“Let him who understanding calculate the number of the Beast; for his number is that of a man: and his number is six hundred and sixty six.”

ROUTE 666

In the book of Revelations, “666” symbolizes ‘the mark of the beast,’ a prophesized anti-Christ. To the Navajo Indians, the number “6” and any combination of it is considered evil and to be a harbinger of bad luck. No wonder Route 666, spanning 200 miles through New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah, is a frightening route to drive- especially at night. There are many names for Route 666, such as the Devil’s Highway, Satan’s Highway and the Highway to Hell. But, what exactly lies beneath this highway resembling a serpent coiling around a giant cross?

YOU AREN’T ALONE ON ROUTE 666

Route 666 is a highway notorious for its numerous accidents involving drunk drivers, deaths of pedestrians, dumped bodies and even a mad trucker!

Route 666 was christened by engineers in the 1930s. Since then it has been home to satanic rituals and worship, as well as a long history of accidents and apparitions:

A number of sacrificed dogs and cats have shown up along this haunted stretch of road, providing evidence of devil worshipping on Route 666.

Packs of demonic dogs have been seen wandering the highway, attacking at night, with yellow eyes and sharp teeth shredding the tires of those traveling the highway.

A young and frail girl in a long nightgown is known to wander the road. People have seen her walking along the side of the road, all alone in the dark out in the middle of nowhere. When they stop to help her, she instantly vanishes!

There have been reports of people disappearing at one point along the highway and then reappearing at another location miles away, without having any recollection of where they have been or what they have been doing.

Some of the more malevolent spirits of Route 666 will climb into your car with you. It’s said that the shape-shifters known to Native Americans as Skin Walkers will terrorize motorists along Route 666. They first appear in front of moving vehicles as various animals, trying to make drivers swerve and crash. If this does not work, they appear in the back seat of the car, attempting to steal passengers’ souls.

THE MAD TRUCKER

Route 666 possesses its own serial killer, known as the Mad Trucker. “So, (according to legend) this killer truck” is a sadistic semi that targets vulnerable pedestrians and mows them down. The police along Route 666, have long conducted numerous investigations into the various vehicular manslaughter hit and run killings along this stretch of road, they claim that the Mad Truck purposefully commits these heinous acts of murder. The truck travels at roughly 130 miles an hour, and has been known to have a couple of eyewitnesses.

One survivor of an encounter with the Mad Trucker recounts his experience. He states that the truck looked like it was on fire, heading straight towards him from the middle of the highway. The truck was going so fast that sparks were flying off the wheels and flames were coming from the smokestack!!!

There have also been numerous accounts of Mad Truckers driving a black truck all over the country often ‘guarding’ a form of supernatural evil. Such as the Devil’s Tree in New Jersey.

THE FLYING DUTCHMAN

“You ever hear of the Flying Dutchman?”

“Yeah, a ghost ship infused with the captain’s evil spirit. It was basically a part of him”

The legend of The Flying Dutchman is said to have started in 1641 when a Dutch ship sank off the coast of the Cape of Good Hope:

Captain van der Decken was pleased. The trip to the Far East had been highly successful and at last, they were on their way home to Holland. As the ship approached the tip of Africa, the captain thought that he should make a suggestion to the Dutch East India Company (his employers) to start a settlement at the Cape on the tip of Africa, thereby providing a welcome respite to ships at sea.

He was so deep in thought that he failed to notice the dark clouds looming and only when he heard the lookout scream out in terror, did he realize that they had sailed straight into a fierce storm. The captain and his crew battled for hours to get out of the storm and at one stage it looked like they would make it. Then they heard a sickening crunch - the ship had hit treacherous rocks and began to sink. As the ship plunged downwards, Captain VandeDecken knew that death was approaching. He was not ready to die and screamed out a curse: "I WILL round this Cape even if I have to keep sailing until doomsday!"

So, even today whenever a storm brews off the Cape of Good Hope, if you look into the eye of the storm, you will be able to see the ship and its captain - The Flying Dutchman. Don't look too carefully, for the old folk claim that whoever sights the ship will die a terrible death.
Many people have claimed to have seen The Flying Dutchman, including the crew of a German submarine boat during World War II and holidaymakers.

On 11 July 1881, the Royal Navy ship, the Bacchante was rounding the tip of Africa, when they were confronted with the sight of The Flying Dutchman. The midshipman, a prince who later became King George V, recorded that the lookout man and the officer of the watch had seen the Flying Dutchman and he used these words to describe the ship:
"A strange red light as of a phantom ship all aglow, in the midst of which light the mast, spars and sails of a brig 200 yards distant stood out in strong relief."

It's pity that the lookout saw the Flying Dutchman, for soon after on the same trip, he accidentally fell from a mast and died. Fortunately for the English royal family, the young midshipman survived the curse.
Versions of the story are legion. According to some, the story is originally Dutch, while others claim it is based on the English play The Flying Dutchman (1826) by Edward Fitzball.

According to most versions, the captain swore that he would not retreat in the face of a storm, but would continue his attempt to round the Cape of Good Hope even if it took until Judgment Day. According to other versions, some horrible crime took place on board, or the crew was infected with the plague and not allowed to sail into any port for this reason. Since then, the ship and its crew were doomed to sail forever, never putting in to shore. According to some versions, this happened in 1641, others give the date 1680 or 1729.

The Flying Dutchman

MARKED BY A PENTAGRAM

"Dad and I were working a job in Athens, Ohio. She was finishing up college. We went out for a couple of weeks."

Athens, Ohio may seem like your quiet and quaint suburban town. But, deep within lies a secret just waiting to be discovered. Athens, Ohio is undoubtedly one of the scariest places on earth and has been on various television programs delving into the supernatural.

Ghosts of Athens

Haunted Athens

Ohio Univercity, and Athens, Ohio

A Trip Down Haunted Lane

 

THE AVON THEATER

"Demolition or remodeling can awaken spirits, make them restless. Like that theater in Illinois”

The Avon opened in 1916, as one of the most lavish theaters in Decatur, and considered by many a waste at the time, because it was built specifically for movies, which were considered in those days only a fad which would soon pass.

It had one of the largest screens of any theater outside Chicago when it opened. Its opulent decor featured fancy plasterwork, sculpture (a nude reclining goddess holding out a crown of laurel was at the top of the proscenium arch), and unusual lighting fixtures in the shape of lion's heads which were found in the auditorium.

In the early 1950s, the Avon was considered outdated, and received an unfortunate 'modernization', which destroyed much of the splendid original decoration. Also, a wide screen for Panavision and 3D films was added in front of the old one, covering up the old little stage and orchestra pit area, as well as the goddess sculpture.

The Avon hung on, slowly declining until the mid 1980s, when it finally was forced to close. It remained empty for years, before receiving a much needed restoration by its current owners, and reopened in 1999, screening art and foreign films, as well as the occasional mainstream hit.

The Avon is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of its original owner, who even after selling the theater in the 60s, maintained an office upstairs, where he eventually died.

The Avon Theater Haunting

The Avon

THE DEATH CAR

Links to the amazing story of the curse surrounding James Dean’s Porsche. Kripke has brought up this shocking tale of the supernatural in numerous interviews. Perhaps the basis for a future episode, but for now- enjoy, or better yet get scared:

The Death of James Dean

The Curse of James Dean's Porsche

HIGHWAY TO HELL

I dare you to travel down these roads at night...


Haunted Roads

A scientific look: The Ghost Highway

 

US 491 MARKS THE BEAST

On May 31, 2003, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials approved a new number for the remaining segments of U.S. 666 in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. At the request of State transportation officials, the route became U.S. 491, a spur of U.S. 191.

The Full Report

But, whose to say the haunting will ever end? All over the country there are haunted roads and highways. Including another Route 666, located in Pennsylvania! So, just be careful while out on the road. You might just have a supernatural experience of your own.

By Dean5339