Look you cannot go through the Halloween season without telling a few local ghost stories, right? I mean isn't the fun of the season to sit around a campfire and get the chills from a local ghost story someone is telling and then scaring each other over it? Okay, okay... I know this is not everyone's thing but there is something about ghost stories that intrigues us all.

Whether you are a fan of ghosts or the supernatural or you do not believe in it, there are just some stories we all know such as "bloody mary." Well it seems Iowa has a few ghosts of your own whose stories have been told around the campfire many a times. So let's get too them shall we?

I suggest keeping the light on when reading these in case you get a little scared... no shame! Here are 5 Iowa ghost stories to give you a fright. Find more of these stories here.

1. The Ghost of Lover's Leap

The story goes that a young Indian woman believed her lover to be dead and because of those she leapt to her death of the bridge Lover's Leap in Columbus Junction. She is believed to be buried where she jumped to her death and visitors have explained hearing crying, feeling cold drafts and even felt as though they were being watched. So bring a friend if you go to visit.

2. Helen of Coe College

Coe College students beware of Helen because you may wake up one night with her trying to pull your blankets off you! Helen is the ghost of a former student whom in 1918 died of influenza. Her parents donated the grandfather clock in the dorm room to her school (which is how all good ghost stories get started... with a cursed object). Now it is said that Helen's spirit leaves the clock every night to play the piano in the parlor and even stand by student's beds to pull the covers off.

3. The Children of Iron Hill

In the 1920's there was a fiery train crash near Charles City that killed many passengers including and entire car full of orphaned children. Apparently the children became trapped in the car and met their ends in the fire. The legend now is that these ghost children can be heard crying near the site and a burning smell is even around. Others have reported seeing a little girl walking through the woods in a white dress and one person even to find a burnt baby doll half buried in the ground by the tracks.

(Is it just me or does anyone always find children in ghost stories or horror movies extremely creepy?)

4. The Ghost of George

Avoid the ghost of George unless you want to lose a part of your soul! The legend goes that there is a house in Clarion where you go into this house, walk up the stairs and pick up an old photograph on the ground and then take it home to sleep with it. The next day you are to take the photo back to the house and leave it where you found it on the floor. There is said to be a dark figure appear in the image after this named George and he is said to haunt you after this. The worst part? If you let him touch you, he will take a part of your soul.... Yikes!

5. The Ghost of Rainbow Bridge

This one isn't scary but intriguing. In Lake City, Rainbow Bridge is said to be haunted by a ghost that will take your chocolate. No, really! Apparently if you take an unopened candy bar to the bridge at midnight and leave it in the center and leave the bridge, in five minutes you will come back to an unopened candy wrapper but the chocolate inside will be gone! Actually, to me this is the scariest ghost because he took my chocolate!

Cedar Valley Landmarks - #1

 

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