Urban Legends is Washington

Every state has its share of strange stories, and Washington is no exception. We have our share of local urban legends—and some of them are pretty spooky. Everyone loves a good scare, but not necessarily when it’s happening in their own backyard. Here are some of Washington’s most popular urban legends. 

Maltby’s 13 Steps to Hell

Maltby’s cemetery became a popular place for teens and curious adults to visit years ago. There were 13 steps starting at ground level descending into the ground leading to the back entrance of the tomb of a wealthy family. Supposedly teens would dare each other to go down the stairs, touch the door to the tomb, and come back… but when the unlucky person turned around after completing the dare, he or she would get a terrifying glimpse into hell. Some people were so traumatized they were left unable to speak. The steps have been covered up and No Trespassing signs cover the cemetery to discourage people from trying to find them.

Mariner High School Eyes

Mariner High School in Everett has its own urban legend. Many of the lights are left on all night, but around midnight on some nights, they shut off. If you’re close enough, you might see eyes staring back at you from inside the school. All you can see are a pair of subtle glowing eyes. Some sources claim that if you stare at the eyes long enough, you can make out a figure of a winged man.

Mel’s Hole

Legend has it that there is a bottomless pit near Manastash Ridge in Ellensburg. It is called “Mel’s hole” because a man who called himself Mel Waters was the first person to report its existence. There are a lot of strange stories involving the pit—supposedly a man threw his dead dog in it only to see the dog go trotting by, very much alive, a few hours later. No credible evidence of Mel’s hole exists, but it hasn’t ever been disproven, either.

Dryden Hall

Eastern Washington University’s Dryden Hall opened in 1965, and since then, people have reported seeing a mysterious screaming face on the outer wall of the north wing. At first, groundskeepers assumed it was a trick of the building’s exterior lights. But no matter how many times the position of the lights was changed, the face still appeared.

UFOs at Mount Rainier

On June 24, 1947, a pilot named Kenneth Arnold saw some “shiny objects” over the top of the Cascades near Mount Rainier. This UFO story stood out because Kenneth Arnold was such a credible witness and his story was so detailed.… and it all happened just two weeks before the U.S. Army issued (and then later retracted) a report of a crashed saucer in Roswell.

The Faceless Roamer

The city of Auburn was originally called Slaughter. A wealthy man who made his home there once sold some property to help contribute to the city’s growth. Rumor has it that his ghost, which is faceless for some reason, can be seen angrily walking up and down A Street downtown, passing through walls.

Sasquatch

Washington isn’t the only state to lay claim to Bigfoot, but there have been more Sasquatch sightings here than anywhere else.

The Indian Princess of Pike Place Market

Every now and then, people will see an old Native American woman at Pike Place market who sits with woven baskets on a blanket for sale. But when they get closer, the woman is gone. That woman is the ghost of Princess Angeline (Kikisoblu was her real name), the daughter of Chief Seattle himself. She once lived in a cabin between Pike and Pine Streets, and apparently she stayed close to home.

What do you think Washington’s weirdest urban legend is?  Do you DARE visit these places?!