By james art Spooky Halloween Legends from the Hudson Valley
There are several cities in the Hudson Valley that have interesting history and their legends live on now in 2024.
Have you heard of the Abraham Lincoln Ghost Train from Hyde Park New York? Or the supposed goblins on Bannerman Island on the Hudson River near Beacon?
5 of the scariest legends and ghosts of the Hudson Valley
Check out these 5 local legends that will give you the chills.
Could the Hudson Valley become a top Halloween vacation destination in the future? Judging by these stories…it could happen! The region is also home to a handful of haunted attractions such as the Kevin McCurdy Haunted Mansion, the Headless Horseman Hayride, and the Wallkill Haunted House and Barn.
That being said, one Hudson Valley city was awarded the top Halloween honor by a major publication.
The small village in the Lower Hudson Valley makes Forbes’ list of Halloween destinations
When it comes to New York City Halloween towns, there’s 1 that immediately comes to mind: Sleepy Hollow, New York.
And rightfully so. The village is full of history and of course it is the birth date of the Legend of the Headless Horseman. Author Washington Irving, who is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, wrote about a headless horseman terrorizing a small village in the Hudson Valley in his collection of short stories called The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.
Forbes took this into account when it named Sleepy Hollow #2 on its list of Halloween travel destinations, coming in after, you guessed it, Salem, Massachusetts.
The publication writes that “this small town embraces its haunted heritage in full force every October.” They continue to share all the fun you can check out, including a re-enactment of the Headless Horseman and tours of The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze and Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.
Is Sleepy Hollow, New York the new Salem Massachusetts?
Is it just us or is Sleepy Hollow more popular now than ever? We think it has a lot to do with social media and platforms like TikTok making the village look like Disney Land in the fall.
We are not the only ones. ABC 7 NY saw the trend and recently headed to Sleepy Hollow to talk to visitors and in the process learned that people travel from all over the world and across the country to get a taste of the haunted history.
They talked to visitors from California, Philly and Hungary.
@abc7ny It’s enough to make you lose your head. 🎃 “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” literally brought traffic to a standstill in the Westchester County village several times this month as it became the latest trend on TikTok. #sleepyhollow#fall♬ original sound – ABC7NY
The streets of Salem, Massachusetts are filled with Halloween and witch enthusiasts from September through October. Will we see more of this in Sleepy Hollow in the future?
Take a selfie with the Headless Horseman in Sleepy Hollow’s Twilight Village
The legend of the Headless Horseman lives on in Sleepy Hollow, New York. Guests can tap into history and lore at the Twilight Village at Philipsburg Manor.
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Gallery Credit: CJ/Google Maps
The best Halloween themes for cities in the Hudson Valley
We asked the people of the Hudson Valley to tell us what Halloween decorations best represent their city, and here are some results. Feel free to get involved with your city and its Halloween theme. We’d love for you to add it to the list.
Gallery Credit: Patty Quinn