The Wewe Gombel

 

This horrifying entity with the super-long boobs is known among Javanese legend as the Wewe Gombel. Her tale is a tragic one, and when it comes to scary-looking ghosts and monsters of eastern lore, she's actually pretty misunderstood. 

The Wewe Gombel myth comes from the Semarang, the capital of Java Province in Indonesia. As the story goes, there was a couple living in the village of Bukit Gombel. After years of marriage failed to produce a child, the husband lost interest in his wife, and began neglecting her. After finding him with another woman, the wife killed her husband in a fit of rage. Shortly after, she committed suicide.

Since she died by her own hand with so much rage and hatred inside, her vengeful spirit was doomed to come back as the ghost or demon known as the Wewe Gombel. This ghost lives in a nest, located in the Arenga pinnata palm tree. 

At night, the Wewe Gombel goes out in search of children to kidnap, to make up for the children she was never able to bear in life. Although this tale is largely told to children to scare them into staying out of trouble, legend states that the Wewe Gombel only kidnaps children who are abused or neglected by their parents.  She tucks the child under her gigantic breasts, takes them back to her palm tree nest and lovingly takes care of them. She returns the children if and when the abusive, neglectful parents change their ways. Taking in abused and/or neglected children and giving them a loving home, tucked safely under her breasts in a palm tree nest, hardly sounds like something an evil or demonic spirit would do---especially since she's willing to return the child to its parents IF they can prove they've changed their ways. But, if you're concerned that your children will be spirited away by the Wewe Gombel, make sure you keep them inside at night!

Ghost Vs. Poltergeist

 

Have you ever wondered what the difference was between a ghost and a poltergeist? Thanks to Poorly Drawn Lines, you now know!  Poltergeists are nothing more than fancier, wine drinking lil' ghosts. 

Happy Friday, everyone.  Have a safe and spooky weekend!

Ghostly Wails of Tygart Dam

Tygart Dam, 1937. Source: WV History on View

I love a good, local ghost story---the more obscure and unknown, the better!  My husband, who was born and raised in Grafton, WV knows this, and was more than happy to share with me a tale he had always heard growing up in Taylor County concerning the Tygart Dam.

According to local legend, an African-American worker on the dam slipped and fell into a section of wet concrete that had just been poured. A rescue attempt was impossible, and it was deemed too risky to attempt to remove the body. So, the helpless worker was entombed inside the dam and to this day, visitors to the area can hear mournful wails and screams coming from the dam, as his grisly death replays itself over and over.

As with many ghost stories, the back-story on the wailing ghost of Tygart Dam cannot be proven with historical documents.  However, that doesn't mean that there couldn't be paranormal activity reported that is based on actual events. 

Tygart Dam, Summer 2020

My husband's grandfather was actually one of the many laborers who 'flooded' into the Tygart River Valley in the mid-1930's in order to work for the WPA in the construction of the Tygart Dam. Construction on the dam was authorized between 1934, and construction took place between 1935 until the dam was officially operational in 1938.

At the peak of construction, unskilled laborers working on the dam could earn 45 cents an hour, and skilled laborers could earn up to $1.10 an hour. The problem was, there was a shortage of skilled laborers. Local newspapers at the time noted that skilled laborers were hard to come by because of union and apprenticeship practices at the time, and so they were given authorization to let some of the unskilled laborers take on work that they normally wouldn't be allowed to.  That fact, combined with the less stringent safety protocols of the 1930's, led to what I believe was the majority of deaths associated with the dam project. 

Back of Dam, Summer 2020

There are 11 official deaths associated with the dam itself, and at least 151 injuries, some quite serious. That doesn't even take into account the deaths and injuries associated with off-site projects that contributed to the dam's construction. 

Although he wasn't African-American, author Brenda Tokarz notes that there was a young man who apparently DID die after a fall into the wet cement. On March 4, 1936, 16-year old Charles Goff died while working on the Tygart Dam. It's hard to read, but his death certificate suggests that Charles died when a concrete chute collapsed. His death certificate doesn't explicitly state that he was buried in wet cement, but notes that he died of a skull fracture and was buried in Bluemont Cemetery.

Fatal falls, many involving fractured skulls, were probably the most common causes of death for dam workers. George Dale died on August 17, 1936 from injuries sustained in a fall on July 21st of that year. Lalon (Labon) Davis fell 35 feet and fractured his skull, dying immediately from his injuries. On June 7th, 1937, Hays Berry also died after he fell, fracturing his skull and suffering from multiple internal injuries. Joeseph Duriga died on September 16th after falling from the dam.  His cause of death is listed as drowning.

Hinton Daily News, 19 August 1936

With all the fatal falls occurring at this dam, I can definitely believe that those screams of fear and pain could be trapped as a residual haunting. Eleven victims---that's a lot of death, happening in an almost identical manner, in a span of around two short years. 

Today, Tygart Lake, created by the dam, is a popular outdoor recreation area and state park. The dam itself was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 and has a visitor's center that you can visit and learn more about the history of Tygart Dam, the lake, and the surrounding area. Several months ago, my husband and I had dinner at the state park's lodge, then drove up to see the dam. As we were sitting on a bench nearby, watching the water flow over the concrete, we both swore we could hear what sounded like screaming coming from down below. 

Sources and Further Reading:

Untold Stories and History of Tygart Lake, by Brenda Tokarz

National Register of Historic Places Application

Bolton's Book Review: A local history of a local icon, by Robert Bolton. Mountain Statesman, 2 June 2020. 

The Raleigh Register 11 June 1937

The Raleigh Register 17 September 1937

The Librarian Who Never Left

Hutchinson Public Library

There was absolutely no doubt that Ida Day (later, Ida Day Holzapfel) was a hard worker. When she was hired by the Hutchinson Public Library in Hutchinson, Kansas, she spent the next ten years dedicated to making some MAJOR changes. Among her accomplishments, she developed a new cataloging/classification system, introduced Sunday hours for the library, and was instrumental in making sure that everyone had access to books, especially World War 1 soldiers and shut-ins. 

But, life goes on and in 1926 Ida left the library to attend the University of Kansas. She also got married and became Ida Day Holzapfel. However, the Hutchinson Public Library would eventually call her back. She started back in 1946 and helped oversee the library move out of the old Carnegie building and into it's current location on Main Street. During this second tenure, she developed quite a reputation as being a very prim and proper librarian, having daily tea with staff at 3pm. She also developed the reputation of being so highly dedicated to the library that she could be difficult to work with at times.  She definitely had her own ideas about how things at HER library should be ran, and would do what she needed to do to make sure things went the way she wanted. 

Again, life would move on and Ida would step away from the Hutchinson Public Library.  In 1953, she took a job as a reference librarian in Tulare County, California. A newspaper notice about her resignation included the following: "She plans to retain ownership of her home, and will eventually return to Hutchinson."

Ida Day Holzapfel

Unfortunately, the new job in Tulare County was never meant to be.  Ida was involved in a car accident on her way to her first day on the job and passed away from her injuries.  That quick line in the newspaper before she left, however, would be eerily prophetic.

It seems that Ida Day Holzapfel made good on her promise to return to Hutchinson, and to the Hutchinson Public Library system to which she dedicated so much of her life. 

Paranormal activity at the Hutchinson Public Library was so common, that the local paper covered the story in 1975, and its been featured many times since in other articles, news stories, and websites on haunted locations.  Even the official website for the Hutchinson Public Library has a page dedicated to Ida and the hauntings!

Ida prefers to haunt the area around the basement. Staff and visitors have reported hearing disembodied footsteps in that area, as well as items that will occasionally go missing or seemingly move to different positions when no one is looking. In once incident, librarians Angeline Welch and Rose Hale were working in the basement. Hale had to run upstairs a moment, but when she returned, she heard Welch speaking to someone, and then heard footsteps walking away. When asked who she was talking to, Welch claimed that she hadn't been talking to anyone---no one else was even down in the basement.

The next day, Hale had an even weirder experience when she saw a lady standing by the stairs, who then vanished into thin air. She didn't recognize the woman, but when she described her to a colleague, it was apparent that Hale had seen Ida Day Holzapfel. 

*Theresa's Note: When I was researching the information for this blog, I perused the Hutchinson Public Library's website and noticed that they were CLOSED ON SUNDAYS. I wonder what Mrs. Holzapfel would have to say about that!*

HAUNTED AMERICA

Book Review for Cursed Objects

Title: Cursed Objects: Strange but True Stories of the World's Most Infamous Items

Author: J.W. Ocker

Published: 2020 by Quirk Books, Philadelphia, PA

Amazon Purchase Info

I just have to say, this book is physically stunning! The chunky hardback packs in 271 thick pages and has a beautiful cover featuring some eerie little illustrations in a sort of shiny, shimmery, metallic silver and blue combination. Honestly, that's what initially drew me to the book---but its content is pretty awesome as well! 

I've always had a fascination for cursed and haunted objects, the weirder the item the better! Ocker packs in quite a few of these items, each with a well-written, factual background on the item's known history and it's alleged 'cursed' activity. Each entry is only a few pages long, and there are plenty of illustrations to keep even my ADHD mind focused and moving through the book.

As someone who is a fan of all things strange and unusual, I've heard of quite a few of the objects mentioned in this book.  Some of the more famous cursed items include The Hope Diamond, King Tut's Tomb, the Dybbuk Box, The Crying Boy paintings, and of course, Annabelle the Doll.  However, I was delighted to see entries for objects that I either knew little about, or had never heard of, including Little Mannie and the Prague Orloj. 

These objects are discussed with just the right bit of humor mixed with legend mixed with fact to make for a really interesting read, and I love that the author also included a chapter on the museums that make a business out of collecting and showcasing the types of items found within this book. There isn't a whole lot of scholarly analysis as to the phenomenon of cursed objects as a whole, but there are few little extras throughout the book to help give a better understanding of why an object may be cursed. There's also a bibliography AND an index, which as a researcher, I'm thrilled to see included. Overall, this is a neat book for both the hardcore paranormal enthusiast and for someone who just likes a good, interesting read about spooky, unsolved mysteries. 

Want MORE from J.W. Ocker?  Ocker has a podcast called Odd Things I've Seen, about well...odd things and where to find them! 

See what else Theresa is reading at my Book Reviews page! 

Strange Noises in Benwood

I've stumbled across another great vintage newspaper article featuring a West Virginia haunting!  The following article can be found in the 27 September 1893 edition of the Wheeling Register (view original article at Chronicling America). It tells of a large frame building owned by Wheeling Steel and Iron, formerly used by a furniture and casket making company to lay out bodies of accident victims. Strange noises could be heard coming from the second story of the building, and one group of young men even claim to have seen an apparition in white robes dart by on the staircase! The building was at the corner of 8th and McMechen Streets in Benwood, WV, and as far as I can tell, the picture below is of the interior.

 NOW IT'S GHOSTS

WHICH THE PEOPLE ARE SEEING DOWN AT BENWOOD

A Weird, Gloomy and Creepy Yarn About a Haunted House, With All the Usual Accessories

Benwood has a sensation.

It is a reported haunted house.

This house is near the center of the city, and the authority furnishing the story is unquestionable.  Citizens, generally are taking an interest in it, so much that a party of persons, composed of two doctors, a member of Council and a minister of the town, and a REGISTER man, will go in a few evenings to make an investigation of it. In fact, Benwood is all worked up over it.

At Eighth and McMechen streets stands the large frame building formerly occupied by Becker & Zimmerman as their furniture and undertaking rooms. This building, probably the oldest in all that locality, is owned by the Wheeling Steel and Iron Company. Numerous stories have been afloat that strange noises proceeded from the second story of the building. Many a man has been scared out of it by weird noises. Many dead, killed by accidents, have been laid out in the rooms, from which now comes the stories so hard to believe but for the high authority.

Last Monday night a dozen young men, in an unguarded moment, entered the building and sat down. It wasn't long before their hair was standing on end, for from the rooms above came strange noises. The young men who were so scared are reliable, and would be willing to take oath as to their sincerity in the matter. The noise sounded like bricks were being thrown on the floor, and occasionally, the young men say, they could hear cries and groans not like anything earthly. They say, too, a peculiar sound attracted attention, and there was an echo like a stifled cry. One of the boys, William Rutman, had $5 in his pocket. He offered to give the money to anyone who would ascend the stairs. The boys cowered in a corner furthest away from the sounds, but one of the men started to ascend the stairs, for he wanted the $5. He says a peculiar feeling came over him as he ascended the stairs. The groans increased, and something darted past him, he states, clad evidently in white flowing robes. After that the men made a retreat. They hastened to town and told what they had seen. Though many were incredulous, yet none volunteered to investigate. 

If there be such a thing as "ghosts" this seems to fill the bill, and the crowd which will go to investigate propose to investigate fully.

It is improbable that it could be any person playing a trick, as persons say who have examined the building thoroughly before dark and locked it up, but have heard the strange sounds in the night time. 

The Vegetable Man

West Virginia is a pretty weird place! We've got Mothman. We've got the Grafton Monster. We've got the Flatwoods Monster. We even have Sheepsquatch, the Ogua, and a variety of Bigfoot roaming the hills of our state. But, it terms of weirdness, all these pale in comparison to the story of The Vegetable Man.

Sometimes referred to as the Veggie Man, this absolutely eerie West Virginia creature first appeared in Fortean literature in a 1976 newsletter published by West Virginia's own controversial ufologist, Gray Barker. However, the encounter with the Vegetable Man actually dates back to nearly a decade before.

In July of 1968, a local bow hunter named Jennings Frederick was roaming the woods outside of Fairmont, WV. The U.S. Air Force veteran was hunting woodchucks, unsuccessfully, and was about to head back, when he heard what was described as “high-pitched jabbering, much like that of a recording running at exaggerated speed.”

Just then, Frederick looked up and saw one of the weirdest creatures to ever have been reported in West Virginia, and possibly, the whole country. He described an extremely tall being, well over 7 feet high. Although it was vaguely humanoid in shape, the creature was extremely thin. It's coloring was a yellowish-green, which in my mind creates a picture of a chlorophyll-based stalk of celery!

Long ears and yellow, slanted eyes were also noted, but the most horrifying feature of the creature seems to be its arms. The arms, which were no bigger around than a quarter, ended in what appeared to be three long, slender fingers tapering off into suction cups.

Frederick observed that he thought the being looked sickly, which was confirmed with a strange, telepathic message he received as the whirring, high-pitched jabbering increased. "You need not fear me. I wish to communicate. I come as a friend. We know of you all, I come in peace. I wish medical assistance. I need your help."

Frederick didn't have the opportunity to make sense of what the creature was trying to convey before it reached out and wrapped it's 'hand' around his arm. The suction cups attached to his arm and begin sucking his blood, sending a jolt of pain up his arm. However, as the blood could be seen seeping up through the creature's arm and body, where it reached the yellow eyes and began to swirl and oscillate. This hypnotic effect seemed to alleviate Frederick's pain as it 'fed' on his blood for the next two minutes.

When the Vegetable Man had finished its vampiric feeding of poor Frederick, it sprinted up a steep embankment and disappeared at a supernatural speed, leaving Frederick's arm in pain and with several small wounds where the creature had suckled. Before fleeing the scene himself, Frederick heard what he interpreted as the creature's craft being propelled by a propulsion system.

No one ever saw the Vegetable Man again, and it is understandable why Frederick would wait so long before telling his unbelievably weird story of what seems like a close encounter with an extremely odd creature from another planet.

As an interesting side note, I can confirm that a Jennings Frederick and a Jennings Frederick, Jr. did live in Fairmont, WV. Jennings Frederick, Jr., who went by Skip, did serve in the US Air Force during the Vietnam War and his obituary interestingly notes that he loved art and science, and was known to be able to draw whatever he saw. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2012 at the age of 62.

Further Reading:

Cryptid Wiki---Veggie Man

Vegetable Man: Cryptopia by Rob Morphy. 11 July 2016