The Man Eating Stone

Imagine taking a hike on Glastonbury Mountain in Vermont – it sounds like a dream, right? But don't get too excited just yet, as there's a catch. If you decide to tackle the Long Trail, it's best not to go alone. This enchanting area is known for its mysterious and peculiar happenings, earning it the name "Bennington Triangle." Reports of spacecraft sightings, encounters with Bigfoot, mysterious lights in the sky, and the vanishing of five people between 1945 and 1950 have added to its enigmatic reputation.

Legend has it that a sinister man-eating stone lurks in the desolate region. This rock supposedly had an insatiable appetite and would trap unsuspecting souls unfortunate enough to step on it. Although people tried to steer clear of this treacherous stone, some early settlers couldn't resist the temptation.

Glastonbury and Somerset were once thriving logging towns, contributing lumber and trees. However, the decline of these industries and a tragic flood in 1898 that washed away all the railroad lines and bridges left Glastonbury in ruins. The towns never fully recovered, and nature gracefully reclaimed the land, leaving only cellar holes as haunting reminders of the past.

Among the curious cases that occurred on Glastonbury Mountain was the disappearance of a seasoned 74-year-old mountain guide named Midi Rivers in November 1945. Leading a group through the chillingly named Hell Hollow, Rivers mysteriously got ahead of everyone and vanished into thin air. Despite an eight-day search effort, no trace of him was found.

A year later, an 18-year-old college student named Paula Weldon embarked on a hike along the Long Trail, dressed in a flashy red jacket. Sadly, she also vanished without a trace, and despite an extensive search party involving over a thousand people and aircraft scouring the skies, no clues surfaced.

Moving on from Glastonbury, let's journey back in time to the year 1900 and explore the mystery of the flannon islands in Scotland. On the Archer steamboat's trip, the captain noticed that the lighthouse had gone dark, which was extremely unusual. Despite a storm hindering immediate investigation, officials eventually arrived on the island 11 days later to find a feast in the kitchen untouched. The fate of the three experienced lighthouse keepers remains unknown, though it's believed they were swept away by a sudden tempest.

As we delve deeper into history, we encounter the legend of the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona. Jacob Waltz, who discovered this massive treasure trove, kept its location a secret until his passing. Numerous unsuccessful attempts have been made to find the gold mine, with the treasure remaining hidden to this day.

The tales of Glastonbury Mountain, the mysterious Scottish lighthouse, and the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine continue to captivate our imagination, leaving us pondering the enigmas of the past.

More about Glastonbury Mountain:

Glastenbury Mountain is a prominent mountain located in Bennington County, Vermont, within the Green Mountain National Forest. It is part of the larger Green Mountains range.

The mountain's northeastern side contributes to the drainage of Deer Lick Brook, which then feeds into the Glastenbury River, the Deerfield River, the Connecticut River, and eventually reaches Long Island Sound in Connecticut. On the southeast side of Glastenbury Mountain, water flows into Deer Cabin Brook and further into the Glastenbury River. The southwestern end of the mountain's drainage leads to Bolles Brook, then into the Roaring Branch of the Walloomsac River, the Hoosic River, the Hudson River, and eventually reaches New York Bay in New York. Finally, the northwest side of Glastenbury drains into the Fayville Branch of Warm Brook, which feeds into Batten Kill and eventually joins the Hudson River.

The famous Long Trail, a 272-mile (438-km) hiking trail that spans the length of Vermont, crosses over the summit of Glastenbury Mountain. The mountain's summit boasts an observation tower maintained by the Green Mountain Club (GMC). GMC also looks after a shelter located three-tenths of a mile south of the summit. This section of the Long Trail also coincides with the Appalachian Trail, a 2,170-mile (3,500-km) National Scenic Trail that stretches from Georgia to Maine.