Thursday, September 4, 2008

Why Are Ghost Town's So Creepy?

So I've had my moments in believing in ghosts. When I was a kid I would love to hear about how some really old building (now used for business) was haunted by the ghost of a person who once lived there. I swear I heard a ghost laugh at one such place and went running to where other people were.
I have never actually seen a ghost but wouldn't want to even test those waters! Although, I am considering staying in a hotel in Williams, AZ that is supposed to be a haunted bordello (what noises would we hear exactly?)

When in Washington this past week my sister took us out and about and everywhere. On one of our journeys we came across Rattlesnake Lake. A placid, clear lake occupying an iceberg shaped valley. Apparently on a clear day when out on the lake you can see all the way to the bottom where you can see rooftops. Rooftops?!

The story goes that in the early 1900's a town called Moncton was settled where the lake now sits. A reservoir was built on the hillside above the town. Because the soil was so gravelly the water just seeped down and through and slowly flooded the town out. And in 1915 it was abandoned completely.

We walked closer down toward the water (I was hoping I wouldn't see any rooftops) and an amazing sight unfolded. Tree trunks sticking up out of the water!

It was beautiful and yet creepy! For some reason knowing that people used to live and work and play and love in a place that is now underwater is a little unsettling for me and the tree trunks just made that more real.

But my question is, why? Why is it creepy? No one died because of the flood. There are no stories of women walking the shores of the lake wailing for their lost children or kittens or bathtubs. Or children lost in the slow moving flood waters. So why can't I just enjoy the lake and not focus on what it used to be.

2 comments:

Sarah said...

I'm freaked out just reading this... I mean, my imagination goes wild and I always think what if. I like being creeped out, but I always need someone close by. That is a really cool story.

Erin said...

I would be really creeped out too, but I never thought how irrational that fear is.