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Today my friend Autumnforest of Ghost Hunting Theories has organized a Blogger Zombie Walk that I’m participating in. (I’ve included a complete list of all the blogs participating at the end of this post.)
I decided since Haunt Jaunts is a paranormal travel blog that my zombie-related contribution should center around something of that nature. I have dedicated reader and commenter “tjmcmen” for the tip about Zombie Road to thank for my contribution to the Blogger Zombie Walk.
LEARNING OF ZOMBIE ROAD
On my Movie Monday: Grave Encounters post tjmcmen wrote “SOME ONE SHUOLD DO A MOVIE ABOUT ZOMBIE ROAD. IT IS A TRUE STORY. IT IS ONE OF MISSOURI,S MOST HAUNTED PLACES.”
I decided to look into it and discovered Zombie Road was included in a movie, a documentary called Children of the Grave. (Which I’ll feature next week for Movie Monday.)
I was absolutely stunned to learn I had been very close to Zombie Road when I went to visit some friends in St. Louis this past summer. They actually live in the suburbs, in Wildwood which is right where Zombie Road is located. (I MapQuested it and their home is seven miles from Lawler Ford Road, aka Zombie Road.)
Had I known about Zombie Road back then, I definitely would’ve checked it out while I was there. But, alas, I only just learned of it. (Another good reason to go back and visit them, though.)
ABOUT ZOMBIE ROAD
There are conflicting accounts of how Lawler Ford Road came by its infamous moniker, but a popular one relates that it happened after a patient nicknamed “Zombie” escaped from a nearby mental institution and disappeared in the area never to be seen again.
Rumors have it that his bloodsoaked gown laying on the road was the only evidence found of him. (Why he was named Zombie I have no idea though. Maybe he ate people? Maybe he got hungry and started eating himself and that’s why his gown was bloodied? That’s if such a person even really existed…)
There’s both high bluffs and a river in the area, as well as train tracks. All of which have contributed to people’s deaths there. (And which may account for why the area is haunted if you subscribe to certain theories about elements haunted places have in common.)
Tales also tell of gangsters using the area to dispose of people they wanted to be rid of. In more recent times it’s also been used by people practicing the occult.
Today it’s a popular exercise trail. (At least a stretch of it is. After a certain point there’s no trespassing. For those tempted by such restrictions, and of legends of the nature of Zombie Road, it’s an attractive nuisance.)
THE GHOSTS AND HAUNTINGS OF ZOMBIE ROAD
Haunted America Tours and Prairie Ghosts both have excellent information on it. (See “Zombie Road: The Road Where Urban Legends Actually Are Real” by Gregory and Judith Myers and “Zombie Road: The True Story of One of Missouri’s Most Haunted Places.”)
There are lots of accounts of supernatural occurrences along Zombie Road. Shadow figures are said to be seen lurking amidst the trees, and it’s not uncommon to see mysterious lights or hear unexplainable voices and other noises (such as music) in the area.
Some of the most popular ghost stories are of:
- The ghosts of Native American mound builders who once inhabited the area.
- A boy who fell from the bluffs near the river but his body was never found. He’s said to still roam the woods.
- The ghost of a man who was beheaded on the train tracks.
- A creepy old lady who screams at people from a house at the end of the road.
Is the area cursed, or just subject to more than its fair share of deaths? It’s not clear, but many agree it is one very haunted place.
VIDEOS OF ZOMBIE ROAD
OTHER BLOGS PARTICIPATING IN BLOGGER ZOMBIE WALK
Gnostalgia
Anything Horror
Above-The-Norm: Bizarre Arizona
Hayes Hudson’s House of Horror
The Misadventures of HalloweeNut
Holly’s Horrorland
And one blog that isn’t on the list but does Zs all the time and is a must for any zombie lover to follow isiZombie.
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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Oh, wow! Zombie Road sounds amazing! Very very cool post1
Nice job Court. I love the urban legends about places like that. Zombie Road sounds pretty creepy!
oh happy day… rejoice in the zombie follies!
🙂
iZombie
Everything zombie all the time. Zombie Road sounds tasty.
My BZW contribution is HERE .
Very cool. I vaguely remember that Children of the Grave documentary.
THANKS for all the comments! (And compliments. Much obliged!) Now I need to go check out all that was posted for BZW (cool way to put it, Monkey Man). Got sidetracked with tennis and chores there for a whle today…
I SEE YOU LIKED THE WEB SET ABOUT ZOMBIE ROAD.ISEE ALL OF YOU IN JOYED THE WEB SET. ABOUT ZOMBIE ROAD. IN MY HOME TOWN. OF MISSOURI.IT IS A WALKING PATH AND BIKE PATH NOW. THE CUONTY PARKS DEPARTMENT OWNS THE ZOMBIE ROAD WALKING AND BIKE PATH.
IT IS CALLED OFF . THE PEPOLE IN MISSORI IS MAD AT YOU ALL. YOU SHOUL BE A SHAME OF YOUR SHLFES,MAKING FUN OF ZOMBIE ROAD. THER IS A ZOMBIE ROAD SPEEL PUT ON ALL OF YOU GUYS. IWILL EAT YOUR BRANS
Yes, tj! Thanks again for giving me the tip about it. Made for a good post…even if I now have a spell on me from Dr. Zombie Road… 😉
IGO FOR A WALK ON ZOMBIE ROAD. AL MOST EVRY WEEKEND. MY CUSESON .HE TOLD US ABOUT IT. HE GOT INFO ON THE COMPUTER FROM THE LIABARY.ZOMBIE ROAD IS VREY LONG WALKING PATH. THERS A NTHER WALK ING PATH. BY A TRAIN BRGDE. THER IS PARKING LOT.OFF OF ST.PAUL ROAD. THEY HAVE DRAWINGS BY TEENAGERS. THERS ONE SAYS PROM 2010 ON THE TRIAN BRGDE WALL. THER WER DETHS AT THAT SPOT. WER I AND MY BROTHER WALK ON THE WALKING PATH.THER WER GROUP ON A FEILD TRIP. SIMING IN THE RIVER. THER WER 3 OR 4 TEENAGE BOYS WHO WER ON THE EDGE OF THE TRIAN BRDGE. JUPING IN THE RIVER .AND DRWON.THER WER 2 BAD GUYS WHO ENTR THE WOMAN HOME TO ROB HER. AND TOOK HER DOWN BY THE TRAIN BRDGE. AND THERW HER IN THE RIVER. SHE WOKEUP IN THE RIVER. AND SHE DIED BE CAUSE OF BEING COLD.THER WER A GUY WHO CLUIMB A ELCITREC POLE AND GOT ELCRECUED. AND DIE.MY COUSEN ORDERED A DVD FROM THE ZOMBIE ROAD WEB SET.ISAW THE DVD A BOUT ZOMBIE ROAD.
PS.A BOUT THE FEILD TRIP .WER THE TEEN AGER BOYS WHO DRWON IN THE RIVER . THAT HAPPNING IN 1982.
Oh gosh! That is sad about all the people who drowned in that river! I asked my friend is she would take me over there the next time I come visit. She said she was sorry she didn’t do it when I was there in July. She didn’t even think about it! (Plus, I was so excited to go see Lemp Mansion. That was all I was focused on. But next time I’m checking out Zombie Road.) Thanks again for all the comments.
YOU ARE WELCOME COURTNEY MROCH. THER IS ANTHER ENTREC TO ZOMBIE ROAD. THERS A PARKING LOT THER. YOU TAKE ST.PAUL ROAD. THERS A WHITE BRIGDE WITH 6666 ON THE WALL OF THE BRIDGE.IN THE PARKING LOT.ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE. YOU WILL SEE A GREEN GATE THER. THE WALKING PATH IS NEXT TO THE BRIDGE. MAY BE YOU WILL SEE ME THER WITH MY BROTHER WALKING ON THE WALKING PATH.WE USELY WALK THER ON THE WEEKEND.ON ZOMBIE ROAD.ARE I COULD BE AT ENTREC BY THE SCHOOL. or by the enterc by the mini train .