is for...
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Abby Brenker
5 days ago2 min read
The History of Yule and The Wild Hunt
Yule is a 12 day historic pagan festival celebrated in conjunction with the Winter Solstice on December 21st in the Northern...
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Abby Brenker
Dec 142 min read
The Yule Lads and Icelandic Christmas Folklore
The Yule Lads, who each have their own quirky personality traits (a la the Seven Dwarfs) are the sons of Grýla. Grýla is a horrifying...
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Abby Brenker
Dec 52 min read
The History of Krampusnacht
As darkness falls on the evening of December 5th, folks across certain regions of Europe perpare for Krampusnacht. Traditionally, across...
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Abby Brenker
Nov 303 min read
The History of The New England Vampire Panic
One of the most famous tragedies from colonial New England was the Salem Witch Trial's. These trials took place about a century earlier...
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Abby Brenker
Oct 104 min read
The Legends of Headless Horsemen: Spanning Beyond Sleepy Hollow
You’re probably familiar with the legend of Sleepy Hollow and the tale of Ichabod Crane. But Headless Horsemen are mythical figures that...
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Abby Brenker
Oct 14 min read
The History of Samhain: The Pagan Holiday Behind Halloween
The History of Samhain Samhain, the pagan holiday that predates Halloween, comes from the Gaelic word for summer’s end. Which is exactly...
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Abby Brenker
Mar 231 min read
Fairfield Hills Hospital in Newtown, Connecticut
Welcome to Fairfield Hills Hospital in Newtown Connecticut. When operational, this psychiatric ward performed psychosurgery,...
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Abby Brenker
Jan 94 min read
5 Dystopian Abandoned Amusement Parks
Abandoned Theme Parks become more and more prevalent as time goes on. Most parks, Disney and Universal aside, lack the investment to...
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Abby Brenker
Dec 5, 20232 min read
The Horrific History of Maine's Boon Lighthouse
Imagine the chilling solitude of being marooned on a tiny island amidst the frigid grip of winter. Welcome to Boon Island, a place...
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Abby Brenker
Oct 14, 20231 min read
A Haunting In New England
When your friend tells you their historic home is haunted, you pack up your camera and head over. Earlier this Summer, I had the absolute...
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Abby Brenker
Sep 20, 20232 min read
The History of Maple Grove Cemetery in Queens
This is Maple Grove Cemetery in Queens, New York. It was established in 1875 as a Victorian-era rural cemetery. At the time this was a...
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Abby Brenker
Aug 29, 20232 min read
The Haunted and Historic Buildings of Friday Harbor
Friday Harbor is a small coastal community located on the San Juan Islands, off the coast of Washington State. It's a truly charming and...
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Abby Brenker
Jul 26, 20232 min read
The History of Green-Wood Cemetery
One of my favorite places in the entire world is Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. The history of Green-Wood Cemetery is vast and...
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Abby Brenker
Jul 12, 20232 min read
The History of Calvary Cemetery in Queens
New York City’s Calvary Cemetery has a very interesting history. If you visit today, you’ll see a historic cemetery with Manhattan’s...
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Abby Brenker
Jul 6, 20232 min read
The History of Woodlawn Cemetery
Woodlawn Cemetery first opened in The Bronx in 1863. It occupies over 400 acres of land and holds the remains of about 300,000 people....
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Abby Brenker
Jun 25, 20232 min read
The Haunted and Historic North Plank Road Tavern
Today I want to bring you inside the haunted and historic North Plank Road Tavern in Newburgh, New York. When a friend first suggested I...
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Abby Brenker
Jun 15, 20231 min read
The History of The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion
This is the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion in Norwalk, Connecticut. It was built over four years, starting in 1864. It initially belonged to...
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Abby Brenker
Jun 8, 20231 min read
Pine Island Cemetery in Norwalk, Connecticut
This is Pine Island Cemetery in Norwalk, Connecticut dating back to 1708. It was previously known as Over River Burying Ground. Right off...
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Abby Brenker
May 30, 20231 min read
The Metal Gravestone's of Most Holy Trinity Cemetery in Brooklyn
This is Most Holy Trinity Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. The first thing you probably notice about this cemetery is that all of the...
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