San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906]]> John Loren Taylor]]> eng;]]> SCAP0346Bx001-019_verso.jpg]]> San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906]]> John Loren Taylor]]> eng;]]> SCAP0346Bx001-021_verso.jpg]]> San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906]]> John Loren Taylor]]> eng;]]> SCAP0346Bx001-022_verso.jpg]]> San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906]]> John Loren Taylor]]> SCAP0346Bx001-023_verso.jpg]]> San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906]]> John Loren Taylor]]> eng;]]> SCAP0346Bx001-024_verso.jpg]]> San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906]]> John Loren Taylor]]> eng;]]> SCAP0346Bx001-025_verso.jpg]]> Mikkel Skinner]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> By Anne Gray Perrin
Utah State University
Fife Folklore Archives
Logan, UT
English/History 6770 (Folk Narrative)
Professor Steve Siporin
Spring 2011


Interviewee:
Place of Interview:
Date of Interview:
Interviewer:
Recordist:
TRANSCRIPTION COVER SHEET
Trevor Eschler
Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University
April, 2011
Anne Gray Perrin
Anne Gray Perrin
Recording Equipment: Alesis Pamtrack 24bit Wave mp3 digital recorder
Transcription Equipment: Express Scribe transcription software
Transcribed by: Anne Gray Perrin
Transcript Proofed by: Anne Gray Perrin
Brief Description of Contents Eschler recou ' s bis trips to St. Ann-'s rrtrcl!~; rc~s0ns ' .y he
goes and what he has experienced.
GP: .L rL.'le Gray Perrin
TE: Trevor Eschlcr
NOTE: Interjrrtic1 -::: ~:-irg p::!~~.;:'s o~· '"?_,:_.. . ;ti~::~ in d!R~~~~~ s:~~l ~a$ "11h" a_... ~ st?J~s ar~.~ stop~
in conversations arc not included in transcribed. All additions to transcript are noted with
brackets.
TAPE I'K<\RSC
[00:01] Trevor Eschler: Trevor Eschler
started going up to the Nunnery. So what provoked you to go up there?
and find it. But we weren't able to find it. So I moved up here in August. We were bored one night . .We
started looking on thr i tc~nct for thinGs t0 d~ in L0C:''1, - ~~ h~ rem m!:-('rcc!_ H:: V!'JS try!~z t flr.d the
Nunnery so we kind of found the directions on the Internet and decided to go up there. It was about
11:00 at night when we started out. At 11:00, we gathered up some people.
AGP: And so had you heard tit'"· stories at..out th N.1i·,;-:2fr ;
TE: What Y..'e decided to d~ is we were !ook!!'1[; for do, we dcdc0~ tc rc2.d i t0 th:- to~ic!: t khrl of fr?J1:
( ours_;!".J<.:s cut; to sec ·' :Jt it '/las all about.
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AGP: So what had you heard?
TE: A couple of the stores that read was that the cabins up there were summer homes for the Owner of
tried to sell it to the University. The University didn't want it so he ended up selling it to the Catholic
Church, and the Catholic Church took over; and started running the Nunnery out of it. Up there, there's
of wedlock out of there and take them into the swimming pool and drown them. One account we read,
you walk in there and you kind of get this eerie feeling. We tried that out, and it's true.
TE: You 1NJ!k in and th{!re 's just this cold spot; and it kind of sends chills down your back. We read the
fftO!)i rt.:i.-'-•t .. .w· .... ~ ... -· -· i\. -. .. ,...._-1 • i.; ...... . , ;._ .. ,. __ ............... - .... ,.. ____ ....__.; :...: ........... . ....;. - ~---- ,.__ .. . ....... - _ ... _ . . __ . ., .. _ " .. ..... .....
up there, and there's three security guards. They got caught and got tied up in the swimming pool and
. . . ··~ - - a •• y · .mg ::Kt! U •d~.
AGP: You still 'Nan edt go even th •_•gh you heard of this attack?
TE: Yeah. We kind of, I don't know. We're thrill seekers so we tried. If someone says, "Don't do it," we do
it just to prove them wrong, that it can be done.
AGP: Yeah?
AGP: Have you encountered any mortal beings or any security issues?
there with us but the people we go up there with.
stuff?
mile away from the entrance, kind of walk up. You had to cross this bridge, and if you go walking up it, it
looking directly at the swimming pool, and you could see the silhouette of a person; just one person. I'm
• • • • ' • -- I Q• ...,..._ fJ Vi a ll '--'- "- u -7)1 IJ U'- J .... .:ll OJi H .. - ·•~ ; v- ...,.\... L\.C . - "1.,.. •"'"- .=.t.ua ~\,..- i _._ ,, , ; •6 - i - \..oo · i U . I • h .. • i4 ;..·u 1 .. -.;u:J -:...-\,; i"\.:f (!0 UY
clouds. There was nothing. So that really freaked us out. We ventured down into the swimming pool.
Came out. '\nd there's r 3bins s•1rro•Jnning it, a rod . t thi time, like ! c~id, we h ~d re, d all the stories so
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... ...., ..... _._ •• ._ ~...;-..·:. -. 1 "";;~ ..... -v~ ·- ...... ;.. .... _.._.:_.. ...........
called us up. He was like, "Dude, let's just take some girls up there and scare them." We were like,
"Alright." So we went up there, kind of scouted it out. Then he came up about a half hour later. We were
;: - 1 - ; - . .- . - '- ~'1 ~ - -- . -- _l- .. - - ... ! 'i t 1 - 1--- . "'....t.. --- -~;:-~-
.u~ '-"""•" .,._""'-'-: o ~, --~t.- \.i:•- -.....-.... .!:J..tttJ ... ,. .. _ ~ -$.-..-~._ - •-~.._ ~'-- _.::.,_•_1;,... i-' .• .,., ,_.,.;: .. :; 1 ~ '--1~• :..1,,..,.,....~: ... -v .. ~:•~~!l.c • .-~- /'-.. .... v-IJ\:::Jt, i . fUill tJIC:::
occasions. It's pretty fun. It's scary, too because sometimes you're in some of the buildings alone by
yourself and you hear the old wood creek. It gives you a rush.
AGP: So had you experienc.ec.i el~e supernatural or is it jusi. the swim ruing pool. io~:u.J}
AGP: Yeah. And so how many of your friends go up there like group-wise?
TE: Let's see. We got, there's probably about eight regulars, and then our groups usually range from
eight to twenty. Anywhere in there.
AGP: So it just depends on like what's going on?
TE: Yeah. It depends on the night; if it's a week day or weekend; wha~' s the next ctay; if thc·rc's te:;.ts
people have to take or whatnot. We try to get as many people as we can to go up there because the
more people, the funner [sic].
AGP: So even thoilgh there's al! these storlt:s, with th .... ati.a .... ~ and th.:: supciTIJh.irc.l, an ' cvu-. though
you've experienced those things, you still keep going?
( TE: Yean.
AGP: So why do you think that is? Why do you go?
i c: It's sornethlng 1u''; ~u cL.
AGP: It's just fun?
. i ;_ .. i. ; •• ...;:.... ... 1 ... .._,....,. ••- -- ...;) -·~ -~'-··.,__- ~ov.:.- .~ .... _ .:_-_
get up there to just have fun. It's kind of fun to take new people up there just to see their reactions.
TE: Because, I mean, pretty much everyone on campus has heard the stories or they know someone
AGP: Yeah. Yeah.
O ·'-· ·...,. • · ~---·-.:..-- .l ;. .. .;.~ - ·• ;,.;_- -- ~:.. ~....! - •' - i -~- ;; ·-.J •• , ~-. -'·J _-..
you up there." And then they call the rest of us, that the people don't know, say, "Hey, we're going up
there at this time. Be there." And so we'll just go around scaring people. We've got it clown to an art sc>
that i.hey c.::;tc>iii words, we'll k cvv how to react.
AGP: Can you give me an example of that?
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TE: There's one, there's a three story house with a big glass window. It would be on the southeast side of
it. And just south of that big old house, there's three little cabins. And they come walking down, and
they kind of, they're making noise, you know. And we have person that throws on a hood, and they're
standing in the glass window. And what they do is, they'll walk around to the side of the house, and
they'll take a flashlight, and they'll run it over the window; and they'll see someone there. And they'll
kind of freak out, and they'll run it back. And by the time they pass it by the second time, the person
ducks below the window so t hey're not sec11. So you sec a shactov:, <:~ silhci.i~t'.. c o~ a p.:.f5!)!1 at fr JL Th.:: .-,
the second time, it's gone. That really gets to girls. There was a couple times where they'!! come walking
by, and there's just slamming doors shut. Funny experience v,;lth that, is we were preparing ourselves
than fivz fe:3t taiL So you got J '.'.tJJl here, .:md there .. nd so I want to see how loud it would sound, shut.
So l :;l;:,mmcd the -::!oor, Jnd th: de-or j<::m:ncd vn us. So t :::r.:'s three of us. We're all pulling on the door
to come barre! it down vith the shou!d~r, prop it open. It was a pretty funny experience.
TE: Well, at first I was like, "Oh, crap, what to do?" But I realized we were up there with friends. but if I
had been up there by rn\·sc!f, i wouk~'vc been t ·r rificd, 'OLJ knvv •. Btr'. ~ir:u' 1.\''- wcr u;; H:cr::· v ·iii:~
group of people, we're becoming more familiar with area.
AGP: Yeah.
TE: So ycu kind of k~o l\.1 ·.'hat to Gxpect and vhat not to expect.
TE: Yeah. We got to.
AGP: Yeah. Yeah.
and see like this was built in the '60s or 70s and kind of see the structure of it. It's super close to the
highway, but there's so many trees around. If you don't it's there, you'll never notice it.
TE: Just trying to think if there's been anything else. I t hink those are like the main stories.
TE: The main experience where you see the silhouette in the pool. Oh, there's one time, we came out of
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,. ..... - ·-. - -0 , .... - ., -- - -- - . F .... u ...... 0 . - -- • . - · -· , . -- · - -: ..... _. ~ -. ....;: .. : .;.-..;. , -, -· • .:.. :... -· ·- -~· -:. ; _::,~ ~:it:. :.;;~ UlU
bag. It was probably about five and half, six feet tall. We were like, "What the crap?" It looked like a
body bag.
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AGP: Oh!
TE: And we had our freshman roommate, and he was trying to prove himself to us.
AGP: Yeah.
TE: So we dared him to go and check it out because it just looked suspicious. So after about twenty
minutes of convincing him to go down, he went and ripped the bag open. It was just a bag of leaves. It
was just funny seeing that. It's something I think lots of people should go up there and check it out
because it's pretty interesting.
AGP: Do you think, because I didn't really get a lot of responses as far as people going back up to the
Nunnery, so do you think it's rare or do you think? I mean, are you one of the only groups of people that
go up there or do you think other people do it?
TE: If they do, they don't do it as much as us. You know what I mean?
AGP: Yeah.
TE: Because, like I've said, we've probably gone up there a dozen or more times, and we've never seen
another group up there.
AGP: And have you ever heard people talk about it?
( TE: I haven't heard anyone talk about going up there. If we have, it's like people going up there like two
years ago.
AGP: Yeah.
TE: Nothing too recent.
AGP: Well, again, is there anything else you would like to say?
TE: I think that's it.
AGP: I think that's it. Okay.
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5]]> Eschler, Trevor]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Perrin, Anne Gray]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 1877863 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1960-1969; 1970-1979; 1980-1989; 1990-1999; 20th century; 2000-2001; 2000-2009; 2010-2019; 21st century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> "St. Anni s Retreat"
Natalie Hamson
Logan, Utah
April, 1984

Natalie is twenty-one years old. She has lived in the Cache Valley all her life.
She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was Natalie
Boehme before marrying Dale Hamson in 1979. She's been married four years and has a
daughter that is two years old.
Dale and Natalie were at our home watching television when Natalie first told my
husband and me this story. Natalie said that she had been a sophombre at Sky View High
School when she first heard it. After I heard the story I was really interested in the
retreat, but not totally convinced the story was true. Since that time I have heard many
other Cache Valley residents say that St. Anne's was haunted. Most of the people that
could tell me anything about St. Anne's had lived in the Cache Valley many years or all
their lives. St. Anne's is a Catholic Retreat that is located up Logan Canyon.
The story that Natalie told me was that a male friend of hers and a bunch of other
guys went up to St. Anne's one night to see if it really was haunted. They took with them
loaded shotguns, rifles, and pistols. They were exploring around the place and saw
some dogs. The dogs were Doberman Pinchers and when they saw the group of men,they be­,
an barking at them. ~he dogs started chasing the men ready to attact~ The men
started firing at the dogs with their guns, but the dogs wouldn't drop. The dogs· chased
the men back to their truck. The men jumped in and left St. Anne's Retreat.
Natalie told me that she knew other people who refuse to go to Sto Anne's because
of the stories they have heard about it. Shei;aY's ·there"are other's'tories of visitors
seeing St. Anne walking along a cliff with a lantern for a light, then just vanishing.
Natalie also told me that she would like to visit St. Anne's some time, but not at night.
She said that last summer there was some kind of a Catholic childrens overnight meeting
at the retreat, and that you wouldn't catch her up there overnight because she believes
the stories she has heard.
Marion Dart
Logan, Utah
Pasco, WA
Utah &tate University
Intro. to Folklore
Spring, 1984

Urban Legend
"Disappearing Babies"
Informant Datal
Betty Warner
Logan, Utah
January 21, 1987
Betty Warner was born c;n January 31 1963, in Logan Utah. She
grew up in a near by town called Smithfield. She now resides in 10gan
and is attending USU. She is an active member of the LDS church
and is working as a Nurses Aid at Sunshine Terrace Rest Home.
Contextual Datal
This story was heard during a childcare class at Sky View High School.
We were all working on quiet books and to pass the time we were telling
stories of things that had happened to us or our friends.
****************************
I once heard of some kids from HIyum that went up to the old
Catholic Nunnery in Logan Canyon. There was three boys and three
girls. It was really late at night when they went, the guys had wanted
to really scare their girlfriends. They got out. of their car, walked
down the path towards the Nunnery. Along the way was a couple of ponds,
When they walked past the ponds little hands reached up.·and grabbed
all of them around the ankles. They were all so scared that they took
off running back to the' car. Some of the guys started asking around
as to why this happened. An old Pr ist that lives here in the valley
told them that when there were people from the church living there,
some of the Nuns became pregnant. by the Priests. The Nuns would carry
the baby to full termJand then to save the Church from embarrassment,
they would drown their babies in the ponds. When strangers enter
\
the property and walk by the ponds the babi~s spirits will grab at
them, they try and pull themsel~ out of the water to keep from drowning.
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Betty Warner
Logan, Utah
~rgt~~sa~tt~4i987
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Urban Legend
"The Old Nun"
Informant Datal
$IVI'/
Betty Wa..-rner
Logan, Utah
January21, 1987
Betty Warner was born on January 31,1963, in Logan Utah. She
grew up in Smithfield, Utah. She now resides in Logan and is attending
USU. She is an active member of the LDS church and is working at
The Sunshine Terrac, Rest Home.
Contestual Datal
This story was heard while my child care class in high school
was working on their quiet books. For entertainment we would pass
time by telling stories.
************************
I once heard of some girls that went to girls scout camp up
Logan cany:on, a few years ago. There was about 12 girls plus a few
leaders. The girls were between the ages of tweleve and fifteen.
They were 6i tUng around the campfire telling ecarey stories, one of which
was the "Old Nun" story. This story is about an old nun that died
very angry that she had lost her youth and beauty. She had resided at
the nunnery, also in Logan canyon. Before she died, the nun would
walk past the girls scout camp and long for the days of her youth.
She became so obsessed by this idea that she decided . by drinking
the youths blood she would again be young. Well, the kids of the camp
tried to laugh off their fear not wanting to admit to apy.one that they
really were scared. The group broke up after the story telling finished
and went their seperate ways. The leaders of the camp became increasingly
concerned as the girls began to disappear one by one. They called
and hunted for the missing girls not getting any response at all.
A couple of girls from the camp had gone on a walk together. Suddenly
they came running back into the camp screaming and shaking terribly.
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page 2 The Old Nun
The girls reported seeing an old lady dressed as a nun, with an
ax and blood dripping from her face walking near the camp. The next day
when the sun came up six of the tweleve girls were found murdered around
camp •
Betty Warner
Logan, Utah
Utah State University
History 124
Winter Quarter 1987
L::<. I. /~. I. :lB.
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Urban Legend
"St. Anne's Retreat"
Informant Data:
Unknown
1976
High School friends from Sky View High School, Smithfield,
Utah.
Contextual Information:
Myself and some friends from Sky View High School were dragging
Main Street in Logan. We decided to drive up Logan Canyon because
someone had heard that there was a pla'ce up there that was haunted.
All teenagers are interested in haunted houses or buildings.
*******************************
While driving up the canyon, someone told the story about
how a nun had become pregnant while staying at St. Anne's Retreat
for nuns. When the other nuns found out about what had happened, they
told the unfortunate young girl that she could no longer be a nun.
The young girl was distraught.
That night the girl took an ax and killed everyone. When
she was done she drowned herself in the swimming pool.
Her ghost is thought to still be wandering the area, haunting
St. Anne's Retreat forever.
Scott Lambert
Logan, Utah
Utah State University
English 124
Winter Qtr. 1987
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Urban Legend
"The Nunnery"
Informant Data:
Jalyn Rinderknecht
Logan, Utah
January 21, 1987
Jalyn Rinderknecht was born January 16,1968 in Logan, Utah. She is a
member of the L.D.S Q1urch and is partly an active member. She attends
Utah State University and is majoring in Pre-veterinary Science. Her
hobbies include horseback riding, skiing, fishing, hunting, camping,
animals and rodeo.
Contextual Data:
On our way up to the Nunnery in Logan Canyon everyone was telling
stories about what had happened when they went up last. This story was
one told.
One night a couple of my friends and I came up here to check the
Nunnery out. We psyched ourselves out so bad that we were a little
scared when we got there.
Walking toward the Nunnery we heard dogs barking from the distance
and a scream. It had been said that this nun used to kill the first
son of the family and little babies.
We heard another scream and decided we'd better get out of there, so
we ran back to our car but when we tried to start it we couldn't get it
to turn over. Feeling really scared, we took off down the canyon and
came back the next day to get the car. When we got there it started
like a charm.
Jalyn Rinderknecht
Logan, Utah
Utah Sta~e University
Winter Quarter 1986-87
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Folk Story
Nunery up Logan Canyon
Informant Data:
Martin Mendenhall
Logan, Utah
April 22, 1984
I don't know where Martin was born, but he has lived a good part of his
life in Cache Valley. He is going to school at Utah State University majoring
in Food Science, he is presently a Junior. He comes from a religious background
and is a mormon. He married my best friend, and they have now been married for
1 year. Me and my boyfriend used to double date with them quite often . He is
the second child of 4. His hobbies include, snow and water skiing, and all out­door
activities and sports
Contextual Data:
This story was told to me on another double date with Martin . This was
told on one particular night after visiting the nunery up Logan Canyon . It
had been quite a frightful evening.
Text:
This story starts like this . . .• ....
A long time ago, there was a building called3 a convent where nuns lived. For many
years it was a very holy place, and only practices of good were taken place.
The nun's were forbidden to see any men and were to stay virgins. Things began
to get out of hand and the nun's began sleeping around, after which a few
became pregnant. If they were ever found out it would become a disgrace to that
individual. Therefore they began giving themselves abortions. In the convent
there was a swimming pool that had been emptied of all its water . This is where
they would bury the aborted babies. The problem finaly got out of hand and
they closed it down. But, because of the evil that went on there it is now
haunted with all kinds of spirits, and you can hear them to this day if you dare
to visit.
Michelle Sampson
Nibley, UT 84321
Utah State University
English 124
Spring Quarter 1984
April 22, 1984
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Diane Stenquist
Logan , Utah
Fe buary 1985
Legend
The old Nunery
Informant data:
Diane Stenquist was born in Tremonton, Utah. She is of
Swedish decent. She is now attending Utah State University
where she is a senior in bussiness. She is a member
of the Mormon church.
Contextual data:
Text:
Diane and I were on our way skiing one day, up at
Beaver Moutain and as we passed this area she told
me this story.
She says she heard this story alot while she was growing
up, the big kids always told the little kids this
story to scare them.
There is an old nunery up Logan Oayon. Years and
years ago the nuns were sent up here who got prenant
by the priests so no one eles would find out about
thier indiscreations. There was a main house were
everone would meet and there were also four smaller
house were they would sleep. And there was also a
big swimming pool. And as soon as the babies are
born the babies were to be drowned in the pool.
Now this is an old and deserted, but if you go
there at night you can still here the babies cry. ;
Natalie Harman
Utah Stste University
Folklore
Spring 1985
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Ghost story
St. Anne's Retreat
Larry Cantwell
Smithfield, Utah
Approx. 1979
Larry Cantwell is the speech teacher at Sky View High Schoo1. He loves
stories, and one of his hobbies is to go around the Valley to different
groups and share his talent. He does a marvelous imitation of Mark Twain.
He tells great ghost stories, and has many humorous readings. He is active
in the L.D.S. Church, and communtiy affairs.
One day in Speech, we turned the lights off and got out a candle and
lit it, and told ghost stories. Mr. Cantwell told us this version of St.
Anne's Retreat.
St. Anne's Retreat was originally established up Logan Canyon for
Cache Valley's Catholic nuns who needed to "get away" from things for awhile.
One nun got herself in trouble and as time passed her problem became
more noticeable. He superiors knew that something needed to be done-- she
couldnlt walk the streets in her condition, so she was sent to St. Anne's
for the duration-. 6f" · her:~ pr~gnam::::y.
The Mother Superior at St. Anne's talked this nun into putting up the
baby for adoption when it was born, because she thought this sort of thing
was horrible. If the nun would agree to do as the Mother Superior said,
the Mother Superior would help her. If not, then she could fend for herself.
Well, as time went by and this nun spent her time reading, thinking,
swimming in the pool, and walking around the retreat and in the nearby woods,
she began to think of this child and knew she could never give it up. She
decided to leave the order and raise her baby.
When the baby was born she told her decision to the Mother Superior.
The Mother Superior did not agree and felt that she had to end this situation.
One day when this nun was sleeping, the Mother Superior took the baby and
drowned him in the swimming pool.
The nun took it very hard, but couldn't believe the Mother Superior
would actually do this. She thought the Mother Superior had taken the baby
and given him to a family, or was hiding him on the retreat somewhere.
As she was recovering, she would take walks around the retreat to see
if she could find her baby. As she walked by the pool one day, the Mother
Superior pushed her in and she drowned. The Mother Superior thought she
had rectified the problem, and now could live with herself after taking care
of this nun.
About three weeks later another nun was sent to St. Anne's to rest and
re~ax for a couple weeks. One day as she was walking past the swimming pool
she saw a nun floating face down in the pool. She screamed, and the Mother
Superior came to see what the problem was. The Mother Superior tried to grab
at the nun in the pool, but the nun disappeared.
The second nun wanted to know what had happened, but the Mother Superior
would not say anything. The second nun called the Father and told him to come
up to St. Anne's because there was something wrong.
the Father came and got to the bottom of what had happened and soon after,
the Mother Superior was taken from St. Anne's. Shortly after this happened,
the Catholic church sold St. Anne's Retreat.
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St. Anne I s is still used as a get away place for various groups and there
have been reports that the one nun is still looking for her baby. Some have
seen her walking around the retreat, and some have seen her floating in
the pool. While there are no reports of anyone talking to this nun, there
are plenty of reports of people who have seen her, so as you go camping
in this part of Logan Canyon, beware of the nun.
Alenda Jolley
Providence, Utah
Utah State University
English 124
Winter 1984
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Ghost story
St. Anne's Retreat
Alenda Jolley
Logan Canyon
approx. 1976
Alenda was born in Logan in 1963. She lived ~n Logan for a couple years,
then moved South of Logan to Providence where she has lived for fourteen years.
She is active in the L.D.S. Church, and community affairs. She loves the
outdoors and has spent many hours in io9an Canyon hunting, fishing, camping,
and enjoying nature.
When I was ~n mutual, my ward took all the youth leaderships up to
St. Aime' s Retreat for a leadership meeting. We spent two days and one night
at the retreat. Just before dark the leaders took us on a hike to a meadow
overlooking St. Anne's. There was a cave on the cliff above us. In this
setting one of the leaders told us this story.
St. Anne's Retreat is the place where all the Catholic Nuns came for
a little rest and relaxation. There was cabins, the beauty and recreation
facilities of the canyon, and a swimming pool. All the Nuns loved this place.
On the cliff to the East of St. Anne's is a cave where a hermit lived.
This hermit hated people and he hated nuns worst of all. He devised d
plan where if he killed off a few nuns at a time, no more WDuld come up to
the retreat because they would be too scared.
This hermit came down to St. Anne's on a particularly dark night and
caught a nun unaware as she was going from the lodge to her cabin. He
dragged her to the swimming pool and drowned her.
This happened about three more times before higher officials got word
of what was happening. A search was made for the hermit, but he COUldn't
be found.
The Catholic church got spooked and sold St. Anne's so there WOUldn't
be anymore nuns in Logan Canyon.
There were reports of two or three other people killed in the same
manor while using St. Anne's.
The hermit was never found, and it is said that he still haunts St.
Anne's and neghboring campgrounds, so be careful when staying in this part
of the canyon.
Alenda Jolley
Providence, Utah
utah State University
English 124
Winter 1984
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Horror Story
Saint Ann's Retreat
Informant Data:
Mary Leisa Pp.ters en
Hyrum, Utah
February, 1979
Mary Leisa Petersen, 20, grew up in Hyrum, Utah, a small Mormon town.
She is of Danish and Swedish decent. She is the first child of a Mor­mon
family, and she is a active member of the Mormon Church. Presently,
she is a Lambda Delta Sigma Chapter president. A junior at Utah State
University majoring in Elementary Education.
Background:
Terry Hansen of Logan told Mary Leisa this story to entertain her (or
to scare her, she didn't know which it was) in 1976 while on a ride
through the Logan Canyon one night.
After Mary Leisa told this story to me she said," It's a good scarey
story but I sure don't believe it."
I have tried to record it as closely to the way she told me as possible.
Text:
During the past summers Nuns lived in this old house in Logan Canyon.
But before it was a Nunnery it was haunted. And before it was haunted
a very wealthy man and his wife bought it and fixed it up and lived
in it.
The winters were really harsh so the man always took his wife in their
horse and buggy to town to shop.
Many years passed and her husband died. The towns people wanted her to
move into town but she wouldn't. So at first the towns people took
turns on a irregular schedule bringing her into shop. After awhile
nobody s topp ed by to bring her into town and she was more or less for­gotten
about. Then one day the towns people started wondering about
her, so a couple of men went out to check on her. They found the doors
open and the house dusty and filled ~vith cobwebs, but she was nowhere
to be found. ' Outside · th~ house they found some tiriy footprints, but not
her, so they boarded up the house.
Years passed and the house also was forgotten. Then one day late in
the fall, during the first snowfall, two hunters ran across it while
looking for a place to camp the night. They unboarded the house and
entered. Then one of the hunters went outside to get some fire wood
while the other hunter stayed in and cleaned the fireplace out so
they could build a fire. As the hunter outside was chopping wood he
heard a very loud, horrid screem from the house. He quickly ran to
the house and as he entered the only one there was his hunting part­ner
die on the floor with a clever in his back. He ran out and as
he did he heard someone in the bushes crying. He looked down ._and there
jn the snow. he saw 'some tiny footprints. Without looking any further
he ran frantically to the highway for help.
Bonnie Vance
Logan, Utah
Mapleton, Utah
Winter, 1979
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Supernatural Legend
"Saint Ann's Retreat"
Informant Data:
Maria Nielsen
Hyrum, Utah
July, 1984
Maria Nielsen, 21, lives in Hyrum, Utah. She was born February
21, 1963, in Logan, Utah. She is a Senior at Utah State Univeristy,
majoring in Elementary Education. She is an active member of the
Mormon church. She is married to Clayton Nielsen.
Contextual Data:
I can not member who told this story to me. The story was told
to me just before I visited Saint Ann's Retreat. I remember it was
a very dark night and I was with my boy friend and three other
couples. I'm a scardy cat anyway and after I heard this story I
was scared to death to go into Saint Anns. I don't really believe
the story is true but it scared me just the same. I could imagine
some crazy man jumping out of the bushes with a big knife and killing
all of us. I decided if there was one place a mad man would hang
out to kill somebody it would be at Saint Ann,s. One thing waB sure,
I was not going to stay in the car by my self, so I went with the
others to explore this place. Nothing happened to us, but I was sure
glad when we finally pulled away from that place in our car.
Saint Ann's is about fifteen minutes up Logan Canyon.
* * * * * * * *
A long time ago there used to be a nunnery at Saint Ann's.
One of the nuns got pregnant by a young priest. She hid the fact
that she was pregnamt for a long time. When she had the baby she was
told she had to leave the nunnery. She was grieved at what had happened
and went out and drowned her baby in the swimming pool, thp.n hung
herself. Her spirit haunts the place in the form of a dog. Sometimes
people can hear dogs howling at Saint Ann's. Nobody has ever seen
the dogs.
Maria Nielsen
Hyrum. Utah
Same
Utah State Unlverity
English 124
Summer 1984
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Supernatural Legend
"The Nunnery"
Informant Data:
Jimmy west
Nibley, Utah
April, 1988
Jimmy west is a High school senior who enjoys anything
that has a challenge to it. He hung around the guys the night
they went to the nunnery, but no longer associates with them.
He loves the outdoors and hates school. He works for the Bishop
in the ward and comes from a gigantic family as he put it.
Contextual Data:
I told Jimmy I WaS doing this for my folklore class and I
asked him if he could remember the story as if he were there that
day. We were sitting outside on the front porch steps as he
related the story.
Text:
Last summer we did travel up to the nunnery to find out if
you looked in this mirror you would see the ghost, supposedly
green. I didn't travel inside so I never found out anything, but
the guys who did go in came running back to the car screaming,
"Let's go!" "It's behind us!" The car wouldn't start at all,
everyone was screaming and panicking, then all of a sudden it
started. The whole thing was weird. As were driving away we
felt a bump on the back of the car. The next morning I went over
to see what it was and a big long black mark was on the car.
Sherry Anderson
Nibley, Utah 84321
USU
Folklore
Spring 1988
/?, /. /2 .. f. 31
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Supernatural Legend
"The Nunnery"
Informant Data:
Clint Yonk
Nibley, Utah
April, 1988
Clint Yonk was a classmate in High School. We both
graduated in 1987 from Mountain Crest High. He workd for Bourns
during the afternoons. He enjoys going to late night shows.
He's from an active LOS family, and he loves the outdoors.
Contextual Data:
We were sitting in a movie theatre going to watch the Mid­night
movie. I asked Clint to tell me the story about when he and
a few others went up to the nunnery. I had heard the story
before in a Sunday School Class after it happened. I was just
interested in if it had changed any since then.
Text:
A couple of friends told me this story. They went up to the
nunnery located in Logan Canyon during the summer last year. It's
said that if you go into the surrounding area, a ghost will chase
you out. A whole group went up to find out if this was true or
not. Two of the guys were the only ones that had decided to go.
They were running back to the car and the car wouldn't start up
than all of a sudden it started. Everyone was screaming, "Let's
go!" As they were driving away they felt a bump on the back of
the car. The next morning there was a big long scratch that
looked like something had been dragging on to the car. They
swore to never do that again.
Sherry Anderson
Nibley, Utah 84321
USU
Folklore
Spring 1988
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Local Legend
"Killer Nuns"
Informant Data:
Sally Drollinger
Richmond, Ut
April 3, 1988
Sally Drollinger is twenty-four years old. She was
born in California but moved to Richmond when she was small.
There she attended grade school through high school. She
is single and lives with three of the good friends she grew
up with. Sally came from a family of eight children. When
they were young, their father would tell them stories. From
this experience, Sally learned to love listening to and
telling stories.
Contextual Information:
Sally heard this story when she was in junior high.
She and her friends were at a slumber party where ghost
stories were being told. This was her favorite scary story
about the nunnery in Logan canyon.
Text:
There was this nunnery up Logan canyon. Nuns use to go
there for religious schooling. Then it was closed because
of not enough money to keep it in shape. So, the nuns were
divided up among other convents. There was this one convent
that wasn't too far away. Somehow the nuns that went there
were getting pregnant. These nuns were sent back to the L
Logan nunnery to have their babies. After they had them,
the nuns would throw them into the swimming pool to kill
them. Now when you go up there at night you can hear the
babies crying out.
Valerie Drollinger
Logan, Ut
Spartanburg, SC
Utah State
History 124
Spring 1988
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Local Legend
"Cry of Babies"
Informant Data:
George May
Richmond, Ut
April 5, 1988
George May is twenty-three years old. She was born and
raised in Richmond, Ut. She received all of her schooling
there. She is single and lives with Sally and two other
girls she grew up with. She has two younger sisters, one of
which still loves to sit around and tell ghost stories at
night.
Contextual Information:
George is the girl at the slumber party Sally went to
who told the story about the nunnery in Logan. She learned
about the nunnery when she and some of her friends wanted to
go camping over night in the canyon. Her father told this
story to her.
Text:
Up Logan canyon there was this nunnery. Everyone knew
it wasn't a normal nunnery because the nuns that went there
were pregnant. Yet, when they left, the nuns didn't have a
baby with them. There were all kinds of speculation about
what happened to the babies. Most of the people figured
that the nuns threw their babies over the cliffs because
they could hear the cries of the babies as they were falling
You can still hear them if you go up there at night.
Valerie Drollinger
Logan, Ut
Spartanburg, SC
Utah State Univ.
History 124
Spring 1988
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Local Legend
"Dead Babies"
Informant Data:
Gordon May
Richmond, Ut
April 7, 1988
Gordon May is fifty years old. He was born in Smith­field
and moved to Richmond after he was married. He has
been married for twenty-five years and has three daughters.
Gordon works at USU in the engineering dept. He enjoys his
work and is a good mechanic.
Contextual Information:
Gordon May heard this story about the nunnery from a
man he worked with. One day everyone was talking about
things that Logan was kind od historical for and this came
up. He told this story to his daughter to scare her from
going camping instead of saying "NO" again.
Text:
There's this nunnery up Logan canyon. It was a kind of
hideout for pregnant nuns. They would stay there until they
had their babies. After these babies were born, the nuns
would take them and kill them. They did this by throwing
them over the cliffs or down in hidden tunnels. These babes
still cry out at night and their spirits seek revenge on
anyone that goes to the nunnery.
Valerie Drollinger
Logan, UT
Spartanburg, SC
Utah State Univ.
History 124
Spring 1988
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Legend
Saint Ann"s Retreat
InfDFrnant:
Date of Bi r-th:
Place Gf Bir-t.ti~
Ethni c Ances t t-:l i
Education:
Occupation:
Hubbies:
Church Membership:
CiHlt-Cf. Activity:
i1ark LeBar-on
08/05/68
Logarl; Utah
Logan J' tJ"Lah
4/-12/-1987
European(German. Swedish. French, English)
Public high school education
Student (Utah State university)
Music. Sports & Athletics
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Very Active
***************************************************************
The following legend is one of those stories that one often
hears, but can't remember from whom or where he heard it first.
I do know that there are several versions of this story.
below is the one I have hear tne most. The story concerns an old
local nunnet-y Dr retreat for catholic nuns known as Saint
complex is now used for youth summer camps
Ann*s
and
*****************************************************************
to the stOFy I heard. a young nun named Hekida,
who is residing in the retreat. becomes pregnant (nobody ever
says by who). Hekida is hated by the other nuns because of the
shame she has brought upon her office. When the child is born,
Hekida throws the child off a cliff and kills herself in the same
irIan}l!? t- ~
dirlnlft
Hekida had tnese pet hounds and the nuns
-= ___ t'
know what to do with them so they chopped dff the LV::/"
The story also says that there is a crude cross marking
the child"s grave and that the spirits of Hekida and her
haunt the grounds between midnight and one o' ciock a.m.
dogs
t1ar-k LeBat-on
Hist -124
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GENRE: LEGEND
TITLE: ST. ANN'S RETREAT
Jamie Smi th
Kamas, Utah 84036
CONTEXT:
Jamie Smith
Logan, Utah
4-22-87
We were sitting around telling ghost stories. Jamie told us
about something that happened to her friends up Logan canyon. It
was at a place called St. Ann's Retreat. The following story is
written in the manner in which it was told.
STORY:
The legend says that one of the nuns who lived there became
pregnant. Well, the other nuns let her have the baby but made her
drown it once it was born. As a result of the baby been drowned,
the mother went batty and killed herself. After all of this
stuff happened, they closed the nunnery but her ghost still
remains.
This happened to some friends of mine, James
These guys went up up there to set up this deal.
to take these girls and get them scared. So they
all these rocks so when someone tripped the wire,
and Roger.
They were going
went up and set
all of these
rocks would come flying down. They went into the convent and set
things up in it.
Later that night, they brought the girls up. Someone tripped
on the wire but instead of little rocks falling, a big huge
boulder came rolling down. Well, this really scared them so they
decided to go check things in the convent. They went into the
convent and the door slammed behind them and locked. They had to
bust the boards off of a window to get out of there. After all of
this happened, they just picked up and left.
The next day, after everything had happened up a St. Ann's,
they decided to go back in daylight. The rope that had been set
up was cut and all the little rocks had been moved aside. They
couldn't see how the boulder was moved: it hadn't been there the
day before. All they know is that boulder rolled down at them.
Well one night, they were going to take us up there. One of the
guys swore he would never go up there again. He is all buff about
it--a jock you know-- but it scared him shitless.
MY NAME:
Debbie Jenkins
S.L.C. Utah 84121
Utah State University
/ (
( History 124
Spring 1987
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Legend
Saint Anne's Retreat
Informant Data:
Kris Harris
Logan Utah
October 1981
Kris Harris,21, was born in Logan Utah, but moved to Newport Beach
California when she was seventeen. Her religious background is Mormon,
but she is not a practicing Mormon. Kris is single and attends Orange
Coast College where she is studying commercial art. At the time she
told me this legend, she was really into sppoky stories, and loved to
tell them at parties and social gatherings. Kris has a talent for telling
stories or jokes at the best possible times.
Contextual Data:
When Kris told me this legend, we were up the canyon drinking beers with
about 5 other people. There were no boys with us because once a week it
would be the "girls iiight out." As we were drinking, we started telling
scary stories or scary experiences we had or had heard. When it was
Kris's turn to tell a story, she asked if any of us had heard about Saint
Anne. None 0tlhad heard the legend, so she said she would drive us to
the place where the legend actually happened. We went to a Eatholic
retreat about 3 miles up Logan canyon. There is a swimming pool in the
back and ~ris made us sit on the diving board while she told her story.
We were pretty scared by now, since it was dark out and the old buildings
were really creepy. Kris told us that her Aunt's friend wen to the Retreat
1 year after Saint Anne, and Catholic priests had to
there were evil spirits there. Kris's mom told her tnt;...--±-c~
wouldn't go up there to drink and mess around.
After she told us the legend, we were so scared that we coul~~move
off:.the diving board. Finally we ran back to the car and locked all the
doors and drove back to Logan. I have never been up there again, and
I doubt any of the others have either.
Item:
About 3 miles up Logan Canyon there is an old, abandoned Catholic Nunnery
which locals call Saint Anne's Retreat. Saint Anne was a nun living at the
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Retreat for the summer, when she mysteriously became pregnant. She didn't
tell anyone she was pregnant, but one of the sisters found out and asked
Saint Anne how she became pregnant. Since Saint Anne was a virgin, the
other sister assumed it was a child of the devil, and God was punishing
Saint Anne by making her pregnant. The other sister sooned moved to another
Retreat, leaving Saint Anne and her secret pregnancy unknown. One night
in August, Saint Anne had her baby, She took it and wrapped it in sheets and
threw it into the swimming pool. When the other sisters found the baby, it
was dead and Saint Anne was gone. Now, if you go to the ~etreat in August,
you can hear a baby crying. If you call for Saint Anne(usually three times)
she will come down from the mountains looking for her child. Sometimes
you can see her looking around the swimming pool, a ghostly shape wearing
a habit, calling for her poor little child.
Meridith Sorensen
Logan, Ut 84321
Logan, Ut 84321
Utah State University
History 124
Spring 1987
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Supernatural Local Legend
"Wi tch Heckata"
-\
I nforment Date:
Myself
Logan, Utah
Winter 1990
I have llved in Logan, Utah most of my 11fe. I attended Logan High
School. I am a freshman at USU.
Contextual Information:
I heard this Legend in a class while attending High school. I was
in a psychology class; we were studying a unit on parapsychology.
Students were telling stories that they had heard from friends, relatives,
and from scouting camps that deal with the supernatural.
Text:
Near Saint Anne's retreat up in Logan Canyon there is a small
canyon. It is sai d if you go to thi s canyon around mi dni ght, wi th the moon
full in the night sky, and you call the name Heckata three times she will
appear. She is to come in a hooded black robe that whips in the wind. She
comes toward you 1 aug hi ng. She floats above the ground. I n her hands she
hold the hounds of hell. They are two large black dogs with eyes that glow
red w1th the flames of hell. She is angry at those who enter her canyon
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and di sturb her rest. She chases those who enter her canyon away.
Nathan N1 ederhauser
Logan, Utah
USU
Engli sh/Hi story 124
Winter 1990
lONf
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( Legend
Statue at St. Anne's Retreat
Informant Data:
Nancy Lloyd
Young Ward, Ut.
Nov. 2 , 1988
Nancy Lloyd was born in Logan, Utah and has lived here all her life except
two years in Idaho and 18 mont~in Ecuador, + a year in Provo at school.
She is a senior at U. S. U. majoring in English.
Context Data:
This story was usually told to her in situations like slumber parties,
walking home from late mutual activities and at girls camp .
Item:
At St. Anne's Retreat for nuns, in Logan Canyon, there is a very strange
statue. If touched at the right moment, 12:00 midnight, it will be warm,
as if it were alive.
Matthew Lloyd, 18
Young Ward, Ut. 84339
Utah State University
English 124
Fall 1988
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Local Legend
"Heckada"
Informant Data:
Rex Womack
Nibley, Utah
July 1980
Rex Womack is three years older than myself He lived in my LDS ward while I was growing up.
He was really a cool dude. He would hang out with us younger boys and bring us up to date on
what's hot and what's not. He was somebody that we all looked up to. He always had something
to say.
Contextual Data:
( We were at a camp out for our scout group and Rex was one of the junior leaders. We were up
Logan Canyon camping at the Girl Scout Camp up Right Hand Fork. We were in the little cabin
in our sleeping bags, just talking. Everyone was trying to scare each other with stories. Rex
succeeded.
Text:
About 40-50 years ago the winter came really early. So early that the deer hunt in October had 2-
3 feet of snow. Back during the 1930's, hunting deer was very popular because of the meat.
People would kill a deer and store the meat for use in the winter months. This one man went out
to get his winter meat for his family. He headed up towards Spring Hollow by Third Dam up
Logan Canyon. He went up early in the morning as most hunters do. He was expected back
around 3:00 or 4:00 at the latest. He was known to be a great hunter and always shot a deer early
and was home by 3 :00 p.m. On this snowy hunting day he didn't make it home. His wife went up
to look for him that night but no body was found. She went back into Logan to get help, but
nobody would go out in the blizzard. She refused to leave her mate up in the snowy mountains so
she went home and got her dogs. She took them up the canyon with her to Spring Hollow and
was never seen again, nor was her husband. If you go to third dam and look up into Spring
Hollow on a full moon and yell Heckada, Heckada, Heckada, you will hear her dogs barking, still
in search for her lost husband.
(
(
I'
Rod Leishman
Logan, Utah
USU
History 124
Summer 1995]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 12190210 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1960-1969; 1970-1979; 1980-1989; 1990-1999; 20th century; 2000-2001; 2000-2009; 2010-2019; 21st century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> Tammy Durtschi
Utah State University
Fife Folklore Archives
Logan, Utah
Honors 336
Instructor: Wilson
Winter 1981
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LEGENDS OF LOGAN CANYON
Tannny Durtschi
Logan, Utah 84321
Utah State University
Mormon Folklore
Honors 336
Winter Quarter, 1981
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cover Essay ......................................... o •••••••••• ii
Autobiographical Sketch •..•....•....•.••.•...••.••••..•...••••.• v
List of Informants ............................................. vi
Witch Hecida
Title Informant Item
How Witch Hecida Came Into Being ..• Lutz .•• ltem #l •..• Page # 1
Witch Hecida •.........•.•.....••.• Siler •.. Item #2 ••.• Page # 2
Witch Hecida ..•..................• Gates .•. Item 11=3 .... Page # 3
Personal Experience with Hecida .•.• Lutz .•• ltem #4 •... Page # 4
Saint Anne's Retreat
-Ti-tl-e Informant Item
St. Anne's Retreat .•••..•....•....• Lutz .•• ltem # 5 ... Page
St. Anne's Retreat .•.•....•..••... Siler .•• Item 11= 6 .•• Page
St. Anne's Retreat ••.•..•.•......• Hugie ... Item 11= 7 ••• Page
St. Anne's Retreat •.•..•.•......•• Gates •.. ltem # 8 ... Page
Personal Experience at St. Anne's.Hugie ••• ltem # 9 .•. Page
The "Real" Story of St. Anne's ..... Lutz ••• Item 11=10 ••• Page
Miscellaneous Legends <"
-Ti-tl-e
# 6
# 8
11= 9
11=10
11=11
#14
A fresence in Logan Canyon .•.•..•• Siler .•• ltem #ll ••• Page #15
The Man of Logan Canyon ••.......••. Ward •.• ltem #12 ••. Page #16
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COVER ESSAY
This has been an intriguing project to undertake. People's
reaction when asked to be interviewed varied from one extreme
to another. The great diversity in the version of the story from
one person to the next was remarkable. In the following essay
I will attempt to explain these statements as well as make some
additional assertions.
The topic I chose for my paper is the Ledgends of Logan Canyon.
I concentrate most on Saint Anne's Retreat and Witch Hecida.
Items 11 and 12 are just miscellaneous stories about Logan Canyon
that I chose to include because I wanted to illustrate that
there are many, many other ledgends about Logan Canyon other than
the two main stories of St. Anne's and Witch Hecida.
St. Anne's is located about five miles up Logan Canyon.
There are many people who are sure that they know the "real"
story about what happened there, but they all disagree about it.
One of the "real" stories that I heard indicated that nuns were
never at St. Anne's Retreat. (Item 1fl0) Another "real" story
said that a family built ~he retreat, but then they decided to
donate it to Utah State University. The University was too slow
in accepting it so the family decided to donate it to the
Catholic church.
I was only able to obtain a very limited amount of facts
about St. Anne's. It was built sometime during the 1930's and it
eventually burned down. The ledgends are built around the demise
of the retreat. The stories range from a hermit coming down out
of the hills and killing all of the nuns to a story where it is
actually the Mother Superior who does the killing. There is alot
of diversity in who was really killed. One story states that
all of the nuns got killed, whereas another story tells of
babies that belonged to the nuns were drown in the swimming
pool.
The most detailed description of St. Anne's is found in
Item #9. All that is now left of the original retreat is a
swimming pool and the cement foundation of the original building.
ii
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The only logical reason that I can come up with as to why
all of these stories began circulating is because up until
the 1930's there were virtually no other churches in Logan.
besides the Mormon church. When the Catholic church began
prospering in the valley the Mormons resented it. When St. Anne's
actually did burn the locals probably seized upon this as a chance
to exploit the Catholic church and point out that this would
never have happened if the Catholics were not wicked.
Once it was a generally accepted fact that something Rad been
going on at St. Anne's that shouldn't have been going on, the
stories probably had free rein of the imagination. Stories
began circulating that one of the nuns had gone crazy and killed
her sister nuns. Other stories say that a 15 year old girl that
the nuns had been taking care of had killed the nuns.
There are two details that are included in most versions
of the St. Anne's story. One detail is that there are generally
dogs somewhere in the story. No one seems to know where the
dogs came from, but they are there all the same. In most of the
stories the do.gs play the part of being a guardian over the
retreat.
The second detail is the ~wimming pool. The swimming pool
is always used as a means by which someone is murdered. Someone
is thrown in the pool by someone else and drown. The swimming
pool is still there today and is the factor that convinces alot
of people of the validity of these stories.
Witch Hecida stories offer even a greater variation between
versions than doe ,; the St. Anne's stories. In each story Witch
Hecida is in an entirely different location.
up at Third Dam in Logan Canyon. (Item #1).
One story puts her
Another ledgend
says that Witch Hecida resides in a cave in Logan Canyon. (Item #20
Still another story says that Witch Hecida comes down at Spring
Hollow in the form of fog. (Item #3). But the most amazing
story is that Witch Hecida came from St. Anne's Retreat. She
was supposedly the Mother Superior that murdered all of the babies,
and her original name was Saint Hecida •
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Some of the people I talked with were anxious to share
their stories with me. A couple of people I talked to told me
that they knew the stories of St. Anne's and Witch Hecida, but
they refused when I told them that their stories were going to
be included in the Archives. Generally once people started
talking and began telling me their stories they loosened up and
would tell me anything I wanted to know.
I recorded my interviews with my informants and then I
typed them up exact~y as they were told. I would ask my informants
questions to help draw similarities between the different versions.
Theyonly editing of their original versdions was by eliminating
repeated segments of their tales and dropping the unnecessary lIand ll s i
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AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
I was born in Logan, Utah and I have lived here in Cache
V~lley all of my life. I attended Sky View High School and Lam
now a Freshman at Utah State University.
My father is an Economics professor here at USU.
a housewife and has dedicated her life to her family.
My mother is
My parents
are the best anyone could ever ask for. I am the sixth out of
seven children in our family . We have very strong family ties.
I wouldn't trade my family experiences for anything.
The reason I chose to do my paper on the legends of Logan
Canyon is because I have lived here my entire life and I h.have
heard these stories ever since I can remember. I was interested
to see what other people thought of these stories and I was
interested in collecting different versions of the same story.
I am fascinated by people, and I enjoy doing projects that
allow me to gain a better understanding of people and why they
function like they do. This paper has given me an opportunity
to get some insights that I otherwise would never have been able
to gain.
My hobbies include reading, being with and observing people,
and sports. I could watch professional football forever! I also
like participating in almost all sports.
v
• Gates, Larry.
Hugie, Bryon
Lutz, Chris
• Siler, Jon
Ward, Bruce
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LIST OF INFORMANTS
Larry was raised in Logan and attended Logan High.
He is presently a Senior at Utah State University
and is majoring in Pre-Med. He is the presently
the president of the Honors Program at U.S.U.
He has served an LDS mission. He contributed
items 3 and 8 in this paper.
Bryon is a Freshman at Utah State University. He
was born in Logan and was raised in College Ward,
Utah. He is currently waiting for his mission call.
Bryon does not play with ouija boards since his
experiences at St. Anne's. He took those events
seriously and will have nothing to do with ouija
boards or St. Anne's Retreat now. He contributed
items 7 and 9.
Chris was the most anxious to tell her stories of
the people I interviewed. She is a Freshman at
Utah State University. She is a non-mormon, but
is ver~ knowledgable about our culture. She
was by far the most cofrorful story teller I talked
to. Items 1,4,5 and 10 belong to her.
Jon is a Pre-Med major at Utah State University.
He has lived in Cache Valley allt of his life.
He is preparing for an LDS mission and will leave
in June of this year. He enjoys skiing and playing
racquetball. He contributed items 2,6and 11.
Bruce was raised in southeastern Idaho. He was
active in the Boy Scout program in Cache Valley.
He served a mission in Alabama. He is currentJy
a student at Utah State University studying Biology.
His hobbies include snow skiing and reading. He
contributed items number 12.
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Chris Lutz
"How Witch Hecida Came Into Being"
February, 1981
USU Campus
Item iH
Chris told me this story when I asked her if she knew anything
about Witch Hecida. Chris honestly believes that there is such
a person as Witch Hecida. Her personal experience with Hecida
is recounted in a later item.
There was a camping excersion. She (Witch Hecida) was just
a young girl and they all went up the canyon partying that night.
up at Third Dam in Logan Canyon. They were all partying around
and evidently one of the guys got rough and they took advantage
of her and she was really upsec and really mad. She went after
them and they were all drunk and laughing at her and she said,
"don't do that" and she tried to fight them off, but they jumped
her. She felt really bad, and they were all still so drunk and
afterwards she was just kinda mad at them. She went after them
with a club and they were all laughing and they pushed her into
the water. She was drunk in the place and she drown, a young
girl drown. The guys didn't know what to do. If they went back
to town and were asked how she drown, well, what could they say?
So she died there and thats how come she is in the water
and she comes across like a ball. They call her a witch because
anybody caught drinking or messing around up at Third Dam s~e
will come and get.
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Jon Siler
"Witch Hecida"
February, 1981
USU Campus
Item in
Jon didn't know the people that actually had this experience. He
heard this story from some of his friends when they were driving
up Logan Canyon one night.
This was told to me by a friend. It didn't happen to him,
but he heard it from somebody else who heard it from somebody els~.
Witch Hecida is suppose to be in Logan Canyon. She is suppose
to have seven white mice and seven dogs. These guys were going
through the cave one time and they smelled something and then they
started to hear dogs barking and they thought that was really
strange to hear dogs barking and they thought maybe a dog went in
there and got caught or something. They kept going in there and
they came to a big pit. They looked down there and sawall these
mice and it ended up that there was seven mice and then they
saw some dogs After they saw the dogs they left because they start­ed
getting really scared because they knew about Witch Hecida.
They left and never went back.
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Larry Gates
"Witch Hecida"
February, 1981
UEU Campus
Item if3
Larry couldn't remember the story very well. It had been a long
time since he had heard it. The following is the story of Witch
Hecida that he recall hearing from some of his friends in high
school. He said that his friends didn't actually believe in
~~ci~a, it was just a good story to tell •
. -. l . -u
All I know is that a friend of mine, Steve Peterson, who
is now in the Theatre Department used to go up there and do a
little routine. I'm not even sure what it was, I was never with
them. They would go up and call down Hecida in Spring Hollow
and do a little chant and they had a little ritual they would do.
Then the fog was suppose to come down, rolling down the mountain.
You could see this blanket of white fog. It would move down
through the trees toward the hollow. As far as I know they didn't
ever stay around there to see what happened when the fog got down.
I was never there when they did it.
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,e
February ~ 1981
USU Ca!llpus
Chris Lutz Item #4
"PersonaUExperience with Witch Hecida"
Chris swears to this day that she saw Witch Hecida. She refuses
to go up the canyon any more and tell ghose stories. She claims
to have only been up the canyon once since her experience with
Hecida.
This is my Witch Hecida story~ this honestly happened to me.
I'm really scared about things like that and they always told
me that if you go up on Third Dam bridge in Logan Canyon and you
stand there at midnight~ turn around three times and saY'tlWithh
Hecida~ Witch Hecida~ Witch Hecida" and look over the water she
will come to you.
She'll come to you in a little golden ball~ like the good
fairy. She comes across the water in this little golden ball
and she comes to you and stands on the bridge.
I figured it all out because it scared me. But it was
nothing~ we all knew these stories. So one night~ me and my
girlfriend--I guess we were juniors--were going out on a double
date with these two guys and one guy had his brother's new 240Z.
We went to Smithfield and we went to see the Love Bug. After­wards
we were driving into town and we said "Let's go driving up
the canyon and tell ghost stories".
So we drove up the canyon and my friend was telling us about
if you stand on the bridge and turn around three times Witch
Hecida will come to you. We turned to gon onto the bridge and I
said, "I'm scared, you guys, I just have this awful feeling"--it
scared me real bad. So we went to tu~n the car around and we
went to flip a "u" and thats a pretty big place up there, but
the car would only go half way so we were wedged between the
bridge and the road and it was just like in the Love Bug--this
sounds really stupid--I ~; said, "Oh my gosh we are going to . • . "
in the Love Bug we had just saw an hour earlier he went to flip a
"u" and he didn't quite make it and he turned into the hill and
the hill fell down on him. I said, "the hill is going to fall
down on us". We all started screaming and we hurried and backed
up and flipped around and started driving out of there as fast
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as we could. We were hauling "A", going 90 miles, no kidding. I
lobked over at the speedometer. I said, "slow down, slow down,
there is a car in front of us". It was an old beat up Falcon job.
I said, "Oh my gosh, it's Witch Hecida". The two in the back
were screamJng and laughing, kinda joking. I lOOked forward and there
in the car it looked like her hair was just glowing. It looked
like an old lady with one of those puffy hairdos. It was just
kind oa like hazy-blue, like it radiated from her head.
I said,"It's Witch Hecida, I know it, she knows that we are
here". So we started slowing down and she started slowing down.
There was just one person in the car. We were going 20 miles
and hour. 20. After going 80. So we started slowing down and it::
(her hair) seemed to grow more brilliant, just like cotton candy,
kind of fluffy and mysterious and I was just freaking out.
So we slowed down and we thought that we would just let her
go into town. She slowed down too. We were creeping along 20
miles an:~ hour. When we hit first dam we were going 5. She was
going 5 and we were going 5 miles an hour. I said, "hit it!" and
Vrooooooom •... we went right around her. We hightailed it up that
hill. She started racing us! I said, "she is trying to catch us,
she is trying to catch us." We hauled "A" into town. We were go­ing
90 down Fourth North. We ran a red light at Fourth DNorth
cause we were so scared. She was right behind us, On Main Street
we turned left and we went into that gas station and we turned
around to watch, she was right behind us on that block, but she
never came down to Main Street. We sat there and we just shook
and shook and I said, "why didn't she come after us?" They told
me that she can't come out of the canyon. Fourth North is still
considered part of the canyon because of the slope. She cant turn
onto Main Street. She just disappeared.
To this day I swear that was Witch Hecida. I've never gone
up the canyon and told ghost stories since. I won't. I believe
in it •
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Chris Lutz
"Saint Anne's Retreat"
February, 1981
USU Campus
Item 115
Chris heard this story at her Senior class party that was held
at St Anne's Retreat which is located up Logan Canyon. She doesn't
believe this story, but she was anxious to tell it to me.
St. Anne's used to be a retreat for nuns. In the Catholic
church they believe in taking care of their welfare program.
There was this one girl who was living up there because
evidently she didn't have any parenti. The nuns were taking care
of her while an adoption was goin~ through. She was about four-teen
or fifteen years of age. ',.' ~ ';
She was a gorgeous girl, but ·she had a few mental problems
because she thought no one wanted her. She was living up there
because she was so old and no one had adopted her.
While she was living up there with the nuns she really took
good care of herself. She had this long beautiful hair and every­one
told her how beautiful they thought she was. They would tell
her not to worry and that someone would want someone·'as beautiful
as her.
She goes out on this date one night and she is traveling
through the canyon and they wreck and her face went through :. the
windshield. He died, he got thrown out of the car when the car
started to roll. Her face went through the windshield. It
severed all her hair off. She was lucky to make it. She broke
her arm. Her other arm went through the windshield with her and
it got cut off. And they found her there. She was about half
crazy because she couldn't get out of the windshield. She was
stuck, just like that. He was dead and she was just hysterical
and half crazy when they found her, but she did survive. They
had to shave off all her hair because of the head lacerations.
They had to sew up her scalp again. She had a hook arm because
all the nerves in her ar~were so badly damaged that they couldn't
put it back on.
She was having a lot of trouble adjusting. They took her
back up to the convent and told her not to worry. All of the nuns
were sweet to her, but she was never the same. She would have
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fits and tremors.
On the first anniversary of the accident was the ending of
St. Anne's. They went up there the next day and every single nun
had been hacked to death with a hooken arm and that girl was gone.
They never found her. That's when they closed St. Anne's.
If you go there at midnight you can see her face looking
into the swimming pool looking at her hair gone because that is
what triggered it off. It was her anniversary, her hair was gone,
and she wasn't the same. She was out walking in the moonlight
and looked in the pool and saw her reflection of her with her long
hair. She was all nice and normal. Then it turned midnight when
it happened and she looked back and she was standing there saying,
"oh ye s, someone wi 11 want me, I'm so great. II
Then it turned midnight and she saw herself as she really was,
all scarred and deformed. Her hair was short and hacked off. And
her arms .•. 0 She went crazy and turned around and ran into the
house and slashed everybody up.
They found hook marks in the door where she tried to claw in.
She broke her way in and killed them and cut off al1 their hair.
Then she ran away in to the hills. They say that if you go back
there at midnight and look into the pool she will appear to you.
7
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Jon Siler
" Saint Anne~ s Retreat"
Fe bruary, 1981
USU Campus
Item ~f~
Jon first heard this story while he was driving up Logan Canyon
on his way to Saint Anne's with some friends. He doesrrt personally
believe this story, but he admits that it did make for a frighten­ing
experience at St. Anne's.
I heard that St. Anne's was at first built and owned by the Catholic
church. They would send nuns up there. First I heard that it was
a place where they would send nuns that got pregnant. I heard
that there was this guy that lived up there in the hills that was
a hermit. He would come down and really hassle all the Catholics
there. He would tell them to leave and they never would. So
he started getting physical and violent. It ended up that he
came down and killed these nuns. He killed all the nuns in
different places. There's a shack down lower and one got
hatched there. One got drown in the ~wimming pool.
I have also heard that one nun got pregnant and went and drown
herself in the swimming pool. People have told me that they have
gone up there and they had been walking up the road and there was
a noose hanging from a tree that was swinging back and forth.
They have also sworn to have seen dogs up there.
8
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Bryon Hugie
"Saint Anne's Retreat"
February, 1981
USU Campus
Item #7
Bryon first heard this story from his grandmother. He doesn't
know where she heard it from. He has heard this story more than
once and from different people so he figures there is a good chance
some of it is true.
It (St. Anne's) used to be an old nunnery. It was a sin
for the nuns to have kids. Well there was a camp up there and
there was a couple of nuns that did have kids. The mother nun,
I don't know what they call them, found out about the babies so
she stole the kids one night and threw them in the swimming pool
and drown them.
There is a big swimming pool up there and a bunch of old
buildings. The main nunnery where they used to hold their meetings
burned down and all there is is an old building place. The cement
foundation is still there and that is about all.
She threw the babies in the pool and they drown and that same
night the whola place burned down. It all happened in one day and
one night. From what I hear, the nuns aren't permitted up there
any more. They aren't suppose to go up there and they closed it
all down. I don't know if they (the nuns) all left of if they are
still here in the valley.
The original name of that mother nun was Saint Hecida.
There is suppose to be some dogs sitting there watching the place
for Witch Hecida. When ever you go up there you are suppose to
be able to hear their chains or hear them bark.
9
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Larry Gates
"Saint Anne's Retreat"
February, 1981
USU Campus
Item #8
Larry wasn't too sure on the details, but the main ideas are
included in the story. .He heard the story from some of his
friends quite a few years ago.
It's just a typical maniac nun story. The nun with the
hook, she lost one hand. There were two kids up the canyon
going at it in the back of the car. They heard something
russtling in the bushes. They got real nervous and drove home.
When they got home there was a hook hanging in the door handle.
(The person with the hook was suppose to be a nun from St. Anne's)
10
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Bryon Hugie
February, 1981
USU Campus
'Item 119
"Personal Experience with Saint Anne's Retreat"
At first Bryon was a little reluctant to talk about this after
I told him it would be typed up and recorded in the Archives.
Once I got him talking though, he told me everything I wanted to
know.
It all started one night up Logan Canyon. Me and a bunch
of my friends had a big brain storm idea. We would cruise up to
St. Anne's and have a little fun. We had heard a bunch about the
place so we decided to go up and check it out by ourselves.
There was me and three other guys the very first time we
went up there. We got up there and it was pretty quiet and there
was a full moon. We got up there and we started walking up in there.
We thought we heard a bunch of stuff •••
We got up there and we went into the swimming pool. (there
is no water in the pool now.) My friends like playing with ouija
boards. I thought this was going to be super that we would be
playing with a ouija board at the bottom of the swimming pool.
We didn't have one with us that night so we figured that we
would bring one up next time we came.
We looked through all the old buildings and that was pretty
scary. We saw a lot of mounds of dirt with crosses on top of them
with weeds over the crosses. It was pretty weird because they
were allover. They were around the houses, and they were on the
side hills.
We looked around a little bit longer but we didn't stay too
long.
The next night we got a bunch more of people. I think
there was about six, seven of us, maybe eight of us up there.
We took a ouija board and we got up there and played with it at
the bottom of the swimming pool. It was a full moon again. The
board was working super. I swear that I heard dogs chains that
night and so do my buddies. It was weird the way it happened.
We told everybody about it. The next night we went up there
with quite a few more friends. We took a couple car loads up.
When we got up there nobody dared to go in there. There was a
weird feeling there. There is a bridge there before you go in
and it is all locked up. The whole place is chained up and nobody
wanted to go in. 11
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•
I finally told them that I would go in if somebody would
come with me. So me and two other guys went in there and we got
way back in there and there was some people up in there.
It is summer homes up in there now. We knocked on their door,
but nobody answered. So we left.
We went and rumaged through a bunch of old junk that is under­neath
the cabins and looked through it and found a bunch of old
beds and dressers and junk like that.
My mom and a few people that I have asked about the place
don't really care for us to go up there. For a while we were
going up about every night. It was for about three weeks straight.
It was a big thing. We'd take everybody up there and show them
around and show them the things that we had found.
St. Anne's is a weird place. We went up there some nights
and there was no way we could find it. It's in a corner. It's
just off the side of the road and it has a bunch of trees around
the road. It'~ all grown in the there is an old bridge that is chain­ed
up and there is no way you could break that chain.
St. Anne's is pretty neat looking. There is a bridge and
then there is an upper road or a lower road you can go on. It
forks off and right in the center of that fork is where the
swimming pool sits. It sits up on a great big high mound of
grass. It's got a diving board off of it. After that the
right road dies and the left one goes up a canyon. The nuns used
to go up this canyon to do their meditating and being with the
Lord.
It's got a big gate going across the bridge. Some nights we
have gone up there and we have combed that canyon. It's down
from the Girl's Camp and we have combed the right side of the
road fifty times and there was no way we could find that road. We
have all but walked up and down there. We've gone about 5 miles
an hour in the car and there is no way we have been able to find
it. But on some nights we've been able to drive right to it.
I remember one special night. We all jumped in the car and
went way off the side of the road just as slow as we could, but
12
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•
we thought we might have missed it so we went up and down that
road about 10 times and we never did find it. There was a bunch
of us looking, so it's not just a matter of one of us missing it.
There was just no way it was there •
•
•
•
Chris Lutz
February, 1981
USU Campus
Item iHO
"The 'Real' Story of Saint Anne's Retreat"
Chris told me that the following story is the real story of St.
Anne's Retreat. I have no reason to believe that this is not
the real story, but on the other hand, I have no proof to back
this story up. She did not tell me where she heard this story.
There is a Catholic church on Fraternity Row. Some people owned
this church--it was their house. They were Catholic and they
wanted to hold masses and there was no other churches except the
Mormon church. So the Catholics built on that chapel part of it.
They named it Saint John's, because they always name everything
after saints.
~Ci,e!:1 Then it started becoming big and lots of Catholic families
started moving in so they converted their whole house into a
church. You know, with a place for the Father to sleep. And
then they built St. Anne's for themselves as a home.
And it was a home, it was not a retreat for nuns. Nuns were never
there. It has a swimming pool up there. It's a really nice plaee
with a family room and a kitchen and bedrooms and a little deck to
overlook the swimming pool. It's just a house .
--------------------------- ------------
•
•
•
Jon Siler
"A Presence in Logan Canyon"
February, 1981
USU Campus
Item tfoll
This story happened to the brother of one of Jon's friends. He
believes it to be true because it happened to someone he knew
that swears that it actually happened. Jon said this experience
was instrumental in the reason the boy involved in the story
served a mission.
The person this story happened to is the brother of a friend
of mine. He was a pretty rowdy guy.[,:,He was driving through
Logan Canyon by himself one night and all of a sudden he felt
a type of presence or something and so he looked in his rear
view mirror. In the back seat there was two red eyes looking
at him. He drove through the canyon because he didn't know what
would happened if he stopped.
Then all of a sudden somebody started rattling in his 8-track
tapes in the back seat. Then some tapes started flipping around
in the back of his car. He kept driving all the way home and nothing
ever really happened, but he kept looking in the rear view mirror
and those red eyes were right there all the way down the canyon.
When he got home after that he straightened up and went on a
mission.
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•
•
•
Bruce Ward
"The Man of Logan Canyonll
February, 1981
USU Campus
Item 1112
Bruce heard this story while he was at a scout camp. He doesn't
believe the story himself, but he thinks that some of the people
at the camp did.
The story is about a guy who is suppose to live in the
Logan mountains. He worked in a mine. His foreman for some
reason ended up falling in love with this guy's wife. So the
foreman set a charge that had a delayed fuse on it. They set it
off and it didn't go off and it didn't go off so the foreman sent
Hyrum in after it ti see what was going wrong with the charge in
the mine. Just as Hyrum got in there it blew up.
They thought it had killed him and it really didn't. It just
burned one side of his face real bad. He didn't dare go home
cause he looked so awful, and it made him sick. So he just
lived in the mountains for a long time. He went back and he
killed this. foreman and no one could never figure out how he
had died.
Hyrum was suppose to have been seen by some people, but
he would always run away. No one ever got a good look at him.
Some forest ranger were up there in the mountains one day and they
say they saw this guy that was doing something, but they couldn't
figure out what it was so they got up real close and he turned
around and one side of his face was a11bblack and he had filed his
teeth pointy.
~He started coming after the forest rangers so they ran, and
they got in their truck and the story is suppose to go that
he was so strong that he ripped the door off as they drove away.
They found some old cabins up there that had human ske1tons
hanging on hooks. The story has it that he would go around and
kill people and that he would take them back up to his cabin.
16]]> Durtschi, Tammy;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 7640751 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1960-1969; 1970-1979; 1980-1989; 1990-1999; 20th century; 2000-2001; 2000-2009; 2010-2019; 21st century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> Bekka Hanson
Utah State University
Fife Folklore Archives
Logan, Utah
History 489!English 524
Instructor: Toelken
Summer 1991
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List of Informants
Stefanis 8jerregaard - Stefanis is a 20 year old Liberal Arts major from Roy, Utah. She Is a
member of the Kappa Delta sorority. and Is a fairly religious Catholic. She throws
excellent barbecues.
Shaun Federico - Shaun is 19 years old and was born and bred in Cache Valley. He is a
Theater Arts major and tends to be dramatic. He also had a twin brother named
Shane. He's just recently married to Susan Federico. Shaun works with me at the
Center for Persons with Disabilities in the AssistivB Technology Department.
Susan Federico - Susan is 35 and originally from Delta. Utah. She has lived in Logan for
several years, however. She also works with me in the Assislive Technology
Department at the CPO.
Jennifer Harding · (All names have been changed to protect the innocent.) Jennifer is a
pseudonym for a girl who wishes to remain anonymous. She Is 23 and from Corrine,
Utah. She will graduate in the fall with a sociology degree, but should have gone into
fashion design. She is also a member of the Kappa Delta sorority.
Bakka Hanson - I am a 23 year old university graduate who has lived in Logan for five years.
I grew up in Salt Lake City and Magna, Utah. My interests include performance,
research, writing, and working with people. (This is what it says on my resume.)
Julie Johnson· Julie is my roommate and a very good friend of mine. She is 22, and hails
from Drem, Utah. She is quite religious in the LOS faith. She is very musically
talented, and is getting her degree in Music Therapy. She is the middle child in a
family of seven. She has more ghost stories than anyone I've ever heard in my life.
Irving Berlin Jones· Irving is a pseudonym for someone who wishes to remain anonymous,
and after you read ·Shelly's Ghost- I think you'll understand why. This person is 21,
the oldest of seven children, and comes from a strong Mormon background. He Is very
soft spoken and down to earth. He also grew up in Cache Valley.
Joe Pitkin· Joe just turned 21 and also just graduated with a degree in English. He plays
cello and bass, and is an excellent poet. He was raised in Cache Valley, and is from
Quaker background. He's also closely related to a certain member of the English
Department faculty who shall remain nameless (Will Pitkin).
Bill Stanley· Bill is a concert pianist extrordanaire, and has played with the Utah
Symphony. He is 21 and comes from a very non-religious background. He also was
raised in Cache Valley, and is good friends with both Irving and Joe.
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Autobiographical Sketch
First of all, I hate autobiographical sketches because I don't have too much to say
about myself that isn't totally boring. If I sound kind of stupid, please forgive me. I hate to
write about myself. Here's the basics. My name is Bekka Hanson and I am a 23 year old Utah
State University Graduate. I have a B.S. in Psychoiogy, and I liked graduating so much that I
stuck around and got a second B.S. In Philosophy. I would tike to get my Maste(s Degree in
American Studies with and Emphasis on Folklore, and I would like to start on this in the fall of
1991. I was born In Salt Lake City and grew up there and in Magna, Utah. I graduated from
Cyprus High in 1986. I was a poor student. I am the youngest child, and have a brother who
Is 28.
I started out to do a paper on legend-tripping, since I was a legend-tripper, but ended
up basically doing a paper on adolescent ghost stories. I got some really interesting stuff.
My favorite story is "Shelly's Ghost, .. which begins on page 36, if you want to read it. This
paper is very long, and I didn't mean to write a book, but it physically hurt every time I cut
out a story. Some of those pages are pictures, and I also was able to obtain a pamphlet on
Gilgal, which I enclosed. (Pages 27-35.) I really enjoyed doing this paper, and I hope you
enjoy reading it. Usten to the tape if you can, because the people who tell the stories are
what make them interesting.
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Table of Conlenls
Cover Essay .......... ............................................................................................. 1
Ghost Stories From Famous People
"Eric elaplon and the Poster,· Joe Pitkin ................................................. 5
"Three Men and a Baby Ghost,- Susan Federico ......................................... 6
Weird Things From Grade School
"The Pinkie Thing; Bill Sian ley ............................................................... 7
"Bloody Mary: Julie Johnson, Bekka Hanson ............. .............................. 8
Legend-Tripping Stories
"The Logan Cemetery Weeping Woman," Bekka Hanson ... ........................... 10
"The Logan Cemetery Weeping Woman; Shaun Federico ........... ................ 12
"The Logan Cemetery Weeping Woman,"Julie Johnson .............................. 14
·The Provo Cemetery Weeping Woman,· Julie Johnson ............................ 14
"St. Ann's Retreat," Irving Berlin Jones .................................................. 15
"S1. Ann's Retreat," Shaun Federico ................................. ... ..... .............. 16
"Kaye's Cross," Stefanie Bjerregaard ............................. ......... ............... 18
"Emu's Grave," Bekka Hanson ..................................................... ............ 20
"Hobitland or Allan Park," Bekka Hanson ................................................. 22
"The Ogden Cemetery Statue," Stefanie Bjerregaard ............................... 24
"The Devil House," Julie Johnson ................................ ............................ 26
"Gilgal or the Flintstone Park," Julie Johnson, Bekka Hanson ................... 27
Real Ghosts Stories
"Shelly's Ghost," Irving Berlin Jones ......... ...... ............. ...... .................... 36
"Shane's Ghost," Shaun Federico ........................................................ ..... 38
"Allysa," Jennifer Harding ................... ..................... .............. .. .. ........... 39
Stories of the Devil
II Jay's Journal, II Julie Johnson ................ ................... ............................ 41
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-Tales of the Supernatural-
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In our American society today. we are fascinated by the supernatural. AJmost every
popular magazine has either a horoscope or a numerology section. In the July 1991 Elle
magazine, most of the issue was devoted to the occult In the form of tarot cards, runes, and
astrology. In the entertainment media, recent movies such as -Ghost- and -Flalliners· have
used supernatural themes as the basic storyline. and television programs such as ·Unsolved
Mysteries· regularly devote some time to stories that supposedly can be explained by the
paranormal. Papers like the Star and the National Enquirer thrive on such stories, and
regularly feature accounts of the supernatural, whether it be UFOs or actual ghost sightings.
Supernatural events are featured in legitimate medis, too, but usually the emphasis Is to
prove that the events in question were not supernatural in origin. There Is even a
professional psychological society that is devoted to the study of the paranormal. In my
own, very non-scientific research, I was amazed at the wealth of supernatural stories that
are being told by people of my own age group, and, specifically, by my friends. These
stories abound, and the telling of one will often trigger the telling of another In a different
individual. This is all seeminglt incongruous, since we pride ourselves on being a rational
society. People like carl~O;and other noted scientists are very public about their feelings
on the supernatural. We ~hink of ourselves as a society that has thrown away
superstition and has become -enlightened- through our advanced science and technology.
We'd like to think that only uneducated people wouk:J believe In such things. Religion has taken
a beating in this Issue, since God and all the miracles also dwell in the realm of the
supernatural. Yet, seemingly in spite of our advancements in technology and science, things
of the supernatural become more prevalent every day.
Carl Jung made a prediction at the beginning of this century that America and western
society In general would become neurotic, and this wouk:J be due, partially, to our emphasis
on technology. He could see the beginnings of it, and believed it was caused in part by the
industrial revolution. We, as a human species, need an outlet to things of the supernatural,
the spiritual, or, basically, things which cannot be known, since the supernatural Is such a
basic part of our own psyche. Religion used to be our outlet for this. Joseph Campbell
stated in -The Power of Myth- that religion is no longer doing it's job. What religion does for
us now is to teach us morals and ethics. It doesn't give us a way to get in touch with that
supernatural aspect of ourselves. We have become a very neurotic society because we have
denied ourselves an expression of the supernatural. By denying the supernatural, we deny
intrinsic characteristics of ourselves. Consequently, we as a society are terrified of the
supernatural because it is unknown, it is unprovable, and yet it is also within us. Most
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psychologists In all disciplines of the field believe that when the psyche gets too far out of
balance, It will try to compensate. This comes out oftentimes In our dreams. If this
balancing problem Is not resolved, It results In neurosis. Our whole society Is off balance
since we are so technically oriented. and supernatural stories. like dreams, are trying In
part to compensate for this.
We deny there is such a thing as -inspiration: yet individuals who work in -hard­sciences
afe often among those who are most Inspired. In hindsight, they can explain their
methods very rationally and scientifically. In "The Will to Power" Frledreich Nietzsche
warned us of the dangers of living in a technological society. "God is dead," he stated. "God
remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we, the murderers of all murderers,
comfort ourselves? .. .ls not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we not
ourselves become gods simply to seem worthy of it?" And that is what we have done in our
society. It Is looked down upon to have a belief in God or in any form of supernaturalism. In
it's place we have put technology, and the scientific method is the way we worShip. Jean·
Paul Sartre would say we are simply deluding oursetves in a different way. We have
substituted God with the works of man and the order of nature. We do not believe in the truth
of our own spirit, not onfy in a religious sense, but in a non·rational, creative, emotive sense
as well.
We are taught that everything has a rational explanation. We are told at a very young
age that there are no such things as ghosts. We do It so that children won't be afraid of what
we believe Is not there. However, by doing this we deny the affirmation and recognition of
the unknowable. We have no basis for dealing with a supernatural experience. What happens.
then, when an individual has one of these experiences? The most common thing Is just to not
talk about it, which is what Dr. David Hufford found in his research with the old hag
experience. Evidence Indicates that about twenty per cent of the population of any given
SOCiety, including our own, has had this experience. Yet it was completely unknown until just
a few years ago because no one talked about It.
We are victims of our rational society. Those who have had a paranormal experience
set up a logical proof system to show that the event had to be caused by some supernatural
thing. In -Allysa's Ghost- later in this paper, Jennifer Harding tells of an event where helium
balloons moved of their own accord. She lays out step by step why this could be evidence of
a ghost: the beams in the ceiling would not allow the balloons to move, there were no drafts,
and the balloons turned a 90 degree angle. Outsiders to the experience try to explain It
away: there must have been some reason that you overlooked. Even events that completely
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defy explanation can be explained away with -you must have had a hallucination; or -it was
just a trk:k of the mind.- In different societies you could say -I have seen a ghost- and have
that be accepted for what it's worth without any required proofs. Often the person who has
had the experience becomes a person of some renown and respect. In our SOCiety, they are
labeled as crackpots.
On one level. supernatural stories, whether they happen to us personaUy or not.
become a way for us to deal with these kinds of events. These things are very uncomfortable
for us, and the stories become a kind of model for dealing with the paranormal. These
stories start appearing at a very early age, as in the story of -Bloody Mary: and of -The
Pinkie Thing: By doing these things as children and latter on in our teens, we are trying to
associate oursetves with that which cannot be explained.
The ultimate of the unexplainable is the experience of death. As Jean-Paul Sartre said
in -Being and Nothingness: death Is the one experience no one can avoid or put off. Sooner
or later it will happen to us aU. In our technical society, there is no room for death. We
rationalize it as much as we can by understanding the biological aspects of it, but the
spiritual aspect is completely terrifying to us. In one minute there is a living, breathing,
intelligent person here, and in the next there is nothing but an empty shell. Where did that
( person go? Where will I go when it happens to me? What happens after death is the pinnacle
of the unknown.
A strong reaction to this is our emphasis on youth. We want to be the ageless society.
Plastic surgery is a booming industry, the making of old people younger. We don't want to be
reminded of death, and consequently, we have little respect for elderly people. Much of the
time we'd rather put them in nursing homes than have to take care of them In their old age.
We hope for medical breakthroughs that will stop or at least slow the aging process.
The concept of death is a major element in the legend-tripping stories. When we reach
our teens, death starts becoming more of a reality. In my own case, there was a boy In my
class who was killed in a car aCCident when I was a freshman. The thought begins to occur
that death could happen to me. Legend-tripping is a confrontation with death. Oftentimes this
is a direct confrontation, as in the stories where you go to the cemetery to see a ghost or
other apparition. In a non-direct sense, legend-tripping confronts death by confronting the
supernatural. The fear element that is common to aU these types of stories is the
confirmation of life itself. The fact that you are feeling fear means that you are still alive.
But these stories are often about confronting that fear, by actually getting out of the car, and
consequently, being able to draw strength from that experience.
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On a higher lovel, supernatural stories help us come In contact with the unknowable In
ourselves, Joseph Campbell would call" "the journey Inward," Buddhists call It "the
pathway to enlightenment.- We are so afraid of not knowing; we are terrified of the
unknowable. And we deny these aspects of ourselves. Science can bring together all of the
elements of life and actually create organic compounds from basic elements, yet they cannot
make these oompounds live. The process of birth is a supernatural experience In and of
itself. These stories tell us that the supernatural Is alive and thriving in our society, and
perhaps this Is because of our denial of it. The more It Is denied, the stronger It asserts
itself, And in some way, they take the place of the old mythologies, These stories can help
us get in touch with the supernatural in each of us, and help us on our own inward journey.
seeker of truth
follow no path
all paths lead where
truth is here
-8. B. cummings
These stories come from my culture, which means to say that everyone Is between
the ages of 19 and 35, we all come from a predominantly Utah Mormon society, which is
different from a Mormon society outside of Utah, and we're fairly sheltered In comparison
to, say New York, l.A., or Detroit. The drug issue comes out in many of the stories. We
didn't have problems with gangs. Our religious intensity varies widely . . Some of these people
are extremely religious, most come from a religious background and are kind of neutral, and
one was raised in a completely atheistic family. Nevertheless, we all have supernatural
stories of one sort or another. They are independent of religious affiliation.
A lot of these stories are really fun read. Many are humorous, and some are extremely
serious. Some may be easily explained, but the important thing 10 remember is that for the
people they happened to, these stories are very real. The person was effected by It. or the
story wouk:Jn'l have been told at all.
There are five different categories of stories: Ghost Stories From Famous People.
Weird Things From Grade School, Legend·Tripping Stories. Real Ghosts Stories, and Stories
of the Devil. I'll discuss each category as I get to il. All of the Interviews took place In
Logan, Utah, in July of 1991.
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Ghost Stories From Famous People
There are a lot of ghost stories going around about famous people. It seems that people who
don't have any supernatural experiences of their own usually know of a ghost story relating to someone
else. Celebrities are the ultimate ·someone else: These stories tend to be fairly visible among the
members of the specific group that the story would relate 10. Several of my friends who like Eric
e laplon and his music know the story that Joe relates. Many people that have seen the movie "Three
Men and a Baby· know the story Susan relates.
Ghost Stories From Famous People
-Eric elaplOn and the Poster"
Joe Pitkin
July 15. 1991
Contextual Information: Julie, Bill, Joe, Irving and I were al Joe and Irving's apartment. Julie and I
had been telling ghost stories all day. We asked Joe if he had one, and this is what he told us.
Joe: There's one about Eric Clapton and how he wrote -In the Presence of the lord" I ... that's like, it
never happened to me.
Bekka: I've never heard it. Do you know something that happened to a friend? Tell me the one about
Eric ...
Joe: Well. I consider Eric Clapton a friend.
Bill: He's a friend.
Bekka: Go ahead, tell me the one about Eric Clapton and the ...
Joe: Well, like, when Eric Clapton wrote -In the Presence of the lord,- which it is, I guess,
admittedly a departure for, for him, he said that..umm, that it happened, 'cause this was like when he
was, I guess, still addicted to heroin. And ... and he was down at some record shop just buying posters,
and he bought, like, one of Jimi Hendryx and another of something else, I think like Jimi Hendryx and
Janis Joplin. I think is what he said. And he had them, like, rolled up, and he took them home, and he
said when he unrolled them, it was like Jimi Hendryx one, and then in between it, the Jimi Hendryx and
the Janis Joplin, it was this poster of Jesus, that's just sort of like ..•
Bekka: Whoa.
Joe: Yeah, it was Just sort of like Jesus just sitting there smiling, and so he freaked out and wrote -In
the Presence of the lord. - And that's really the only one I know. That's, I mean, I don't know what
happened to it or if he's still got the Jesus poster or if maybe someone slipped it in ...
Bekka: And the guy at the poster shop didn't slip it in?
Joe: J imagine it was probably just like any place, like -buy-two-posters-get-a-poster-of-Jesus­free-
day, and Eric didn't see the sign saying -get-your- free.Jesus-poster day" But I guess he was
really changed by it, so ...
Bekka: That's a good story.
-Eric Clapton and the Poster- has elements that are important to my culture, primarily having
some kind of experience that would cause a person to stop doing drugs. Even though Eric Clapton's
experience could be due to the drugs themselves, or to another easily explained situation, it supposedly
did effect him very much and did cause him to stop doing drugs. This story also has elements of
getting back to religious roots, as well as a lot of pop culture type things (the Jimi Hendryx and Janis
Joplin posters).
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Ghost Stories From Famous People
-rhree Men and a Baby Ghosr
Susan Federico
July 25, 1991
Contextual Information: I quizzed all the people I work with 10 see if they had ghost stories.
Susan: Kay. this is a story from the movie -Three Men and a Unle .... , or "Three Men and a Baby,­And
during the movie, there's a part in the movie if you watch real close when the grandma comes to
visit where you can see a boy in the background. And he is a ghost because his mother called up the
station, after the movie was published she saw it on television and recognized the little boy and those
were the clothes that he was wearing the day he was, he was killed. and that was their home that it
was filmed in.
Bekka: Oh, did you see it in the movie? Have you seen it?
Susan: Um-hum (yes). Yeah, you can see him, he's wearing a red shirt, and you can see him as plaln
as day, right In the curtain.
Bekka: Wow, 00 you know how he was killed?
Susan: Some kind of an accident. I'm not real sure what it was. But he was, he died in the home where
the movie took place where they were filming.
I\le heard this story quite a bit, and it's always pretty much the same. A few of the stories I
heard during the Fife Folklore Conference in June of 1991. This story show elements that are common
among ghost stories, specifically the idea of a violent death in a specifIC place where the ghost
continues to reside. In this story, the boy is still wearing the clothes he was killed in. The fact that he
is a ghost is confirmed by the mother. All these elements are set up to prove that this is an actual
ghost story and not a bad editing job on the part of the movie people.
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Weird Things From Grade School
This type of experience is a Jot more common than I thought it was. Since I\le done my
research, almost everyone I've talked to under the age of about thirty had some kind of little
supernatural activity they did in elementary school. This would seem to Indicate that the need or
desire for supematural contact begins fairly early_ These experiences are a very young form of legend­tripping.
Children are going to a certain place and doing certain things that will invoke some kind of
paranormal activity. Latter the activities become more sophisticated and invoive teen-related
alements, like cars, drug activity, and breaking the law.
"The Pinkie Thing- seems to be a universal Cache Valley activity, at least among the friends I
have that grew up In Cache Valley. The fact that Julie and I both did it in Orem and Salt lake,
respectively, makes me wonder if irs more of a Utah activity. Bill's story contains the primary
legend-tripping element, death, in the form of a simulated violent accident. This story suggests that
even pretend death can invoke a supernatural experience.
Weird Things From Grade School
"The Pinkie Thing"
Bill Stanley
July 15, 1991
Contextual Information: Bill came over to my apartment while Julie and I were telling ghost stories.
( asked him if he had one, and this is what he told us.
Bill: We were In elementary school...
JuUe: Don't go on. I never want to hear any more.
Bekka: Bilt. Just Bill.
Bill: And we used to have ...
Julie: Not Billy, just Bill.
Bekka: Not Joey, just Joe.
Bill: We'd aU gather around .... Would you shut up? We'd all gather around, well one person would Ue on
the ground out behind a tree or something on the playground, and, would lie on the ground, all of us
WOUld, aU the rest of us would gather around him, like two or three on each side, and then one person al
the head, there, with their like hands around the ears, or something. And the person on the head would
like, it would be sort of a chant thing. And we would all repeat after that person. And they would say,
"there's been an accident," and we would repeat "there's been an accident· --rhis boy has been hit by a
car," or something, fallen off a cliff, and he's alt...
Julie: I did this.
Bill: ... and then they say "he's, he's as sliff as a board,· and then we'd say ...
Bekl<a: We used to do this, too.
Bill: Oh, yeah, "he's as stiff as a board", and then we'd say "Call the ambulance." ·Call the
ambulance." -The ambulance is here." "The ambulance Is here." "Lift him into the ambulance." And
we'd aU have our pinkies underneath him.
Julie: And you can lift him.
Bill: And we could lift him. And we'd lift him clear up above our heads.
Bekka: We used to do this, too. Oh my gosh.
Julie: You really did?
Bill: And so we'd get the heaviest kid In the class, and we could lift him up.
Julie: You really did that? I always heard people did it but I ....
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Bekka: We did it, too.
Julie: And it works?
Bill: We should try it sometime.
Bekka: II does. it's got something to do with physics or something. I don't know how it does it.
Bill: We used to do it all the time.
Bekka: We had a teacher show us it.
-Bloody Mary· is a common activity among grade schoolers. My young cousins have done it at
my Grandparent's house during family reunions. It has the legend-tripping elements of secrecy and of
death, but death this time in the form of the supematural event actually killing you. It also has the
common legend-tripping element in that most of the time, nothing actually happens.
Weird Things From Grade School
-Bloody Mary-
Julie Johnson
Bekka Hanson
July 15, 1991
Contextual Data: Julie, Bill, and I were sitting around telling ghost stories one afternoon.
Bekka: Did you ever do like Bloody Mary?
Julie: I was Just going to say ... My brother always did.
Bekka: 'Cause that's what that part reminds me of, 'cause we'd do that and we never could make it
work. But, umm ....
Bill: What does it do?
Julie: You go in the bathroom and tum off the light and look in the mirror and say like, you have a linle
chant and the rules, you have a little hand thing, and it was like this ...
Bekka: We can't remember if it was -Bloody Mary, come to me, - -Bloody Mary come to me,· or
something, I can't remember what it was.
Julie: -Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary: And your supposed to see like an image of a red lady. or
something.
Bekka: And if you do it too long she comes out of the mirror and stabs you with her stick, and kills you.
Julie: I was like in elementary school.
Bekka: That was elementary for me.
JUlie: I had friends who would come screaming out of the bathroom swearing that they saw it, you're
was like, yeah.
Bekka: We never, we never saw it. We never saw it.
Julie: You're supposed to try it alone.
Bekka: We tried it at a slumber party in our house, it was also supposed to be like at midnight, too, so
that's why we figured it never worked in the bathroom at school.
Julie: That must have been!
Bekka: So we tried it at a slumber party. We still couldn't make it work.
Julie: But, I had friends who swore ...
Bekka: But I used to have nightmares about that lady coming out of the mirror, that used to give me
nightmares.
Julie: I had friends who swore that it worked.
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legend-Tripping Stories
This is an extremely popular adolescent activity. It extends well past high school and Into the
college years, as Julie's story of "The Logan Weeping Woman,· and my own show. One of the elements
Involved In legend-tripping is boredom, since the kids usually aren't old enough for more -adult­activities,
such as going to the bar, and most of the activities adolescents can do end by 1 :00. That
makes it the perfect time to go check out the graveyard.
Another element are the illegal aspects, which usually Include trespassing either on private
property or In the cemeteries (in most Utah cemeteries. It's Illegal to be In one after a certain time,
usually 10:00), and occasionally drug use. I'm sure some of the legend-tripping stories could Involve
some kind of vandalism, but none of the people I talked 10, including myself, participated in these kinds
of legend-tripping experiences.
Yet another element of this kind of adventure is the conquering of fear and of proving yourself
10 your peers. Irs really scary to go into a place like Gilgal or Hobitland so late at night. It's kind of
nerve-wracking In the daylight. The fact that you can actually go through with it gives a lot of self­confidence
as well as proving yourself to your friends. Of course, if more than one of the group doesn't
want to go through with it, that is a way of saving face. The rest of the group may still tease those
individuals, but at least they're not going through it alone.
The big element of legend-tripping is the confrontation with the supernatural, and in particular,
the confrontation with death. Death is a big issue in adolescence, and fascination with death is high.
There Is also a feeling In adolescence of being indestructible, so that even though there is a
confrontation with death, it is more of an abstract confrontation. None of these activities are
dangerous enough to cause death, unless drugs or some other element becomes involved. Irs almost a
safe way to see what the other world is like, or to see if there is another world. This element holds
especially true in the stories where the individuals went to the cemetery to actually see the ghost.
It is interesting to me that teen-agers are the ones who do this type of thing. When we get
older, we tend to put the thought of death away, to hide from it. even though the actual event looms
closer the older we get. The more real it becomes, the more we tend to ignore it. Most of us walk
around in our little boxes, as Thurber put it in ·Our Town,- and try not to think of things that will
disturb our mental states too much. Death is the big disturber. Adolescents, usually, like to be the
ones making the disturbance, and, in many cases, they like to be disturbed.
Another element in a legend-tripping story, which doesn't hold true in all cases, is that nothing
supernatural happens. More often than not, the people involved will scare themselves, or scare each
other. The fear does not come from an actual supernatural source, although the people involved would
like to think that it does. These kinds of legend-tripping stories deal more with the adventure aspects,
the thrill-seeking aspects of this kind of activity.
The final element is that of the purely social. Many times legend-tripping will occur as part of
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a date, or as the postlude to a group activity.
"The logan Cemetery Weeping Woman- is a popular story among adolescents here In
logan, probably due to the fact that the cemetery is right in the middle of the Utah State University
campus. There are several stories that the college students tell that involve the cemetery, and It has
become a place of Initiation and nightly activities among the students.
The three stories I've collected differ slightly in the extent of the legend known. Originally, I
knew nothing about the statue, but I learned several different versions of the legend during the Fife
Folklore Conference in June, 1991. In both Shaun's and Julie's stories, the main element of the legend
is that the statue cries. In my version, nothing happens, which could possibly be due to the fact that we
didn't know the legend. All we did was scare some kids. In the other two versions, the people who
went to see the statue were the ones who got scared. The lady actually cried. In both Shaun's and my
version, conditions had to be right before the lady would cry. Shaun claims that nothing happened on
the night I went because I didn't go on the right night. In Julie's story, the element of drugs comes Into
play. The conquering of fear and proving yourself to your peers in an important elament of both
Shaun's and Julie's stories, but especially in Julie's since this activity becomes part of a fraternity
initiation rite. Shaun's and my story have a lot of the social element involved. We went to have a good
time and for the thrill of it.
legend-Tripping Story
"The logan Cemetery Weeping Woman-
Bekka Hanson
July 15,1991
Contextual Data: Julie and I were sitting around one aftemoon talking about dumb things we did when
we were younger, and telling ghost stories. This is one that I told her. It contains some of the actual
legends surrounding the weeping woman statue in the logan Cemetery.
Bekka: The one time we went in, I'm going to put this story in my paper, too, I didn't know there was a
legend about it, I Just always really liked that statue.
Julie: Tell me the legend.
Bekka: The legend is ...
Julie: 'Cause I love that statue, too.
Bekka: Supposedly some tragedy happened, there's like a whole bunch of different stories. She either
murdered all her children, or her husband murdered all her children ...
Julie: Your kidding.
Bekka: My personal belief, and see there's a bunch of tombstones around and they're all these kids that
died when they were really young, and my personal belief is. I mean it's back in the 185Os, or
something like that, they just all died young.
Julie: Right.
Bekka: 'Cause a lot of times there was, like, infant mortality.
Julie: Right, they do.
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Bekka: And she just grieved the rest of her life. Thai's my favorite version of thaI. It's nothing like
nobody killed them or anything, they just all died fairly young, and she never got over it. She was
always known as someone who grieved. because she had had so much tragedy In her life, so lhey
erected that statue for her.
Julie: Hmmm.
Bekka: And on certain times people say there's like, your supposed to like gather round her and say
·cry, lady, cry- three times under a full moon, and all this stupid ...
Julie: ·Cry, lady, cry,- ·Cry, bitch, cry'-
Bekka: ·Cry, bitch, cry-. .three times under the full moon, and she cries, but I never knew any of the
legends or anything. I used to go in there and take pictures all the time.
Julie: This is your folklore thing?
Bekka: Yeah, we learned that in the folklore class. 'Cause I never heard any of the legends about it.
didn't even, I'm sure there were some but I'd never really heard any about it, I just always liked the
statue. We always used to go over to the Catholic part, too, 'cause there's some really cool statues
over there.
Julie: The Catholic part?
Bekka: The Catholic part that's back in the, you know where the HYPER, er, the Spectrum Is? Back
there? Irs kind of back in that comer, and there's a lot of big old statues and big coffin things that
they put over the graves. There's a lot of that kind of stuff in there we'd always take pictures there a
lot, we used to sneak in there all the time, but me and Judy and somebody, one guy, I think it was Dave,
snuck in there in the middle of the night one time and were around the lady, and it's illegal to be in
there, and a car pulled in ....
Julie: It is?
Bekka: ... we thought it was a cop.
Julie: At night it is?
Bekka: After like ten-thirty.
Julie: Oh.
Bekka: I don't know if they'll arrest you.
Julie: Well, the gates are like inviting you in with those orbs.
Bekka: No shit, if they'd shut the gates ...
Julie: They like tum the lights on and leave the gates open. Thars the creepiest. (cut)
Bekka: But anyway, we're in the cemetery and this car comes in and we all hit the ground, and Dave
Jumps behind the statue and it comes closer and closer, and we see as it comes closer it was like a
Pinto with like a couple of kids on a double date. And they pull up real slow to the weeping woman, and
you hear these girls -I'm not getting out of the car, I'm not getting out of the car,- and Dave jumps
from behind the statue ....
Julie: Oh, gee!!
Bekka: ... and goes ·Waaahh!!, - and they screamed, every one of them screamed and they totally pealed
out of the cemetery.
Julie: Ohl!
Bekka: I'm sure we started someone's legend.
Julie: Scaryil
Bekka: I'm sure somebody's telling stories.
Julie: I bet.
Bekka: The windows were all rolled up and everything and you could hear all of them, even the guys
were all, ·Wahhhhll,· they all screamed.
Julie: That is hilarious.
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Legend-Tripping Story
-rhe logan Cemetery Weeping Woman-
Shaun Federico
July 25, 1991
Contextual Data: I had told the people I work with about my folklore class and how I had to write a
paper on the supernatural. Shaun had several stories he wanted to share.
Shaun: Kay. you go up to the cemetery ...
Bekka: Un-hun (yes).
Shaun: ... you go walk all the way back, and there's this huge lady, and next ... her head's like leaning
down and her hand's like this. (Demonstrates) And if you go right up to her. you go about twelve 0'
clock, you go up there, and there will be tears coming down her face, and you can touch them.
Bekka: Um-hm (yes). Did you do it?
Shaun: Yes. And there's water.
Bakka: Was there water when you touched it?
Shaun: Yes, and there's tears.
Bekka: So lell me about the trip when you guys went.
Shaun: When we went on the trip there was like about seven of us, we, and I had, and It was my first
time going up there, I went up there. and ... it was after a show. I did. And we went up there and we got
there and they drove us all the way to the top. And some, somebody went and touched her and just
started freaking out. I mean she, he, she was like running all over and she was all, and I was like ·oh.
my heck, what's going on?- And we all got totally scared. I mean we were... And the car stalled. It
didn't, it wouldn't start.
Bekka: Oh, my gosh.
Shaun: I thought -this is too reaL-I thought -let's get out.­Bekka:
Oh, my gosh!
Shaun: So I'm like walking back, I'm like running, actually, I ain't walking it, I'm running out, and that,
that's it. I'm not going to go there ever again. I haven't been there ever since.
Bekka: Cool. That's a good one.
Shaun: But you'll have to go up there and see it.
Bekka: I've been up there and seen it but she's never cried for me.
Shaun: She hasn't?
Bekka: Um·mm (no).
Shaun: You have to go about twelve o' clock. when we went on October 31 sl.
Bekka: Oh, did you?
Shaun: Yep.
Bekka: Was it like a full moon or anything. or just the day?
Shaun: Full moon.
Bekka: Wow.
Shaun: It has to be a full moon, I think.
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legend-Tripping Story
"The logan Cemetery Weeping Woman-
Julie Johnson
July 15, 1991
Contextual Data: Julie and I sat around one afternoon and told ghost stories. She had some really good
ones, and this is one of them.
Julie: My frat friend said they went out there once for one of their initiation things, and my friend
swears she was crying blood. I don't know what they had 10 do, but they were all trashed. They were
like going in there for some dare, to do like a treasure hunt or something and they had to gather all
these clues out of the cemetery, and he swears - he's really cool, too - he swears. Maybe they were
on acid, something.
Bekka: I was going to say, "what were they taking:
Julie: He swears she, it was in blood.
Bekka: She does have tear stains on her face.
Julie: That's weird, I never noticed that.
Bekka: But it could be just because the way the rain around her drips.
Julie: Probably.
Bekka: That mIght be where the rainwater would naturally drip, because the way she, they would, the
tears could gather when it rains in her eyes and then ....
Julie: 'Cause thars really creepy.
"The Provo Cemetery Weeping Woman- is a variation on the weeping woman theme. To make
her cry, you have to go on certain nights when there is a full moon.
Legend-Tripping Story
"The Provo Cemetery Weeping Woman-
Julie Johnson
July 15, 1991
Contextual Oata: Julie told me this story the same day as the Logan weeping woman stories were told.
Julie: In the Provo cemetery they have a lady like the one in Logan.
Bekka: That weeps?
Julie: Either she's weeping or she's standing, but that was like a big thing, people would always go out
there and say she was crying on certain fun moons.
Bekka: Did you know what they had to do to make her cry?
Julie: Uh-uh (no).
Bekka: Was there something special?
Julie: No.
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·St. Ann's Retreat- is a legend about a nunnery up in Logan Canyon. In both of the stories I
collected, babies were killed, although the actual details of how many and why this happened are a little
bit confused. Shaun puts forth proof in the form of newspaper articles he's collected about the story.
In Irving's story, nothing happens that is supernaturally related, but he feels this is due to the group's
lack of spirit during the trip. In Shaun's story. quite a bit happens, including the theory that his brother
Shane puts forth that the floors were shined with blood. Both stories have dogs that are known for
their viciousness in them. Both stories have a lot of social elements, especially Shaun's where he and
his friends went up for a barbecue and a picnic while they waited for It 10 get dark before they started
the actual legend-trip. What's interesting is that they couldn't find the place again after that adventure.
Legend-Tripping Story
-St. Ann's Retreat-
Irving Berlin Jones
July 15, 1991
Contextual Data: Irving, Bill, Joe, Julie and I were at Joe and Brad's apartment and were telling ghost
stories.
Irving: We went to S1. Ann's Retreat and heard that if you walked, either walked backwards up the
trail and say -hecketa, hecketa, hecketa· the whole way and then when you get up there you're
supposed to be able to see either the dogs in the bottom of the pool or else a baby in the bottom of the
pool..
Julie: Really?
Irving: .. .'cause this nun supposedly had a baby and drown it to hide it from people, or her, the other
sisters in the convent drown it to hide it from the people, and you ... you're supposed to up there when
it's a full moon or else walk backwards and say -heckaty* or something, and you can eth ... and some
people say they can hear the dogs, that you can hear the dogs bark. 'Cause apparently the chick had
two dogs, like big German shepherds, so you either see them or the baby in the pool or hear them bark,
but.. ..
Julie: Is there a pool up there?
Bekka: Like a swimming pool, or .. . ?
Irving: Yeah.
Julie: Little a pond, or a pool?
Irving: A, like a pool. But nothing happened when we did it.
Bekka: You guys just walked up there?
Irving: Yeah. We weren'!...
JUlie: That's interesting.
Irving: ... reaJly in it, in the right mood ....
Julie: Well there were some girls who came in to ....
Irving: ... 1 mean we were like, ·oh, let's just go see what's going to happen ....
Bekka: You didn't do it for the hell of it, or ... ?
Irving: Not truly believing. like when we did that thing, picking people up with our pinkies, that was
kind of weird, 'cause it really did work.
Bill: And it was light, it wasn't like picking up something heavy.
Irving: Yeah, yeah.
Bekka: 'Cause we did that when I was in elementary school, too. It had something to do with physics or
something, though. It's like a real th ing.
Irving: Something to do with ....
Bill: I always thought it was psychological.
IS
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legend-Tripping Story
·St. Ann's Retreat-
Shaun Federico
July 25, 1991
Contextual Oa1a: This is another ghost story that Shaun told me at work one afternoon.
Bekka: Is this SI. Ann's Retreat?
Shaun: Yeah. O.k., this is, what is it again?
Bekka: 51. Ann's Retreat?
Shaun: O.k. Here we go. O.k., my friends came up from Salt lake City, told them about the St. Ann's,
the place where the mothers kill the babies. I don't know if you'Ve heard about the story or not. I have
some newspaper articles on it.
Bekka: Oh, really?
Shaun: And anyway ...
Bekka: Oh, can I xerox them? That would be cool.
Shaun: If I can find them, I'U find them, jf I don't I'U go look them up at the logan library. They're
there.
Bekka: 'Cause I can look them up if you know what dates and stuff.
Shaun: I'U gel them. Anyway. we, uh, we went up there when they wanted to see it, they'd heard
about it so we said we'll go all, all 'bout seven of us went up there, seven or eight. 'Bout three gins.
So we went up there and we didn'1 take a flashlight, we just didn't think and we just walked up. It was
during the light. And then we went up there, walked up, and we got, we saw the place and it looked
pretty normal, like, you know, o.k. And we just stayed up there, had a barbecue, and pretty ...
Bekka: Fun.
Shaun: And we had a good time, and it got dark. And, uh, all of a sudden, Shane said -lars go Inside.­'
Cause we didn't go inside yet, inside the big building.
Bekka: Un-hun (yes).
Shaun: And we went inside the building. And the floors were like shiny. You could see, the moon was
shining in from, into the glass. And you could see the floor and it was like shiny. And Shane's like
-there's blood on those boards, they shined them with blood: You know. And it looked like, It looked
like blood. Like, like all, I mean, it was Just freaky. And you COUldn't see, we didn'1 touch it.
Bekka: Oh, my gosh.
Shaun: So I'm bru ... I'm up in front brushing. I'm using like a brush, I had this big long brush, and, to
sweep it, and I'm like -I'm going to keep this in front of me and stuff in case somebody comes in front of
me.
Bekka: Un-hun (yes).
Shaun: I can, I can feel them. And, you know, I'm going up, and all of a sudden, you get up there, and I
hit the wall. And I mean, Whoall We're all running out, we hit the wall, we didn'1 know were we're
going 'cause there, it goes in around In a square. And we got lost, totally lost in there. And we went
out, and, um, finally we got out, and, uh, the light went off. And on. And off. And we thought -this is
i1. -
Bekka: Like the electric light?
Shaun: Yeah. And at the end ...
Bekka: Oh, my gosh.
Shaun: So we're like "we're out of hear." And we started running, we get cau . .lost 'cause we don'1
have a flashlight. So we're lost in the woods and we're all running. And then, uh, we finally made it
down.
Bekka: Cool.
Shaun: So you have to go up there and see it.
Bekka: I don'1 even know where it is. I had another friend tell me a story yesterday about the place.
Shaun: It's up around second dam, I think.
Bekka: It's up there in the woods somewhere.
Shaun: Yeah. We went back up to find it, we can't find it So we're going to have to go during the
( daylight and see if we can, pull off the side of the road and find it. There's a gate and every1hing. And
be sure to lock your car.
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Bekka: Hmm.
Shaun: 'Cause people do trick things. But it was really freaky, I mean. We saw the doberman pictures.
Bekka: You did?
Shaun: The, uh, there was like, uh, I think it was mostly, I think it was the ghost. I think mostly they
were ghost doberman pinchers. And we saw the pool. You untake, you undo the tarp and every1hing,
you can see the bloodstains in the cement. like ...
Bekka: Wow.
Shaun: ... they're brownish.
Bekka: Wow.
Shaun: Where they dropped the babies.
Bekka: So did they kill more than one baby?
Shaun: Oh, yeah.
Bekka: So what's the story? Tell me the story.
5haun: Oh they killed, they killed hundreds of babies. It was, what they'd do was, they had the babies,
it was like a nursery. And then just one day all of a sudden ... I think they only killed like eleven or
twelve. Yeah, I think that's right, I got from it (from the paper - 8ekka). And they just threw them
right into the, Into the pool.
Bekka: Weird.
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-Kaye's Cross· is a legend from the Kayesville area. The legend itself has elements of insanity
as well as that of violent death. Stefanle's story is very prominent in the aspect of conquering fear and
of proving herself to her friends. The entire legend-trip occurred because Stefanis didn't believe that
the cross was there, and her friends wanted to prove it 10 her. In this story, nothing supernatural
happens, but Stefanie does see the cross and that is enough to frighten her.
Legend-Tripping
-Kaye's Cross·
Stefanie Bjerregaard
July 23. 1991
Contextual Data: I told Stefanie and Jennifer about having to do a paper for my folklore class, and
asked them If they had any stories. This is one that Stefanis told that happened when she was in high
school.
Stefanie: Have you ever heard of Kaye's Cross?
Bekka: Un-un (no).
Stefanie: tt's, this one kind of freaked me out. tt's, the legend is there that a man who, it was like way
before Kayesville was Kayesville, but it was in that area, lived there in his little log cabin with his
wife and I don't know how many kids, three or four, I think. And, um, kind of like, it was kind of like
7he Shinning,- you know how he was like totally isolated and all alone and went crazy? That's what
this Is. This man was like, all alone, really isolated, they were like miles and miles from anything, and
he just went crazy one day.
Bekka: Hmmm.
Stefanie: And killed his wife and his kids, I can't remember how many he had. Anyway, killed his wife
and his kids, and there's this big gross story of how he killed them, too, but I can't remember that.
Anyway, he killed them, and then he, they lived like in a log cabin. Then he took all of the logs from the
cabin and built a huge cross ...
Bekka: Um-hum (yes),
Stefanie: ... and, ifs said that he buried them in there, like this two parts of the cross that come out,
he put like one baby here, one here, stood his wife up center in the cross ...
Jennifer: 0000.
Stefanie: ... and then, I think there was three kids, and then put another one on top. Anyway, all of
them were in this cross. And he like built the front of it, put the people in, and then finished it off with
the wood from the house. And there it's, they say ifs still standing. I didn't believe ii, you know, -no
it's not, no ifs not- and they're like -Ifs huge, it's like six feet tall and six feet wide, it's In this huge
cross" And I'm like -there is no cross stuck in the middle of Kayesville. That is just stupid.. I didn't
believe it, 'cause I don't really believe things like that.
Bekka: No, thafs how, kind of, I feel.
Stefanie: So, this group of people, you know, decided they were going to prove me wrong, took me up
there, and they're like ... Well, it was kind of an old boy ... Well, it's an old boyfriend now, kind of an on­off
boyfriend all through high school, and we were always fighting, and we fought about it one night. So
he's like ·come on, we're going, I'm going to prove you wrong right now" So ...
Bekka: What was the group like?
Stefanle: Well, it was me and him, and then like five of his friends and five of my friends. I mean we
went like in a huge group. See, I like when I'm like in a huge group I don't get scared that easy. It's like
when I'm all by myself, you know. So we go ...
Bekka: Always have another person or something. Yeah.
Stefanie: Yeah. So we go driving up there, you have to drive through a neighborhood, park in the
neighborhood and then like walk back through this field and it's like you're supposed to go really late at
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night, so it's totally dark. You can't see a thing, you're just walking through this field, and, we get
( down there. And the whole way, one of our friend's like saying ·oh, goll, I hear devil worshipers are
up here. And I hear .... like he expects us, they're just trying to scare me, and I'm like ·oh, yeah, cool,
cool, - you know, and walk down this big hill, and then, it's like a really steep hill, It's sort of like real,
it was real dark so I'm concentrating on gening down the hill without falling. Get to the bonom, look up
and you see just like this little glowing, like right around in the ground, but thars all you can see. And,
I stood there for a minute, and he's like -now do you believe me?- and I go -what? Someone's standing
there with a flashlightr And he goes -no, just walk closer. - And I'm like "there is nothing. Cory, or
Chad or one of your friends is probably standing there trying to scare me,· you know. And he's like
·come on, !ers see if maybe they're over there. - So, I started walking closer and closer and I grabbed
one of my friends 'cause I didn't dare go alone. So, we get a little closer and then you can see that
there's no light in the ground, but this big huge cross is still standing there. And it is huge, it's like, it
is about six feet tall, and it's like thaI thick, (about a foot - Bekka) like in width-wise in, you know, all
the way around, it is huge. And it looks old, really old, old, old. It is weird.
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Jennifer: I want to see it.
Bekka: Yeah, no doubt.
Stefanle: And It's just, it looks like the bonom of il just kind of glows, there was like, well I don't
know if there has, I'm sure no one would go put a light bulb in the ground. I didn't get close enough to
see, 'cause then I did get scared. And then we stood there for a minute, and then all of them took off
running, I think, I don't know if the heard something or if they were doing that to scare me even more,
then I turned around, ran up the hill, and then turned back around and you could still see like the light
and then once I knew what I was looking for. You could see just like the base of the cross, but you
couldn't see the whole Ihing until you got like way down to it. Then we walked off and that was It, I
mean, no one like saw any spirits or heard anything, but the huge cross is there and that's the story
that goes with it.
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-Emu's Grave- is just one of the many limes I went legend-tripping without really knowing the
legend. All I and my friends knew was that a ghost was supposed to come out of the grave, and we
wanted to see it happen. This story has illegal aspects, since we were trespassing in the Sail lake City
Cemetery at two In the morning. It definitely has the boredom element, since we did it after dancing
one night when nobody wanted to go home. Nothing supernatural happened, but we did get a good scare,
and I, at least. don't go into the Salt Lake City Cemetery at night anymore.
Legend·Tripping Story
-Emu's Gravew
Bekka Hanson
July 23, 1991
Contextual Data: Stefan ie, Jennifer, and I were talking about ghost stories and they had never heard
my experience with Emu's grave.
Bakka: All, right, we went up to go see Emu's grave, and it was me and Shaun (Hulse) and Scott
Mower, and Kitchell was with us ....
Stefanie: Is that the one you drive you drive around three times, you drive around in a circle three
times and the head will watch you?
Bekka: Oh, see I don't know. We never knew any of the legends. We're just stupid. We're like driving
down State Street one night like at two in the morning after we had been dancing ...
Stefanie: Un·hun (yes).
Bekka: None of us wanted to go home, we're all, like, bored. ·Hey, let's go check out Emu's Grave ..
And I'm like "well, what's that.·
Stefanie: Well, I don't know what it's called.
Bekka: But this ghost is supposed to come out of the grave. And we're like ·oh, o.k.· so we just drove
up.
Stefanie: Oh.
Bekka: But, we never knew what the story was.
Stefanie: O.k., that's a different one, then. O.k.
Bekka: There's one up In the Roy Cemetery then, you drive around it three times, or something?
Stefanie: No, I think mine's in Ogden. Now that I think about it, but I do.
Bekka: O.k. But, anyway, um .. so it's up there by the crematorium, so it's kind of in that old section
that's kind of in the back. I can't ever find the crematorium when I go up to drive around there.
Stefanie: Um·hum (yes).
Bekka: But, it's kind of in the back, and we're driving around and we got right by the crematorium and
we're looking for it, and we're all, we're all like kind of scared. I don't want to get out of the car. Me
and Kitchell are kind of going ·ahh .... and Scon and Shaun are like ·ah, you guys are wusses,· and
Shaun stops the car, starts opening the door, and I saw someone like running out from behind the
crematorium, and I'm like ·Shaun, somebody's here.· He's like ·yeah, right, that's your imagination.­And
I'm like ·no, Shaun, somebody's here,· and Kitchell's like ·check it out!· And all these people
started running from behind the crematorium, and they're all up in hoods and robes, black robes and
stuff, and they had like sticks and bats and shit, and Shaun was like almost all the way out of the car,
and he saw them and he jumped back in the car and shut the door and locked it, and they all came
running around the car.
Stefanie: Un·un (no).
Bekka: They're like banging on the car and shit. Shaun hurries and turns on the engine and we just
peeled out of there. They like busted his taillight and shit.
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Stefanis: You are kidding.
Bekka: 0h, my god, I'm sure they were devil worshipers. I have never been so scared in my Ufe.
Stsfanis: Oh, yeah.
Bekka: 'Cause what else would they be doing up there?
Stefanle: They're in like black robes, like all the way to the ground robes?
Bekka: Um-hum (yes). like those long robes with the long sleeves and the big hoods. Urn, and they
were all in black.
Stefanie: Weird.
Bekka: It was just freaky. So, I'm sure we interrupted some devil service that was going on up there.
Stefanie: Un-hun (yes). Oh, that's sick.
Bekka: But, I've never gone up to find Emu's grave since.
Stefanie: Now, what is supposed to happen, in thai one?
Bekka: Urn, there's supposed like, they told us the legend up in my folklore class, and Emu was either a
black guy or a Catholic or something non-Mormon.
Stefanie: Un-hun (yes).
Bekka: And was treated really bad by the Mormons, which was like clear back in the 1800s, and, it
was basically a Mormon town ...
Stefanie: Yeah.
Bekka: .. ,and everything, and, um, was persecuted really badly or something and he was the first guy
cremated up there. Urn, 'cause you know how the Mormons don't believe in cremation and all that?
Stefanie: Yeah,
8ekka: And, urn, he made a pledge. He said -I'm going to come back and get revenge on all you guys.­Stefanie:
Oh, just because he was non-Mormon ...
Bekka: And he got persecuted from that, I guess he was really ostracized from them so ....
Stefanie: And why'd he get persecuted?
8ekka: I don't know. He was either Catholic or black or something like that.
Stefanie: And just for that one reason?
Bekka: Yeah.
Stefanie: He didn't commit a crime?
Bekka: I don't think so. I don't know, he might have. I don't know.
Stefanie: Oh. And so he was just going to come back and get revenge, that's what it...
Bekka: Yeah, and at certain times his ghost's supposed to come out of the grave.
Stefanie: Do you like, are you supposed to do something or say something with this?
Bekka: See, I don't know. Probably.
1..\
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-Hobitland or Allan Park- was an adventure in proving ourselves that a girlfriend and I failed.
We refused 10 get out of the car. This occurred as the completion of a double..cate. Our dates lived up
around that area and wanted to scare us. Nothing even vaguely supernatural happened. This was also
an illegal trip, because Allan Park is a residential, p4'ivate community place.
legend-Tripping Story
-Hobitland or Allen Park-
Bekka Hanson
July 15, 1991
Contextual Data: I told Julie this story the same afternoon when we were just slHing around telling
ghost stories.
Bekka: We've done so many stupid things, though, like when we went through Allen Park - Hobitiand -
and we wouldn't get out of the car. It's like right across the street from Westminster, and I guess it
was like a big drug thing in the 'SOs, but somebody, there's IiHIe houses in there, there's all these little
houses, and they all have like sayings on them: ·repent for the hour of God is at hand"
Julie: Your kidding I
Bekka: I have no clue what the signifICance of it is. But Allen Park is kind of like, 'cause, o.k., you
know along 13th (east) how you can drive, and there's those roads that kind of go off in the middle of
the block? It's one of those. And then you go up in there and you go up the driveway and there's all
those little houses and there's a big courtyard in the middle with a big old fountain and then there's just
lots of apartment buildings and shit, and they're like really cheep housing for the students and that.
There's been a couple of real major drug busts up there, in Alien Park.
Julie: Wowl
Bekka: But it has a, back up through that block, you can go up there. It winds around for quite a ways,
and then I think it comes out at one of those parks up there. But it's like really a long little drive and it
just kind of winds around in those blocks up there.
Julie: Wow.
Bekka: We got to the courtyard and we made them tum around and go back 'cause we were like
freaking out. We wouldn't even get out of the car. 'Cause Allen Park's kind of creepy 'cause people
really live in there. It's kind of different, I mean, the Flintstone Park's scary but those people never
come out of their house and come yell at you or anything. When you're up there and irs all those really
old apartment buildings, there all kind of broken down anyway, and so we all kind of freaked out....
Julie: Geel
Bekka: ... .'cause people really live in there and there's cars coming in and out of there all the time, so I
don't want to be walking around in there ...
Julie: That's kind of freaky.
Bekka: ... because irs freaky, number one, and you don't know who lives in there, number two. And
I'm sure it's fairly harmless, 'cause it's just kind of like a student....
Julie: But you don't know.
Bekka: But you don't know, you know?
1:1.
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"The Ogden Cemetery Statue- could be compared to "'The logan Cemetery Weeping Woman- In
( that, If the right conditions are present, the statue will do some kind of activity. In this case, the
statue watches the legend-trippers. The social element is strong in this story, as Is the boredom
element Stefanle Is undecided as to whether this story had an actual supernatural event occur, or If 11
was due to natural causes.
(
legend-Tripping Story
"The Ogden Cemetery Statue-
Stefanle BJerregaard
July 23, 1991
Contex1ual Information: Stefan ie, Jennifer and I were telling ghost stories one night.
Stefanie: Well, mine aren't ghost stories. One of them Is Just a legend that, It's somewhere in Ogden.
Bekka: Um-hmm (yes).
Stefanle: I don't know if there's more than one cemetery In Ogden, I don't know. And anyway ...
Bekka: Well, where are you from?
Stefanie: Roy.
Bekka: Roy.
Stefanle: Yeah.
Bekka: O.k. I knew you were from down there somewhere, I Just couldn't remember where.
Stefanie: So, Irs up there somewhere, II's in the Ogden cemetery. I know irs like ... Do you know
where anything is in Ogden?
Bekka: Un-un (no).
Stefanle: Well...
Bekka: A few things, I know where Harrison Boulevard Is and Washington ..
Stefanie: O.k., you're on Harrison, and you go north all the way to the top, top, top, and then, um, o.k.,
then you can't go anymore. I think on Harrison you have to tum up and you get on Washington and you
see that big -Ogden- sign that goes across the road?
Bekka: Yeah.
Stefanie: O.k., right, there's like a right-hand turn-off, like right as you go underneath that. And then
you get there and there's a little thing called the fag lane or something like that. Have you heard of
that?
Bekka: Un-un (no).
Stefan Ie: It's weird. And then you drive down ...
Bekka: Is that where the homosexuals hang out or something?
Stefanie: Well, irs supposed to be that if you drive down it, you're supposed to drive down it once
with your lights on, and then, stop at the end, tum your lights off, turn them back on, and if someone
else flashes their lights at you it means they're interested and then you meet and see if you're the same
sex and if you are ... Anyhow, that's not a ghost story, so that won't fit in there.
Bekka: Oh, my gosh.
Stefanle: Anyway, back at the (Something) it's like a really old cemetery, reaJly rickety, and anyway,
it has this big statue of a man on a horse, like rearing back, standing In the middle of the cemetery.
And I don't know if irs like a monument for someone, or if it's Just a statue put there, but the legend
Is ... And II's like a road all around it And the legend Is ....
Bekka: like your car go a courtyard or something?
Stefanle: Yeah. Yeah. And if you, they say if you drive around II...S88 you're supposed to park, like, I
can't remember, It's either behind the horse or directly in front of the horse, I can't remember. it's
been a long time. But anyway, park right there, do something, and then after that start driving around
( three times, and like the man is ... I think it's behind the horse, 'cause the man is like tuming his head
over his shoulder. look straight into the statue's eyes, drive around three times, and the whole time
keep looking at this man's eyes, and after the third time, his head will start to follow you and jf it's, I
don't know, a full moon or something, the horse will put jrs front hooves down, and ...
(
Bekka: Whoa.
Stefanie: I think irs just after you drive around three times, you're dizzy, so anything looks like it's
following you, but, urn, my personal thing, every time we went up there to do it, and he always looked
like he was following me, but after three times, I get dizzy really easy. So. after three times, I was
always dizzy, and It, everything looked like it was following me. But my friends swore that they don't
get dizzy and that it was really following.
Bekka: Um-humm (yes).
Stefanie: And something about if the moon's right, the horse'll put it's hooves down and rear up
backwards or something, anyway, I never saw it happen, but thars the legend. So ...
Bekka: How many times did you guys go and do this?
Stefanie: Uke every Friday that we were bored.
"The Devil House- is a Utah county story that involves a supposedly haunted house. This story
( also has the element of a statue momentarily coming to life, if the conditions are right. Julie believes
the supernatural aspect Is the fact that they could not find the house, even when they wrote the
address down. It was always luck that they found it. This aspect is sometimes associated with a
legend·trip, as it was in Shaun's accounl of -S1. Ann's Retreat.-
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Legend·Tripping Story
"The Devil House-
Julie Johnson
Logan, Utah
July 15, 1991
Contextual Data: At Irving and Joe's apartment, telling ghost stories. Besides Irving and Joe, Bill,
Julie and I were also there.
Julie: There's this house in Provo, and it's white, and everyone, everybody would call It the Devil
House, 'cause on the outside of that, underneath the eaves there's a sculpture of a man's face, you
know his head like gargoyle and stuff, but there was just one face.
Bekka: Uh·uh (yes).
Julie: And supposedly if you went there like at midnight or whatever, irs always midnight or a full
moon ...
Bekka: Yeah.
Julie: ... you can see his eyes glowing red.
Bekl<a: 000.
Julie: We never could. We always called it gho ... Devil House, though. And Lisa's sister moved in there
after she got married. It wasn't haunted, it was supposed to be haunted, too, but she said that they
never found anything weird.
Bekka: Hmm. Thars interesting how those things get around.
Julie: That was a cool thing, but we could never find the house, we'd always have to, always have to
remem ... memorize the address, and then when it was ... we could never remember il when we went
back.
Bekka: Um·hm (yes).
Julie: And we would like write it down, and then it was always like the wrong address. We could
never remember where it was, we always just happened 10 come upon it. I thought that was really
creepy.
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-Gilgal or the Flintstone Park- is one of the most interesting places I've ever been to. It's a
whole little park crammed full of statuary, which we describe in some detail. This park is on private
property in the middle of a block in downtown Salt Lake, so the trespassing Issue does come into play.
This legend-trip is interesting because nothing supernatural is supposed to happen. Irs just a weird
place that I believed was demonic and Julie had heard ·you're supposed to feel all creepy,- There's no
ghosts or statues that come to life, but It's possibly some of the most interesting legend-trips I've ever
been on. The aspect of conquering fear and proving of one's self is a strong part of this legend-trip.
I went back to the Flintstone Park at the first part of August, and it's just as weird in the
daylight. I took my mother, who likes this kind of thing, and she is well versed in Mormonism. She
knew what everything was supposed to be. We ran into some people who were taking care of the trees
and grass In the park, and they told us where the owners lived. We went to their house and got the
pamphlet that Is enclosed in this paper. It destroyed a lot of what I had believed about the park, and I
really liked my version better.
What's funny about mine and Julie's conversation is that we're so wrong about most of the
park. I'm wrong more than Julie is. We're also talking about completely different houses that you
trespass through to get to the park. Mine Is on the east side of the house, and her's is on the south.
legend-Tripping Story
-Gilgal or the Flintstone Park-
Julie Johnson
Bekka Hanson
July 15, 1991
Contextual Data: It's the same afternoon when we told the other ghost stories. This started out as
Julie's story and kind of merged into mine. It's pretty much just a conversation about Gilgal.
Bekka: Tell me what happened when you went to Gilgal.
Julie: We just went
Bekka: Who'd you go with?
Julie: It was on a double date with these guys.
Bekka: You were?
Julie: Yeah, it was over Christmas. They weren't even like friends of mine, really, and this, yeah,
after we went to Cafe Pierpont I ~ust said -well, let's go,· and one of the other guys knew where it was
too, which I think, I hate that, because everyone knows about it now. It's like the thing to go, and you
can't go, you can't go when your not alone. There's always somebody there, and you have to sneak,
you have to know where you're going ....
Bekka: 'Cause I didn't realize it was that big anymore, 'cause when we went it was like when I was in
high school. I'd never heard of it and we would go and there'd never be anybody there. We'd go
Saturday nights and stuff and nobody would ever be there.
Julie; 'cause every time I'Ve been there's been people there, every time. It's just a weird place.
Bekka: What did you think about it? Describe it. Tell me some things in it
Julie: Well, I remember, there's like, the guy was supposedly a Mormon, and a Mason or something,
so he had a lot of, like, symbolism, like he has that big stack of books, like the four standard works,
they're huge.
( Bekka: Thafs right, I forgot about that one.
(
Julie: That's huge, and then he has like that birdhouse, that realty, it's up high and irs supposed 10 be
like the Brigham Young's house and all his wives. There's like a lot of symbolism like that, the guy who
we went with was telling us, and there's like that big mount, that's supposed to be, like ....
Bekka: The beehive or whatever that is?
Julie: No, he told me it was like supposed to be like the, some Book of Mormon place, (I'm) not sure,
'cause then on the other side they have like that giant face, and the giant foot, like when they were
conquered by some giants or something.
Bekka: Uumm.
Julie: I don't know. (cut) And there's a big Joseph Smith sphinx head.
Bekka: Cause that's what I remember, and I remember the Brigham Young statue, too.
Julie: Then there's a statue of him in his little plaid brick pl'int pants, and there's a picture of, like the
head of his wife, and then there's -
Bekka: I heard that his wife was buried In there under the sphinx statue ....
Julie: Ugggi
Bekka: ... which they used to do back in the pioneer days, so that isn't that weird for back then, but it's
kind of creepy to think thaI....
Julie: Then there's like that little oven thing, like that shows .... then the pitchfork and stuff, that
shows the pioneer work. What else? Then there's like a, well, all those rocks have those scriptures
etched in all of them, and then, on one part it like describes GilgaJ, 'cause I didn't know what it was, it's
like ....
Bekka: 'Cause I don't know what Gilgal is.
Julie: U's like a sacrificial, somewhere in the Bible it was like a sacrificial place, like MI. Sinea or
something, GilgaJ was a place like that. It's a Biblical place.
Bekka: 'Cause what we heard about it was that it was all twisted and demonic, because aJl the
scriptures are kind of twisted.
Julie: Are they?
Bekka: Yeah, and like Brigham Young is facing the wrong direction when he's reaching out for -this Is
the place,· and everything Is supposed to be twisted.
Julie: Really?
Bekka: It's all Mormonism, but it's all supposed to be twisted.
Julie: Could be, could be.
Bekka: And if Gilgal's the sacrificial place, 'cause seriously, you read those scriptures and some of
them are really well known. he's like worded them differently. I mean, they say ....
Julie: I guess I never really noticed that, 'cause we went in the snow and we really couldn't, I mean,
we saw that there were scriptures.
Bekl<a: Yeah.
Julie: Huh. There's a couple of other places, too, that, or other spots that I can't remember what they
were, but I they were supposed to be like indicative of some Bible story, or something. It's supposed to
be all symbolic.
Bekka: It's been so long that I can't remember half the stuff that's in there.
Julie: It's not all that big.
Bekl<a: It's fun to go with someone who knows it all, too, because ....
Julie: Well, this guy could have been all full of shit, too, but he seemed, I mean, It seemed to fit.
Bekl<a: I don't know, cause I've heard pretty much the same thing, too. And see, that birdhouse,
Brigham Young's house, that's supposed to mean something.
Julie: Is it like demonic? Oh really?
Bekka: Yeah.
Julie: That's kind of creepy.
Bekka: That bird house is supposed to mean something, I'm not sure what, but the whole thing is
supposed to be twisted Mormonism.
Julie: Then there's like that big thank you, there's a big slab that he gives all his thanks to, like a
whole list of people, 'cause it seems like, I heard that when you go there you're supposed to feel all
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creepy, and like there's so much evil stuff there, and you usually ...
Bekka: W. did, but we went in the middle of the night.
Julie: Oh, I didn't at all. We were there at midnight, too, and it was like, I was like, Whooo!. this is
reaUy cool. I felt really calm.
8ekka: Hmm.
Julie: So I didn't feel bad vibes at all, except you have to trespass to get past. I always feel bad about
doing that. •.•
Bekka: Me too.
Julie:
Bekka:
.... .'cause I don't want 10 get in trouble ....
Me too.
Julie: .... and piss off the people who own it. My dad wants 10 go; he thinks that's really interesting.
Bekka: My mom wants to go, too. That's cool if you can go in the daytime and just check it out.
Julie: I think you can. Maybe that sign's really old 'cause it's like inside ...
Bekka: Do you guys go behind the house to get in ...
Julie: Uh-uh (yes).
Bekka: ... or Is there another way through the block to get in?
Julie: I don't know, 'cause we went through the house.
Bekka: 'Cause last time we went in we went right behind those poor people's ...
Julie: And always their lights on. That is a creepy house, it's like ..
Bekka: That Is a creepy house.
Julie: Always there's always lights on.
Bekka: It's so run down and everything, too.
Julie: Thafs a creepy house.
Bekka: When we went there, they had these big black dogs out back, too ...
Julie: 00001
Bekka: Oool! Beasts of the Devil, Beasts of Satan.
Julie: Cool!
Bekka: We'd say all these things and get all in the mood to be all freaked out.
Julie: And then there's that little grove thing, like the sacred grove right when you first walk in, by
the swing set, that like leads to the garden.
Bekka: That's right, I forgot that one, too. It's pretty big, man, it takes up quite a bit of that inner
block.
JUlie: Yeah, it does, it does.
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I MUALOIIWU 111-20
To the I,rt of hh '­d'I,..,
tI tIM ,ray Ide. II
• h". u_ Croll ,loud
'" the ,.,IIM II • , ..... ,wc:.
of the S .... t.,·. c:rucHte&ton
on the cro... On tN k"Y1t_
It the tOp .f the nIche, the
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t..ncI •• f doe builder or the I"'>·
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on the Croll fo, our _ ,1M,
n.. ttl," '0',. ,t_
I' ,he HO' of the Croll "r.",..,.t .t..''.'.' ' M'. a.u..l. ., tOO'! udI. Joy. and
the c..- 0' rejoIcing,"
@ atllST
o NATURE - Represented ~ the rock cave
which is also a waterfall . .
WID RE'AOO ME IN ASHFS
IS MY SON IN WISHFS.
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the coni, 'NIl church upon tM ftu 0' 1M .. rth _,.
It ~ _I. Ilk. to II .... out _r • .e.out tho church .1Id tbout th .... ..-1
or "'ut Chrht. _'tctl
hit L .... CII,. Mit. tOft.,,. Dept,
50 hit .rdl T.,.,.
hlt Loko tit)'. Ut ... "'ISO
(101)
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Real Ghosts Stories
These are stories which mayor may not be about actual ghosts. In the three samples I have
here, none of the people believed in ghosts until the strange things began to occur. Irving's story could
have some logical explanations, but Shaun's and especially Jennifer's defy any kind of natural causal
explanation. The Interesting thing about .Jennifer's story is how completely she believes It, and yet
how at the same time she doesn't want anyone 10 know about it She is afraid people will think she's a
crackpot.
It is also interesting that all of these people have a college education. They are not Illiterate
and uneducated. This goes along with what Dr. David Hufford found in his study of the old hag
experience in that, oftentimes, education has nothing 10 do with belief In the supematuraL Many highly
educated and experienced people believe in ghosts. Or. Hufford told of a lawyer who was having regular
old hag experiences. He wrote to Dr. Hufford after reading his book "The Terror that Comes In the
Night- to tell him that he agreed with Dr. Hufford in that this experience was due to sleep paralysis. He
went on 10 say that he now understood that sleep paralysis made it possible for the demons to get at
him.
In -Shelly's Ghost; I think you'll understand why this person chose to be known as Irving Berlin
Jones. Culturally, I think this is a fascinating story. It fits so completely with the drug scene. You
( often hear stories of poltergeists and how they move things and hide things, but this Is the first
poltergeist I've ever heard of that leaves gifts.
Real Ghosts Stories
-Shelly's Ghost-
Irving Berlin Jones
July 15, 1991
Contextual Data: This story was told the same afternoon as Joe's Eric Claplon story. Julie and Bill
were there as well as myself.
Irving: How bout the ghost who \eaves half sheet of acid and bags of pot just lying around the
apartment?
Bekka: This is great. This is good, tell us this story. Tell me your name.
Joe: My name Is Engelbert Humperdink.
Irving: I don't think I want my name associated with this story. (cut) It all started, they found this
half sheet of acid In their freezer. And they were like, -Hmm. Did you leave this here?- -No:
Bekka: Who's they?
Irving: Umm, John ...
Joe: Frank and Bob.
Irving: John and Bob. And John said -did you leave this in the freezer, Frank?- and Frank said -no, I
didn't.-
Bill: Who's Frank?
Irving: -Did you leave it, John?- and John said -oh. that's not mine. - And so they were asking their
friends and their friends, none of them had stashed it there. And it was a kind that nobody had seen
before. So they tried it, and It was just really good, so they were stuck with a half-sheet of really
good acid. And they said ...
Joe: Stuck with.
( Irving: And they said they kept finding like little bags of pot just around, too, which maybe like they
left themselves from smoking so much. The sheet was pan of the adventure.
(
Julie: Edit that pan out, Bek, they didn't leave It, no.
Irving: O.k., the ghost left that, well they said the ghost left It. They couldn't remember Mtaving It and
it would be In weird places, too, like, weird places In the fridge and stuff.
Joe: The ghost that leaves the pot. I never can get a lease (something). Well, hey, here's a half a kil
of coke. wheewll
Irving: And then Da .. um, Larry had a brush with the Incident Just when we were up visiting him. He
was home doing some taping, like dubbing fIVe or six tapes he'd borrowed from friends, and he said he'd
get up and like go find a pencil to write down the songs and come back and the tape cover would be gone,
and he'd look for the tape cover and find it like in the bathroom or in the kitchen, or someplace like not
right around the stereo which is where everything was. And he found one of the tapes under his
mattress, like his mattress was on the floor, so it's not like really weird, like stuck in between the
mattress and his bed, but just on the floor under the mattress. And just weird things like that. And
they claim Ifs Shelly's ghost.
Bekka: Who's Shelly?
Irving: The girl that used to live there before them.
Bekka: What happened to her? Why'd she die?
Irving: She moved to Portland.
Julie: Oh, she moved to Ponland.
Bekka: So she's not dead?
Irving: Well, I've. she's actually a good ghost. She's a good person. too. I've met her, she·s ....
(cut)
Irving: The only tricks she plays are usually not malicious. but it's just stuff like hiding pencils or
books or .••. stuff.
Bill: like bestowing gifts.
Irving: Or leaving gifts.
(
(
·Shane's Ghosr is a rather disturbing story of a violent ghost attack. This happened to Shaun's
twin brother, Shane, while he was staying in California. Shane's first explanation was that it was the
black dude who was out to get him, but it soon became evident that this explanation could nol be
correc1.
Real Ghosts Stories
·Shane's Ghost-
Shaun Federico
July 25, 1991
Contextual Data: I talked to my friends at work about ghost stories. Shaun had several that he wanted
to share. This one is about his twin brother.
Shaun: I've got one about my brother.
Bekka: Kay, tell me the one about your brother.
Shaun: Kay, he moved ...
Bekka: These are great. I love it
Shaun: ... to California, and at the time he was going out with this, with this girl that this black dude, he
liked her. too. And he said. you came ... He threatened him several times when he went like to the
burger bar.
Bekka: Un-hun (yes).
Shaun: In California. And he threatened him several times that he was going to kill him. And Shane
says, ·un-un (no), no you're not,· and, um, so, as he went home that night, he went to sleep. And he,
he didn't get drunk, and he went to sleep, passed out and went to sleep, and then he, all of a sudden,
somebody lifted him up out of his bed, threw him against the wall and said ·oh, crap'· He got his knife,
and he thought, he thought it was the black dude that threatened him, went into his house. And he
started to go like this and duck and there was nobody there. And he was lifted right off the ground.
Bekka: Oh, my gosh. Did he ever see anybody or ... ?
Shaun: Nope. It was he, he just stood there for five minutes off the ground and he Just looked and
(knock, knock) trying to feel the floor. He said that it was the most weirdest feeling that's ever felt.
Bekka: Oh, my gosh.
Shaun: It's freaky.
Bekka: Gee. Thafs pretty good. And did it ever come back?
Shaun: Um-um (no). But the next day he packed his bags and left California. Went home.
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-AUysa- is the most bizarre ghost story I was told during my little research project Into the
supernatural. As in Shaun's story, there is no legend to go along with the events. Jennifer has said
that she would like to go to the county records and see if she could find out what happened, if anything,
on her father's property.
I know Jennifer pretty well, and she's a down-la-earth, very logical person. These events
have bothered her and have frightened her because she has no rational explanation for them. This story
is also un-nerving because the ghost seems to be fair1y hostile. Irs interesting the way Jennifer tells
these stories. She puts forth her argument in a logical and rational way. and tries to explain events
that have nothing 10 do with rationality. I honestly don't know how some of these events could have
occurred unless there is an actual ghost living in her father's house. The events also occur fairly
regularly. Almost every time Jennifer comes back to logan, she has a new story about Allysa.
Real Ghost Stories
-Allysa-
Jennifer Harding
July 23, 1991
Contextual Data: This is the same night that Stefanie told me Kaye's Cross and the Ogden Cemetery
Statue stories. Jennifer had no desire whatsoever to be taped, and I wanted to respect her wishes.
The following is my own paraphrasing.
Jennifer started by saying that there was a ghost in her father's house. He goes on business
trips a lot, and is very careful to lock the doors and turn off all the lights. Many times when he comes
home from his trips, however, the garage door and house doors will be wide open, and all the lights In
the house will be on. Jennifer emphasized the fact that nothing was ever missing in the house, and such
events could not be due to burglary or other similar incidents. Jennifer herself has heard the ghost on
many different occasions. When she stays with her lather, she uses an upstairs bedroom that is by the
stairs. She has often heard footsteps running up the stairs and to the end of the hall, and then back
again. When she goes out to investigate, no one is ever there. She confessed that it makes her very
nervous sometimes, since her father's room Is downstairs and on the opposite side of the house.
Jennifer told us that her niece, whose nickname is Budd, actually saw the ghost when she was
younger. Jennifer said that Budd Is a precocious child and began speaking at a very young age. She told
Jennifer that there was a girl living in the house by the name of Allysa, and that she was about ten
years old. Budd described her as having long brown hair and red eyes, and that she wore funny, old
fashioned clothes. She claimed that Allysa had a favorite toy, which belonged to Jennifer. It was a
stuffed elephant. Budd claimed many times that she played with Allysa. One afternoon, however, when
Budd was about three, Jennifer found her crying in the living room. Budd said that Allysa was very
mad at her and wanted to hurt her. Jennifer tried to comfort her by telling her Allysa did not exist.
Budd then said that Allysa was on the stairs at that very moment and was watching them. Jennifer
picked up Budd and walked towards the stairs. Budd became extremely upset, and kept repeating that
Allysa wanted to hurt her. Jennifer told me that at about age five, Budd didn't see Allysa any more,
and Budd is no longer scared of the ghost.
Jennifer told me of another time about a year ago when Allysa was fairly hostile. She had
invited several friends over to the house and they were watching videos and eating pizza. One of the
boys went downstairs to build a fire. Jennifer said he screamed and came running back up the stairs.
He had a big gash over his eye that was bleeding badly. He said that as he was laying the logs in the
fireplace, something picked one of them up and hurled it at him. The log hit his forehead. Jennifer and
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her friends took him In for stitches. None of her friends at that party knew about the ghost.
The last incident Jennifer told me about occurred around her father's birthday. They had gotten
about twenty helium balloons and had put them in the living room. The went Into the kitchen for a while
and when they came back all the balloons were missing. They turned up all in her father's bedroom,
which is down the hall and at a 90 degree turn from the living room. They gathered up the balloons and
took them back to the living room. Jennifer explained that in her father's living room, the ceiling Is
made of oak beams which hang down into the room. The ceiling is nol a flat surface. All three adults
watched the balloons move, one by one, down around the beams, down the hall, make the 90 degree
turn, and end up back in her father's room. She said this happened twice more, and then they decided to
leave the balloons in her father's room. Jennifer also explained that none of the windows were open,
and that her father has a circulatory heating so there are no vents In the house. There were no drafts
to push the balloons along, and even if there were, they would not have been able to go around the
beams.
I asked Jennifer who she thought Allysa was, and she said that there used to be an old log cabin
that adjoined her father's property. It was torn down when her father built his house. Jennifer says
that between where the old cabin used to be and her father's house there is a mound in the lawn that
Jennifer thinks is the right size to be a small grave. She's tried to get her father to dig It up several
times, but he doesn't think that's a very good idea.
Jennifer thinks her father is frightened of the ghost, but will not admit it. He will not speak of
the ghost to anyone outside of their immediate family, and he forbids any of his children to mention it.
Jennifer says he does that because he doesn't think anyone would believe such a story and he doesn't
want to look ridiculous. Jennifer has many of the same feelings herself.
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Stories of the Devil
Every one of the legend-tripping stories in this paper, with the exception of -The Ogden
Cemetery Statue- and '"The Devil House,· also has a devil worshiping story that goes along with h.
This is a really disturbing trend to me. My story of -Emu's Grave- deals almost exclusively with the
fact that my friends and I got chased by what we believe were devit worshipers. I believe that is the
reason why most of the Utah cemeteries are closed after a certain hour at night 11 seems to be a trend
that gets bigger and bigger every year.
Julie had so many of these stories that I could have done a paper entirely on her. She suggested
I title it • Julie Johnson's Bedtime Stories.· Perhaps it's because she comes from Utah county which is
notorious for all the devil cults that supposedly exist there. This is a really Interesting fact since Utah
county is also supposed be the holiest county in Utah as far as the LOS church is concerned.
Julie was not the only one with devil worshiping stories, however. Jennifer knew quite a bit
about Jay's Joumal. Stefanie said that Kaye's Cross is a place where the devil cults meet. Both of
Shaun's legend-tripping stories ended with accounts of devil worship. I myself have a few stories of
this genre.
I don't know why this is becoming the trend in supematural stories. I don't remember ever
telling them when I was younger. I remember starting to hear about the devil cults when I was in high
school, but I'm sure they've been around much longer. I do believe in the devil worshiping cults, but I'm
not sure that all the stories that are told can be accredited to them. If that were the case, either every
other person would have to be a devil worshiper, or they get around a lot
I included this story of Julie's, first of all, because she had so many of them, and secondly,
because I wanted to include an example of this in my paper. h is a fairly typical version of a devil
worshiping story. They usually include contact with demons of some kind, violent acts such as
sacrifices and extreme vandalism, intense secrecy surrounding the cult itself. This secrecy extends to
the point of killing members who want to get away from these practices.
In this version, it's interesting thai Julie says the punk kids go out there all the time. Punk kids
aren't necessarily devil worshipers, but in this story it seems that they are.
Stories of the Devil
-Jay's Journal-
Julie Johnson
July 15, 1991
Contextual Information: This was a banner afternoon for ghost stories. Julie and I were just sitting
around swapping stories.
Julie: Well, I know that out in Pleasant Grove, that Jay's Journal book .. ..
Bekka: Un-hun (yes).
Julie: It's based on, was that journal of the guy thai went devil worshiping.
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Bekka: Oh, tell me Jay's Journal. Did you guys go out there and like, see it?
JUlie: Oh, yeah.
Bekka: O.k., tell me this story.
Julie: Well, have you read the book?
Bekka: Un-un (no).
Julie: Well, let me tell you, it goes ....
Bekka: Kay. lell me about Jay's Journal.
Julie: Well it's just about a young teenaged boy. it's about a teen-aged boy who got into devil
worshiping and the journal, he got in deeper and deeper and deeper and he couldn't get out. He tried to
get out and just couldn't ...
Bekka: And he just kept a journal about it?
Julie: Un-hun (yes), and he ended up killing himself, and a friend of mine - I met this guy down in Cedar
City at school, and he was his nephew, of Jay and the grandma still has the gun he shot himself with,
and they still like relive it, like ...
Bekka: How old was he, then?
Julie: He was just a teenager.
Bekka: Well, I mean like generation wise.
Julie: I think It was back in the sixties, I think. It wasn't very long ago, anyway. It was just really
sad. And then his grave it was - I don't know if Pleasant Grove is one of the ones like Provo that has
the ones, all the stand up ones - I don't know if it was unusual if his was a stand up one or not, but, it
was Just a slab, a stand up slab that had a poem on it that said basically -don't do what I did, I fucked up
really bad, - kind of thing. It's a beautiful poem. And then it had his picture of him, creepy as hell.
Bekka; Like carved into it, or was it an actual photograph?
Julie: It was a photograph.
Bekka: Like that baby one in Logan.
Julie: Freaky, his eyes were just really freaky.
Bekka: Weird.
Julie: Yeah. And I guess it was really popular for all the punk kids to go out there all the time, like at
midnight. I don't know actually what they did, but they had to move the grave. They either moved it or
they just took off that tombstone and changed the tomb or something. I think they actually moved the
body because they had so many occult problems out there with the cult people going out there.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 8590751 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1970-1979; 1980-1989; 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> and
HECATE IN LOGAN CANYON: ORIGIN, BELIEF, AND CONTEMPORARY ORAL
TRADITION
by
Anna-Maria Sna:bjornsd6ttir Arnlj6ts
Two essays submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
Approved:
Jeannie Thomas
Committee Member
of
MASTER OF ARTS
In
American Studies
(Plan B)
Barre Toelken
Major Professor
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
Logan, Utah
2000
Randy Williams
Committee Member
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Legend-Tripping at St. Anne's Retreat
What is now referred to as St. Anne's Retreat was initially a summer home eight
miles up Logan Canyon, east of Logan, Utah. It was built in the 1930s by the Boyd
Hatch family from New York, and Mrs. Hortense OdIum. The property was donated in
the 1950s to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, and it was used occasionally
as a retreat and a vacation place for Sisters of the Holy Cross. Because it was not in
continuous use, there was ample opportunity for vandals to visit, even on nights when the
sisters were present. This prompted the nuns to get watch dogs to alert them to the
presence of intruders. The sisters felt unsafe with the increase of the sometimes
intoxicated young trespassers and vandals, and stopped coming to the retreat. In 1992,
Mark Epstein, together with some other investors, bought the property with plans of
turning it into vacation homes (Herald Journal, October 15, 1997. Pg. 16). What these
investors may not have anticipated was the long standing cultural gap between local
Mormons and Catholics, and how fear, belief, prejudice, and a generally accepted folk
tradition of legend-tripping would interfere with their hopes of vacationing peacefully in
the beautiful mountains of Logan Canyon.
Legend-tripping is a term that Linda Degh, William Ellis, and others use in
describing the practice of visiting the sites of supernatural legends. In a collection of
essays called "Legend-Trips and Satanism: Adolescents' Ostensive Tradition as 'Cult'
Activity, " Ellis quotes Kenneth Thigpen who describes legend tripping in three parts
consisting of "1) initiation into the story; 2) performing the acts that 'cause the
fulfillment of the legend'; and 3) retrospective discussion of what participants believed
happened, which then feeds back into the core story into which newcomers were
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initiated" (Ellis 1991 :280). The legends surrounding St. Anne's have provided a thrill to
local adolescents for generations as is manifested by the number of people of all
generations who claim to have taken part in legend tripping at St. Anne's.
St. Anne's retreat and the legends associated with it achieved national media
attention when over 30 high school students seeking to experience the "trip" of this
legendary place, were caught and fell into the hands of vigilante security guards. The
students were captured by three men, who were armed with shotguns; they were then
roped around the neck, handcuffed, and forced to kneel in an empty swimming pool
(Herald Journal, October 12, 1997, pg. 1). The legend-tripping youths embarked on a
"trip" more exciting than they had anticipated as some were allegedly verbally
threatened, physically abused, and sexually assaulted while awaiting the arrival of the
local police. What followed this incident was a public uproar against the watchmen's use
of force against the trespassers.
This paper will look at the circumstances around this event and how age
differences, religious folklore, and other cultural constructions play important roles in the
maintenance of a vivid local legend cluster. The paper will further analyze versions of
the St. Anne legend currently circulating among local high school students. I ultimately
hope to illustrate how the nature of folklore is manifested by incorporating the vigilante
incident into the legend cluster ofSt. Anne's retreat, evident in some ofthe recent
versions collected from seniors at a Logan High School.
The angry response of parents whose children were manhandled at the Retreat
while legend-tripping on Halloween in 1997 was based on their notion that teenage trips
to St. Anne's were so common that they constituted an understandable, coherent
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tradition, the rationale of which was more important than the relatively trivial matter of
trespass. In other words, local concepts of justice are heavily influenced here-as
elsewhere in the world-by local traditions. And if the tradition and its intemallogic are
that important, of course it tacitly affirms the local attitudes on differences in religion.
A different example of local concepts of justice being influenced by tradition may
be the blood libel case involving a child: Andrew ofRinn at Judenstein, a town near
Innsbruck, Austria is said in legend to have died by ritual murder at the hands of a Jew.
Alan Dundes relates that Eli Wiesenthal, a Nazi-hunter, "voices his dismay at seeing full
cars and busloads of school children making annual pilgrimages to Rinn under the
tutelage of their religious instructors to see the ritual murder lie depicted as a historical
event ... [t]his is depicted by three figures made of wood or wax in a menacing pose
with knives in hand surrounding a stone upon which was stretched out a supplicating
infant garbed in white" (Dundes, 342). In spite of great effort to stop pilgrimages to this
blood libel legend site, including orders from Pope John Paul XXli to remove certain
statues-the legend is treated as historical fact and thus the local concepts of justice in
Rinn, and the power of their folk belief and tradition carry on unchanged. The parallel
seen between the St. Anne's legends and the blood libel legends is clearly that local belief
and tradition in both cases justify a long standing custom--one that penetrates basic
principles and issues of a local population. For the St. Anne's legend this means legend­tripping
to experience the legend by ostension; and in the case of Andrew ofRinn at
Judenstein, pilgrimages to the site that commemorates the child murdered there.
Recollections from older locals of the Cache Valley region, recalling their visit to
the "Nunnery," suggest a general consent to this behavior of legend-tripping associated
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with the belief and its tradition and suggests that this ritual functions as a rite of passage
for local individuals. This is evident from older generations of legend-trippers that
established the tradition of visiting St. Anne's; and thus viewed as a custom that one
would expect most locals to have participated in. The youths apprehended in Logan
Canyon on Halloween 1997 who expected fulfillment of the St. Anne legend, really did
get a thrill-but not of the sort they expected. Instead of red-eyed Dobermans, the
haunting sound of murdered babies crying out, Witch Hekate in the shape of a cloud
moving down the mountain, the car not starting, boulders falling down the mountain
upon curious visitors, blood in the swimming pool, (representing the death that the pool is
so much associated with), these trippers were ambushed in the night by armed men with
shotguns and held hostage for two hours.
Another story involving St. Anne's Retreat reflects an incident that again deals
with local traditions confronting an aggregate concept of justice. Diane Browning, a
former journalist for the local newspaper, The Herald Journal, wrote an article in 1986,
telling of the St. Anne's Retreat legends as a ghost story for Halloween. She related the
history of the article to me in a phone conversation (1997). After a co-worker told her
one of the St. Anne's legends, they decided it would be a fun piece to write for
Halloween (1986). However, the article instead created an emotional response from the
Logan Catholic community, who took the article as an intentional provocation. Diane
described verbally abusive anonymous phone calls and irate letters to the editor in The
Herald Journal. Also outraged by her article was the incumbent priest, who spent two
consecutive Sundays attacking the author from the pulpit, promoting a charged
atmosphere.
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Legend versions that Browning discussed in her article include: nuns raped and
murdered at the retreat, a nun who had given birth to a child while at St. Anne's,
drowning the baby in the swimming pool, and a nun coming out of the woods
accompanied by two white Doberman Pinschers with red eyes. Browning ended the
article by saying: "A note to the adventuresome: St. Anne's is located on private property
and is patrolled regularly by a night watchman" (Herald Journal, October 26, 1986). This
statement seems somewhat ironic-since eleven years later-the community becomes
witness to an incident on this property that specifically deals with vigilante actions by the
night watchmen.
Browning's newspaper article and the trespassing incident in 1997
involving St. Anne's, illustrate the magnificent potential of a legend, and the powerful
role that it plays in local folklore. This is further illustrated by the resiliency of the
legend as it persists in its navigation through time, through a periodic resurgence, giving
rise to otherwise dormant tensions between the Mormon majority and the Catholic
minority in Logan.
In the Fife Folklore Archives at Utah State University are some 50 legend
versions of the St. Anne's Retreat, and an additional 25 of the related Hecate legend
version, collected by students through the years. Several examples of these follow here
to facilitate an understanding the concepts and ideas involved in this discussion. The
current oral legend tradition appears to contain a basic version: example 1-8; and a
trespassing version that follows as trespass versions 1-4. [stories are written verbatim].
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1. The Old Nun
I once heard of some kids from Hyrum that went up to the old Catholic
Nunnery in Logan Canyon. There was three boys and three girls. It was
really late at night when they went, the guy had wanted to really scare their
girlfriends. They got out of their car, walked down the path towards the
Nunnery. Along the way was a couple of ponds. When they walked past the
ponds little hands reached up and grabbed all of them around the ankles.
They were all so scared that they took off running back to the car. Some of
the guys started asking around as to why this happened. An old Priest that
lives here in the valley told them that when there were people from the church
living there, some of the Nuns became pregnant by the Priests. The Nuns
would carry the baby to full term, and then to save the Church from
embarrassment, they would drown their babies in the ponds. When strangers
enter the property and walk by the ponds the babies' spirits will grab at them;
they try and pull themselves out of the water to keep from drowning (Fife
Folklore Archives, L2.1.12.1.27).
2. Freezing Nuns
St. Anne's was a place where nuns could go on a vacation, usually in the
summer or winter. One winter a long time ago, some nuns went up there to
stay. It was a very severe winter with lots of snow so a man had to bring
their supplies to them every week. He would take their fuel and food to
them because it was the only way they could get it. One week the man
couldn't get his wagon through, and he had to wait about two weeks before
he could go up there again. He finally made it up to the retreat, and he
found all the nuns had starved and frozen to death. He noticed that their
bodies had been chewed by dogs. He was very worried about this, and was
just leaving when he saw one of the nuns, whose name was Hekeda. She
began chasing him with her two dogs. He got away and told the towns
people what had happened. Hekeda still haunts the retreat with her dogs,
and you can see her chasing you in your rearview mirror as you are leaving.
It is believed she is of the devil (Fife Folklore Archives, ColI. 8. USU. 84-
050. Item 5).
3. St. Anne's Retreat
St. Anne's Retreat was originally established up Logan Canyon for Cache
Valley's Catholic nuns who needed to "get away" from things for awhile.
One nun got herself in trouble and as time passed her problem became more
noticeable. He[r] superiors knew that something needed to be done-she
couldn't walk the streets in her condition, so she was sent to the St. Anne's
for the duration of her pregnancy. The Mother Superior at St. Anne's talked
this nun into putting up the baby for adoption when it was born, because she
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thought this sort of thing was horrible. If the nun would agree to do as the
Mother Superior said, the Mother Superior would help her. If not, then she
could fend for herself. Well, as time went by and this nun spent her time
reading, thinking, swimming in the pool, and walking around the retreat and
in the nearby woods, she began to think of this child and knew she could
never give it up. She decided to leave the order and raise her baby. When
the baby was born she told her decision to the Mother Superior. The Mother
Superior did not agree and felt that she had to end this situation. One day
when this nun was sleeping, the Mother Superior took the baby and drowned
him in the swimming pool. The nun took it very hard, but couldn't believe
the Mother Superior would actually do this. She thought the Mother
Superior had taken the baby and given him to a family, or was hiding him
on the retreat somewhere. As she was recovering, she would take walks
around the retreat to see if she could find her baby. As she walked by the
pool one day, the Mother Superior pushed her in and she drowned. The
Mother Superior thought she had rectified the problem, and now could live
with herself after taking care of this nun. About three weeks later another
nun was sent to St. Anne's to rest and relax for a couple of weeks. One day
as she was walking past the swimming pool she saw a nun floating face
down in the pool. She screamed, and the Mother Superior came to see what
the problem was. The Mother Superior tried to grab at the nun in the pool,
but the nun disappeared. The second nun wanted to know what had
happened, but the Mother Superior would not say anything. The second nun
called the Father and told him to come up to the St. Anne's because there
was something wrong. the Father came and got to the bottom of what had
happened and soon after, the Mother Superior was taken from St. Anne's.
Shortly after this happened, the Catholic church sold St. Anne's Retreat. St.
Anne's is still used as a get away place for various groups and there have
been reports that the one nun is still looking for her baby. Some have seen
her walking around the retreat, and some have seen her floating in the pool.
While there are no reports of anyone talking to this nun, there are plenty of
reports of people who have seen her, so as you go camping in this part of
Logan Canyon, beware of the nun (Fife Folklore Archives, L2.1.12.1.34).
4. Saint-Ann-Retreat
Saint-Ann was a nunery a long time ago. As Catholic, nuns are not suppose
to have sex or any relationship with male. However, some nuns up at Saint­Ann
had broke the rule and got pregnant. When babies were born, the nuns
killed the babies by drowning them in a pool in the back of Sain-Ann. Some
of the nuns felt guilty and killed themselves also. Now, the nuns sometimes
appear back to visit the place. There is a watchman with two dobermans
and a gun to keep the public out (Fife Folklore Archives, L2.1.12.1.14).
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5. Hekeda and Her Dogs
All the nuns and mother superior lived at St. Anne's. One of the nun's name
was Hekeda, and she took care of seven afghan hounds. In the early 1920' s a
guy went up there and killed and raped them all. All of the bodies were
found except Hekeda's and the dog's. Every time someone goes up to St.
Anne's to fix it up, they always hear dogs barking, and then see a lantern on
the ountain. You can see the figure of a woman walking her dogs up there at
night. If you yell the name Hekeda three times, a blue fog will cover your
car, and you won't be able to come down out of the canyon (Fife Folklore
Archives, ColI. 8. USU. 84-050. Item 6).
6. The Lynching Mob
This actually happened sometime in the early sixties. St. Anne's was a
vacation area, and there were about twelve or thirteen nuns up there when
one of them went bezerk. She just went bonkers. She had been training
these four Black Labs, which she had gotten from Hekeda, to kill. She kept
them in a woodshed on the mountainside, and one night she let the dogs
loose. She got a lantern and a hatchet, and she and her dogs slaughtered all
of the nuns. Time passed and nothing was discovered until someone made a
delivery to the retreat. The person who found the dead nuns went back to
Logan and got a bunch of people together. This mob of people went up to St.
Anne's, and they found the crazy nun, and they decided to hang her. They
gave her the chance to speak her last words, and she said, "I will forever
haunt this place." She still haunts St. Anne's today (Fife Folklore Archives,
ColI. 8. USU. 84-050. Item 8).
7. Saint Anne's Retreat
A long time ago there used to be a nunnery at Saint Anne's. One of the
nuns got pregnant by a young priest. She hid the fact that she was
pregnant for a long time. When she had the baby she was told she had to
leave the nunnery. She was grieved at what had happened and went out
and drowned her baby in the swimming pool, then hung herself. Her
spirit haunts the place in the form of a dog. Sometimes people can hear
dogs howling at Saint Anne's. Nobody has ever seen the dogs (Fife
Folklore Archives, L2.1.12.1.37).
8. Heckada
If you go up Logan Canyon to 3rd dam and cross the bridge into the
Spring Hollow area or go to the Quarry up Providence Canyon, you can
summon the Devil's wife, her name is Heckada. My friend's brother's
girlfriend's brother had a friend that did this very thing. He and a date
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went up to the Spring Hollow area, for some romancing. After being
turned down he got out of the car and yelled the phrase "Heckada, come
get me" this was the saying that you needed to say to get Heckada to
appear. After saying it a few times he returned to the car. His date was
scared, which was his main intention for doing the little prank, or so he
thought. After a few minutes of sitting there they began to hear dogs
barking, they looked up and saw a green glowing chariot pulled by six
wolves, and a mistress with long flowing hair at the reins. At about the
same instance the doors locked, the boy and date was pretty scared by
this time so the boy tried to get the car started but it seemed like the
battery was dead, nothing would start or no lights would come on. By
this time the wolves were on the hood of the car clawing at it and
grow ling. The mistress stared into the boy's eyes and said "I have come
for you." The boy freaked out and didn't know what to do, the girl was
screaming and crying. Then the boy remembered to say "In the name of
Jesus Christ I command you to leave," at the very instance of saying
that, the mistress and her wolves disappeared. The boy then started the
car and returned to Logan. Upon returning to his date's house they
looked at the hood and saw scratches that the wolves left (Fife Folklore
Archives, L2.3.1.15.9).
These legends may function to express curiosity, suspicion and even fear of a
minority religion by a local majority. They may also function as a means of
illustrating the idea that outside religions are too strange for local adolescents to take
seriously by creating a sense of fear and skepticism about their behavior. Such stories
allow for hostility toward another group to be expressed in narrative dramas rather
than the form of physical harm. Nonetheless, it is clear that there is a considerable
emotional load in these stories as well, and it is important for us to wonder why. It
will become increasingly clear through these legend examples and discussion
throughout this paper of different themes and issues that surface, and the function that
this oral tradition serves.
The trespass legend versions that circulate today tell about the horrors occurring
during the incident on Halloween of 1997. Examples 1-4 follow:
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Trespass Story: 1
My father has told me stories of when he would visit there, and my
friend did some research on it last summer. I've heard about the kids
that went up there and the caretaker tied them up in the pool and
harassed them [my emphasis]. My father told me about stories where he
would go up there and play pranks on his dates. Him and his friends
would dress up like ghosts and act out scenes with real rifles and blanks.
I have heard something about somebody dying in the pool, and people
making sacrifice up there [merger of traditional story and trespass
version of 1997] (Logan High survey).
Trespass Story: 2
I heard that there were some high school students were at the nunery and
they got kidnapped [my emphasis] and tied up and I heard they were
breaking into [my emphasis] the nunery (Logan High survey).
Trespass Story: 3
I probably only know rumors from people around me at my school. I
don't know any facts about it. I have heard that there is a nunery up the
canyon where little kids were murdered. Then I heard that kids from my
school and others went up there and got caught by cops. My friend has
been there, and she said it was really scary [a mixture of the basic story
and trespass version of 1997] (Logan High survey).
Trespass Story: 4
The only thing that I have heard about it was about the teens who
where trying to break in and they got harassed [my emphasis] [1997
events] (Logan High survey).
There are several themes that can be observed in various versions of these legends
that address the Mormon-Catholic tensions. The story of "Witch Hekate," identified
with the Mother Superior, and her red-eyed Dobermans, symbolize the evil connotation
that the locals have associated with the Catholic church. The ancient belief of dogs as a
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symbol of evil is seen in this legend by .the presence of Witch Hekate's Dobermans­further
attempting to associate the nuns as evil (Barre Toelken, personal communication).
Also with origins in ancient belief, is the theme of sexuality and pregnancy at St.
Anne' s- which comes from the old notion that nuns and priests secretly engaged in
sexual encounters (Barre Toelken, personal communication). In the case of the legend,
the horror of disposing of these unwanted pregnancies follows.
The congruency between the dramatic images of the legends and local western
and Mormon values suggests still another level of meaning for these narratives.
Teenagers from a patriarchal society go away from town to experience the thrill of danger
in a female-dominated place; teenagers who are dating but are exhorted to refrain from
sex until after marriage go there to be thrilled by legends of women who are prohibited
from having sex, and who don't get married, but who have illegitimate babies anyway;
espousing religion and abhorring murder, they visit places where religious people are said
to have been murdered.
To understand the emotional load and the religious dimension in these legends is
to understand local belief and perception of the world, including the presence of the
Catholic Retreat established some fifty years ago Logan Canyon. Fundamental attitudes
of Mormons towards Catholics is an essential component of the religious dimension, but
what appears prominent through the legends is gender-and the struggle to maintain, and
confirm the male role in this religious culture. The legends serve as faith promoting
events of not only the male establishing his role as dominant, but also to verify that the
Mormon church is superior and one that will prevail over the other.
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Mormon attitudes towards Catholics is well documented. Thomas quotes the
following from personal communication with William A. Wilson, a Mormon scholar:
Mormons see Catholics as the principal apostate church. Protestant
churches have at least tried to draw closer to the original church in their
reform movements, but Catholics have steadfastly persisted in their error, in
their apostasy, and are therefore easily connected with evil. Bruce
McConkie called the Catholic Church the great and abominable church
before he was forced to recant; some missionaries refer to the church as the
"G & A." Missionaries to Catholic countries often come home with tales of
evil nuns and priests" (Thomas, 18).
It is clear to see how attitudes such as these mentioned can determine the
perception of this particular religious culture. Through the legends one can detect
apprehension, fear and anxieties of the presence of the outside religion as well
maintain male dominance of this patriarchal culture. The male confirms his status and
role as dominant male legend-tripping through ostension to maintain, and confirm the
importance and continuation of his role as male in his culture. Male dominance is
established in legend as initiator of courtship; protector against evil by averting evil
with power of priesthood (Example above: 2. Heckada: L2.3.1.15.9).
Another theme presented in some legends is the female outsider vs. the male
insider: the female breaks the rules in these legends and pays the penalty. She either
becomes ostracized as the nun who becomes pregnant in St. Anne's Retreat:
(L2. 1. 12. 1.34) which is noted by the following: St. Anne's Retreat was originally
established up Logan Canyon for Cache Valley's Catholic nuns who needed to "get
away" from things for awhile. One nun got herself in trouble ... she couldn't walk the
streets in her condition, so she was sent to St. Anne's ... " This may not only be
illustrating the attitudes of the local Mormon religion of their perception of such a
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situation by stating that pregnant unwed women cause shame and should be hidden
away-but this situation may also be inverse of reality and that it reflects their own
attitudes about as if happened to their own. The punishment for breaking moral codes
may even become rape and murder as in the following version S. "Hekeda and Her
Dogs" (Fife Folklore Archives, ColI. 8. usu. ColI. 8. 84-0S0.Item 6). The stories
projected on the nuns and the punishment received for breaking the rules may illustrate
local attitudes and feelings towards moral transgressions. Thus the legends send a strong
message to conform to local codes of living.
Other themes represented are 1) In the first version: nun gets pregnant by a priest;
nun has baby and drowns it in the legendary swimming pool located at St. Anne's; nun
commits suicide but remains as a ghost and haunts the place (as a dog); sounds of dogs
howling. 2) The second version: An example of legend-tripping functioning as teenage
courtship scene. (Toelken, personal communication; Fife Folklore Archives:
L2.3.1.1S.9; Thomas, IS). Boy takes girl to this haunted place with hopes of romancing.
Also present is the notion of calling Hekate's name three times to make Hekate appear.
This of course not only has the effect of scaring the girl, but also brings about various
phenomena as described in the story. There is also the presence of dogs, a green
glowing chariot with Hekate at the helm; she also later speaks to the boy, and the car not
starting. There is a definite religious overtone as well in this traditional story. The boy
chases away the evil (nun) Hekate with the words "In the name of Jesus Christ.. .. "
This seems to suggest the idea that the righteous and powerful religion prevails over the
evil presence of the other. This is followed by a safe return as explained by the
following quote: "Those who go there are invariably frightened and end up retreating to
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the safety of their own LDS culture" (Thomas, 18). This would also have the effect and
function as a "faith promoting" (Thomas, 16; Hufford, 222) event for the couple and
undoubtedly the event would continue to serve its purpose in narrative form for the
inspiration of others.
In trespass version (1) the father condones a legend-tripping tradition to St.
Anne's because he recollects his own trips to this legendary site. In other words,
there remains a general acceptance of legend-trips to this supernatural site by
precedence of local tradition, and again, because the trips to St. Anne's are so
common that it becomes a justifiable, acceptable, and a coherent custom that
consequently affects local concepts of justice.
In several of these newer trespass versions, the intruders are perceived as
being victims and are described as being harassed, even though they are the ones
breaking in! This is significant in light of a general local perception that legend­tripping
at St. Anne's is more than a local tradition and viewed by many as a
benign activity. Although it should be clear that large numbers of locals voicing
their opinion in letters to the editor articulated their dismay and frustration with the
trespassers.
In one of the stories (trespass version 3), kids are said to have been murdered at
St. Anne's; this is closely followed by the statement "kids from my school were caught
by cops." This has the appearance (as seen throughout these stories) that the trespassing
high school students were victims-even though they were breaking the law by entering
private property. It may also be a reflection of the traditional themes, incorporated into
the newer trespass stories.
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Still another possible level of meaning in the cluster of traditional stories can be
seen by using Alan Dunde's tenn "projective inversion." Dundes uses the blood libel
legend to illustrate this concept. This legend with origins in ancient times tells of Jews
killing Christian infants and children, using their blood in a ritual to make matzah. He
explains that: "The Christian guilt for indulging in symbolic ritual cannibalism is neatly
projected onto the Jews through such legends" (Dundes, 110). Dundes continues: "I am
persuaded that a more appropriate and revealing approach to the legend lies in the
Christian need for a Jewish scapegoat and in the psychological process I have tenned
"projective inversion"(Dundes, 352). The point is that the blood libel legend is Christian
folklore-"and that it is Christians, not Jews, who [tell and] would like to commit the
blood libel" (Dundes, 354). Also important to note that it was not the Jews who killed
Christ, it was the Romans. "Christians blame Jews for something which the Christians
needed to have happen, a thing which the Jews never did ... [so] projective inversion
refers to a psychological process in which A accuses B of carrying out an action which A
really wishes to carry out him or herself' (Dundes, 352-353). An example of what makes
clear the projective inversion in the blood libel legend is suggested by the following facts:
Jews are prohibited from consuming blood; but Christians, take part in a ritual of
consuming the body of Christ by the symbolic bread and wine (or bread and water)
symbolizing the body and blood of the Christ. Along these lines of wish fulfillment, it
appears that Christians are projecting upon the Jews what they themselves are guilty of­which
is killing and consuming the body of Christ.
Some of the themes in the legends of St. Anne's, parallel to the blood libel
legend, appear to be the reverse of reality:
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--the ghostly nuns are described as menacing and aggressive, intruding on the
visiting teenagers' courtship scene; when in fact the teenagers were trespassing
on church property.
--the nuns are described as sexually active, thus breaking local religious and
moral codes, when of course the teenagers are the ones doing the courtship
game.
These examples suggest that the very characteristics attributed to the ghostly nuns
are actually projections of the young legend-trippers, phrased in such a way as to blame
the aberrations on the other. Thomas states a similar point when infonning us that" ...
the majority of those telling the legend are Monnons ... [and that the] St. Anne's legend
versions are ostensibly about Catholics and certain Catholic practices; however, a closer
study of the versions reveals that they are really about Monnons and their view of
Catholics ... " (Thomas, 15). This appears to support the notion of projective inversion
and its function in the St. Anne's legends by projecting an inverse reality.
It has been nearly three years since the ambush of local legend-trippers by
security guards at St. Anne's. The stories currently circulating among local youth
continue to illustrate the dynamics of folklore and the power of local tradition. Tradition
propelled by local belief is clearly seen in the survey of local high school students,
recalling the Halloween trespass incident of 1997; basic versions were also produced in
the survey. Out of twenty-five students surveyed, fourteen mentioned elements from the
trespassing event, while eleven used a traditional motif. So what does this mean?
It tells us that this incident of three years ago was more than news. In fact it
clearly fits into a so-called "civic brush fire incident." Grant Davie uses this phrase in
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describing local news bits that have a huge impact on the local population (Grant Davie,
1-2). It is evident by local newspaper articles and particularly editorials, both in the 1997
trespass incident, and certainly also the uproar that Diane Browning's article created in
1986, that St. Anne's is a topic that clearly fits into this "civic brush fire" category.
Grant-Davie proposes four qualifying areas as conditions for civic brush fire incidents
and St. Anne's is one of his examples:
1) A provocative incident: The St. Anne's controversy was started in
dramatic fashion by two events in quick succession: first the teens' visit to
the property and the caretakers' hostile reaction, and then the raising of
criminal charges against all involved. 2) An emblematic object or image:
In the example of the St. Anne's incident, the incident itself provided a
strong enough image-an angry, nighttime confrontation between a few
armed men and a crowd of thrill-seeking teenagers-to excite the general
public's imagination. 3) Accessible media and forums: The St. Anne's
debate was played out in at least seven articles, two guest commentaries, 17
letters to the editor, more than 50-callin messages (a selection of nine of
which were printed), and an editorial. 4) A conflict between threatened
values: This was very apparent in the St. Anne's incident, which became a
debate between property rights and civil rights. The first wave of letters to
the editor sided with the caretakers, who were characterized as heroes
wrongly crucified for defending property and taking a stand against
vandalism, while the second wave defended the teens' actions as a
harmless, traditional prank and condemned the caretakers for assaulting
and terrorizing them (Grant Davie, 3-5). [only definition, and material
pertaining to St. Anne's included]
Grant-Davie also suggests that the brush fires surrounding the St. Anne's incident
"were fueled by some fundamental issues and deeply-rooted values [my emphasis] that
fired the public emotions" (Grant Davie, 6). So, yes--clearly the St. Anne's incident on
Halloween 1997 was more than local news-it goes much deeper than that. It taps
fundamental group values with regards to ex: religion, gender, and property rights, that
play a crucial role in this particular "civic brush fire" and fire up emotional debates
among the local population.
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I would like to suggest another level beyond the idea of property vs. civil rights.
This has to do with the fundamental and inherent rights as seen by the locals, of
upholding and justifying a long standing tradition of legend-tripping at St. Anne's vs. the
property owners' rights to stand up against vandalism. I propose that fundamentally it is
an issue of property vs. civil rights, but in essence it becomes an issue of local concepts
of justice vs. local folklore and tradition. Local concepts of justice are diverse and may
stem from dominant Mormon religious beliefs as can be noted throughout this discussion.
Legend-tripping at St. Anne's becomes justifiable due to the long standing custom and
tradition established in the past 50 years.
The incident of Halloween 1997 in Logan Canyon had such an impact on local
youth that stories are still circulating that tell of the frightening events surrounding the
trespassing incident. It is important to note that out of the 25 students surveyed, fourteen
stories contained primarily data of the trespassing event. This appears to demonstrate the
powerful emotions around the event itself, certainly property vs. civil rights, and lastly
the concepts of justice in defense of tradition. Perhaps the traditional St. Anne's legend
depicting supernatural phenomena-is certainly frightening enough but the memories of
the ambush of local high school students on Halloween 1997 remain a dominant image.
These are recollections of a small sample group of students surveyed as representative of
their knowledge ofSt. Anne's Retreat. So vivid are the memories ofthis event that some
of the students surveyed vow never to participate in any legend-tripping activity to at St.
Anne's.
What we have is a history of a legend-tripping custom which entails visiting a site
of the supernatural-a thrill seeking event-experiencing the legend by ostension by
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acting out the legend, which has been going on for over 50 years. First, the trespassing
• event of 1997; then the "civic brush fire" (Grant-Davie, 1) ignited after Browning's
article on Halloween 1986 that caused considerable emotional distress in the Catholic
community. In 1997, the public debate primarily deals with property rights vs. civil
• rights, and also local concepts of justice vs. local folklore and tradition; whereas in 1986
the incident provoked tension among Catholics and Mormons. Both cases involve the
legendary St. Anne's Retreat and the local lore persisting through the generations. • The trespass legend versions of 1997 collected recently from local high school . ,
students illustrate yet another dimension to the St. Anne's legend. They portray a
• sentiment of pity for the teenage offenders- portraying the lawless teenagers as victims.
It is a case where the community opinion (in the form of letters to the editor) appears to
be significantly divided, In my research it appears as though approximately fifty percent • defend property rights and condemn the behavior of the trespassers; the other fifty
percent largely condemn the actions taken by the caretakers at St. Anne's, and appear to
• minimize the incident as a teenage prank, or in some cases defend the actions of the
teenagers by indicating such things as rites of passage. According to a prominent local
resident cited in the Herald Journal, visiting St. Anne's is a local custom that most local
• residents at one time or another have taken part in. In general, the Herald Journal overall
displayed more sympathy towards the trespassers rather than those leasing the property.
The "ambush" of the trespassing teenagers was depicted vividly and as seemingly • unprovoked while little sympathy was lent to three security guards defending a property
on Halloween from 30 plus teenagers and young adults, in the middle of the night, in the
• dark, of Logan Canyon, eight miles away from town . .The event was clearly biased in the
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media, and certainly did not for the most part take into account the circumstances in
which the security guards operated under. It also did not adequately sympathize with
threats previously made to caretakers. Nor did the newspaper adequately acknowledge
the frustrations of property owners facing ongoing vandalism and destruction of their
property in Logan Canyon. To illustrate the type of news paper rhetoric that at large
demonstrated bias towards the trespassers- a few quotes follow: [Cache County Sheriff
Lynn Nelson] "The kids were wrong to trespass, he said, but they were just looking to
have some fun. "The big issue here is what these other guys did to them" (Herald
Journal, October 14, 1997. Pg. 3). A similar sentiment states: [Cache County Attorney's
Office, Scott Wyatt] Wyatt said: "St. Anne's is a local haunted house on private property
and what happened when the carloads of youngsters got there is almost unbelievable ...
It's one of the most incredible things I've ever seen ... The kids should not have done
what they did because they were trespassing but that doesn't justify the reaction of these
guys ... "(Herald Journal, October 14, 1997. Pg. 3). To further illustrate this point is to
note that repeated issues the actions of the security guards are accentuated and depicting
them as the criminals. Detailed and repeated attention is given in describing the fate of
the trespassing youth as they entered the St. Anne's property. Such accounts are
commonly referred to as "Vietnam-style terror in Logan ... they [trespassers] were
ambushed, shot at, handcuffed, tied together by their necks and threatened with their lives
by shotgun-toting private guards (Herald Journal, October 12, 1997. Pg. 1). These
images from words in the news paper are followed by detailed descriptions of the event
picturing the supposed injustice against the youth. According to my research, two
articles from the Utah State University Statesman presents the case of both parties, but in
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addition offers significant and supportive statements in defense of the security guards.
One article tells: "Some defend the gun-toting men claiming they had no other choice but
to detain the youth and protect themselves. Friday evening it was 30 on three. Some ask
the question, how were the men supposed to detain the youth and protect themselves
from retaliation?" (Statesman, October 13, 1997). Sympathetic comments such as this
one are important for a balanced view of the incident, and to understand that these
security guards did not chose to go into "combat" but acted in defense of themselves and
the property.
A fascinating aspect of the whole St. Anne's incident that only surfaces in the end
and appears to have been largely overlooked is the fact that Logan Canyon is a National
Forest. The land that the St. Anne's property consists of is actually government land
leased by the occupants (Herald Journal, March 11-12. 1998) [date based on public
hearing court documents; date of news paper release not available]. In this case the
whole controversy over trespassing becomes void, as we can see from subsequent
statements by the Forest Service because technically the youth never actually trespassed
in light of this information. All through the news articles covering the St. Anne's event
of 1997, there was only incidental mention of the U.S. Forest Service and the rules that
apply to government land. It was not until the St. Anne defendants accepted a plea
bargain on bringing an end to the trial that this issue really surfaced and played any
significant part. The Herald Journal newspaper article [date of issue not available,
however public hearing court documents are dated March 11-12, 1998 which indicates
the approximate issue of the article in the news paper] informs us that the St. Anne
defendants accepted a plea bargain, admitting guilt of assault, and consequently receiving
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reduced charges. Quoted in this article are the words of a U.S. Forest Service official
Chip Sibbemsen who said that: "he himself had removed 'no trespassing' signs at St.
Anne's, as well as from other cabins permitted as summer homes in Logan Canyon over
the years." Then Mr. Sibbernsen continues: "The permit holders at St. Anne's have
permission for a gate ... but not for the razor wire and signs that give the entrance to the
retreat a prison camp appearance. That's because the land is still public land ... not
private property" (Herald Journal, March 11-12. 1998) [approximate date based on court
documents]. The article concludes: "Basically, while permit holders have the right to
keep people out of their cabins, they can't keep people from walking through on
surrounding land. That's why the Cache County Attorney's Office dropped criminal
trespassing charges against all 38 youths captured and held at gun point by the retreat's
caretaker. ... " This in the end appears to resolve the issue of trespassing charges-but
also further complicates the question of "property ownership" and the limited power
allowed residents to defend property from invaders. What seems incredible is the fact
that it took several months for anyone to realize this fact when that should have been
obvious to law enforcement and the legal profession from the very beginning. Since this
law pertaining to public access on government land is now public knowledge, there
seems to be yet another possibility (although by chance and through a technicality) for
anyone to enter this property in the future as they wish. This may be great for the legend­tripping
tradition, but this notion certainly does not help permit holders in Logan Canyon
get any relief, or hope to end future "trespass" and vandalism on "their" properties.
So what we can understand from the 1997 incident and the 1986 Halloween
article is that the St. Anne's tradition has fueled numerous debates from property rights to
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concepts of justice and customs. But the conditions under the surface for this brush fire
to bum, as discussed throughout this paper, are important to remember in order to
understand the deep-rooted fundamental concerns of the citizens of this or any
community. Folklore is powerful, and given a function and purpose, proves to move
persistently through time as is evident from the legends surrounding St. Anne's. The
"dynamics of folklore" (Toelken, 55) powerfully illustrates not only how a local legend
has circulated for over 50 years, but how a new aspect is introduced into the realm of the
legend-that is this intense, not so easily ignored incident of Halloween 1997 which
appears through recent stories to have left its own mark on this vivid legend cluster.
The event surrounding the legend-tripping trespassers on Halloween 1997 at St.
Anne's may be viewed in terms of property rights, or a fundamental civil right to carry on
a local belief, a long standing custom-tradition, or a rite of passage. It can also be studied
as local rhetoric involving a "brush fire incident" (Grant Davie, 1). Religion and gender
appears to be a dominant factor in the complex cultural issues presented through the
legends and the legend-trips through its participants. It illustrates that the themes
discussed in this paper, and the stories it evolves around, are still vital issues to the
community at large and dramatize concerns, fears, and anxieties still present in the
undercurrent of this community. The Mormon religion is not just a religion, b~t a way of
life; it becomes clear from this and examples given in this paper, that religion plays a
central role in directing fundamental concerns such as gender roles, and fear ofthe other.
This legend will remain a vivid part of narrative tradition-as long as there is a function,
and purpose-to entertain narrator, audience, and legend-trippers ofthis local culture, as
other legends will elsewhere. Cultural issues and concerns will continue to surface in
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oral tradition and reflected and dramatized in the stories they tell; because-"Ifit weren't
important-they wouldn't keep doing it" (Toelken, personal communication).
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Works Cited
Browning, Dianne. Personal communication, March 1998.
Dundes, Allen. 1991. The Blood Libel Legend: A Casebook in Anti-Semitic Folklore.
Madison. The University of Wisconsin Press.
1997. From Game to War and other Psychoanalytic Essays on Folklore, pp. 11,
110-111. Lexington. The University Press of Kentucky.
Ellis, Bill. 1991 . Legend-Trips and Satanism: Adolescents' Ostensive Traditions as
'Cult ' Activity, pp. 279-295. The Satanism Scare. New York. de GruyterPress.
Fife Folklore Archives. Various traditional legend versions ofSt. Anne's Retreat.
Grant Davie, Keith. Civic Brushfires: The Rhetoric of Local Community Debates.
March 8, 2000 unpublished paper.
Hatch, Anne. Personal communication, March 1998.
Herald Journal. October 14, 1997. Pg. 3; October 15, 1997. Pg. 16; October 12, 1997.
Pg. 1; October 26,1986. [page number unavailable]; March 11-12 [approximate
date based on court documents from a preliminary hearing on March 11-12
recorded July 8, 1998].
Logan High School Survey. Results from survey April 2000 that produced 25 examples
total. Eleven of a traditional legend version and fourteen trespass versions­representing
stories of the Halloween trespassing incident at St. Anne's Retreat in
1997. In this survey, students were asked to recollect any version of the St.
Anne's legend and to write it down.
Hufford, David J. The Terror That comes in the Night. Philadelphia: University of
Pennsylvania Press, 1982.
Salt Lake Tribune. October 14, 1997.
Statesman (Utah State University). October 13, 1997.
Thomas, Jeannie. 1991. Hecate in Habit: Gender, Religion, and Legend. Northwest
Folklore. Vol. 9: 14-27.
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Toelken, Barre. 1996. The Dynamics of Folklore. Logan, Utah. Utah State University
Press.
Personal Communication, April 1998.
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Hecate in Logan Canyon: Origin, Belief, and Contemporary Oral Tradition
Local legends about a "Witch Hecate" primarily surface around the Spring
Hollow-Guinevah campgrounds three miles up Logan canyon. This particular area is
frequented by local Mormon youth groups (primarily girls camp) and boy scouts, where
many of these legends emerge and thrive as ghost stories told at various camps. A
parallel legend (in which Hecate appears also) about St. Anne's Retreat also depicts
Hecate, and is based on the former Catholic Retreat referred to as St. Anne's Retreat
located eight miles from Logan. This property came into the possession of the Roman
Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City in the early1940s and was used as a retreat and a
vacation place for the Sisters of the Holy Cross (Salt Lake Tribune, October 14, 1997.
D3). Due to the frequent visits oflegend-tripping1 trespassers and vandals, the sisters
stopped coming to the retreat (Anne Hatch, personal communication) and the property
was subsequently sold (Herald Journal, October 15, 1997. Pg. 16).
In this paper I will explore the origin and history of Hecate by discussing the
ancient Goddess worship, to subsequently gain an understanding of Hecate as an ancient
underworld divinity, and the connection, if any, of the local Hecate legend character to
the ancient Goddess Hecate from history and mythology. On this journey we should
reach a broader understanding of Hecate and her performance in local legend as a
bewitched nun. An analysis and discussion of hypothetical interpretations, meanings,
functions, and symbolism-will follow. Before beginning these areas of discussion it is
necessary to introduce the reader to samples of the "Witch Hecate" legend to allow an
1 Legend-tripping is a tenn that Linda Degh, William Ellis, and others use in describing the practice of
visiting the sites of supematurallegends.
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insight into the main core of this paper topic-the legends. [All stories and citations in
this paper are quoted verbatim].
1. Witch Heketa
The story goes that an old woman lives somewhere up Logan Canyon.
She is supposed to be a witch. Her name is Heketa. It is said that she has
seven white dobermans which can become invisible at will. A local boy
and girl supposedly went up to her place one night to see if they could see
anything. They say they were sitting in the car when suddenly the
windows fogged up from the outside. They heard dogs sniffing around the
car and what sounded like a person breathing. A hand rubbed away some
of the moisture like a person breathing. A hand rubbed away some of the
moisture on the passanger window by the girl and an old womans face
looked in. The girl went into a sort of trance and floated up off the seat a
few inches. The boy got the car started and drove home quickly where his
father, who was a Mormon bishop, gave the girl a blessing and she
snapped out of the trance. The boy drove back up there the next day and
says that there were seven dog collars on the ground (Fife Folklore
Archives, L2.3.1.15.8).
2. Heckada
If you go up Logan Canyon to 3rd dam and cross the bridge into the Spring
Hollow area or go to the Quarry up Providence Canyon, you can summon
the Devil's wife, her name is Heckada. My friend's brother's girlfriend's
brother had a friend that did this very thing. He and a date went up to the
Spring Hollow area, for some romancing. After being turned down he got
out of the car and yelled the phrase" Heckada, come get me". This was the
saying that you needed to say to get Heckada to appear. After saying it a
few times he returned to the car. His date was scared, which was his main
intention for doing the little prank, or so he thought. After a few minutes
of sitting there they began to hear dogs barking, they looked up and saw a
green glowing chariot pulled by six wolves, and a mistress with long
flowing hair at the reins. At about the same instance the doors locked, the
boy and date was pretty scared by this time so the boy tried to get the car
started but it seemed like the battery was dead, nothing would start or no
lights would come on. By this time the wolves were on the hood of the
car clawing at it and grOWling. The mistress stared into the boy's eyes and
said "1 have come for you". The boy freaked out and didn't know what to
do, the girl was screaming and crying. Then the boy remembered to say
"In the name of Jesus Christ 1 command you to leave", at the very instance
of saying that, the mistress and her wolves disappeared. The boy then
started the car and returned to Logan. Upon returning to his date's house
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they looked at the hood and saw scratches that the wolves had left (Fife
Folklore Archives, L2.3.1.15.9).
3. The Old Nun
I once heard of some girls that went to girls scout camp up Logan canyon,
a few years ago. There was about 12 girls plus a few leaders. The girls
were between the ages of twelve and fifteen. They were sitting around the
campfire telling scary stories, one of which was the "Old Nun" story. The
story is about an old nun that died very angry that she had lost her youth
and beauty. She had resided at the Nunnery, also in Logan canyon.
Before she died, the nun would walk past the girls scout camp and long for
the days of her youth. She became so obsessed by this idea that she
decided by drinking the youths blood she would again be young. Well,
the kids of the camp tried to laugh off their fear not wanting to admit to
anyone that they really were scared. The group broke up after the story
telling finished and went their separate ways. The leaders of the camp
became increasingly concerned as the girls began to disappear one by one.
They called and hunted for the missing girls not getting any response at
all. A couple of girls from the camp had gone on a walk together.
Suddenly they came running back into the camp screaming and shaking
terribly. The girls reported seeing an old lady dressed as a nun, with an ax
and blood dripping from her face walking near the camp. The next day
when the sun came up six of the twelve girls were found murdered around
camp (Fife Folklore Archives, L2.1.12.1.28).
4. Hekedah-the lady ofthird dam [told by scoutmaster]
Once I decided to see if the stories about Hekedah were true. I grabbed a
friend and we grabbed two girls and set out for third dam. As is the
custom, we put the keys to the truck on the hood and then yelled for
Hekedah to come. After waiting a long time, I saw a green light forming
in the middle of the lake. I thought I was imagining things at first. It soon
formed into a face of a lady all pale and green and she was crying. We
grabbed her car keys from the hood, but waited to see what would happen.
It wasn't long until a hand and arm appeared and started motioning us to
come. (the teller motions with his hand and finger) She kept getting bigger
and bigger and was soon a full size lady coming closer and closer to our
truck. We put the keys in the ignition and tried to start the truck but
nothing happened. Finally, when she was only 4 or 5 feet away, the truck
started and we tore out of that place like crazy. [the collector continues to
provide context by saying the following] (The teller then fills in the events
in Hekedahs life which explain why she haunts the lake) Hekedah was a
recluse woman, who lived in a little cabin above third dam. She had been
quite wealthy in her life and had her money with her in the cabin. One
night, two men broke in and killed her so that they could steal the money.
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The two men were never seen or heard of again. It is said that if you look
up on the ridge on a night of the full moon, you can see the sillouette of
Hekedah , with ax in hand, chasing two men (Fife Folklore Archives,
L2.3.1.15.6).
The above mentioned legends are samples of the Hecate legend that will
be scrutinized in this study. But first it is necessary to introduce several
complementary themes that surface in the parallel legend of St. Anne's Retreat,
thus making it necessary to present sample versions of Hecate's role in the St.
Anne's legends of Logan Canyon as a witch and a crazed nun. Themes from
both "Witch Hecate" and "St. Anne's Retreat" will be discussed below.
5. Barking Dogs
Lucy and her friend were driving around the canyon one fall night when it
was really nice and warm, and they decided to go to St. Anne's. There
were three guys who wanted to go, and three girls who didn't want to go.
Since the boys were driving, they went. They parked the car by the
highway, and began walking up the dirt road. On the way, one of the guys
said "Do you know what happened up here?", and he proceeded to tell
story of the nuns. "The nuns used to come up here in the wintertime and
stay. One spring the nuns didn't come back. The townspeople went up to
investigate, and they found the bodies of the nuns floating in the
swimming pool, because they had been raped and murdered. They also
found mother superior's black dogs chained up and starved to death in a
shack." The guy telling the story suggested that they go look in the
swimming pool. While they were looking at it, one of the guys yelled,
"I'm scared," and ran to the car as fast as he could. Everyone else
followed him, but the girls were slower. As they were running down the
mountain, they heard dogs barking and chains dragging on the ground, and
they thought the dogs were chasing them. The dogs were howling and
looking for the nuns. The girls were crying because they were so scared
(Fife Folklore Archives, ColI. 8. USU. 84-050. Item 10).
6. Saint Ann's Retreat
A long time ago there used to be a nunnery at Saint Anne's. One of the
nuns got pregnant by a young priest. She hid the fact that she was
pregnant for a long time. When she had the baby she was told she had to
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leave the nunnery. She was grieved at what had happened and went out
and drowned her baby in the swimming pool, then hung herself. Her spirit
haunts the place in the form of a dog. Sometimes people can hear dogs
howling at Saint Ann's. Nobody has ever seen the dogs (Fife Folklore
Archives, L2.1.12.1.37).
These legend illustrated above are examples presenting Hecate as a bewitched
nun and includes several themes and symbolism that will be scrutinized further below.
With this introduction, the mythological and historical aspects can now be explored. A
brief over view of the origin of the Goddess follows.
In Greek mythology, Hecate depicts an underworld third dimension of a triple
Goddess representing Persephone, Demeter, and Hecate. Hecate appears as the crone
part of this triple divinity; Hecate, the crone is also represented in the two local legend
types in Logan Canyon. To extract meaning, and to gain a broader understanding of
these legends, it is necessary to start from the beginning-to a time when the Goddess
Hecate played a powerful and important role in many parts of the world. This process
should elucidate the connection, if any, of the function of the local Hecate legend
character to the ancient Goddess Hecate from history and mythology.
In ancient times, dating back as far as 25,000 years BC.until shortly after the
advent of Christianity, in many parts of the world-God was a Woman. This supreme
deity, known by many names-according to region, was revered and worshipped not only
for her fertility and procreation, but she represented wisdom, universal order (Stone,
preface) [page number unavailable], knowledge, and capability of holding vital advisory
positions. Goddess worship thrived from Neolithic periods 7000 BC., alongside of the
Judeo-Christian religions and peoples who worshipped male gods until classical periods
of Greece and Rome until around 500 A.D when any trace of this so called idolatry
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worship of the pagans was effectively, and nearly completely destroyed. (Stone, 20;
preface) [preface page number unavailable].
"She [Hecate] bestows wealth and success, good luck and advice, is powerful in
earth, sea, and heaven ... By a transference common in mythology, she became as a
goddess of plenty, an infernal deity, terrible in aspects and often snakelike, the queen of
ghosts and mistress of black magic, the keeper of the keys of Hades" (Leach, 487).
Hecate is said to have had power and influence over earth, heaven, and sea. "She
gave her votaries success in battle, in the law courts and political assembly, and in
athletics. Later she came to be associated with the darker side of life, with the
underworld and night, with ghosts ... Sometimes she herself was represented as an old
hag with snakes entwined in her hair, or she might assume the form of a mare or dog, or,
attended by hell-hounds, she haunted the cross-roads" (Pike, 174). The descriptions
offered to us by Pike and Leach effectively provides an understanding of the pre­Christian
image of the Goddess-and how hypothetically, simultaneous with the onset of
Christianity, the role reversal of women into submission under a patriarchal system
flourished. Goddess and thus Woman, is consequently seen in a subversive light­perhaps
reflecting her new role and demoted status. Although the change away from
Goddess worship appears to have taken place over thousands of years, Stone speaks of
invasions of Northern tribes which apparently had immediate, harsh effects upon the
Goddess religion by eradicating matriarchal-matrilineal societies to the new
establishment of male dominated societies. The power of the Goddess societies became
eradicated upon the solidification of a patriarchal system; [and] "only then was she
fragmented, and reduced ... " (Sjoo & Moor, 183).
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It has been argued that early cultures did not understand the connection between
• copulation and procreation and therefore worshipped the Goddess as the sole creator of
life, and the only one who could create her own kind. But with the aggressive invasions
of societies with male deities this matriarchal structure changed. The power of myth to
• create perception and belief among man and woman-kind can be seen from the Adam and
Eve myth. Stone talks about this being a dramatic and powerful turning point in the
• manifestation and eradication of the Goddess. The Adam and Eve myth accomplished
this by blaming Eve for the fall of mankind. Her punishment was to suffer pain in
childbirth, and to serve man as a helpmate and inferior in status (Stone, foreword). This
• is something to keep in mind as we note gender issues in these legends.
The image of Hecate in lighter times shows that the Goddess was revered for her
contributions to the world; this was before she was demoted in status and seen as dark • and sinister. After a mythological transference as mentioned by Leach-Hecate takes on
a sinister-darker image. Hecate is held as moon Goddess, Queen of Ghosts, and deity of
• the Crossroads (Sjoo & Moor, 183). After the entry to darker times "Hecate was
[became] the destroyer; newborn children and animals were sacrificed to her" (Sjoo &
Moor, 183). These are things this triple goddess has represented through time. With this
• in mind, we can examine some classic themes existent in the local legends.
Among some of the themes evident in both the historically documented mythical
• origins from darker times of Hecate that are evident in "Witch Hecate" and the parallel
"St. Anne's legends are:
1. The triple dimension concept.
2. Hecate's Suppers - Hecate at the Cross Roads. • 3. Hecate and the keys of Hades-keys as part of ritual in legend-tripping.
4. Sacrifice of newborns-in reference to the swimming pool as an altar.
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5. Hecate as Moon Goddess and Queen of Ghosts.
6. Presence and symbolism of torch.
7. Various themes connecting function and local religious culture i.e. presence of
local dominant religion in legends as the righteous prevailing over evil.
The Triple Dimension Concept
There are several theories of the triple dimension concept of Hecate. One is that it
represents "the three faces of woman: maiden, mother, and crone" (Thomas, 22).
Theories ofthe triple head however, is that the triple head represents earth-heaven-sea
(Pike, 173); past-present-future; three formed because of association with the moon:
crescent-full-waning (Barnard, 85); yet another theory suggests a three headed dimension
has to do with the need for Hecate (at the Crossroads, discussed below) to look down in
three directions.
In local legend versions Hecate appears to represent the triple dimension of what
Thomas refers to as the "three faces of woman" by the following: "The legend versions
depict woman as nun-a virginal maiden (Persephone); woman as a pregnant nun who
becomes a mother (Demeter); a woman as a death threatening witch (Hecate) (Thomas,
22)." This can be seen in the following legend versions:
First, the image of nuns being raped as was the virginal maiden Persephone raped
by Hades. "The nuns used to come up here in the wintertime and stay. One spring the
nuns didn't come back. The townspeople went up to investigate, and they found the
bodies of the nuns floating in the swimming pool, because they had been raped and
murdered" (Fife Folklore Archives, ColI. 8. USU. 84-050. Item 5).
Second, the ancient notion of nuns and priests engaging in sexual acts; and
consequently depicted in some of these legends as pregnant and having babies. This
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image may represent Demeter- mother of Persephone evident by the following quote:
"One of the nuns got pregnant by a young priest" (Fife Folklore Archives, L2.1.12.1.37).
Third, a depiction of Hecate-a woman as a witch or sometimes referred to as the
devil's wife: "The story goes that an old woman lives somewhere up Logan Canyon.
She is suppose to be a witch" (Fife Folklore Archives, L2.3.1.15.8). Another version
similarly states: "If you go up Logan Canyon to 3Td dam ... you can summon the Devil's
wife, her name is Heckada" (Fife Folklore Archives, L2.3.1.15.9).
Hecate's Suppers - Hecate at the Cross Roads
The Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics explains that crossroads are regarded as
the dwelling place of evil spirits and ghosts creating bad luck and danger. Hecate is the
Divinity of Crossroads (E.R.E. Vol. II, 330b). This is a place where at a new or full
moon, rich people would worship her by leaving offerings in forms of food referred to as
"suppers of Hecate." The crossroads was also a symbolic place for the sacrifices of
newborn babies. Myth tells how "Hecate, as newly born infant, was exposed at a cross­way,
but rescued and brought up by shepherds. This probably points to an actual custom
of exposure at cross-roads ... (E.R.E.Voi. II 333b). Dogs were also a form of sacrifice at
the cross-roads.
St. Anne's may by a symbol of crossroads in terms of culture, religion and
gender. A ghostly nun, may be a symbol of a strange outside culture and religion in
which females at the retreat are perceived by locals to be dominant. The nuns in the
legends take on aspects of Hecate-and she haunts this metaphoric crossroads. Hecate is
known as the mother of ghosts (Leeming, 152); just as the nun becomes mother, she
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(Hecate-the nun) in a twisted way is also mother of dead sacrificed newborn babies who
represent ghosts in the legends, and their spirits haunt the place. Another interesting
theme is the presence of dogs in the legends and the historical significance in reference to
"Hecate's Suppers." It explains that the poor and dogs would often consume the food
offerings left at crossroads-hence the presence of dogs around the local legendary
Hecate. Dogs are also told to be a form of sacrifice left at the crossroads (E.R.E., Vol.
VI. 566b; Vol. II 333b; [Vol. Vill. 333b D. In tradition, dogs are often associated with
the devil (Toelken, personal communication) which may explain their presence in
Hecate's darker times.
Hecate and the keys of Hades: keys as part of ritual in legend-tripping
Keys are sometimes an important symbol in "Witch Hecate" and "St. Anne's"
legends. From a mythological perspective, Hecate is known to hold and possess the keys
of Hades. "She is even called the Lady bearing the keys of the Universe .. . " [it is
further explained that] "The significance of the keys generally signifies the power over
the regions ... (E. R. E. Vol. Vill 123a). Keys become a central point of a specific
ritual, and playa significant role in this following legend version: "This is supposed to
have happened to someone when they went up to St. Anne's. They drove their car up
there, parked it, and turned off the lights. They put their car keys on the top of the car to
bring Witch Hekeda down. A light shone on the car and the car keys disappeared. They
couldn't leave St. Anne's without their keys, and they never returned home (Fife Folklore
Archives, ColI. 8. USU collection#?! item #3 and 4)." This narrative clearly seems to
suggest that Hecate is the holder of the keys-including their keys. She is the divinity of
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the underworld who not only possesses their keys and but also has obvious powers over
this particular region (St. Anne's Retreat and the Spring Hollow area). She appears to
detennine in this story if in fact these trespassers may leave or not.
Sacrifice of newborns-in reference to the swimming pool as an altar
As discussed above, newborn babies are known to be a fonn of sacrifice at the
crossroads. In the local legends discussed in this paper, the illegitimate offspring ofthe
nuns is also known to be sacrificed. It can be understood as a local, modem day
metaphoric crossroads; and on this site, newborn babies are also said to be murdered
(sacrificed)-namely in the legendary swimming pool at St. Anne's Retreat. The
swimming pool, with its frequent reference to murder in the legends, may serve as a
symbolic altar in depicting the drowning babies and nuns. The ancient custom and ritual
at doorways functioned to avert evil, and signified a place where offerings and sacrifices
were made (altars often being placed right inside doorways). One can hypothesize that
the intruders at St. Anne's in fact also came through a doorway (symbolic door, i.e. gate)
to enter the 8t. Anne's property-to become a potential sacrifice as haunted victims of a
ghostly nun.
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Hecate as Moon Goddess and Queen of Ghosts
Hecate is considered by many to be primarily the moon Goddess "and one who
forecasts perilous, unwelcome change" in the night [handout, Jeannie]. Hecate, the deity
of crossroads-haunts the crossroads with her triple head staring in three directions to
keep watch over evil powers. It is at new moon or full moon that offerings are given to
Hecate at the crossroads. "Hecate is Mother of Ghosts, Queen of the underworld, of
death" (Leeming, 152).
In the legends it is common to witness supernatural phenomena at a full moon.
One such account is: "Near Saint Anne's retreat up in Logan Canyon there is a small
canyon. It is said if you go to this canyon around midnight, with the moon full in the
night sky, and you call the name Heckata three times she will appear" (Fife Folklore
Archives, L2.1.12.1.48).
Presence and Symbolism ofthe Torch
The torch in mythic terms symbolizes Demeter's search for her daughter
Persephone after Hades raped her and took her to the underworld. Demeter searches
desperately for her daughter with "lighted torches in her hands" (E.R.E. Vol. XU, 390a).
Perhaps, in accordance with some legend versions, Hecate in the form of a bewitched
nun, is also told to carry a torch; but rather than a torch in these examples, she uses a
lantern. No longer is Hecate (or the bewitched nun) looking for her daughter
Persephone, but she may be wandering the grounds of St. Anne's or Spring Hollow
searching for her murdered baby. The following examples illustrate such stories. First,
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an apparent torch, second, a lantern: (Fife Folklore Archives, L2.3.1.15.4; ColI. 8. usu.
The Lynching Mob item#8).
Various themes connecting function and local religious culture i.e. presence of local
dominant religion in legends as the righteous prevailing over evil
There exists a definite local religious flavor across many of the local Hecate
legend versions depicting the more favorable dominant local religious culture over the
strange, perhaps threatening outside influence of the Catholics. This is evident in legend
#1 above, labeled "Witch Heketa" illustrated by the following quote:
A hand rubbed away some of the moisture on the passanger window by the
girl and an old womans face looked in. The girl went into a sort of trance
and floated up off the seat a few inches. The boy got the car started and
drove home quickly where his father, who was a Mormon bishop, gave the
girl a blessing and she snapped out of the trance [my emphasis] (Fife
Folklore Archives, L2.3.1.15.8).
Another example from legend #2 above, labeled "Heckada" tells:
The mistress stared into the boy's eyes and said "I have come for you". The
boy freaked out and didn't know what to do, the girl was screaming and
crying. Then the boy remembered to say "In the name of Jesus Christ I
command you to leave" [my emphasis] at the very instance of saying that, the
mistress and her wolves disappeared (Fife Folklore Archives, L2.3.1.15.9).
This clearly represents what Hufford refers to as "faith promoting" events or
stories (Hufford, 222). It serves to reaffirm the dominant and superior religion over the
intruding, strange outside church as represented by the presence of nuns in Logan
Canyon. It appears to symbolize that good (Mormon bishop giving blessing-and
chasing evil spirits away with "in the name of Jesus Christ") breaks the spell of the evil
abominable and apostate church as noted through Mormon doctrine (Thomas, 18; Notes
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7). Thomas continues: "Those who do go to the site are invariably frightened and end up
retreating to the safety of their own LDS culture."
Another prominent theme surfacing in the legends is that of gender. This brings
us back to the beginning of this paper-speaking ofthe Goddess and her mythological
presence in local legend and geography. It brings forth aspects of challenges from a
matriarchal and matrilineal local codes of living stemming from a patriarchal culture,
based on religious beliefs dating back to the Old Testament. It is portrayed and
manifested through the mythological Goddess Hecate, the power of the Goddess and
Woman-challenging the notion of the patriarchal system; it confronts, and perhaps
challenges local beliefs and attitudes in a culture dominated by men. In accordance with
local belief-the female in the legends appear to take on a submissive and subservient
role. As evident in the example in the previous paragraph, the male is dominant and has
the power to avert evil. From this it is important to note that the Mormon bishop is male,
while the Goddess Hecate is female. Stone describes the Paradise myth as "still the
bedrock of fundamental theological arguments that women are divinely ordained to be
subservient." This idea seems clear when looking at Mormon doctrine, and the status and
role of the woman in local culture and legend; while the challenge to retain a status quo
in a world that is in constant challenge of the patriarchal system and its dominance over
women. It is the male who in many ofthe stories initiates the courtship ritual of visiting
these sites haunted with the presence of the (female) supernatural. He appears as
dominant male, aggressor, and savior; he is also capable through the power of the
Mormon priesthood to revert evil, as mentioned in version #2 above. The male initiates
courtship; the female is depicted in the legends as resisting his advances while she is
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expected to refrain from intimacy until marriage. So here her belief and moral codes are
challenged. While his advances and plans for romance goes awry, he gets angry and calls
upon the supernatural. He evidently inhibits the power to do so, as well as to make the
evil go away using religious authority, power of the priesthood (which is in present day
only given to men), and subsequently brings them both back to the safety of the Mormon
culture. Example: (Legend version #2 above; Fife Folklore Archives, L2.3.1.15.9).
Other examples of male dominance and female subordination are: "There were three
guys who wanted to go, and three girls who didn't want to go. Since the boys were
driving, they went" [my emphasis]. Once there, one ofthe boys proceeds to tell the St.
Anne's legend. Later in the story, it tells of everyone running back to the car-but the
girls were slower" [my emphasis] (Fife Folklore Archives, ColI. 8. USU. 84-050. Item
10). Some stories further illustrate moral transgressions as being punishable by rape and
death (Fife Folklore Archives, L 5,11,12). This concept also has ancient origins. As the
male deities took prominence in the Goddess religions [time period] or as illustrated in
ancient Hebrew societies (Stone, 56) the moral codes so dictated that punishment for
moral transgressions was to be put to death. The ancient belief and custom went as far as
to punish a woman who had been raped with death. The notion of moral transgressions
punishable by death as noted through ancient belief and custom, and as depicted in local
legend is evident in the depiction of the female-a nun-who becomes the model for
unacceptable moral behavior and consequently becomes raped and murdered for her
choices. This possible representation may serve as a powerful image to members
participating in this local courtship ritual and serves as a reminder to follow principles as
set forth by the indigenous religion.
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The mythological and historical significance of the Goddess religion in relation to
the presence of the mythological Goddess appearing as a nun in local legends has been
presented and illustrates several themes drawn somehow from mythology of Goddess­Hecate.
The presence of these classical themes incorporated in the modern legends may
remain a curious aspect, but as a whole, all of the stories seek to exemplify certain
aspects of the local people's attitudes and beliefs. This is illustrated in what may
constitute their fears and concerns. One of these has to do with gender. Underlying
anxieties are displayed through these legends and may stem from the systematic changes
in the roles of women through time. To understand the present day presence of the
Goddess Hecate in local legend, it is important to understand that gender is still an vital
and combative issue-particularly in the local religious culture that may resist the
worldly changes around them in order to maintain their religious convictions, including
the role and status of woman in this culture. Somehow, Hecate an ancient mythical
underworld divinity-manages to creep into modern day local legends; the resiliency of
this myth thousands of years old functions today to in ways described above. The triple
Goddess Hecate performs as a witch and a nun in both legend versions; and in a sense,
she is still worshipped today as thrill seekers tempt their fate by making visits to her
habitat in the metaphoric crossroads of Logan Canyon.
16
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Works Cited
Barnard, Mary. 1967. The Mythmakers. New York. H. Wolff.
Fife Folklore Archives. Various traditional legend versions ofSt. Anne's Retreat and
Witch Hecate.
Hastings, James, editor. 1980. Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics. Edinburgh,
England. T & T Clark LTD.
Hatch, Anne. Personal communication April 1998.
Herald Journal. October 15, 1997. Opinion section.
Hufford, David 1. The Terror That comes in the Night. Philadelphia: University of
Pennsylvania Press, 1982.
Leach, Maria, editor. 1949. Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore
Mythology and Legend. New York. Funk and Wagnalls Company
Leeming, David; Paige, Jake. 1994. Goddess: Myths of the Female Divine. New York.
Oxford University Press.
Pike, Royston. 1958. Encyclopedia of Religion and Religions. New York. Meridian
Books, mc.
Salt Lake Tribune. October 14, 1997. D3.
Sjoo, Monica; Mor, Barbara. 1975. The Great Cosmic Mother. San Fracisco. Harper &
Row, Publishers.
Stone, Merlin. 1976. When God was a Woman. New York. The Dial Press.
Thomas, Jeannie. 1991. Hecate in Habit: Gender, Religion, and Legend. Northwest
Folklore. Vol. 9: 14-27.
Toelken, Barre. Personal Communication, April 1998; May 2000.
17]]> Anna-Maria Arnljots]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 18963088 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 2000-2009; 21st century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> "Saint Anne's Retreat"
Informant data:
Marsha Jenkins
Pine Glen Cove,
Logan Canyon
June of 1978
Retold October of 1983
Marsha Jenkins is from Newton, Utah. She was born and raised
there and was affiliated with the M.I.A. program in the Newton
ward for several years for the L.D.S. Church. She was a camp
leader and accompanied the girls to a Young Womens camp held at
Pine Glen Cove about 9 miles up Logan Canyon. We'd all gather
around the fire place in the big lodge before going to our cabins
to tell and listen to stories. This was the one that really got
to us!
Pine Glen Cove was previously known as "St. Anne's Retreat"
because each summer a gr oup of Nun s from the Catholic Chur ch
would visit the retreat for relaxation and meditation. Until
the tragedy.
The radio's and television sets blared with the news that an
escaped convict was wandering through Logan Canyon. He had one
hook arm add was armed with a dangerous weapon. People were
warned to stay clear of the canyon and to stay inside where they
were sa~ e. The nuns, however didn't have any contact with the
outside world. That very evening one of the sisters was missing.
The other sisters looked around as much as they could but decided
she was just meditating or that she had gone back to her cabin
early. The next morning she still hadn't returned. They looked
most of the day but found nothing.
That evening as some of the Nuns were praying, they heard a horrible
scream. They ran directly outside to see what the trouble was and
there was the missing Sister ... Bloody and floating in the swimming
pool.
After that episode they sold the retreat.
never :Eo.und.
The escaped ~onvict was
Andrea Benson
Newton, Utah
History 124
Fall 1983
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Tim Keller
Logan, Utah
November 12, 1982
Tim was born in Preston, Idaho and has lived there all of his
life. He is a member of the L.D . S. church and is presently attend­ing
Utah State University. Tim likes modern cars and he is also
a good waterskier.
Contextual Data:
I learned this item from Tim after I asked him if he'd heard
any stories of St. Anne's Retreat. Tim heard this story from his
friend's mother who has lived in Logan for some tir.le. This is the
story as he related it to me.
Up Logan Canyon there is an old Catholic Convent. It consists
of several cabins and there is also a swimming pool. This convent
is abandoned now but nuns used to occupy it. The Hother Superior,
or whatever it is, the head nun who was over the nuns who lived up
there , was supposed to be kind of sadistic. She would lock her
nuns in their cabins and leave them there for no one knows how long .
There are scratches on the cabin walls with blood stains where the
nuns tried to claw their way out.
Terri Keller
Preston, Idaho
USU
Legends/ Hyths and
Folktales
Fall quarter, 1982
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Ghost Story
Launee Fo-wler
her house
.'larch 25, 19:31
This story .. c::.s told to me by La ',ln6e .Fowler, rr;y :;]utual adviser. The
story use:l. to be toU to tne girls up at a ;irls car:;p in Logar. Car.yon.
All of the girls kne~ it wasn't tr~e, but it used to scare the~ quite
badly, beca~e the incident was supposed to have happened close to
where the:'l were. The story was told when Launee went to' ca::r? in the
early 1970's.
Launee is 24 and lives at in Bountifcl, Utah.
She is the mother of two.
"They l.l.Sed to tell us this story wnan we were up at girls
camp. You know where Logan Canyon is 7 o'\'ell, there's this old
building where they use.:i to send the nuns for surncner vacation.
There was ttis one nun who had a golden ar~. One day when
she was the only one there, a guy carne in, killed her, and stole
her golden arm and the other valuables.
I,ow the nun is supposed to be out walkins a::,ou.."l3 at night
looking for her arm. She goes up to people beg~in; for it.
It used to scare us because the nurillery was just over the hill
from where we were."
EO'JIltiful, Juh
Soutj Javis Junior High
L.cr A 14 1+ \ <::>\1) K..~ FA lIZ-L
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Legend
"The Baby in the Fireplace"
Informant data:
Myself
Logan, Utah
1974 (approx.)
I was born May 24, 1960 in Logan, Utah, to parents of English
ancestry. I lived in California for six years, then we moved back
to Logan. I was educated in the Logan City Schools, and am current­ly
a senior at Utah state University majoring in music. I am a mem­ber
of the L.D.S. church and enjoy tennis, raquetball, skiing, camp­ing,
and music of all kinds. I am currently serving as the Young
Women's camp specialist for my stake.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Contextual data:
I heard this story while I was attending a girl's camp at Camp
Lomia in Logan Canyon. Our whole group had gathered in the lodge,
which is where this story is supposed to have taken place. The fact
that we were in that place made the story even scarier to us. As
soon as the meeting was over, we ran out of the lodge and back to
our tents as fast as we could. I'm not sure the story is actually
true, but it was told as a true story and all of us believed it at
the time. It was probably just told to scare us to death, and it
worked: Ever since then, I have told the story to other groups and
in other situations, but it seems like I always get the best re­action
from the audience when I tell it in the lodge. This shows
me how important a role the setting can play in the telling of a
story.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Many years ago, before cabins were built at Camp Lomia, the
girls used to sleep in bunk beds in the upper story of the lodge.
One night the girls were awakened by the sound of a baby's cry.
They couldn't tell where the sounds were coming from, but every
night they were there they heard the same cries. Finally, the
girls became so terrified that they had to leave camp early. Even
after the girls were home, however, they were still very frightened
and many of them started having nightmares. The families of these
girls decided to conduct a search of the lodge to see if they could
locate the source of the cries. A group of men went up one night
and waited in the top floor of the lodge. Just after midnight, the
cries of a small baby could be heard clearly by everyone present.
It seemed to fill the entire room. The men finally determined that
the cries were coming from the fireplace at one end of the room.
Upon closer inspection, they foudn that one of the stones was loose.
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They removed the stone and found the skeletal remains of a newborn
baby. It was later learned that the lodge had once been used as a
retreat for Catholic nuns. Apparently, one of the nuns had been
pregnant and had gone to the lodge to have her baby. Unable to
face the humiliation of her situation, she buried the newborn alive
in the fireplace.
Annette Pack
Logan, Utah
Utah State University
History 124
Fall Quarter 1981
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Scott R. Peterson
Library, USU
Feb. 8, 1984
Legend
St. Ann's Retreat
Informant data:
Scott Peterson has lived in Logan for most of his life. He
is 22, an LDS returned missionary and a student at USU. He
is a political science major and plans on attending law
school the fall of 1985.
Contextual data:
Text
I collected this item while I was in the library studying
with Scott. Since he is a native of Logan I thought he
would probably know the story of St. Ann's retreat. I asked
him to tell me his version after hearing one of his friends
tell another version. The three of us were sitting in the
library together when Scott told us this story. Scott does
not believe this story to be true. He thinks that something
probably did happen at the retreat, but he has no idea what
it was.
They had a bunch of nuns killed up there [St. Ann's
Retreat] • On a certain occasion some marshalls went to
investigate it, and when they arrived they found one nun who
was lacking an ar~ and had a golden one instead. When they
got there she was crouched over one nun finishing her off
with a hatchet. They tried to apprehend her, and she ran
off into the hills and was never found. She is still up
there and that is why you shouldn't go.
2
Lisa Canfield
Logan, utah
USU
Folklore
Winter 1984
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Superstition Folk Belief
"GHOST AT SAINT ANN"
Informant Data:
MAFW: L1JA I TE
Logan, Utah
aul'/ 5, 84
Mark Waite~ 18~ was born in Logan, Utah. He attended Logan
High School and graduated in 1984. His father is a bi ·shop. He
loves to go four wheeling.
Conte:.: tual Data:
Mark heard this story last year when he went camping with the
Boy Scouts. He heard it from a guy named Steve Goodson. Steve
was in the story himself.
* * * * * * * *
On one winter night~ Steve and his friend were coming back
from four wheeling and snowmobiling. It was about midnight when
they went through Saint Ann's. Steve tried to start the truck~
but it wouldn't start. After about five minutes, they saw a nun
appear with a Doberman and she pointed in their direction for the
Doberman to attack them. After the first Doberman was attacking
the truck~ they saw the nun disappear and reappear with another
one until there were six of them. Steve eventually got his truck
started and drove away. When Steve got home, his parents thought
he had rolled the truck over, because there were scratches and a
broken wi ndo~'-J. He told them the story and they all went up there
the next day, but they found nothing.
Chi:"lu N. Lam
U.S.U.
History 124
L::;ummet- , :l 984
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Kevin Kartchner
Library, USU
Feb. 8, 1984
Legend
St. Ann's Retreat
Informant data:
Kevin Kartchner was born and raised in Logan, Utah. He is
22 years old, LDS, a returned missionary and majoring in
Business.
Contextual Data:
Text
I collected this item while I was stu~ng in the library
with my fiance. Kevin is a friend of my fiance, and when I
asked Scott to tell me the legend of St. Ann's retreat, he
thought Kevin would know more about it. Kevin learned the
story in bits and pieces as he was growing up in Logan. The
only audience was Scott and me. After Kevin told his
version of the story, Scott told his ,and they compared
legends. Kevin does not believe that his story is entirely
true, but he does believe that something did happen at ST.
Ann's, and that at least part of his story is based on
truth. I used as m~ of Kevin's own words as I could as I
recorded the story in tonghand while he told it to me.
These cowboys were out on the range about 1920. There were
a bunch of nuns that lived up there. The cowboys that were
in the area were lonely and rowdy. They went up there [St.
Ann's Retreat] and raped and killed them.
1
Lisa Canfield
Logan, utah
USU
Folklore
Winter 1984
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Superstition Local Belief
"SAINT-ANN-RETREAT"
Infot-mant Data:
MARK FLUCKIGER
Logan, Utah
June,8Lf.
Mark Fluckiger, 18, was born in Logan, Utah. His family
been members of the Mormon church. He recently went to Boot
in Fortknox, Kentucky. He likes to ride dirt bikes,
basketball and he used to be my co-pilot in races.
Conte:-: tual Data:
have
Camp
play
Mark heard this story from his neighbor.
from other people in different versions. He
He also heard it
seemed to believe
them all.
I collected this story while we were out dragging Main on a
Saturday night. We were bored of Main street and decided to do
something else. Mark suggested that we go up to Saint-Ann. We
didn't really know what it was, so he told us the story. (There
were five of us in the car)
::I< :I< * * * * * *
Saint-Ann was a nunery a long time ago. As Catholic, nuns are
not suppose to have sex or any relationship with male.
some nuns up at Saint-Ann had broke the rule and got pregnant.
When the babies were born, the nuns killed the babies by drowning
them in a pool in the back of Saint-Ann. Some of the nuns felt
guilty and killed themself also. Now, the nuns sometimes appear
back to visit the place. There is a watchman with two dobermans
and a gun to keep the public out.
Chau N. Lam
U.S.U. Campus
U.S.U.
Hi f~;tory 12Lf.
Summer, 1984
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Story
St. Anne's Retreat
Informant data:
Karen Oakden
Logan, Utah
October 6, 1983
Karen Oakden is my sister. She was born in Logan, Utah on April 12,
1961. She graduated from Utah State with a 2 year Secretarial degree.
She is of Swiss defent. She is presently employed at U.S.U. She is an
active member of the L.D.S. Church.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Contextual Data:
Karen heard this story when her and her friends were up driving in Logan
canyon one night. Her friends told her the story. They were all
scaring each other with scary stories. She was terrified, she spooks
easily. She related the story to me because I had a friend who spent
the night at st. Anne's Retreat.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Text: St. Anne's Retreat
At one time St. Anne's Retreat was used as a nunnery. The nuns lived far
away from everyone else so they got away with things other nuns could not get
away with. The nuns often found themselves pregnant. In order not to get in
trouble for doing things they shouldn't, they would drown their babies in the
swimming pool that is at the retreat. If you go up to St. Anne's Retreat in
Logan Canyon at night, you can still hear the babies crying.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Janet Rust
Logan, Utah
Utah State University
English 124
Fall 1983
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Legend
Saint Annis Retreat
Informant Data:
Tony Gil bert
Logan Canyon
August 1981
Tony is a friend live grown up with. He was raised in Lewiston,
Utah, on a dairy farm. ' He is active in the L.D.S. Church, which he
- is preparing to serve a mission for. He attended Utah State last year
n, n frp~hman. He is very talented as a musician and a dancer, and
has always b'een active in perfOrnIllg groups such as Calico 'D'arice '
Company, 'which he presently belongs to. He was on the Student Body
Council during all three of his high school years, and is very good­natured.
Con'textual Data:
Tony related this story to me one night as we were driving home
ffom Pickleville Playhouse; which is ov~r on Bear Lake. I worked
there this summer as a p~rformer, and he had come over to watch me
on this particular night. He happens to know that I get scared very
easily, and driving through Logan Canyon at one o'clock in the
morning makes me even more jittery than usual. The story he told me
scared me to death, and I didn't dare drive through the canyon alone
for the rest of the performance season. I fact, I don't think I will
ever drive tbe canyon alone again!
Text:
"0nce not so long ago; Saint 'Ann I s was an active nunnery. There
were' dver a hundred nuns who lived there. and a priest who stayed
" there to \,!:!!(;h o'.'eY' them. WE'll, it tlJrned nut thp orlPst couldn't handle
the life of celibacy, I guess, so I guess he got fr~endly with some of
the nuns . Pretty soon the sound of cryi ng babi es fi 1.1 ed the air.
Actually, they were a l~t more discrete than that--the priest would just
go get the poor unfortunate victim real late at night and take her and
their baby down to the pond and drown them. Of course it was soon
noticed that several of the nuns were ,disappearing, and so one of the
nuns, who was very pure and had no idea what was going on, was asked
to investigate and see where they were disappearing to. So one night
she followed the priest and one of his favorite nuns down to the pond.
When she saw what he was doing, she yelled out and tried to jump on
him to save the poor nun and her child. But it was too late--they were
already dead. The priest was really scared this righteous nun he hadn't
been able to victimize and blackmail would tell on hjm, so he grabbed '
her by the neck and choked her to death. Then he threw her body into
the pond.
The next mornin§, they found her body--and the priest was gone!
They searched for him for a long time, but so far, they have not found
him. They say the nuns that were killed are still roaming around up
in thp r~nvnn lnnkinn fnr ~ w~vtn rpvpnnp him--~nrl thpv ~lsn sav that
if you kneel down and look into the pond-from t~e right' angle, you can
still see the body of the righteous nun floating in the pond."
(Thi~ is verbatim, as I had him repeat it to me for this report.)
Dana Erickson
Richmond, Utah 84333
Logan, UT 84321
Utah St~te University
Folklore/English 124
Fall 1981
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Legend
"St . Anthony ' s"
Annetter~'ialous
Logan , Utah
198J
Annette r:alous lives on Logan, Utah.
She vvas born .i.arch 15 , 1965 in Chicago , Illinois . Annette
attended school in Logan , Utah . She graduated fro~ Logan
::i gh School . Annette ' s father is a practicing attorney in
logan, Ctah and her Elother is a school teacher . ;:)he is cur­rently
a student at Jtah State University. "1nnette enjoys
skiing and other outdoor activities . ,she ' s a active me:nber
of the.-resbyterian Church.
Annette Collected this story when she was in high school.
The boys VJQuld al\vays take the girls up to St. Anthony ' s
and tell them this story . The reason the guys would tell the
story was to scare the girls so that they would cuddle up
closer to the:::-n . The story was always very enjoyable to the
boys to watch the girls get scared. The girls always were
scared because usally they were up at St . Anthony ' s and the
setting would always start the:n hearing strange noises and see­ing
the red eyes of the Dov9:r:man .
Along time ago before there was a road up to St . Anthony's
(St. Anthony ' s is a nunnery up in Logan canyon. It has
a lot of big buil dings and a swimming pool . ) A certain man
would bring supplies up to the nuns once a month on his mule.
There were five nuns that lived there . Once he came up dur­ing
the night and he couldn ' t fined anybody. So he started
wandering around looking for them finally he found four of
the nuns dead in the swi,l1Ining pool. He then started look­ing
for the other nun, because he thought she might be in
trouble . Then all of a sudden he saw her up on top of the
,110untain with a dovernman dog with red eyes . So then he
knew that she was still alive and her name was Hexal . She
then started to chase him so he jumped on his mule and start­ed
to head back to Logan as fast as he could .
Now you can go up at night and they say you can see the red
eyes of the dovernman .{ everyone claims they have seen them .)
Karie Chatlin
Bountifui, Utah 84010
Utah State University
.2nglish
Fall , 198J
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Legend
"St. Ann's Retreat"
Informant Data:
Robert Schwanavelt
Logan, Utah
February 8, 1983
Robert Schwanavelt was born in Logan, Utah summer of 1966. He is
currently attending Logan High School and works part-time at El Sol
Mexican Restaurant as a dishwasher. Robert is kind of a rowdy fun
loving guy and said he enjoys scaring girls. He is a member of the
Mormon chuch, but is inactive and apathetic toward it.
Contextual Data:
I collected this item from Robert at El Sol whenre:i I also work. He
asked me if I knew of a nunnery up Logan Canyon, and if so, did I know
any stories related to it. He had just gone there the night before
with a friend and a couple of girls to try and scare them. I knew this
would be a great opportunity to prime him for a collector story so I
asked him instead, what he knew of it, and turned on a tape recorder.
Robert learned about the nunnery (St. Ann's Retreat) from some friends that
had gone up there two or three days earlier. The following is a verbatim
transcription from a tape.
Text:
Me and my friend took these two girls up to the nunnery I heard about
to try and scare them you know; I guess what it is up there was a
place for pregnant nuns to go away and stay so they wouldn't shame the
churbh. There was supposed to be this one young nun named Anna or
something and they locked her up in this cabin. She had a bunch
of dogs as pets.
When she had her baby, I guess he grew up and went crazy and killed
his Mom and dogs and a bunch of other people cause he found out he
was a bastard. Anyway I don't believe all that crap about it so we
went to scare girls just for the fun of it.
We parked my car on the side of the highway by where there's a gate
thats locked closed that goes across a bridge and then up to it.
We went to the first building that looks like a castle and all of a
sudden one of the girls screamed and said she seen something running
through the bushes. We laughed and said she was crazy, but then I
heard something too. We went back to the car except I stopped and looked
back and there was a big dobber man pinscer just standing there looking
at me. Except I know it was a real dog, it wasn't no spirit.
Monty Hedin
Logan, UT
U.S.U.
Folklore 423
Winter 1983
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Legend
"The Haunted Convent"
Jay Wilson
Logan, Utah
November 28, 1980
Jay Wilson, 19, was born and raised in Midway, Utah. He
is a member of the L.D. S. church. He is an avid snowmobiler
and loves to ski. He is presently ~sophomore at Utah State
University majoring in Ag. mechanics.
Jay heard this story at a party his first year up at
Utah State. There were both girls and boys at the party and
many "scary-!' stories were circulating around that night. Jay
was surprised when the Old Hyrum part was put in because that is
a story that circulates around the region he lives in, (Wasatch and
Summi t Co.).
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
There used to be a convent up in Logan, Canyon. It's closed down
now because of what happened there. There was this insane man that came,
some say it was Old Hyrum (but thats another story), and he murdered eleven of
the twelve nuns that were at the convent. He put them in a swimming
pool they had there. The twelth nun foundthem and as a result committed
suicide . If you go there at night sometimes you can see the twelth nun
wi th her dog wandering around. Some say they have even heard her crying.
Jan Taggart
Morgan, Ute
Utah State University
English 124
Fall, 1980
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Legend
Spring Hollow Witch
Informant Data:
Vicki Anderson
Logan, Utah
Febru.ary 11, 1980
Vicki lived aroun~ the Intermoun ain region most of
her life. She attended Utah State University and now
lives and works in Logan. Vicki is an active member of the
Mormon church with an Irish-English ancestry.
*************************************************************
Contextuc'll Data:
I was asking a group of girls about folklore concern-ing
Logan Canyon. Vicki related this story who had heard
it from a friend who's brother had been there. This story
was told and retold ~mong friends simply to scare each other.
While Vicki was telling thts sto""y the group that was
I
listening could hardly sit still, many had additions and
corrections.
*************************************************************
Up the canyon there is an old convent called St.
Ann's Retreat. Supposedly there is a witch who lives
there called Witch Hekady. This is supposed to be the witch
of a nun who killed herself at the convent along time ago.
Witch Hekady usually haunts the Spring Hol[ow Campground.
One night two hig~SChOOl boys were up there and started
YelJ.ing taunts to the witch. She didn't like this at all,
dogs started howling and lights came roll'ng off the hill.
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The boys got scared and decided to get out of there. but
the car wouldn't start. So tney started pushing as fast
as they could. The car didn't start until they were out
of the campground.
Caryn Wunderman
River Heights, Ute
Huntsville, Ala.
U.S.U.
American Folklore
Wjnter 1980
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LEDGEN:
TITLE: Witch Hekida
INFOR11ANT DATA:
Kaylene Kidman
Logan ~ Utah
November 11 ~ 1983
Kaylene Kidman was born on December 11, 1963, in Logan, Utah. She
has lived in Idaho and Wyoming. She moved back to Utah 15 years ago
and has lived here ever since. She attended grammer school, junior
high and graduated from Logan High School. She belongs to the L.D.S
Church and is an active member. Her ancestors are from England , Scotland,
Germany and Ireland. She's the oldest of three brothers and two sisters.
She r ecently is planning to be married. She is the receptionist/secreLary
at Orrni Data International. Her hobbies are cooking and sewing; she
enjoys all sports and loves to travel.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
CONTEXTUAL DATA:
Kaylene heard this story from a friend when they were in high school.
She and her friend were on ther way to Hitch Hekida's when her friend
told her this story. Kaylene said she was really spooked. When they
walked up the dirt road heading towards the cabin the lights turned on
and no one was there. She said she was really scared. , I've heard alot
of stories about this place, so when our class was talking about this
particular story I decided to ask a few people what they knew about it.
Kaylene seemed really scared just telling me about it, especially
having had the lights turn on in the cabin when she was there . After
she told me the story she said, "Doesn't it just give you the creeps?"
And you know what? It really does! I went to work later and I was
in the office by myself. I kept hearing noises, and it was really
scarey just thinking about it.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ~ * * * * * * * * * * * * *
One night there was this boy and his girlfriend who wanted to go up
to St. Ann's retreat and park. When they got up there the girl noticed
there was a green light hovering over the swimming pool. She didn't
pay much attention to it, until it seemed to be getting closer and
closer. She called it to the attention of her boyfriend. They noticed
as it got closer, that they could make out the figure of Hitch Hekida
in the green mist.
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and clawing at them. They locked the doors and just watched in horror.
Finally, Witch Hekida went away. They then attempted to start the car,
but it had gone dead. They waited for a while but nothing happened.
The boy decided he would have to go for help He told her to lock the
door and lay on the floor, and not to let anyone in but him.
After a while she fell asleep. All of a sudden someone was pounding on
the window just like before. She looked out the window and saw a policeman.
She opened the door. He asked her what her name was and then told her
not to turn around. She turned around anyway and there hanging in a
tree by his feet was her dead boyfriend.
(
Liz Johnson
Logan, Utah 84321
Utah State University
History-124
Fall-1983
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T.ale
Vern Larson
Bensori, Utah
November, 1981
~ern Larson yas born in Benson, Utah and has lived there
for the. las~ ' 27 · years. Vern is in his last year of school
at U.S.U.~ majoring in Engineering. Af-tee-graduating he
plans to leave Utah and make some money.
8eing raised on his fathers farn, he knoys that is not
the life for him, though he does enjoy hunting and fishing.
I was talking with Vern and some other friends one afternoon
when someone gegan telling ghost stories. Vern yas full of
them that da;. I don't think I have ever heard so many tales
from one person.
One particular story was new to me, it interested me very
much. Since hearing it from Vern I have heard other versions.
Witch Hecate seems to be quite the sorceress in the vally.
( Vern has never been to find her, but some friends did, he
related the story to me.
****************************************************************~
There was an old woman named Hecate l~ving in a nunnery
up Spring Hollow. She had some hounds, one night the hounds
turned on her and killed her.
To this day when the hounds hear the name Hecate ~hey begin
to HoYI and Howl until dawn.
If you are to go up to spring hollow and call for Witch
Hecate, you can hear the dogs howl.
*****************************************************************
Vern told me of his friends encounter with the howling. There
I
yere tyO guys that went "to check out the tales. After ~etting to
the t~p of the picnic are~ ~nd yaitin~ for the sun to set, they
began to call Witch Hecate. At first there was no reply, so .,
they called lowder and loudpr. Finally in the distance they
could hear something. The sound got louder and louder until
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PAGE 2
they were sure it was the sound of dogs. They sat and listened
for awhile, the howling got closer and closer, by this time
they knew the ~ogs were very close and must have been very
large dogs.
Both of them set new speed records for running down out
of Spri~g Hollow and driving out of Logan Canyon. Neither one
has any desire to return.
Lonnie Allen
HyruM, Utah
Intra. ta Folklore
u.S.u.
Fall 1981
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Michael Carlisle
Logan, Utah 84321
Legend: "St. Ann's Retreat"
Michael Carlisle is my son. He was born in Brigham City, Utah, December 17,
1961. We moved to Logan when he was four years old and he received a
High School education in the Logan City School District. Presently he
is employed at Morton-Thiokol Chemical Company, is married and has a
baby boy.
Contextual Data: Michael heard this story while attending Logan High.
He and his friend Scott would double date and sometimes take their dates
up Logan Canyon and park at the site of St. Ann's Retreat. To frighten
their dates and perhaps encourage a little cuddling they would tell the
girls this story.
Text: Hedika was the head nun of St. Ann's Retreat, which was a nunnery.
It was her responsibility to keep things running smoothly. Sometimes
groups of miners and sheepherders would travel through and associate with
the nuns. Any babies that were born, Hedika would dispose of. She got
so sick of this terrible duty, and so aggravated with the misbehavior of
her sister nuns that she went crazy and killed all the nuns also. Then
she lived alone in the nunnery with a large group of dogs until she died.
Now when people drive down the canyon at night,sometimes they will see her
large pack of wild dogs standing beside the highway, with their eyes reflecting
in the headlights. Those who are brave enough to park at night near the
nunnery will hear the wild dogs howling and Hedika's voice mourning and
wailing.
*****************
I asked Michael if he believed the story. He told me the
he did believe was that it was a nunnery. I asked him if
on the girls--if they wanted to cuddle after hearing it.
"It depended upon how much they liked us."
only part that
the story worked
He replied,
Colleen Carlisle
Logan, Utah
Utah State University
English 459
Spring, 1984
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Urban Legend
"Heckada"
Informant Data:
t
~I J
Troy Anderson
Providence, Utah
Summer 1978
Troy Anderson was born March 23, 1966 in Logan, Utah.
1
His family moved away shortly after. They moved back to Cache
Valley when Troy was in the Fourth Grade. He was not a member
of the Mormon Church but became acquainted with their teachings.
Contextual data:
While sleeping-out in the back yard of a friend's, the
conversation turned to ghost stories. The story I am about
to tell was told to me and one other, by a friend.
If you go up Logan Canyon to 3rd dam and cross the bridge
-k L~
into the Spring Hollow area or go the Q,Yarry up Providence
Canyon, you can summon the Devil's wife, her name is Heckada.
My friends's brother's girlfriend's brother had a friend
that did this very thing. He and a date went up to the Spring
Hollow area, for some romancing. After being turned down he
got out of the car and yelled the phrase "Heckada, come get me".
this was the saying that you needed to say to get Heckada to
appear. After saying it a few times he returned to the car.
His date was scared, which was his main intention for doing
the little prank, or so he thought.
After a few minutes of sitting there they began to hear
dogs barking, they looked up and saw a green glowing chariot
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pulled by six wolves, and a mistress with long flowing hair
at the reins.
At about the same instance the doors locked, the boy and
date was pretty scared by this time so the boy tried to get the
car started but it seemed like the battery was dead, nothing
would start or no lights would come on. By this time the wolves
were on the hood of the car clawing at it and growling. The
mistress stared into the boy's eyes and said "I have come for
you" . The boy freaked out and didn't know what to do, the girl
was screaming and crying. Then the boy remembered to say "In
the name of Jesus Christ I command you to leave", at the very
instance of saying that, the mistress and her wolves dissappe2 r ed.
The boy then started the car and returned to Logan.
Upon returning to his date's house they looked at the hood
and saw scratches that the wolves had left.
Troy Anderson
Providence, Utah 84332
Utah State University
Engl/Hist 124
Winter Quarter 1987
Comments: The underlying meaning is that the boy is being agressive, and the
girl is refusing, just like society wants to see and hear it. This refusal frustratesl
the boy, which in turn makes him bring terrible things upon him and the girl. And
at the end of the story there will be a negative image 0n sex, so it is not quite so
attractive the next time.
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Legend
"Witch Hackety"
Myself
Logan, Utah
January , 1983
I was born and raised in Idaho on a farm in a community
called Egin . I lived near my grandparents who were of
Scandinavian and Eng~ish ancestory . They waRd often tell stories
to me and all their grandchildren whenever we were with them .
This built a love in me to hear stories and I became fond of
history and folklore .
I am now attending U. S. U., majoring in Elementary Education
with a minor in Social Studies . Several quarters back , I took a
storytelling class . We often told stories to each other and it
was in t his class that one of the students , Polly Baugh from
Smithfield, related this story . She made the atmosphere in the
room very eerie--lights out and a candle burning , etc . I will
retell the story to the best of my memory .
There is a particular canyon near Preston where an old
Catholic monast~ry can be found . It was abandoned after a
particular event had taken place there .
During the summer time , many nuns would go up to the
monastery for a break or for workshops or other reasons . This
one time there was a nun who was quite contanckerous . She was
really against one nun and was always arguing wi th her , back­biting
, or fighting .
Outside one building was a cement swimming pool . (I think
it was either the mess hall or the sleeping quarters!) One
night these two nuns started arguing and wrestling around the
pool . The nicer of the two accidentally pushed the mean one
into the pool and she hit her head on the bottom of the pool
which killed her . This really scared the one nun and she ran
and got the Mother Superior . They didn ' t want to raise a fuss
in the camp and so the two of them hauled her body up the
canyon in the early morning hours and dropped her body over the
edge of some cliffs . No one really missed this nun because no
one really associated with her . They figured she had just got
discusted and left the camp .
The next night after the drowning , the one nun couldn ' t
sleep very well . The wind was blowing and something kept
banging at her door . She finally got up and looked out and
near the pool she could see this mean nun and she had two mean
dogs on a leash whose eyes were burning green and the nun looked
like a witch with red eyes . She started laughing at the nun
which scared her all the more . It was a very wicked laugh at that .
The dogs were barking and snarling with foam at their mouths .
When the nun looked out again , they were gone .
This happened several nights in a row. Sometimes they would
also see this image with a lantern walking along the cliff~s
edge where the body had been thrown .
One night the wind started blowing really hard again and
there was a slight rain . Again the nun could hear things bang­ing
on her door . She looked out and saw this mean nun with her
dogs . As she laughed uncontrolably , she took the lantern she was
holding and flung it at the building . The lantern broke and burst
into flames . The fire got out of control due to the wind .
1-.~. I, /;l,. I. ;)S'
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Due to the damage of the fire and other circumstances , i t was
decided that the monastBry would be closed down . It hasn ' t
been opened since .
Since that time , it has been a fa vorite spot for many
teenages to go to and scare each other to death . One night
Polly and a bunch of her friends decided to drive up the
canyon and take a look at the place . They had two cars and a
pickup.
When they arrived , they were all brave souls and got out
wi t h their flashlights (it was after dark ), and started
walking towards the buildings yelling "Witch Rackety , Witch
Rackety!" Suddenly the lights on their cars and pickup went
out . This really scared them and so they -' started running
back to the outfits . (They had parked them where the dtrt road
had ended .) They worked on all of them trying to get the lights
to go back on . One of them turned on and then they finally got
another pair of lights to go on after working on it for what
seemed a long time . They never could get the pickup lights to
go back on . They decided to drive out of there (fast) with the
pickup between the two cars that had lights on them that worked .
When they finally got back to the main highway , mysteriously the
pickup lights autimatically turned back on .
Trudy Neilson
ID 83445
Logan , Vt . 84321
St . Anthony ,
Rist . 423 , U. S. U.
Winter 1983]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 12356050 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1960-1969; 1970-1979; 1980-1989; 1990-1999; 20th century; 2000-2001; 2000-2009; 2010-2019; 21st century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> "The Nunnery"
Informant Data:
Cory Ballard
Nibley, Utah
April, 1988
Cory Ballard was another classmate and graduate of Mountain
Crest High in 1987. He likes fast cars, working for his Dad
and outdoor games. He likes to have a good time and be wild
sometimes. He is very active in the LOS church with his family
and plans to serve a mission.
Contextual Data:
Cory lives in my ward so I went over to his house when I
saw him sitting outside catching some rays. I asked him to
relate the story once again as he did one year ago that day after
it happened. It was the first time he had talked about it since
then. He said he would never do that ever again.
Text:
We did go inside the gate, but not very far. We both were
toOchi7hken to go any farther, then something started chasing us
.. '
out the gate. We were running to the car screaming, "start the
car" and it wouldn't start at all then really weird it started
right up when I jumped behind the driver's wheel. As we . were
driving away we all felt a bump on the back of the car. The
next morning my Dad came in and asked me where I had been that
night because there was a long black mark on the back of the car
on the drivers side and it wouldn't come off. I told him what we
had been doing and swore to him I would never do that again. The
whole thing was like a nightmare come true.
Sherry Anderson
Nibley, Utah 84321
USU
Folklore
Spring 1988
(
Logan Canyon Witch
Infonnant:
James Milligun
Logan, Utah
Oct. 22, 1997
James Milligun is from Logan Utah. He has resided there his whole life. He is twenty
two, working and thinking about going back to colleage. He is from a L.D.S. family and currently
getting reinvolved in that church. He is of Gennan disent. He loves the outdoors, rock climbing,
hiking, fishing, snow boarding, and camping.
Context:
I gathered this information while talking about bizarre things, family secrets, scary stories,
mysterious happenings, and stupid jokes, with a group of my guy friends. He was told this
superstitions by his friend Larry Soule. They were at a boy scout over nighter (camp) in Logan
Canyon, June 1991. I'll tell it how he told it. He claims it to be true.
Text:
"This friend of mine, Larry he was kind of into satanic stuff, he said that there is lady that
lives in Logan Canyon. She is supposedly Satan's wife. Her names is Hekida (Hekita). He said If
( you say Hekida three times terrible things happen. And he made sure to say Hekida three times
(kind of like I just did, except we are not in the Canyon). So right after he said her name the third
time, rocks started falling down the mountain. Not just little rocks but big boulders. Later on,
during that trip he told someone else that superstition saying her name three more times. And just
after that one of the boys almost fell of a cliff. It's true, I was there."
Texture:
James told me this story totaling believing in every word. The others just laughed at him
and started shouting "Hekida, Hekida, Hek. .. I don't dare finish it. But I'm convinced that there
may very well be-a strange power in Logan Canyon that I don't want to mess with.
D'On Elizabeth Bybee
Richmond, Utah 84333
USU
Eiglish 124
Professor Toelken
Fall 1997
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ifHurrfltHil LHjlll:
tDgett-n::r. r-'-le I! ~;SB '=/:iBS ei gf-~t8en yeers [lId Vif-H:~n thi s event r-Itlppeneu. She carnes
frorn a f8rnily of t\i&/o t!rotr-,ers end one sister. !"-"ielisstfs fernily \~leS "fiery \l\iell-to­IJO
BrnJ r-itHJ 1 i ved in CO':le for Btiout Sf ;~teen yeBrs. i-'-le 1 i sse 1 i ke rnost gi (1 sin t-ii gh
couple of tt-iB guys \i'll8 \lvere talking to tried to rnake thin!J:3 B little rnore thrillin!~
tty sneaking around Det-,ind us end grEltluing our ritis to scare us. Tf-ie fri~~ht of tr-Jese
pet ty j ekes gave r-'-le 1 i s::;e an i dee to rea i 1 Y scare e\;;eryone. ~a-Ie su!~gested tr-!at vve
Bll go to Tf-Ie r~unnery ane! v=iBlk~ around. Ti-itlt is ell it took: .. everyone jurnped into
fier- Bronco tin!J r·JeBued up LD~~an [:anyon. As 'tie drove to Tf-Ie r~Junnery .. r"'lelissa
.,"
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Local Legend
The Nunnery
Informant Data:
Stephanie Bramwell
Logan, Utah
Winter 1993
Stephanie grew up in Washington state, she is twenty
years old and carne to Utah to attend Utah State University.
Stephanie is known in her family as the prankster. She
enjoys hiking, camping, and sports. Stephanie is a very
social person and is a member of a sorority at USU.
Contextual Data:
Stephanie relayed this story to a bunch of her sorority
sisters and some fraternity boys. They were all messing
around one weekend, and were up late that night telling
stories of ghosts, hauntings and personal experiences. Upon
the need to do something, Stephanie encouraged the group to
make a voyage up Logan Canyon to the Nunnery. On the way up
Stephanie told the legend of the Nunnery.
Text:
Sometime before most of Logan had been settled. There
was this delivery that carne up to Logan Canyon to bring
supplies to the isolated nunnery. This was a place of
seclusion for the nuns and also the place where they sent
the troubled children to be taken care of. The only means
of supplies and food for the nuns and children was this
delivery truck.
Well, one winter, the snowfall had gotten so bad that
the delivery truck was unable to get through to the nunnery.
It tried and tried, but was unable to get through until the
next spring. When the delivery and help finally made it up
to the nunnery they discovered all of the children and nuns
were dead. It's believed that the nuns out of desperation,
ate the children and then went mad themselves. They killed
each other and then killed themselves. Supposedly their
spirits are still wandering aimlessly about at the nunnery
today.
Jennifer Wheeler
Logan, Utah
5916 South 3750 West
Roy, Utah
Utah State University
· ,
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Anthropology 526
Fall 1994
;; , /, /;; , I , 5"7
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Local Legend
"Nunnery"
Informant Data:
Kent Lundberg
Logan, Utah
Spring 1989
Kent was a senior in high school when I knew him. He was
born and raised in Logan, and came from a large family. He spent
a lot of his time in the mountains and rock climbing. It is hard
for me to give any current information because I haven't seen him
for quite a few years.
Contextual Data:
One Friday night when Kent and I were dating, he took me up
Logan canyon about ten miles to some old abandoned cabins.
Although they are directly off the main road they are hard to see
because of heavy overgrowth and trees. I had never noticed them
before. There is a main lodge with a swimming pool and several
cabins all around. It was dark so he was trying to scare me and
he told me the story that went with the old abandoned camp.
Text:
Back in the 1970's there used to be a camp run by nuns for
catholic girls during the summers. One summer a nun went crazy
and one night she convinced several of the children they needed
to come with her for a very special assignment. She then took
the children one by one and drown them in the pool. She killed
twelve children before she was done. The next morning the early
morning campers found the twelve dead children floating in the
pool and the crazy nun hanging from the flagpole. The state shut
the camp down after that and that's why it is now abounded. They
rumor is that the spirit of the dead nun still walks the ground
and every night she sits by the pool and weeps for what she did.
They say that if you are wandering around up there and she see
you she will show herself to you in the form of an all white nun.
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And if you see this white nun it means that you will die within
the next year.
Michelle Phillips
Richmond, Utah 84333
Preston, Idaho 83263
History 124
winter 1994
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Folklore Archive, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84321
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Re;ligiou$~ .r..egend _
II 'I'l-te" -Nunneryll
Informant Data:
Tonya Griffin
Logan, Utah
April, 1989
Tonya Griffin is a 23 year' and is living in Logan but is from
Newton, Utah. She went to Sky View High School and graduated in 1984.
qer religion is L.D.S. and l-ter families descents are Dutch and Danish.
S~ e's attending Utah State University and is majoring in Marketing and
Economics. She's a great at1lete and enjoys all kinds of sports.
Contextual Data:
I collected this story while talking to my friends about the
w'ummery. " Host of us were all familiar wi t1-J the nunnery and each started
t share their experiences that they ha~e had. Tonya's was quite different
s o I decided to tell hers. She heard of this story her senior year of
1ig1 school. She was coming home from a basketball games on t he bus,
and everyone was telling spooky ~tories about the nunnery. One of her
friends told her about this story.
Text :
In Logan Canyon there's a place called st. Ann Retreat, where the
I
lNuns would go for the summer. It's told that two Nuns became pregnant
and t1eir babies were drowned in the pool there. The {uns don't use the
place anymore but who really knows. At night there are many lights on
around the place and it's said to be guarded by a two headed dog. At
times you can even hear the bab~Cries.
As I was talking to Tonya about the Nunnery she told me of an
experience her friend told her. A coupld decided to go to the Nunnery one
night. As they pulled there car on to the bridge the gate was locked.
T~ e y went to get out but heard a Strange sound on t he top of t heir car
so they stayed inside. They both became very frightened and tried to
drive out of their but they felt a strong force. They could hear scratching
noises like something was slowly falling off the car as it drove aw~y.
W~ en the couple got back into Logan they looked at the top of their car
(
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and found long scratches across the whole top of the car. It was probably
t he two ~ eaded dog. Tonya talked to someone about it and t hey swear t hat
it is true.
Kristie Murdock Anderson
North Logan, Utah .
North Logan, Utah
Utah State University
English 124
Spring 1989
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Texture --- Every time I tel this legend it still gives me the creeps. The way in which this story is
told is important becau e-it aJmost has to be eerily quiet so that all th _details canoe
heard. The quietness almost lets Y0u.jl,!mp into th~ssene-oftlie legend and actually
visualize what is going on. I also think t at--it:-srather freaky for young girls to hear it
because so many us come in ate« night into the dorms and are quiet trying to get ready
to go to bed or someti es even going to our boyfriend's hOuse. So that makes the legend
even m re--of~ity. ----~
-------- -- "The Nunnery"
Informant
Kaleo Penoke who currently attends school here at Utah State told this legend to me.
He is a 23-year-old male who is majoring in psychology and will graduate in the spring.
He is Filipino and comes from a rather large family who is Mormon. His hobbies include
riding motorcycles and hiking.
Context
Kaleo told this legend to me last summer when we had decided to go up into Logan
Canyon on a short hike. This legend was not told in any particular way, but just told as
fact and something that really happened. There were three other people who were with
us; two of them knew the story. I think that these others were part of the story because
they could back it up that they to also have heard it. Which gave the legend even more
backup.
As we were hiking up into the Canyon, Kaleo begins telling the story of
"The nunnery" and decides that it's best if we go try to find it. So as we are hiking up to
find this place he starts telling us that back in the 1800's this nunnery was used by the
Catholic nuns as part of a retreat camp. And that sometimes the nuns wouldn't behave
themselves and they would have sexual relations with priests or other Clergy. And that
some of the nuns became pregnant, well legend has it that they would have the baby but
then leave these babies in underground tunnels that were beneath the nunnery and let
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them starve to death. It's even been said that when the nunnery closed for good that
along with the tunnels that were found so were the baby's skeletons. And at night you
can still hear the baby's wails if you get close enough to the nunnery.
Texture
When Kaleo was telling me this story I began to feel a little uneasy. I think it was
because the situation he was telling it in. We were hiking up to find this place and the
sun was beginning to set. All of it tied into the legend and the feelings of being scared or
a bit unsure of the whole idea of a hike after all. The setting in which it was told only
made it seem more likely that it happened. We never did find the nunnery after all, we
searched for about 45 minutes but gave up and I can't say I was the least bit sorry about
it.
Erin Harrison
Logan, Utah 84321
Elk Grove, Ca 95624
Utah State University
Eng! AnthrolHist 526
Roush
Spring Quarter 1998
Supernatural Legend
Saint Anne's Retreat
Informant Data:
Brett Bluth
Logan, UT
1990
Brett Bluth is from Logan, UT. He is LDS. We were friends throughout
high school. He now lives in Provo, UT.
Contextual Data:
When Brett was a child, his babysitter told him this story and said that
it happened to her.
Text:
One day the babysitter and her friends went swimming in the pool at St.
Anne's Retreat. They had been swimming for about 10 minutes. They all got
frozen in the pool, so they couldn't move at all. After a minute they could
all move again, and they got out and left.
Laura Sozio
Logan, UT
Logan, UT
Utah State University
English 124
Fall 1990
LJ ,(, I2. .! cP2
Urban LegEncl
Aa r~)1_ f:'!" c;t·
LDqan Utah
FEB :' ~ 1993
"f;t. {~r~'1e's S:"3.ugrter '
A6rcn leislman is ~1 years old. He was barr 11 Ugden U~a1
an~ has Ilved:r Losan ~or abo~t L5 years. ~e IS a s~Lde'1t at
Utat' Bta.;e . Lniver,~lty n2 ... ?orinq in ~lect;T"lccd fechrology" HE'~ has
ro religious pre+erence and s a memb2r uf the Sig~a ChI
.( rl t?r-r-" .;y,
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tr'lJ? .~?i~Ji"'1a ChJ hOLt "::; (:;:. u
wt·tCj~r-,ODn [ (·,)a c::; S::.tt1.l1~1 11"'1 t1e fror't ""OWl) 01'
Aaron W25 i'1 the rOJM and we ~ere a~l
Cary,)f"! and rO(l) m~tc'''i ,! .. e all l.i.kE?d 90::'1'19 up
~:ie::.:idE'!d to te.ll u.~, (flat hE~ '1.:td rIE',.""d <.1f'd dCj~12
~rl n 1S tl)I ·12.t he £:.,'.10,
t·2 1.:: l ' H,j about Loc)an
there. Aaron tner
LP In LDgar' Canyon.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ThaT-.(? u':::2d to Lc' <.l f'Un"l :;ry up LbcJcl.f, C".f'Y01,! a .1.org timr <:'(,10
up the-e and rstreated
One ~;5l.t("I'Tler t'1ey had some orphan ~::.ds that
tre ::ic:!s ~hrew t~e~ into the sWImming pool
I
;'U11 ~t1i'0n L~lU~d ths? rJtrier nLlr's tine:! kl11"2d h:~r-s,p1.f 3.150. I<' you
you and thr-ow you 1rto the po~l also.
L.. CJ\. .1 .1 r ~.i -I ~3L1·3::::~.
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Supernatural Legend
Saint Anne's Retreat
Informant Data:
Justin Eborn
Logan, UT
1990
Justin Eborn is from Montpelier, Idaho. ~e is now serving an LDS mission
in California.
Contextual Data:
I worked with Justin. He told me this story one day at work.
Text:
Justin and his friends decided one night to go to St. Anne's. They heard
dogs barking in the distance; it kept getting closer and closer. They were
standing by a fence and the fence started tilting like there were dogs jumping
against it. They got scared and ran back to the car. Justin couldn't find
his keys, and they weren't in the ignition or in his pocket. They went back
by the fence to find the keys. They couldn't find the keys by the fence and
went back to the car. The keys were swinging in the ignition. As they drove
away, they heard scratching on the car. When they got back to Logan, there
was a scratch on the car.
Laura Sozio
Logan, UT 84321
Logan, UT 84321
Utah State University
English 124
Fall 1990
The Nuns' Baby
Informant:
Rita Gafford
05/05/98
Rita Gafford has been my roommate for seven months. She participates in
various types of recreation, many of which are up Logan Canyon. Rita was raised
in Bountiful Utah in the LDS religion. She is an Exercise Sport Science major at
Utah State University.
Context:
I asked Rita where she was going biking one day and she replied, "up near
the catholic convent". I asked her where that was had she said, "haven't you heard
about the Nun up there?" I replied no. She then proceeded to tell me what a friend
she described only as a "Logan local" had told her. She told the story as if she
personally did not believe it but those who told her wholly believe it.
Text:
Up Logan Canyon there is a convent of some sort. It was a retreat for Nuns.
A long time ago there was a Nun who went and stayed up there to hide out because
she was pregnant. She had her baby and was going to keep it and quit being a Nun
but she was overwhelmed with shame so she had the baby and then killed it and
buried it up by the convent. She was so overcome by guilt that she killed herself.
Late at night, near the convent, you can hear the cry of the baby and many people
have seen the Nun, wandering in the trees in eternal search for her child.
Texture:
Coming from someone who was raised in faith besides the Catholic religion, I
think the story is told with a hint of believability. As it is every Nuns vow to be
celibate, sex and especially pregnancy is so taboo for a Nun. It makes you feel sad to
hear such a story of a mother killing her child out of guilt but leaves room for a
haunting feeling because of this woman wandering Logan canyon in some sort of
eternal shame and misery. It is almost as if this woman is in a type of eternal
damnation and that makes seeing such a being very scary.
Jennifer K. Morrill
Logan, UT.
Sandy, UT.
Utah State University
Supernatural Legend
Nunnery in Logan Canyon
Informant Data:
Robert Trahan
Logan Utah
Summer of 1994
Robert Trahan is from Louisiana, he is 21 years old and is studying Industrial Hygiene at Utah State University.
He likes hiking, loud music, and plays in a rock band called Chubby Amigos. He comes from a family of 6 with 2 other
sisters and his parents who are divorced. Roberts family still lives in Louisiana and he wants to return there after
graduation. Robert is also about as straightforward as they get, he rarely believes anything he hears and jokes about only
serious matters.
Contextual Data:
Robert told this story to four or five of us while we sat on his porch one summer explaining recent hikes we had
been on around the Cache Valley area. The other people in the group had also heard this story from various people.
Some of the people said they heard a different version of the story about the same place from their parents, brothers and
sisters. Supposedly the Man with the dogs had also taken care of the place in the 1930's. The man was accused of
molesting girls there. Once the towns people found out a search held and somehow the old man was found and killed.
by the angered people of the local towns. It seems that all supernatural encounters come from places one should be in
the first place, Le. trespassing on someone property. With all the different variations to the story and the long history of
the Nunnery up Logan canyon I suppose some parts of these stories have some validitity.
Text:
A friend of Roberts, Tim, had the job of taking care of the Nunnery the one summer. Tim had only been there
for one day when he heard a vehicle driving up the d~ward the Nunnery while he was going for a swim. So, Tim
got out of the pool and dried off so he could confront the people about the no trespassing signs posted at the rcrle\
leading to the Nunnery and on the land around the buildings.
When he greeted the vehicle, it was just a bunch of teenage kids out checking the place out. Tim explained to
the young group that they were not supposed to be up there and to tum around and leave promptly. Then one kid
replied that they had already talked to the land tenant, a old man with two dogs, and he gave them permission from them
to visit the buildings as long left everything without a scratch. Tim replied he was land tenant and had been in the pool
swimming for the last 20 minutes. Plus he had haven't seen anyone up here all day and he never seen& ld man with
two dogs.
]effNorgord
Logan Utah, 84321
English 124
Fall '94
1
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(
Supernatural Non-religious Legend
"Saint Ann's Retreat"
Information Data:
Robert Todd Starks
USU Library
January 18,1991
Robert, who goes by Bob, was born in Long Beach California. He
spent most of his childhood in Cache Valley. Bob graduated from
Logan High School and attend Utah State University for a year. He
served as a missionary for the LDS church in Peru for two years. He
is 22 years old and a junior in History at USU. Bob comes from a
white LDS family. He is number five of six children. As a student,
Bob enjoys activities and hobbies such as smgmg, story telling,
motorcycling, and studying languages.
Contextual Data:
Bob first heard about this in his sophomore year of High School.
He was with a group of friend at a party one evening during the
summer. He was told about the story after they had just watched
scary movie. He also heard it several times later through high school.
I have known Bob since his first year at USU. We prclormed together
in a music group. Bob told this to me in his ow'iI words while I
recorded it on tape.
Text:
These guys went up Logan canyon, up to Saint Ann's retreat.
And they were up there and they didn't know about all the stuff that
had happened up there. They were up there playing ball. One guy
threw the ball too far and the other guy ran to catch it. He didn't
catch it. It went in the little pond up there, a little fountain. It's only
about ankle deep and he jumped in the fountain to get the ball and
carry it out, but when he got in the water, he feel in the water and
he couldn't get out. He drowned there in the ankle deep water.
l 2../' IZ. /.1P7
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Jonathan R. McEntire
River Heights, Ut 84321
Utah State University
History 124
Winter, 1991
Religious Legend
"A Haunted Nunnery."
Informant Data:
John Weaver
Logan, Utah
Summer, 1990
John Weaver is a junior at Utah State University
majoring in pre-law. He is the oldest of two children. He
was born in Salt Lake City, Utah but at the age of twelve
his family moved to Clifton, Idaho. John is an active
member of the LDS Church and has served a mission to North
Carolina.
Contextual Information:
John heard this story from one of his roomates. He
related this story to me one day as we were talking about
folklore. The nunnery that is in this story is called St.
Ann's and is located up Logan Canyon in Utah.
Text:
Many years ago and no exact date has been given, a
priest went up to St. Ann's retreat to visit the nuns. Before
he left an early snow storm hit and he was trapped at the
retreat for the winter. When spring came several of the nuns
delivered babies. Because of the disgrace, the mother
superior took all of the babies and put them in the swimming
pool.
As the legend has it, if you were to go to St. Ann's
during a full moon, you will see these nun's ghosts wandering
around the pool crying and the faces of the babies in the
pool.
KaraLyn Litz
Trenton, Utah 84338
Utah State University
History 124
Fall 1990
.,
In/omumJ DIItII:
JIUOIIP~
LogIIII, Ut
November, 1996
Jason Painter is a mend of mine. He is twenty-five years old and lives in Logan. I met
him through a mutual friend and we have been friends for twelve years. He grew up in Logan
such as I did, and lives here still .
I was ml1cing to Jason in the grocery store and we were reminiscing about our past. We
both grew up having wild mends, especially Jason. Growing up in Logan there is not a lot to do,
so sometimes kids would have to make their own excitement. Jason told me this story that his
friends told him when they were in high school, beck around 1987.
Text:
Word was out all over the local high schools that St. Anne's Nunnery up Logan Canyon,
which has been deserted for years, was haunted by the nuns that once lived there. No one had ever
gone to check it out, however. until one night some teenagers from Preston were drunk and drove
to the nunnery. Some of the boys broke open a door to one of the buildings just as another boy
tripped over a rock and fell into the empty cement swimming pool, cracking open his head. The
party rushed the boy to the hospital, and s the doctors were shaving the boys head to stitch it up,
his friends were shocked to see the cut was in the figure of a perfect large cross, like that of the
catholic church. The kids were all busted for drinking and had to call their parents to come get
them.
T#'.XIIII'e:
I think this legend was told to scare kids from trespassing and vandalizing St. Anne's.
The fact the kids were dnmlc (sin) and vandalizing a sacred place of tile nun's set up tile stoJy for a
climax. The boys were scared by the eerie sight of the cross. and they were then punished by
getting caught with alcohol. This is 1Iying to show that ifpeople do wrong to sacred religious
places, they will be punished.
JmMojJitt
Log"", Ut
u.s.u.
E'-"526
Dr. Rou"
FtIll, 1996
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Urban Legend
"St. Ann's Nunnery"
Informant data:
Jeff Adams
Logan, Utah
October 1995
Jeff Adams is originally from Plain City Utah. He is thirty-four
years old and has made Logan Utah his home ~ince he graduated from Utah
State University ten years ago.' Jef has three degrees, one in ftl ath, one in
Physics, and one i~ Philo~ophy and W now commutes to Ogden /UtahJeach
day to work as a stock J3roker. He is also an active member of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and spends most of his free time
playing basket-ball or engaging in his churches activities.
Contextual data:
Jeff told me about St. Ann's Nunnery one day when we passed it
driving up Logan Canyon. Because Jeff has lived in Logan for quite a few
years now, he is more than familiar with local stories and , he asked me if
had heard about this one. I said no, and he proceeded to tell me that. ..
St. Ann's is haunted by all the nuns that used to be there at the
beginning of the conventb history. You see if a nun got pregnant and they
needed to keep it hush, hush they would send her up to this nunnery in the
canyon where they could keep it quiet from society. Anyway, when the
babies were born they would drown them in the fountain and then throw
the bodies off the cliff. Now days, when the wind blows you can hear the
crying of those babies and the nunnery is always completely clean because
for penance the ghosts of the nuns must clean it for eternity. Yeah, man. I
guess you can still see the blood in spots around there too.
Eric Jensen
Logan, Ut. 84321
S.L.C. Ut. 84105
History 526
Spring Quarter 1996
Campfire story
saint Ann's Retreat
Informant Data:
Chalyce Petersen
smithfield utah
July 1990
I am nineteen years old and attending utah state University.
I was born in California and lived there for several years before
moving to Utah. My father is a Professor of Economics at USU. I am
the oldest of four girls and I love to dance, sing, and play tennis.
I really enjoy being outdoors, yet I hate insects and have discovered
that I am still afraid of the dark. My friends always love to take me
camping because I scare easily and make a big deal out of everything.
Contextual Data:
My friends and I had planned a camping trip one weekend, but
on the day scheduled for the big trip it rained really hard. We
decided that we were "rugged" enough to brave the rains and headed up
smithfield Canyon anyway. I didn't get off work until nine, so by
the time we got to a good spot it was already late and too dark to set
up our tent. We figured we would have to sleep under the stars.
After several "animal attacks" we snuggled down in our sleeping bags.
Brian (a friend) began telling the story of the retreat called st.
Ann's which is just up Logan Canyon. I had heard several versions of
the story before, but his had a "fact" at the end which I had never
heard before. This is his version of the story:
Text:
About forty years ago, a retreat was founded up Logan Canyon
by the families of children who were what you would call "problem
children." A group of nuns headed by a "Saint Ann" were responsible
for the kids. One girl, who was fifteen, had been sent to the retreat
because she was pregnant and was an embarrassment to -her family.
When she finally gave birth to the baby, she was instructed
to sign the child over to the state for adoption. She refused because
she wanted to keep the child for her own. When the Church officials
insisted that she sign the necessary papers, she decided that if she
couldn't have the child, no one would. She flung the baby off the
roof of the housing quarters. The sisters tried to clean up the mess,
9
but the blood stains would not come off. They tried everything and
finally decided that the child must have been Satan's. One of the
sisters took the baby's body and bricked it up in the wall of the
chapel where you can still hear it crying.
Many strange things have reportedly happened there since
then. Many believe that the retreat never was controlled by a "Saint
Ann", but that the real name of the guardian of the retreat was
actually "Satan."
10
Chalyce Petersen
Logan, Utah
Utah State University
Hist 124
Summer Quarter 1990
Supernatural Non-Religious Legend
"The Nunnery"
Informant Data:
Carrie Anderson
Logan, Ute
February, 1987
Carrie Anderson is 15 years old and a sophmore in high school. She was born
and raised in Cokeville, Wyo. She is currently living in Logan Ute with her father,
my husband, and myself through the school year, and in Cokeville, Wyo. in the
summer. She also has a mother that lives in Salt Lake, and a married sister that
lives in Fort Bridger, Wyo. Carrie is active in school sports, and enjoys play­ing
the piano, and riding horses and motorcycles. She has no religious preference
at this time.
~ntextual Data:
I gathered this story from Carrie a year ago when I was looking for urban
legends for a storytelling class I was taking at USU. She had heard this story
from several of her friends at Sky View High School.
Text:
The nunnery is a place up Logan canyon where priests and nuns go for a rest.
If you go up there at midnight, you can see dead babies floating in the swimming
pool that were drowned by the nuns. These are babies that the nuns had had in sin.
You can also hear the cries of the nuns and the babies when you go up there.
There is also a ghost of a guy with an ax that runs around up there chasing
anyone who comes up there.
Tona Anderson
USU
History 124
Spring, 1988
"St. Anne's Retreat"
Local Legend
Informant:
David Francis
Logan, Utah
Fall,2000
David Francis is twenty-five, he's my brother-in-law. Previously, he has been very active
in the Boy Scouts of America. He, himself, was an Eagle Scout. David was also a
scoutmaster for many years, as well as a camp counselor. He has a real love for the
scouting tradition and for sirting around the campfire and telling stories. It's really hard
not to think of Dave when I think of the Boy Scouts.
Context:
David was giving me the legends he had heard about St. Anne's and the witch, Hekkadi.
He wasn't sure of the connection between the witch and the nunnery, but he was able to
give me some information about it. Some of the information Dave got from his
involvement with scouts, and some he got from his mother.
Text:
You've heard of the nunnery, up by Second Dam. Well, kids used to go up there in
groups and try and scare each other. It was supposed to be haunted, because supposedly
the nuns a lot of times would get pregnant from the priests, but to hide their sins, they
would kill the babies and bury them so no one found out. That's why it was supposed to
be haunted. Also up there, there was a witch. Her name was Hekkadi, and she would
chase you if she got the chance. There are two different ways that I heard the Hekkadi
legend. In both versions though, she has these two huge black dogs with glowing, red
eyes. In one version, if you go up to the nunnery and Hekkadi finds you, she'll chase
you, but if you can out run her and the dogs and make it to the road, they always stop at
the road. In the other version, Hekkadi and her two dogs would be out in the middle of
the Logan Canyon Road, and it would look like you were going to hit her, but then by the
time you went to- swerve, Hekkadi and her dogs were gone.
Textu-re:
(
I tried to follow Dave pretty close on this one, because it's one I heard about almost from
the time I first got to Utah, in fact it was the first piece of local color that I had learned. I
never did get a sense of whether or not David believed the legends and he, himself, has
never been up to the nunnery. However, he was pretty calm as he told it, and he didn't
seem to nervous or anything like that. This was another narrative that I got from Dave
when he, Carrie, Ann-Michelle, and I were at McDonalds, having a "cool treat" as David
calls them.
Rob Gombach
Logan, UT
USU
History 3700
Professor Thomas
Fall 2000
supernatural Legend
"st. Anne's Nunnery"
Informant Data:
Tyler Singleton
Providence, utah
April 8, 1994
Tyler is nineteen years old and is a good friend of mine.
He is the second of five children. He is a member of the LDS
Church and lives in Providence, utah. He attended Utah State
University earlier this year (1994), but now is serving a LDS
mission in Berlin, Germany. Tyler's hobbies are snow skiing,
water skiing and camping.
Contextual Data:
st. Anne's is an old abandoned convent near the mouth of
Logan Canyon. It is commonly called the nunnery. It seems to be
a "rite of passage" with high school kids to go to the nunnery
and see if they dare to perform the "rituals" associated with it.
One of the "rituals" is to take a glass bottle to the nunnery and
throw it into the empty swimming pool. They say if it doesn't
break, then you are safe, but if it breaks then Satan is with you
for the rest of the night. If the bottle breaks then when you
drive down the canyon you can see two pair of red eyes in your
rear~iew mirror (the eyes are from the two dogs that attacked a
nunn) and you can see a nunn ~standing on the side of the road
holding a baby.
Tyler told this story while we were camping in Providence
canyon. Everyone was sitting around the campfire telling stories
so Tyler told this story to try to scare the girls and also to
dare anyone to go to the nunnery with him that night. Tyler was
told this story one night by some older kids (he was fourteen
then) while they were on their way to the nunnery.
Everyone who had heard the story already didn't think
anything of it, but those who hadn't, mostly the girls, were
scared and absolutely refused to go to the nunnery that night.
Text:
There was this old nunnery up Logan Canyon where there were
some nunns. Some of the nunns would get pregnant and have their
babies there, then kill them and bury them out behind one of the
buildings. One time one of the nunns wouldn't kill her baby so
she was kicked out of the nunnery, so she went back into the
valley and raised the baby. One day she went back to visit her
friends at the nunnery. All of the nunns loved the baby and
would sit and play with it. This made the head nunn mad and
worried that the other nunns would want to keep their babies. So
she asked to hold the baby. When she got the baby, she threw it
into the swimming pool and killed it - that's why you can see a
red spot on the side of the swimming pool. The nunn who's baby
it was started running away, so the head nunn sent two dogs after
her to kill her. In the morning when the head nunn got up the
two dogs were skinned, hanging in the trees.
Justin Jacobson
Nibley, UT
Nibley, UT
Utah State University
History 124
Spring 1994
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"The Nunnery"
Religious Legend
Informant:
Ryan Hill
Logan, Utah
November, 1999
Ryan is a hyperactive Logan local. He has a knack for knowing everyone we see in town
or on campus. Ryan is the second youngest of nine children. He comes from a middle­class
active LDS family. At present, he is not enrolled in school, but rather works on a
house framing crew full-time.
Context:
I collected this story at my apartment after dinner. Ryan and his younger sister, Melanie,
showed up after other people had already been telling stories. This is apparent when he
asks what the tape-recorder is for. Because he was the only Logan local present (besides
Melanie), no one else really could comment on these stories.
Text:
Ryan: Oh, you don't know about "The Nunnery!" Okay here's the rumor on "The
Nunnery." Like supposedly ... are you recording?
Colby: Yeah.
Ryan: You rat-bastard!
Colby: I'm sorry, dude. I thought you knew.
Ryan: Hell no. Ah man, now I can't do this.
Colby: Come on man, you were doing so well. Please, just keep going.
Ryan: Okay, the nunnery ... supposedly, this priest, like he had all these nuns up there and
it's up Logan Canyon, I can take you up there if you want ...
Sam: I've been there.
Ryan: It's like ten miles up Logan Canyon. And the deal is this priest killed a bunch of
children, and all the nuns there and then killed himself. So this place is haunted as hell.
And like supposedly you can go up there and find little graves of small children, and you
L Q , I. \2. .1.17
know you hear some real weird shit. But you can actually see some weird shit, because I
was sober up there one time, and I saw some shit you shouldn't be seein'.
Colby: So you've been there?
Ryan: Oh yeah, I've been up there a few times.
Colby: Right on. How did you hear about it?
Ryan: Urn, It's just like a local legend. Everybody who lives in Logan knows about it.
Colby: So who told you?
Ryan: I don't know ...
Sam: But there was something that happened after that with some people up there ...
Ryan: Yeah, some of the locals I know went up there, and there were these two security
guards, which there shouldn't be guards up there anyway. But these guards tied them up,
and the whole story got blown completely out of proportion, but I got the true story from
them. They tied them up, and threatened their lives, but they never had dynamite tied to
them or anything.
Sam: I just heard they had shotguns.
Ryan: Yeah, like they were threatened with their lives. And then they let them go, or
something.
Ben: And now everybody knows
Ryan: Yeah.
Context:
Out of all the stories I collected, this was the one that was most believable. Everyone I
the room was interested in what Ryan had to say. The way he related his own personal
experience at the nunnery was a key factor in this, I think. I noticed the way he says,
''Everybody who lives in Logan knows about it." This to me shows the exclusiveness of
local stories and rumors. Only a true local would know about these stories.
Colby M. Thurston
Logan, Utah
USU
Engljsh 27DO
Professof1rhcrnas
Fall 1999
(
(
Urban Legend
Nunnery
Informant Data:
Amy Brewson
Logan, Utah
July 1995
Amy is a friend. She was born, raised and schooled in Logan
Utah. She is at the present time going to Utah State University,
where she is getting her masters in Biology . She has been married
for almost one year.
Contextual Data:
In the beginning of my Math 105 class, I told a legend to pass
the time. After I told my legend Amy told a legend of a Nunnery
which is found up in the Logan Cannon.
Item:
A nun got pregnant at the nunnery but didn't want the baby.
So, she placed the babies body in a brick wall of the nunnery.
Now if a first born ~up to the nunnery the first born will
die.
Jeri Justis
Logan, Utah
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
USU
History 124
Summer 1995
/
Supernatural Non-religious Legend
"The Haunting of Saint Ann's Retreat"
Informant Data:
Kim Lamb
Logan, Utah
August, 1983
Kim Lamb was a very good friend of mine with whom I worked with at a local pizzeria
while going through high school. He was born in Logan in 1964. Kim is very enthusiastic and
energetic and enjoys having a good time. He comes from a non LDS background. Kim is
presently living in California with his wife and two children.
Contextual Data:
I collected this story when a group of my friends and I where trying to find something to
do after work one night. It was in the summer at about 12:30 p.m. We really did not know what
we wanted to do, but we where feeling mischievous and wanted an adventure. Kim told us of the
"haunted retreat" up in Logan canyon and talked us in to going there after relating the story to us.
At the time it was the first that I had ever heard of the retreat, but since then I have heard many
variations of the legend from many people. Saint Ann's is located about twenty miles up Logan
Canyon and owned by the Catholic church. It has not been used for many years as a nunnery.
There is an interesting cross-over of two local legends in Kim's version. It is said that the spirit
of a witch known as Heceta will appear on a bridge in Logan canyon if anyone goes to the spot
and yells her name three times. This story was originally separate from the murder legend of
Saint Ann's, but the two have come together in most of the narratives that I have heard since
Kim related it to us the first time.
Text:
Saint Ann's retreat was a place of spiritual solitude and peace where Catholic nuns would
spend the summer months. At any given time there would be fifteen or twenty nuns at the retreat
doing various activities. The Mother Superior of the nunnery was a woman by the name of
Heceta, who governed the nunnery very strictly. There where those in the Church who believed
that Heceta possessed unique supernatural abilities and was possibly involved in witchcraft, but
it could never be proven. One terrible night a gang of bikers who had heard of the defenseless
nuns in the canyon raided the nunnery. They viciously raped several of the nuns including
{
I"
Heceta whom they murdered. Before she died she vowed vengeance on the gang of bikers and
swore that the nunnery would be a damned place from that day foreword.
It so happened that everyone of the bikers involved in the attack on the nunnery where
savagely killed themselves. They died horrible deaths being ripped apart by what appeared to
investigators to be dog attacks. The Catholic church closed the nunnery after the attack by the
bikers and it has never been used since. If anyone dares go to the nunnery at night and yells the
name "Heceta" three times her crazed spirit will be heard crashing through the trees behind a
pack of demonic hell dogs with glowing red eyes. Those who have seen the apparition swear
that they did not think they would live to tell it. The spirit of Heceta will not cross over the river
bridge however, and her demon dogs cannot harm anyone on the other side.
Shawn Lawlor
River Heights, Utah
USU
English 526
Dr. Roush
Fall 1995
Item 03
Legend: Logan Canyon Nunnery
Informant Data:
Britany Holmgren
Logan, Utah
November, 1995
Britany Holmgren is a 19 year-old resident of Logan, Utah. She
studies at Utah State University. She is on the USU Ballroom
Dance Team. Britany is the oldest of five children. She and
her family are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter­day
Saints. She grew up in Fielding, Utah. Her hobbies include
floral design, craft making, and roller blading. Her family owns
Belmont Hot Springs in Plymouth, Utah. She works for her family
in the summer time.
Contextual data:
I was told this story by Britany while researching and compiling
legends for English 526 at Utah State University. She said that
this legend is true. She herself has visited the site at Logan
Canyon where the legend originates from, and the actual swing
mentioned in the Legend is there still. I believe that this
legend is a product of the ignorance that many people have about
religions that are not as dominant in this area of the United
States. Perhaps if we understood nuns, and did not hold them in
such mystery, this legend would not be told.
In Logan Canyon is a defunct nunnery. It is closed and
gaited. This is where a gruesome murder took place, and where
hauntings have occurred ever since. Long ago, when the nunnery
was still housing nuns, one cloistered sister became pregnant by
her own transgression. She carried the child to term, and raised
it until it was two years old. In the yard of the nunnery,
bordering the Logan River, is a swing that the nuns would swing
the child from. One afternoon the child was being swung by it's
mother. Because the child was a product of sin, it flew
violently into the river. The nun/mother had shoved her child
into the river. Now the child cries when the river swells.
D. Reed Cowan
Logan, Utah
Utah State
University
English 526
Professor Roush
Fall 1995
Supernatural Legend
"Saint Anns Camp"
Informant Data:
Jake Winegar
Logan, utah
April 1990
Jake is a friend I met at the beginning of the quarter. Jake moved
from Colorado to Utah with his parents in July of 1989. He came to utah
State University in September of 1989 to major in Business Adminestration.
Jake has three sisters one brother, three stepsisters and one stepbrother.
Contextual Data:
I herd this story and a few others while we were camping two miles up
Logan canyon. There were about ten of us, we were sitting around a camp­fire
drinking and toasting marshmallows. Jake decided he wanted to tell
stories to see if he could scare us. We all decided to listen. Some of
the people believed in the story, some had ~r another version of the
story and some looked at Jake skeptically. He succeeded in scaring a few
of the people. Jake can be very convincing at times, because he belie"-Els
in all of his stories. I have herd different versions before and since
the story was told.
Text:
There is a place here in Logan canyon called Saint Anns Camp. It used
to be a convent for nuns in the eighteen hundreds. The story goes, one
nun became pregnant, maybe her name was Saint Ann. When she had her baby,
in fear of the church, she drowned the baby in a near by brook near a
bridge. A few days went by and the nun began to feel guilty so she jumped
off the highest tower of the convent. A few years later, after the
nunnery closed, people reported strange happenings. Some have reported
seeing an angry spirit of a child who plays tricks on the people. Others
have seen the women in morning walking around the comvent.
Esther Gates
Logan utah
Ohio
USU
English/History 124
Surrmer 1990
l..1 . \ .12 1\
\ \
Gr'eg O···8':'.nnion
Genr'e:
Tit 1 e:
Supernatural Legend
"The Nunner:,··11
Infor·ma.nt Dat.;:..:
tvl.I . ...'.T
Gr' e g i -:. a f 00 t b.;:.. 1'1 pI ':'.ye r' r~' e .:.. t u. S • U. He i·:. f r' Clm
Dos Palos, Cal ifornia. He is nei ther superstitios or
r'e 1 i g i ou·a.· and he doe·:.n " t be I i el.}e th i s story ootthen ag.:.. in
n".!<1ther dCles .:t.n>··one v.Jho heap-s it, blJt it····a. alll,J·:;"Ys .iI.-Q.Qod
s.tory to telL.
Contextual Data:
I've heard many legends about the Nunnery located in
Logan Canyon but I heard this version for the first time
from Greg. He heard the story when he came to Utah State to
go to -:·c h oCll •
Dat.:..:
Ther'e v..l er·e ,:to group of nun':· 1 it) i nl;i .:.. t the nlJnnery .:..
number of years ago. It seems that one of the nun's
c c.mm itt 12 d ,:to '.} e r' ::,., IJ n - nun 1 i ~:: e .;:.. ct.;:.. n d be c ·;:..m e p r' e g nan t. T h i -:.
do with the pregnant nun.
When she finally had the baby the other nun's
I
con·:.p i r'ed ,:t.g,:t. i nst her' to r' i d the nunner)-" clf the fru it fr'clm
this unholy union. One night at midnight they stole the baby
I
and drowned him in the shallow pool near the nunnery.
The mother went crazy when she learned of the babies
death and began to wander the hi I Is at night in search of
her lost child. When it came time for the other nuns to
leave, she refused to go and I ived on in the abandoned
buildings as a hermit, a social outcast. She still haunts
the nunnery to this da~ and some people claim that you can
\
\
still hear her call ing for her dead child, her cries ringing
off the surrounding hills.
J.:..ce-::.on H21.ugh2<.n
1.•. Je 1 I:.',! i I I e
U.~LU
Erll;t. 124
Spr' i ng 1990
T.egend
The Nuns
T.nformant Data:
Camille is a student a Utah Shate Unjversity.
old. She ws born in 19-,0 in Millville Utah, and
all of her life. She is well traveled and has
twice. Camille enjoys musi~ and motorcycles.
ready with a story.
Contextual Data:
Camille Mathys
Logan Utah
Feb. J990
She j s 20 years
has lived there
visi ted Europe
She is always
We were driving up the Logan Canyon on our way to go skjing
at Beaver Mountain. I was enjoying the scenery and marveling at
the canyon when Camille told me that all was not beautiful in the
canyon and that some pretty creepy things went on in the canyon.
Thjs is one of the stories she told.
Text:
A long time ago there was a nunnery in the canyon. It was
very reclusive and no one knew much about it. But it wasn't a
Catholic nunnery, it was a djfferent reljgion. Any way some thjng
happened at the nunnery and all the nuns were killed. No one
really knows what happened, but jt was Satanical. Well one of the
nuns was cursed and now she roams the canyon with her black dog and
her cane. If you see her, run, cause if she sees you, you will die
within the month. She is usually seen only at night along the road
and most people say she only walks during a full moon, but you
never really know when you will meet her, so be careful.
Donna Chipman
Pocatello ID
USU
English 124
Spring 1990
Supernatural Legend
"The Nunnery"
Informal Data:
Lynley Thompson
Logan, Utah
April 1990
Lynley married my nephew, since then we've become friends.
She was born and raised in an active LDS family in Richmond,
Utah. Lynley is presently attending Utah State University. One
year ago Lynley gave birth to her first baby. Now she lives in
Logan with her husband and daughter.
contextual Data:
Lynley learned this story from a group of high school
friends. One of the boys told this story when they drove by the
nunnery in Logan Canyon.
Lynley and I were talking about how some people believe in
ritualism when she told me this story.
Text:
There is an old nunnery that has been closed down for years
in Logan Canyon. Between the Catholic Chapel and the living
quarters was a swimming pool. The priest that ran the place was
very strict. If one of the nuns ever became pregnant he would
make them drown their newly born baby in the swimming pool.
The ritual is that if you go the the nunnery at midnight
when the moon is full, you'll see the nuns' spirits standing
around the swimming pool crying.
Sonya Thompson
USU
History 124
Spring 1990
Logan, UT
Supernatural legend
The nunnery
Brett Gibbons
Logan, Utah
February, 1990
Informant Data: ()
Brett Gibbons was a friend of mine in high school in Smithfi ild) Utah. He lives In
LewistonlUtah where his family owns a farm .. He is a very active person, and is a avid
football lover.
Contextual Data:
I collected this story while riding up the canyon to visit the nunnery. The group we
were with were mostly girls. When I heard the story, part of the group didn't believe it. The
other half were a little bit more believing. Some of them had heard the story before. It had
been a little different than the one being told.
Text: r
About twenty years ago there were a bunch of n s living at the nunnery. Well they
were the ones that had become pregnant, so the church would send them there. When the
nuns would have the babies they would drown them in the pool. Because they did this, the
ghosts of the babies haunt the houses. They say there is a blue dog that will drive you away
if you go there. It's the protector of the babies spirits. I know a man who said he saw the
blue dog one night down by the river. And I don't think he would lie.
Matt Checketts
Hyde Park , Utah
English 526
Fall 1994
"The Legends about St. Anne's Nunnery"
Informant:
Laura Adams Schenk
during a phone conversation in Nibley, Utah
22 November, 1997
Laura is of English descent, and grew up in Hyrum, Utah. She is my sister-in-law and friend. She
is a first grade teacher in her late 30s. She is LDS. She heard this legend while she was still attending Sky
View high school; she was a typical high school girl, involved with such activities as the marching band
and the school newspaper. She was (and is) friendly and social, and had high grades. She has two sisters
close to her own age, and a younger brother. She currently lives not far from my house in Nibley, Utah.
Context:
I had actually phoned her to talk to my brother, Clair, but Laura and I are good friends and I told
her about my folklore class. She was fascinated as I told her about some of the legends we had been
studying. "Oh, I love stories like that!" she exclaimed. After I told her "The Hook" and some of the
analyses of it that we had discussed in class, she commented, "Oh, really? You learned about that in your
class? Because I always thought that was true. Even, like, St. Anne's-I thought that was true 'til just a
little while ago, you know, with the stuff that happened this summer." During the summer of 1997, some
teenagers had been snooping up around St. Anne's Nunnery, looking for ghosts. They were caught, tied
up, thrown in a pool, and generally harassed by the guards there. It was quite an incident to have happened
in quiet Cache Valley, Utah. Months later, everyone was still talking about it. I asked Laura to tell me
what she knew about St. Anne's, and she obliged me in an animated tone:
Text:
About St. Annes-I thought it was true until I read about it in the paper this summer. But I heard,
like, there were ghosts there, that all the nuns had been murdered or something. And there was a fire or
something and that's why the nuns were all gone. But it wasn't that at all, the nuns left and they left
because of all the vandalism and stuff, and the fire was actually from vandalism, not ghosts or whatever.
What was the true story they told you in class? Because I thought it was haunted, so that's what drove the
nuns away, or killed them, or whatever. But I heard about the nunnery in high school, and I thought,
"Ooooh! I want to go up there!" But I never did, and it's probably good I didn't, because I might've ended
up tied up in a pool!
Texture:
Laura and I swapped several stories, but the reason I chose this one to use for the assignment is
that she incorporated both the new information she had learned about St. Anne's, and the old information
about St. Anne's that she had heard in high school,into her telling of the legend. I think the St. Anne's
story has a lot of potential to change over the years in this way. I think that eventually, the guards who
attacked the teenagers will be incorporated into the St. Anne's legends, and changed into ghosts or evil
spirits, through the telling and retelling of the legends.
Bonnie Lou Schenk
Nibley, Utah 84321
Utah State University
)
Anthropology 526: Legends, Myths, and Folktales
Dr. Jan Roush
Fall Quarter, 1997
"The Nunnery"
Informant:
Emily Allen
Logan, Utah
November 1997
Emily Allen is 21, a junior who is majoring in Sociology and is a friend of my
friend who I don't know very well. She likes to go to parties and drink, but being a
college student is too poor to drink to much.
Context:
Since this assignment was next to impossible for me to complete, and no matter
who I asked they didn't seem to have any stories to tell it was amazing that Emily could
think of something to tell. She had heard this story a lot and had asked me if I had
heard it. My husband, when she brought it up remembered reading the legend in the
school newspaper.
Text:
Well, in the nunnery there was one priest, who wasn't very good, and all the rest
were women. Well, the priest got one of the nuns pregnant. He told her not to tell
anyone about it, so she didn't, and she had the baby. After she had the baby the priest
took it and drowned it in the pool. The poor nun didn't know what had happened to the
baby. Well, one day the puppy dog that they had around there dug up the baby's body
where it had been buried in a shallow grave in the backyard. The nun saw the body
and went crazy and killed herself. Because she killed herself she they had an
investigation, and they found out that the priest was some kind of satan worshipper
and was really evil. They say that you can still see blood in the pool and the nun is
wandering around up there crying. Of course I don't believe it its just something that
they tell.
Texture:
This story was told with mild disgust for how awful the tale was, and also for the
fact that people tell such unbelievable tales. Emily said that she had heard it alot and
that it was ridiculous. She said, "its just a thing that they tell" with a wave of her hand to
Christen C. de Groot
Informant Data:
Myself
Girls Camp
Summer 1986
My name is Chelise Young. I was born at Dixie General
Hospital in St. George Utah. I was raised in Cache Valley and I
am now married and still live in Cache Valley. I am twenty-one
years old and I am a junior at Utah State University. I am
expecting my first child.
Contextual Data:
I collected this item at a girls camp in the summer of 1986.
The camp was held up Logan Canyon just around the corner from St.
Annes Camp (commonly referred to as "The Nunnery"). When the
story was told, it was dark and a group of us was sitting around
the campfire telling stories and singing songs. All of us were
leery of the area and the story only heightened our fears that we
were not alone. I feel that the reason it was told was not to
frighten us but rather to scare us a little and give us the
chills.
Text:
A long time ago The Nunnery used to be in full working order
and girls were sent there by their families under similar
circumstances as the ones under which we are attending camp
tonight. The girls were to have a retreat in which they would
learn better social qualities and in some situations, some
manners. It was a type of summer boarding school. For many of
the girls, coming to The Nunnery was something that was
anticipated and looked forward to with much delight.
On one particular occasion, however, the girls that were
selected all had one thing in common. They were all expecting.
Anyway, they were up at The Nunnery and many gave birth there.
The nuns, not wanting the illegitimate babies to be raised by the
irresponsible girls, drowned them in the pool. Since that time,
the spirit of the nun that was in charge of the drownings has
haunted the area. She comes out mostly at night and carries a
lantern. More often than not she is accompanied by a large black
L'2,I .IZ,I.~t
\ (
dog that helps her search for other girls in need of "help". If
you happen to see her, don~t look at her directly because if you
make eye contact, and if you have anything to hide, she will hunt
you down and she and the dog will take you back to the nunnery
where she can "take care" of you as well.
Chelise Young
USU
English 526
Fall 1994
Logan, Utah 84321
Logan, Utah 84321
(
UrtliJn Legend
"St. Anne's Retreat"
Informant Data:
rvlyse 1 f
Logan .. Utah
April 1967
.Jennifer Nelson is a senior at USU maJoring in English. She is an
active LDS member. She was born in Colorado in 1964) and has lived in
Logan since 1970. Her ancestry is Swedish} Danish} and British. She
served an LDS mission in Japan.
Contextual Data:
I attended Gi rl's Camp up Logan Canyon dw-i ng most of rny teenage
years. In the evening we v'lould sit around the campfire and tell scary
stories} faith promoting stories} silly stories, and we sang songs. I heard
lots of varying stories and repeated many related to St. Anne's Retreat at
high school parties.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
There is a place up Logan Canyon called St. Anne's Retreat. It used to
be a nunnery, but since then a lot of stories have developed and spread
obout a rnurderer sloughtering several nuns and leo\ling the rest to go
insane.
I went up there once with 0 group of fri ends in hi gh school. There
were some bi g dog houses and someone told rne there had been bi g guard
dogs to protect the nuns, but a murderer- came and slit their throats--but
you coul d still hear thern barki ng somet i meso There was al so an ernpty
swirnming pool. Some of the nuns were thrown into the pool after bein!~
killed .. or forced to Jump into the empty pool, splattering themselves on
• the deep., hard bottom. I think a few nuns were remaining .. but they went
insane and it became unsafe for anyone to go up there.
Several years ago I heard that someone wanted to sell the place or
rebuil d it for a surnmer ctlrnp p 1 tlce, but the p 1 elt"iS were never deve 1 oped-­rnaybed
because of the scary stori es and 1 egends ossoci ated wi th tt"le
place.
....Iennifer- Nelson
Logan, UT 84321
Utah State University
English 524
Spring 1987
Supernatural Legend
"Witch Hekeda"
Informant Data:
Steven Rakes
Logan, Utah
April, 1990
Steven Rakes is a 27 year-old, white male who was born in Florida, but
has lived in Logan, Utah for the last twelve years. After moving out West
with his family, he graduated from Logan High School in 1980. Steve and his
family are converts of the LDS faith, of which Steve is semi-actively in­volved.
Steve is happily married to Lani. They have been married for
three years and they have a 14 month_old baby boy. Steve enjoys camping
out in the canyons, fishing, basketball and collecting baseball cards as
well as other memorabilIa. Steve keeps up on unusual events and seems to
always have something interesting to say. Steve is employed in Logan by
a downtown businessman. He works with the general public in retail.
Contextual Data:
I collected the item from Steve while visiting with him at his place
of employment. He was helping me with some work (framing of pictures) . I
needed done. When I asked Steve if he was familiar with any legends from
this area, he told me of a story he heard from a friend about six years
ago while camping up Logan Canyon. There were several other people around
the fire as the story was told that cool, Fall evening. They were all
friends and they were sharing strange and bizarre occurrences they had
encountered in the past.
Text: There is a lady who lives up Spring Hollow within five miles from
here, who is known by many as Witch Hekeda. She carries a blue lantern at
night and has a pack of wild, ferocious dogs, who escort her through the
mountains of these parts. If you drive your car to the top of Spring
Hollow and turn off your lights, wait a moment or two and the callout
"Hekeda" three times in to the dark silence, you will soon: hear the pack
of dogs making their way toward you, becoming louder and louder. Then in
the distance you will see the glowing of a blue light. You may try this
yourself, but I wouldn't recommend it. When he put this to the test, he
got more than he bargained for . The dogs swarmed around his car like bees
to a hive. The blue light was directly in front of his car. Luckily,
he managed to start his car and speed off. Terrified to death, he raced
down to the bottom of the canyon. Upon getting out of his car, he noticed
Cory Christensen
.J
Deep gouges and scratches over the entire body of his car. He was lucky to
be alive.
Cory Christensen
Logan, Utah
Logan, Utah
Utah State University
English 124
Spring 1990
Legend
The Old Nunnery
Marie-Elena Andino
Student Center, USU
March, 1985
Marie-Elena was born in El Salvador, and moved to the
United States about 7 years ago. She is attending
Utah State University and works on Helpline, a community
crisis line.
I was in the Helpline office, when Jim, a volunteer told
a legend about a nunnery up Logan canyon. After he
finished the story, Marie-Elena offered a different version
about the same place, with some of the details the same.
She said she had heard many different versions, including
the one that Jim told. The one told by Jim, was about
an insane man who murdered the nuns. The one Marie-Elena
heard tells of a man who kills t~ babies that the nuns
accidently have. Other volunteers offered even different versions.
"The same cabin up in Logan Canyon is the sett i ng for th i s story
too. Appajently its a real nice cabin, both inside and
out. Really fancy. And like Jim said, it has a swimming
pool in back. Anyway, no one lived in it, except when
Priests or whoever got nuns pregnant the nuns would go up
to this cabin and hide. The cabin was owned by the Catholic
church. Anyway, they had their babies, and then would kill
them and bury them under the swimming pool, or drown them
in the water. Now if you go up there, you can hear the
babies wailing from beneath the pool, or from within the
water."
Mary Lynn Pedersen
Logan, Utah 84321
S.L.C., Utah 84121
Utah State Univ.
Hi story 124
Winter, 1985
1-1.,/I'2 . IQI
Legend
Old Nunnery
Jim Davidson
Student Center, USU
March, 1985
Jim, who is orignally from Pennslyvania, is a transfer student
from Weber State. Having lived in Ogden, Utah until he transfered
to Utah State, Jim has only lived in Logan a few months. He is
now attending Utah State, and is a volunteer worker for Helpline,
a community crisis line.
Several st~dents and I were in the Helpline Office when I asked if
anyone knew of any legends. Jim asked if I knew the one about the
cabin in Logan canyon. I said no, so he proceeded to tell the
version that he was most aquainted with. Several others in the office
offered details that they had heard, and when he was finished,
another volunteer told the version that she had heard. Jim said that
he was suprised that I hadn't heard it, because it was popular in
Logan and he had heard it several times, though he's only lived here
a few months. Someone suggested that we turn out the lights, and
everyone laughed.
"There is this really nice cabin up Logan canyon. And they have an
outdoor swimming pool. I mean this is really a luxury place, all
nice inside and everything. Rumor has it that it used to be a nunnery,
a convant. One night, on Halloween this insane man raped and
murdered all the nuns and thr ew them into the swimming pool. Now ,
if you go up on Halloween you see all these nuns looking for _their
murderer, and they'll chase you to see if you are the one that killed
them. II
Mary Lynn Pedersen
Logan, Utah 84321
S.L.C., Utah 84121
Utah State Univ.
History 124
Wi nter, 1985
Folklore Archive, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84321
Ink, please J. .
Name of Informant ..................... ?!-.~y .......... .M~.U~ .......................... Age .... ~. ,;. ., ........... ..
Address .......................... ~.~ ......... ..................... .......... C ... c .~ ........................ u..I:-.................... ..
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Year City County State
Background on the item, or on the inforllJ91l1:
h).l S rat ~I IV. C,. c4 Vt< 11~'f
(over, if necessary)
Collected By .... .. ~.J.. .... R.. ..... fb..~ ..... .Ls:'e.t,i..~ ....................... Date ...... M.qV .... !.s:.t .! .. q.1.:.'1 ...... .
City ......... L.<'-f~ ......................................... ................................... State ..... t.-[.t:IA.a.:-,.: ....................... .
Gregory Skabelund
Logan, Utah.
January 27, 1985
Legend
"The Weeping Nun"
Informant Data:
Gregory Skabe1und was born and raised in Logan, Utah. He
is a graduate of Utah State University in history.
He is married and the father of two young sons. He works
at a local bank. He is my brother.
Contextual data:
Text:
Sitting in our home library one night with the lights
out, my family and I watched the deer in our backyard.
All of a sudden, scary stories became the main topic of
conversation and my brother told this one.
About forty years ago, in Logan Canyon at Saint Anne's
Retreat, there lived a nun. One day this nun committed
a grievious sin. She felt terribly sorry for her sin
and weeped every night because of it. Finally one
evening in the summer, the nun took a long rope, wrapped
it around a tree limb and hung herself.
Today, if you go up into the canyon on a summer night
and listen carefully, you can still hear the nun weeping
at Staint Anne's Retreat.
Marcie Skabelund
Logan, Utah
Utah State University
History 124
Winter 1985.
Legend
"The 1'-1ad Caretaker"
Informant Data:
Tim RracJfield
Logan, Utah
Spring 1'3'34
Tim Bradfield, a friend of mine, and Logan Native.
Tim graduated from Logan High in 1983. He is presently
employed as the caretaker at Saint Ann's Retreat in Logan
Canyon. He is non-denominational in religion and of
Scandinavian and English decent.
Contextual Data:
Tim learned this legend through the previous caretaker
at the retreat. He told me this legend while giving me a
tour of the grounds. The small doll house in which the
story takes place seems to be out of place with the rest of
the grounds.
There was a rich family who first built and owned Saint
Ann's F.:et r eat. They had a small girl and there was also a
caretake"r. The caretaker supposedly was possessed by some
spirit that haunted the grounds. The caretaker killed the
child in the doll house with an axe.
Jim Zahmel
Logan,
USU
Utah
History 124
Spring 1994
"The Nunnery"
Legend
Informant:
Jaime Saltern
River Heights, Utah
April, 2002
Jaime Saltern is the wife of Co by Saltern, who is a co-worker of mine. Jaimejust
recently had a baby boy named Max. She works at the hospital as a medical assistant.
She is 28 and she is from Smithfield Utah. She is currently living in River Heights and
she is an excellent fisherman.
Context:
I went over to the Saltern's house to have Coby sign his informant release form on his
story and that is when Jaime told me about "The Nunnery" that is up Logan Canyon on
the river. She told the story with fear in her voice.
Text:
Jaime said that the property was previously a nunnery where nuns lived and did their
thing. They would bring up young girls to be trained as nuns. There would be boys that
would sneak into it and get the girls pregnant. As nuns they couldn't raise children so the
babies would be drowned in the pool. Since there was evil there with the killings it is
now haunted. If you go up there at night you can see spirits and hear babies crying.
Texture:
Jaime's husband Coby has been up there at night with 4 of his friends. He said that it is
really scary and there was a dark feeling up there. When I heard the story I thought no
wonder the babies haunt the place, and with a story like that it would be very scary up
there.
BoRoundy
Logan, Utah
USU/ spring 2002
History 4700
Professor Thomas
Title: St. Anne's Retreat Haunting
Genre: Ghost Story
Christine Woolston
North Logan, UT
April 13, 2007
Informant: Christine is my sister in law. She has lived in North Logan most of her life.
She graduated from Sky View High School in 1996. She later graduated with a Bachelor
of Art from Utah State University in 2005.
Context: I was over at my in-law's house and a group of us were sitting around the
kitchen table talking about ghosts. This occurred in the early evening and progressed in
to the night. After one person told a story the next person would jump right in with what
they knew. The darker it got outside the more closely we all sat together and the lower
out voices became. This setting is when ghost stories are typically transmitted from one
person to another. This discussion was instigated by me but this setting is typically
instigated by one individual who either asks if someone knows a host story or by telling
one themselves.
I asked Christine if she knew the story of St. Anne's Retreat up Logan Canyon. I
knew that she had known some of the high school students which had been caught by the
security guard while she was in high school. I asked her if she knew why the students
went up there and why they said it was haunted. She answered me with this story.
Text: The nuns and the priests would get together so the church had to set up these
retreats so the nuns could go there when they got pregnant. They would go there for the
nine months, and then the nun would not want to be bothered by a baby and would drown
it in the well. The ghosts of the babies would then come back and haunt the nuns while
they were at St. Anne's recuperating so the church had to abandon it.
Texture: Christine told this story as if she did not believe it. The story came from when
she was in high school. The idea that the St. Anne's nunnery is haunted did not hold
much for her. She just told the basic story and did not add a lot of details to make it more
believable.
Amanda M. Woolston
Utah State University
Hist 2720
Lynne S. McNeill
Spring 2007
\
Chelsie Cefalo
Logan, Utah
May 13,2011
"Murderous Nuns"
Legend
Informant: My name is Chelsie Iona Cefalo. I was born in Logan, Utah and lived in Utah for
most of my life. I am a 21 year old female. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints. I come from a family with seven kids and I am the oldest. I am
currently attending Utah State and majoring in English with an emphasis in teaching.
Context: I heard this legend on dark Friday the 13th while my roommates and I were sitting
around a campfire at Second Dam. We were several miles away from the site 'where the
legend occurred. A legend like this is typically told around campfires or on dark scary
nights and is intended to scare the listeners. The legend was told to me by roommate
Jennifer Hugie.
Text: Just up the canyon from here is an old nunnery. The stories say that back in the day when
the nunnery was actually open, they used to send pregnant teenagers there so they could
be punished for their sinful ways. Well not too long after they started sending the
teenagers there, the nuns started killing the girls and would drown their babies in the
swimming pool. The place is now haunted by the ghosts of the nuns, mothers, and babies.
If you go to the swimming pool or look in the cabins you will run into them.
Texture: Jenni told this with a sense of foreboding in her voice. I don't think she fully believed
it but I think she was definitely superstitious about it. Everyone was a little freaked out
by the story and I know that some of the other girls thought it was true.
Gh~\s\e., o,M \0 .
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Daniel Force
Utah State University
2720 Survey of American Folklore
Lisa Gabbert
Fall 2010
Consultant: Tori Wennergren
Age and DOB: 18. December 12, 1991
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Place Collected: Logan, Ut
Date: 10128/10
Title: The Nunnery
Geme: Ghost Story. (Legend)
Text:
Q- Can you give me some background information on The Nunnery?
A- What I do know is that it used to be like a place where nuns would go if they were
pregnant. And so, they'd be shipped off to this nunnery. And I guess at some point, all of
the babies were drowned by some psycho, crazy nun. And so, when you go there, you can
hear babies crying. And if you like lean over the water, then they'll grab you.
Age of consultant when he or she used or performed this example:
She first heard it when she was 14.
Where did the consultant live at the time:
Logan, Ut
Circumstances in which consultant used the folklore:
She heard the story both at school and at family gatherings, particularly at campfires.
Texture:
The interview took place in an apartment of freshman girls going to USU. The
atmosphere was very social, with a lot of things going on.
Daniel Force
Utah State University
2720 Survey of American Folklore
Lisa Gabbert
Fall 2010
Consultant: Alexa Schofield
Age and DOB: 18, Feb. 25,1982
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Place Collected: Logan, Ut
Date: 10/25/2010
Title: The Nunnery
Genre: Ghost story. (Legend)
Text:
Q- Can you give me some background on the Nunnery?
A- My uncle told me that it was a place where nuns went when they got pregnant and
they had to drown their babies. But, it's like, mysteries of like the nuns dying, started
happening, because people would go there to kill the nuns.
Q-[Girl off to the side says:] Tell them about the swimming pool!
A- And there was this, this swimming pool is where the babies would, where they'd
drown the babies. And that's what I went to go check out two years later.
Q- Can you tell me about what happened when you went to the nunnery?
A- Urn ... [lights turn off] oh great. So, it was me, my Uncle, and his two friends. And my
Uncle is pretty old. And I was the lookout and we had to park like a mile away, because
the cops are like huge on the nunnery, because they know kids go there a lot. And we had
to jump this fence and it had barbwire on it, circled around it. And I was just the look out,
but I saw it and you could just like feel like different. As soon as you crossed that fence
you felt different. But I was just a look out, so I didn't hear anything, but like I just heard
them walking around. And then, I heard a scream, and it was my Uncle. And he said, and
he came running out and said "We gotta go now." So we left, and he wouldn't talk about
it until like a week later. And he said that he like, that his two friends were in the pool,
and the pool's empty, but they were down looking at it. He said like an uncontrollable
forced pushed him in. And he fell in and he hopped out the other end. [Girl in
background asks "He seriously felt that?"] Yeah, he was like shaking when he told me.
[Same girl "Ugh .. .I hate the devil!"] So yeah, they've never been back and my parents
won't let me go there anymore.
Age of consultant when he or she used or performed this example:
She first heard of the nunnery when she was 13 at a campfire.
Where did the consultant live at the time:
The consultant lived in Logan at the time.
Circumstances in which consultant used the folklore:
The folklore she knew about the nunnery was primarily told on family outings,
particularly camp fires. This was her Uncle's favorite story to tell.
Texture:
This interview took place in a female apartment, where a majority of the girls were
freshman. When she started telling the story, someone flipped off the lights. Everyone
was scared after it was told. After the story, they decided to go to the cemetery to try and
find the weeping woman.
Item #4
Supernatural Religious Legend
"The Nunnery"
Informant Data:
Myself
Logan, UT
Fall 1991
I was born in Nashville, Tennessee. Being a "military baby" I had the wonderful
experience of moving every couple of years. I am an active member of the L.D.S Church.
Contextual Data:
Shortly after moving to the valley some friends and I went up to the nunnery (i.e.
St. Anne's Retreat) around Halloween. This historic landmark is located about six miles
up Logan Canyon. Although it is only a few hundred feet from the highway, it is well
shielded from the road by the Logan River and a blanket of trees. Current owners have
constructed quite an elaborate gate, trimmed with barbed wire, to keep intruders out.
Text:
Several years ago, they used to use the nunnery as a retreat for nuns. Every
summer a new load of nuns would arrive from churches across the tri-state area (Utah,
Idaho, and Nevada). They would stay here for the summer, do their thing, and then all
would leave at the end of the summer. All but one that is. Her name was Helga, and she
was the head nun/caretaker of the facility. She was assisted by a Priest, and together they
tended to the duties inherent with caring for the facility. Helga was a witchy woman, who
seemed like she was mad at everyone. "Very outspoken and very mean" were the attributes
assigned her whenever anyone described her. The priest was quite a character himself. He
was "stoic, gloomy, and evil-looking." Most residents wondered what kind of a "relaxing
retreat" for the nuns it was with these two individuals presiding over operations.
No one really remembers exactly how it was discovered what went on the other
side of the Logan River, behind that veiling blanket of trees, but all remember the crimes
committed.
Evidently, the nuns who were sent to this particular nunnery all had one thing in
common--they were all pregnant. Of course, everyone knows that it is against the rules of
nunnship for a nun to be pregnant and that is exactly why they were here. Helga, assisted
by the priest, would perform abortions on these nuns. No anesthetic and primitive tools
were used to perform the procedure. This was done supposedly to teach the nuns a lesson,
but many believe it was just done to satisfy Helga's evil drives. Some of the babies
extracted would come out alive, and they were quickly disposed of by either drowning
them in the pool or in the river (you can still see the stone stairs leading into the river). The
bodies were buried in the ground behind the shed by the pool by the priest. That was his
job, disposing of the bodies that is.
Once, one of the nuns tried to escape so she could keep her baby. She was
discovered by the priest in her attempt and severely punished. Because of that incident, the
priest and Helga got some dogs (white Dobermans) to keep the nuns in, and intruders out.
The operation was going fine, so to speak, until Helga became pregnant from the
priest. Great precaution was taken to ensure that the other nuns wouldn't discover the
status of Helga's situation. When the time was right, both Helga and the priest snuk away
under the cover of the night to the area where the abortion was to take place. Only having
watched it done before, the priest tried the best he could in this first attempt at surgery.
Helga suffered immensely for the priests lack of experience. Many mistakes were made,
and the final result was fatal. The priest was devastated and went mad.
The nunnery has since been closed down. Attempts have been made by residents
of the valley to have the place destroyed, but it never seems to happen. The priest still lives
up there and every full-moon returns to the place where Helga died to rendezvous with her
ghost. On a full moon, one can hear the babies crying though the darkness.
Texture:
This legend is told primarily by junior high or high school students. Mostly it's
told just as a scary story, although I depict some hints of prejudice toward Catholics (i.e.
pregnant nuns).
George Gordon
Utah State University
Engl. 526
Dr . Jan Roush
Fall 1996
Title: Logan Nunnery
Genre: Ghost Stories
Informant:
Kristi Swainston
Female
DaB: September 21, 1991
Student at USU
Context:
Name of Informant: Kristi Swainston
Place item was collected: Logan, UT
Date item was collected: October 24,2010
This is normally told when talking about creepy experiences, this kind of story will come
about and be told to a group of friends telling stories to scare each other or tell of an experience
they had themselves with attempting to go up to this nunnery.
Text:
What I've heard about the nunnery is that whenever women that weren't married and they had,
or got pregnant, they would go up there to have - to the nunnery and they would have their
babies and they would drown their babies in the swimming pool from being ashamed. And then
now if you go up there you can hear them crying still.
Texture:
Told as if telling a personal account of something, does not usually involve hand
movements. Unless a person is getting into the story, the hand movements are kept to a
minimum. The tone used is usually a softer tone, like telling a scary story to a group of people
nearby.
Kathryn Young
Utah State University
ENGL2720
Lisa Gabbert
Fall 2010, Sophomore
Daniel Force
Utah State University
2720 Survey of American Folklore
Lisa Gabbert
Fall 2010
Consultant: Stephanie Bolan
Age and DOB: 20. July 10,1990
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Place Collected: Logan, Ut
Date: 10/28/10
Title: The Nunnery
Genre: Ghost Story. (Legend)
Text:
Q- Can you give me some background on The Nunnery?
A- Well...All that I have heard, I'm not sure how much of it is true, but I heard that it is a
nunnery up Logan canyon where nun's used to live. And urn, I've heard that it is where
they took all the nuns that had gotten pregnant and that is where they murdered their
children. Yeah, that's what I've heard. I talked to my Mom today and she said that she
heard that too, but she thinks that it is just a rumor.
Q- Have you heard any stories about people going to The Nunnery?
A- Urn, my parents went when they were in college. And, my Mom said that you had to
like hop over like a barbwire fence, because it's like on private property. But, she said
that it was kind of creepy, but she thinks that she creeped herself out more ... She thinks
that the whole killing babies thing isn't real.
Age of consultant when he or she used or performed this example:
16.
Where did the consultant live at the time:
Smithfield, Ut
Circumstances in which consultant used the folklore:
When she first heard it she was in high school. It was around Halloween and they were
looking for something scary to do, so they decided on the Nunnery. They never actually
went there.
Texture:
The interview took place in a girl 's apartment. Most of them are students at USu.
Title: Logan Nunnery
Genre: Ghost Stories
Informant: Alyssa John
Female
DaB: January 21, 1992
Student at USU
Context:
Name of Informant: Alyssa John
Place item was collected: Logan, UT
Date item was collected: October 27,2010
This is normally told when talking about creepy experiences, this kind of story will come
about and be told to a group of friends telling stories to scare each other or tell of an experience
they had themselves with attempting to go up to this nunnery.
Text:
So there was this priest, and he, uh, got this nun pregnant without her consent and she started
freaking out and was going to tell on him so he drown her and the baby so he wouldn't tell on
him and he wouldn't get in trouble. So if you go up there at night, you can hear a baby crying
and so if you go over to the swimming pool where the priest drown her and the baby you can see
a black shadow too.
Texture:
Told as if telling a personal account of something, does not usually involve hand
movements. Unless a person is getting into the story, the hand movements are kept to a
minimum. The tone used is usually a softer tone, like telling a scary story to a group of people
nearby.
Kathryn Young
Utah State University
ENGL2720
Lisa Gabbert
Fall 2010, Sophomore
Kyra Madsen
Utah State University
ENGL 2720
Dr. Lisa Gabbert
Fall 2010
Name of Consultant: Ryan Howell
Age and date of birth: 20, April 22, 1990
Ethnicity: White, American
Place folklore item was collected: Logan, Utah
Date item was collected: October 21,2010
Title: The Nunnery
Genre: Ghost Story
Text:
The nunnery. There's an old nunnery up Logan Canyon, which, is according to legend is,
was a retreat for nuns who got pregnant, and supposedly down from the nunnery a hundred, or
two hundred yards is a little pond where members of the head honcho of the nunnery would take
the newborn child and kill them and make them drown in the pond. That way the church
wouldn't dilute their status of having babies and such, and it's, there's, the actual building up
there it's actually, it's kind of creepy but they're not actually supposed to go up and see it
anyway.
[Did you see any ghosts up there?]
Uh, I didn't see any ghosts or anything. It's just, (pause) a combination of you know, at
least the whole, you know you hear a lot of bad things about it and also you got all these no
trespassing signs. So, you're kind of paranoid of getting caught and then, and old buildings, it's
creepy and have heard a lot of bad things about it.
How old was the consultant when he/she heard this story?
Ryan was 20 when he heard this story and visited the nunnery.
Where did the consultant live at the time?
1- \ \ . \~. \ " \ 05
Logan, Utah
Texture:
He told the story in a reciting manner like he'd told it a few times before. I think this might be
because he had actually been there and had seen where everything was located and could better
picture what is alleged to have happened there.
"The Nunnery"
Legend
Informant:
Josh look
Logan, Utah
October 2010
Josh look has been a Ufelong friend for me, and I have always considered him to be like an older
brother. Josh is 23 years old and is married to Sheena look. Josh grew up in Paradise, Utah but moved
to Logan, Utah when he got married. Josh has been involved in a volunteer group such as the Paradise
fire department and EMT services. Josh worked for a while at the plasma center, but is now going to
school at Weber. Josh enjoys photography, firefighting, four-wheeling, anything outdoors, and spending
time with his wife.
Context:
Josh has always been known for telling stories, and telling them well. Because of this I thought he would
be a great source for a legend. I text him and asked him if he knew any legends and he told me that he
could probably think of a bunch. He invited me over for dinner where he could tell me the stories in
person, and so we could catch up. I went over to his house where we at a delicious meal and stories just
started to flow. I reminded Josh that I needed him to share a legend with me. He got a quirky grin on
his face and said he had one that I have probably already heard, but that his version was the best. Then
he started to tell me the legend of the nunnery up Logan Canyon.
Text:
Joshes version of the nunnery legend starts out by saying that a while back a rich man built five cabins,
which he later sold to a church. The church bought the cabins and turned them into a nunnery. One of
the nuns strayed and became pregnant, and when the other nuns found out, she was told they were
going to kill her baby. Once she had her baby boy, they drowned him in the pool. It is said that in the
pool there is a small section in the pool that is ice cold, and has a faint glow in the spot where the baby
was drowned. Josh also told me about a present incident that took place at the nunnery. He said that
there were a group of college students who went up to the nunnery to see if the stories were true.
There were three self alleged guards who tied them up, held guns to their heads, and told them if they
tried to leave they would shoot their legs. Some of these students were molested and physically
abused. The guards called the police saying that the kids had trespassed since the property is off limits.
The police came and arrested the kids and gave them a ticket for trespassing. These kids told their
parents what happened, and the parents told the police so the charges were dropped and the guards we
arrested.
Texture:
When Josh first started telling the story he sounded very sarcastic and said the words really slow, just
because this is his personality. Then he became more serious and told the story very soft spoken. He
did a lot of hand motions while he told the story, drawing in your attention. He paused a few times as
he tried to remember the events to the best of his ability. When he told the legend of the nunnery he
sounded as though he wasn't sure if he believed it. As he told the more recent events he told it as
though it were a matter of fact. Hearing his version of the story was very interesting and captivating.
Natalie Carter
Utah State University
English 2210
Steve Siporin
Fall Semester 2010
KyraMadsen
Utah State University
ENGL2720
Dr. Lisa Gabbert
Fall 2010
Name of Consultant: Joan Hansen
Age and date of birth: 70, October 16, 1940
Ethnicity: White, American
Place folklore item was collected: Trenton, Utah
Date item was collected: October 24,2010
Title: The Nunnery
Genre: Ghost Story
Text:
They had guards and these kids broke in and did damage and these guards was
really rough on them and put them in the pool, empty pool and held them at gun shot
(laughs) 'till the cops come, and now they've arrested the guards and let the kids go.
[Can you remember any of the stories you heard}
There are a lot of stories, there, just, we used to have family reunions there. Yeah,
and it had some little tinny buildings, I mean they're like playhouses and they had beds in
them and you had to walk around like, (demonstrating bent over position) even kids it's
after I was married though, because I remember I took my kids with me. I remember the
swimming pool and things like that and the big building, but I didn't really know that
much about it before then but this is probably somethin' if we'd had known stories and
stuff, my, my kids, my friends and I would have done it and gone up and seen that and if
we'd had got caught we knew we'd be in deep trouble, ya know? (laughs).
[What do you know about the nunnery itself?}
In the fifties, is when it was, in the fifties is when it become the nunnery, other
than that, and before these other guys owned it. Uh, anyhow, these guys who had lots of
\~\pS;~ \O\m
d~\\\O\J\Q
money owned it for awhile. And they had people from all over the world stay. Then they
had the, let the women take it, the nuns, of the Catholic Church take it. I was going
through some stuff my mother had, and she was a nurse. I was going though what she had
written and there was something about this one nun, who'd got pregnant. She'd had the
baby and when the head nun, when she'd found out she drownded the baby. I know if
you look up on the internet you'd find a lot more stories and detail. But if you look up
Saint Anne's Retreat and I bet you'd find different things associated with it.
How old was the consultant when he/she heard this story?
Joan visited he nunnery around 1965 for her family reunions.
Where did the consultant live at the time?
River Heights, Utah
Texture:
She told this story in a happy reminiscing way with a lot of smiling and laughing.
KyraMadsen
Utah State University
ENGL2720
Dr. Lisa Gabbert
Fall 2010
N arne of Consultant: Clare Vaterlaus
Age and date of birth: 21, December 16,1989
Ethnicity: White, American
Place folklore item was collected: Logan, Utah
Date item was collected: October 24,2010
Title: The Nunnery
Genre: Ghost Story
Text:
Okay, so the nunnery is haunted (pause) because the priests had raped the nuns
and the nuns, urn, when they gave birth the priests decided to drown both the nuns and
the uh, babies and then that's why it's haunted and later, urn, some teenagers went down
there to, (dramatic pause) see ifit was haunted and that's when, I think it was police, had
tied them up at the bottom of the pool and physically, and maybe, sexually, I don't,
abused them and that's why it's been scary since.
How old was the consultant when he/she heard this story?
Clare was 19 years old when she first heard about the nunnery and about the teenagers.
Where did the consultant live at th·e time?
Logan, Utah
Texture:
She told this story in a scary voice emphasizing it with dramatic pauses, like she was
really getting into the story.
Y~\l~Q \0\ l't\
C\\JG\\ \c00\~
Title: Logan Nunnery
Genre: Ghost Stories
Informant:
Emily Bernhisel
Female
DaB: May 30, 1990
Student at USU
Context:
Name of Informant: Emily Bernhisel
Place item was collected: Logan, UT
Date item was collected: October 24,2010
This is normally told when talking about creepy experiences, this kind of story will come
about and be told to a group of friends telling stories to scare each other or tell of an experience
they had themselves with attempting to go up to this nunnery.
Text:
So ... 1 don't know where they came from but these nuns got pregnant so they're like ... not holy
anymore or whatever, so they took them out into like, some nunnery up in the Logan canyon and
they all drown their babies in the canyon in the swimming pool. Or somewhere over there. And
so like if you go out there at night, you can hear the babies crying.
Texture:
Told as if telling a personal account of something, does not usually involve hand
movements. Unless a person is getting into the story, the hand movements are kept to a
minimum. The tone used is usually a softer tone, like telling a scary story to a group of people
nearby.
Kathryn Young
Utah State University
ENGL2720
Lisa Gabbert
Fall 2010, Sophomore
,\ C9l]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 26677345 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1960-1969; 1970-1979; 1980-1989; 1990-1999; 20th century; 2000-2001; 2000-2009; 2010-2019; 21st century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> St. Anne's Retreat
Anne Christensen
History 5700
Professor Gabbert
Utah State University
Spring 2010
•
The Nunnery
Anne Christensen
HIST 5700
5/6/2010
Folk Narrative is so much a part of life that on an almost daily basis people retell stories,
of one shape or form, to each other. We tell stories to relay life's most difficult and most
wonderful of times. If we're late for work, the reason is often related as a story, retelling the
events as they unfolded to provide an adequate and vivid excuse for our tardiness. As Bruce
Jackson says in The Story is True, "We organize the events of our lives in the form of
narrative ... Every story we tell, specifically or by implication, includes a theory about what
happened and what matters" (Jackson, 8). Legends are a part of this wide storytelling tradition.
In Cache Valley, Utah the story of St. Anne's Retreat is one of the most commonly retold
• Legends. By examining the different "Rules of Legend," the content, style, structure, and
function of several versions of St. Anne's Retreat we can come to a greater understanding of
whey the legend's popularity continues.
The story of The Nunnery, or St. Anne's Retreat, as I heard it when I was in high school,
was that the Catholic Church owned a lodge in Logan Canyon and whenever a nun got pregnant
she was sent there to have an abortion. When the babies were born, they were all drowned in a
well that was located in the middle of the lodge area and if you go there today you'll hear the
sound of babies cries coming from the well. This is just one of the many versions of liThe
Nunnery," but it contains some of the elements that almost all of the collected versions
contain; the Nuns, the death of a baby, and the presence of some sort of spirit that remains • 1
• today. It is these three elements that seem to compose of the majority of the content for this
Legend, but each legend to varying degrees.
The localization of "The Nunnery" plays a huge part in its retelling of the suspicious
events and origins of its haunted nature. While trying to find people I could interview, most
people had at least heard of the Nunnery, but many didn't know the story behind it. When
asked ffDoes everyone you know, know the story? Do most people you know, know about it?
Benjy, a seventeen year old high school student from Bear River High School replied that, "Most
people that have gone up logan Canyon," know the story (Transcription 3). The location of the
story is of vital importance in its retelling, even in the minds of those who told the story. Style
also plays a role in who the story was first collected from.
Callista Christopher began her telling of the story by saying that, "So what I heard from
• my mom when I was little was that .... "(Transcription 6) She begins her story by using the "friend
•
of a friend," rhetorical device. Jan Harold Brunvand says, "In the world of modern urban
legends there is usually no geographical or generational gap between teller and event. The
story is true; it really occurred, and recently, and always to someone else who is quite close to
the narrator, or at least "a friend of a friend" (Brunvand, 4). Callista's use of reference, who she
heard the story from, helps lay claim to the reliability of the source, it being her mom, and thus
the believability of the story. While no one expressed implicit belief in the story of the nunnery,
everyone I interviewed expressed some amount of belief in the supernatural and spiritual
occurrences that made the nunnery a haunted place.
The structure of each story differs slightly as does the content of each story. Almost the
entire story encompasses a bizarre plot twist. Pregnant nuns, which are two things that are in
2
~----------------. - , - -_ ..
• direct opposition to each other, still function within the realm of believability, the true twist
comes at the point in which the nuns give birth and murder their children. Callista's story differs
slightly from the others because the nuns are portrayed in a positive light; rather it is only the
priest that is a wicked murderer. She says after the nun gives birth to the baby and hides it
away, lithe priest guy found out and he went, followed them up there, and he killed the baby in
the swimming pool," and then he kills the nun (Transcription 6). Though Callista's story is only
one instance, the fact that her mother was telling the story to a young girl, makes a gender
. differentiation visible. In this instance, the man, not the women are at fault. While sex is
something that anyone can be tempted by, and religiously speaking, it's forgivable, murder is
not. The murdering of children contradicts everything that a nun, or a priest, should represent.
As noted earlier, Brunvand says the story has often happened to someone who is quite close to
• the narrator. While no one character in the story is known by any of the tellers of the story, the
•
use of the Nunnery site in Logan Canyon as a place to go legend tripping helps lend the story
credibility.
All throughout high school I remember hearing stories of other teenagers going to the
Nunnery in Logan Canyon and being scared out of their mind. As I searched for people to
interview, I couldn't find anyone who had actually been. I went to my brother, whom I had
heard the story from numerous times. He recalled that, iii have known people who have gone
there. And have said they heard things, not necessarily babies crying, but they said it's freaky.
One of the most freakiest places they have ever been" (Transcription 2). He told me to call one
of his friends that he thought had been there, but that was a dead end. He hadn't ever been
there and he couldn't think of a specific person who had either. Hoping that the story still
3
• resonated with teenagers today I went to my younger brother and after asking him if any of his
friends had gone up there, he said that one of them had but he didn't know what his friend had
said of the experience (Transcription 3). Ca"ista grew up in Logan and she didn't know anyone
that had actually been there. I called a few male friends from high school, thinking that if
anyone had been, they most certainly would have, and not a single person had actually been to
the Nunnery. They only knew vague stories of people they had heard about going up the
Canyon. Benjy, the only one still in high school, expressed an adamant desire to go up there and
had hoped when I first asked him about the story that I had the same thing in mind. Other than
the increased security measures taken to keep trespassers out of the grounds, I don't know why
so few people have actually been
While legend tripping may serve as one function of the story of the Nunnery, enforcing a
• belief or value is another function ofthe story. Both Kylie and Josh's recollection ofthe story
•
skirted over the sexual issue with veiled references, rather than outright statements. Kylie said,
somewhat comically, that the nunnery was, "actually an abortion clinic for nuns who weren't
really, um, standing by their vows of being a virgin" (Transcription 5). Josh said that, "Um,
apparently they were attractive nuns or locals frequented the area and the nuns got pregnant.
Because it's against their lifestyle to participate in those kind ofthings ... " (Transcription 2). Both
stories refer to the misconduct implicit in the sexual act of a nun. Even Emily's recollection of
the story, with her blunt appraisal of events shows some of the apprehension about sexual
issues. She says that, "there was a nunnery and a" the nuns got really horny, along with the
priests and the priests knocked up the nuns ... " (Transcription 1). She states the facts of the
story as she has heard them in a way that sexual issues can't be overlooked, but she does so
4
• while laughing throughout her recollection. Her laughter could be interpreted as discomfort in
talking about sexual issues, or that she thinks the legend itself is funny, either way the sexual
nature of the story isn't admired.
The overwhelming religious population of Cache Valley has historically lent itselfto
advocating extremely conservative views of sexual conduct. The story of the nunnery takes that
to the extreme with associating the Catholic religion, a minority religion in northern Utah, with
sexual misconduct. If the lodge itself had been an abandoned LDS retreat would such stories
have ever begun to be circulated about past inhabitants? This is a question that can never be
answered, but it seems important in understanding why the popularity of such a story exists.
The foreignness of the Catholic Religion to many in Cache Valley can't be overlooked.
The story of the Nunnery itself is creepy. It pushes the boundaries between truth and
• fiction and makes us question the believability of such a story, but its use in life and its
•
popularity make it an important part of, most especially, adolescence in Cache Valley. Both
Benjy and Kaitlyn knew little of the story about the nuns, and the murdering of children, but
they had both heard of the haunting nature of the Nunnery itself. Whether the belief that the
Nunnery is haunted or the story came first, it's apparent that it's a legend that will continue to
affect those all who have heard it and that they in turn will continue to tell it .
5
•
•
•
Emily Christensen
Emily: Go?
Anne: Yeah, just tell me the story.
Emily: Okay.
Anne: What you've heard
Emily: Once upon a time, [laughing] in a dark and dreary land [laughing].. Just kidding.
Anne: Okay, tell me for real. [laughing]
Emily: Well, there was a nunnery and all the nuns got really horny, along with the priests and the
priests knocked up all the nuns and then the nuns had babies and they suffocated them and just
threw them in like the little sewer tunnel things under the nunnery and now there's creepy nun
babies that scream and crap. And that's about it. [laughing] That's all I know.
Anne: Okay
•
•
•
Josh Christensen
Anne: Alright, just tell me the story, like you've heard it.
Josh: My understanding of the nunnery in Logan Canyon, but like, I've googled stuff so I know
other things too.
Anne: That's okay, just tell me the story you've heard first.
Josh: The story is that there's a nunnery up Logan canyon. Urn, apparently they were attractive
nuns or locals frequented the area and the nuns got pregnant. Because it's against their lifestyle
to participate in those kinds of things they would have their babies in secret then they would
drown their babies in the pool that was up there. The rumor is that you can go up there at night.
And, uh, you can go towards the middle of the nunnery, and I guess they filled in the pool or
something, but if you go and stand in the middle of the places you can hear babies crying.
Anne: Did you know anyone that went up there in high school?
Josh: I have known people who have gone there. And have said they have heard things, not
necessarily babies crying, but they said that it's freaky. One of the most freakiest places they
have ever been.
Anne: Alright, thanks.
• Benjy Christensen
Anne: Okay, I'm just asking you what have you heard? What's the story you've heard?
Benjy: Urn, Just that it's haunted.
Anne: That's all you've heard?
Benjy: Well I heard one story. A kid's dad went up there and urn he said there was like scratch
marks, and urn there was a fresh loaf of bread while they were up there.
Anne: Oh really? I've never heard that.
Anne: Do you know why it's called the nunnery?
Benjy: Cause of the nuns ... [laughing] that lived there.
Anne: That's all you know about it? Just that it's haunted?
Benjy: Yeah
Anne: Have any of your friends gone there?
• Benjy: Urn, One of them.
•
Anne: Just one of them? What did he say?
Benjy: I don't know [laughing]
Anne: Urn, Does everyone you know, know the story? Do most people you know, know about
it?
Benjy: Most people that have gone up Logan Canyon I think ...
Anne: Know about it.
Benjy: Yeah, but.. .
Benjy: A lot of people are, uh, don't get out much [laughing]
. Anne: Do you believe that it's haunted?
Benjy: Yeah.
Benjy: That was intimidating .
•
•
•
Kaitlyn Faraone
Anne: Okay, what have you heard about the nunnery.
Kaitlyn: I've heard that the nunnery in Logan Canyon is haunted and if you go you can feel a
presence there. I've also heard it's especially bad at Halloween time, you have to be careful then.
Anne: See that was easy .
•
•
•
Kylie White
Anne: Okay, what have you heard?
Kylie: Well, what I've heard about the nunnery is that it's haunted because it used to be a hotel
getaway for Hollywood stars but then the Catholic Church bought it out and then it became the
nunnery where these priests and nuns would go and like escape for a little while. It was kind of
like a vacation for them. But then in reality it was just a cover-up because it was actually an
abortion clinic for nuns who weren't really, urn, standing by their vows of being a virgin. So,
instead of being condemned and having babies they would go there and have abortions. And so,
that's kinda what I heard about it. And then, somehow the children there, I don't really know if
like all the nuns had abortions so they wanted to stay there with their kids, or something, I don't
really know, it's like two different stories. The one with children there, one of the nuns went
crazy, or all of the nuns, I'm not real sure, but they killed all of these little children. Whenever
you go to the nunnery, you have to hop the fence and everything, and you can feel either the
babies that were aborted or the children that the nuns killed, you can feel like their presence and
see them playing and acting like they are real children there anyways and not being dead. It's
scary.
•
•
•
Callista Christopherson
Anne: Just tell me what you know.
Callista: Okay. So what I heard from my mom when I was little was that the nunnery was like a
normal nunnery and that the little priest man got one of the nuns pregnant. And she like kept the
baby full term and had the baby and blah blah and then she gave birth to the baby and hid it up in
the woods behind the nunnery and had all these nuns like go back and check on it every once in a
while and the priest guy found out and he went, followed them up there, and he killed the baby in
the swimming pool. And then he came back [laughing] and like killed the nun up in the woods.
And .. [laughing, He's all judging on us]. So you're supposed to be able to like feel the baby in the
swimming pool. There's supposed to be a cold spot where the baby was murdered And the nuns
like hunting, like hunting, what is that? haunting the place.
Anne: Thank you
Callista: You are so welcome.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 3708712 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1970-1979; 1980-1989; 1990-1999; 20th century; 2000-2001; 2000-2009; 2010-2019; 21st century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> St. Anne's Retreat Legends
Russell Jones
English/History 5700
Professor Gabbert
Utah State University
Spring 2010
, .
RJ 1 • There's Been a Scandal, Here Are The Facts
"Why do history books divide time up according to wars instead of the periods of peace?
Because it's interesting, and because, on some level, people like seeing big things fall apart."
Michael Garibaldi, Babylon 5
I first heard of the nunnery in fifth or sixth grade myself. I didn't even know the name of
it until I began this project. It was always just "the nunnery up in Logan Canyon." I'd been
told it several times and the story was ,~lways pretty close to the same. Some nuns had gotten
pregnant up there and drowned their babies in a pool to cover it up. On a certain night -
whether it was a full moon, or a night without a moon, that part always changed - you could go
up there and you'd see the pool filled with water and dead babies floating in it. I never gave it
much thought, honestly. People rarely do when it comes to local legends. • The nunnery, St. Ann's retreat, has been a part oflocallegend for a long time. One of
the sources I interviewed stated that people had been going up there on legend trips since before
he'd been patrolling the area as a police officer. His estimate was forty years. Recently, razor
wire was set up around the place and security guards were hired to keep trespassers out. This
didn't stop trespassers, though; at least, not until a security guard caught a group of students and
tied them up and threw them in the empty pool to scare them. This case was well documented
and became quite a scandal. It brought the nunnery back into the public mind, which seemed to
have forgotten about it.
Thinking on this event was part of the reason why I chose St. Ann's retreat for my
project. The other part of the reason was that I thought it was a common legend that everybody
knew and that it would be simple. Naturally, I expected some variation from one story to the
• next, but I never expected just how much variation I would get, or that it would be so hard to find
, ,
•
•
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RJ 2
people who knew of it. Of the fifty different people I asked in my initial excursion, only five
actually knew the legend. Oh, everybody knew the haunted nunnery existed, because of the
recent scandal, but nobody would admit to knowing exactly why people would go up their in the
first place. This was quite frustrating at first, but as I continued my quest to find people who
knew the legend, a common element showed itself in people's hesitation: they didn't have the
Facts.
You'll notice this immediately in the story I collected from Greg Nielsen, who was the
most willing person I collected from. He prefaces his story with an explanation of how he
knows about the place: his grandfather helped build it. He then gave a disclaimer that the story
is as he "understood it," not necessarily according to the Facts. Facts were so important to him
that he even stopped by my home later to correct a mistake; his wife had informed him that the
uranium tycoon built the place first and the Catholic church acquired it later.
This disclaimer was another common element. People would stress that what they were
telling me was a story. As I did my collecting, I noticed that I had to emphasize this as well in
order to get them to tell it. If I opened up my interview by asking what people know about St.
Ann's retreat, they clammed up instantly and no amount of prodding could convince them to talk.
If, however, I asked them to tell me what others had told them about it, I had a much greater
chance of getting them to speak. This happened with Jeff in the most dramatic way. When I
first told myoid friend I was collecting performances of the legend, he insisted that he'd be a bad
source because he didn't know that much about it. I had to keep asking for several days and
eventually got him to open up by asking him to tell me specifically what he'd been told by others.
Even after I'd completed the interview and moved on, he would continue to remind me
•
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RJ 3
afterward that what he said probably wasn't the Facts. When I confronted him about this and
said that the real facts, what little I had, suggested that the story never actually happened,
however, he quickly became defensive and looked for ways to justify it. From his own mouth,
"well, you can't really know for sure that it didn't happen. I mean, the Catholic church is always
trying to cover up things like this." Interesting, that someone so unwilling to talk without the
Facts would have such a strong reaction against the suggestion that Facts seemed to say the event
never happened at all.
This point about the Catholic church covering things up came back again when I
interviewed my mother. "But I guess I always kind of believed that because when we went to
Rome with our family that was the story there too, that a lot of the nuns, that they found babies
cemented into the walls of the underground tunnels throughout the city of Rome." I think this
may be one of the keys to explaining why there would be a legend surrounding an abandoned
Catholic retreat. While all the stories have some pretty wild variation - some say the ghost is of
the babies, some say its of the nun who drowned a baby, etc. - but aside from an obsession with
facts, they all have one element in common: scandal.
It is well known that members of the Catholic clergy cover up scandals because they have
been caught in it. Stories of Catholic priests involved in illicit sexual acts have been hanging
around them for centuries because it's such a taboo. People love scandal and will look for it
wherever they can. The fact that there have been stories of this confirmed in the public mind
through news media have probably served to increase these stories. That the date of the event
involving the security guard and the kids, October 15, 1997 (Herald Journal), seems to coincide
with the trial, sentencing and death of one of the priests involved in the sex scandal lends a bit of
•
•
•
RJ 4
credence to this conclusion. According to BBC news, Brendan Smyth pled guilty 96 counts of
child molestation in 1997 and died one month into serving his sentence (BBC Online). A search
of website dedicated to holding priests involved in sex scandals accountable for their actions also
yielded a considerable number of priests exposed or tried in 1997
(http://www.bishop-accountability.orglirishpriestsinus/).Itis important to note that
these are internet sources and therefor may not be entirely reliable. Although there are plenty of
articles about Brendan Smyth easily available, time constraints made it impossible for me to go
through and verify every priest tied to a scandal in 1997 for this assignment, but the correlation is
strong enough that it's probably worth a followup study to confirm it at a later time.
The interest in a scandal also comes up in the version I collected from Josh Mecham. He
said, "I know that it was a place for nuns to go up that were pregnant and would kill their
babies." One of the only ones I collected that didn't need to be coaxed into talking by reminding
him that I was only looking for how it was told, Josh specifically says he "knows" how things
happened. His story is also the most gruesome in its implications, suggesting that not only did a
baby drowning happen there, but that St. Ann's retreat existed specifically for that purpose. You
see scandalous details emphasized in other stories as well. In Jeffs, the nuns drown a baby born
from a woman who was not a member ofthe clergy and in Danielle's the Mother Superior
drowns the baby for the nun to cover up the truth. In Tawny's version, the first thing she makes
known is that nuns aren't allowed to have babies. Like Josh, she also said that St. Ann's Retreat
was a place where nuns were supposed to drown the babies, but the way she said it was off-hand,
as if she didn't see the implications ofthat, but the fact that nuns weren't supposed to have
babies was very important. This was also emphasized in the story told by Nathan. "You know
,
•
•
•
•
RJ 5
the nuns can't have sex, or aren't supposed to. To cover it up, they would drown the babies in a
pool."
This is very interesting to me in light of earlier studies I did on "The Hook" and
information I've picked out from other urban legends. I made a special point in my report about
how the people being punished in the urban legend were people who broke the taboo of
pre-marital sex. In the story ofthe kidney heist, it's a man out looking to pick up women in a
bar who gets his organs stolen. There are even urban legends about children swearing on live
broadcasts of kid shows, such as "Bozo, the Clown," or that Mr. Rogers was secretly a child
molester, which was the reason why children were never seen on his show. (Brunvand)
Scandal seems to be a very important element to urban legends and the more fervently the taboo
is preached, the more emphasis is placed on the breaking of it in the telling of the story .
At first, I thought that the correlation to stories in the news was the cause of the obsession
with Facts in the tellings and that may very well have something to do with it, but the more I've
gone over the tellings, the more I think that the scandal is at fault. It is more a interesting and
juicy story to tell if Facts seem to back it up. Facts mean that it Actually Happened, that it
wasn't just a story somebody Made Up to scare us all. It's important that the story be true,
because the possibility of a scandal isn't as interesting as one that actually happened. It would
be particularly interesting to see if the way Catholics tell the story is different from how the LDS
sample I collected from tell it. I would bet that if they would be willing to tell it at all, there
would be a lot less emphasis placed on the taboos broken. They might be more inclined to tell
the version of the story in which it was just one nun who got pregnant to minimize the scandal.
As interesting as all this speculation is, it's nothing but speculation, because I did not find any
••
•
•
•
RJ 6
Catholics to ask. Still, this would be another interesting area to follow up on.
When I first started this project, I expected a simple essay. I thought I'd make some
points about the gender roles like Tatar did in OjfWith Their Heads, and say a few things about
the common elements of urban legends brought up by Brunvand and possibly make a few
statements about a legend in an LDS area laying blame on the Catholic church. I believed it
would just be another small project for me to demonstrate a large amount of information I'd been
spoon-fed in class, but as I collected the stories and examined them in detail, new things came to
the surface that were of far greater interest. The importance on Facts, the emphasis on scandal
and the correlation of the documented legend trip that went bad to the arrest and trial of several
Catholic priests caught in sex scandals; I hadn't predicted any of this. It's given me a lot of
interesting areas for myself and others to look into in future research projects on the subject, as
well as given me a new perspective to examine urban legends from. And, above all, this
experience has hammered home the importance of keeping an open mind and not going into a
collection project with to many specific ideas in mind .
..
' ..
•
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RJ
Allen, Paul (October 14,2000). Thrillseekers Steer Clear of Canyon. Harold Journal.
Retrieved from:
http://news.hjnews.com/article6aS07c12-eSb4-Se22-S77c-a6cdaSfOf929.html
Anonymous (2004). Bishop Accountability. Retrieved from:
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/irish priests in usl
7
BBC Online - No Author Given (2010, March 15). Profile of Brendan Smyth. BBe News
Online. Retrieved from:
http://news.bbc.co.ukl2/hi/uk news/northern ireland/8567868.stm
Brunvand, Jan Harold (1981). The Vanishing Hitchhiker. New York, NY: W.W. Norton and
Company.
Reily, Jerome (2008, April 6). Abbey For Sale, With Pervert Priest's Grave Included.
Independent National News. Retrieved from:
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/abbey-for-sale-with-pervert-priest
s-grave-included-1339709.html
•
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•
. ..- ..
Infonnation:
JeffJohnson
Logan, Utah
April, 2010
Jeff is an old friend of mine. We've known each other since before grade school and he
was raised her in Logan all his life. He is an active LDS church goer, returned missionary and
currently a student at USU majoring in exercise science.
Context:
I recorded this in my basement for a project. It was difficult to get him to agree to the
recording because he "didn't have all the facts." I had to coax him into telling it by infonning
him that I wasn't interested in the facts, just the telling of the story.
Text
Me: Where did you first hear the legend of the nunnery?
Jeff: I heard it when I was actually in fifth grade, was the first time.
Me: Okay. Who told it to you.
Jeff: A friend of mine in my class.
Me: Okay, now go ahead and tell me what the legend is as you heard it.
Jeff: The way I heard it is that there used to be a nunnery up in Logan Canyon and a
pregnant woman for some reason, I guess she was running away from an abusive husband went
up to the nunnery for shelter. The nuns took her in; she was fine for a while, but the nuns started
doing really odd stuff, started to kind of act creepy. Then she had her child, but she was afraid
of what the nuns were doing, so she hid the child and went to go find a way to get away. Find a
place to live, or something like that. Then she came back and everywhere in the nunnery there
was blood and stuff and her baby was missing and the nuns were missing away. The woman
ended up going crazy grieving for her child and I guess ended up killing herself. They say that
around the nunnery now around Logan River, they say you can hear her screaming for her baby.
That's how I heard it.
Russell Jones
North Logan, Ut
Utah State University
Spring 2010
. ,.
•
•
•
Information:
Greg Nielsen
Logan, Ut
April, 2010
Greg Nielsen is one of the stake leaders for the LDS student ward I go to. He works at
Thikol as an engineer. He regularly goes to Florida to supervise rocket assembly and considers
himself an active outdoorsman.
Context:
This sample was recorded at an LDS activity. Greg volunteered to be interviewed
because he said he had a family member who'd worked on building the nunnery and had heard I
was having trouble finding people who knew the story.
Text:
Greg: My grandpa did a lot of the rock work up there for the Catholic church in the
1930s. As I understood it, one of the nuns went crazy up there and killed herself up there and
then the church sold it to a guy that had a uranium mine, had a lot of money. He put a
swimming pool in and some billies (?) up there, but as far as I know, because the girl killed
herself there, that's what drove the catholic church to sell it. They didn't put the pool in there, it
was this uranium tycoon that installed the pool and used it like a summer camp.
Me: What have you heard said about the haunting? What is the manifestation?
Greg: The haunting is that you go up there at night time and on certain nights you can
hear her screaming. (Unclear due to background noise) She still haunted the place because she
went crazy. The ghost has always been up there in the mountains above the lodgings. Some
people say it's the wind, but everybody else say it's not the wind that makes that noise, it's
actually the screaming. She screams up there.
Russell Jones
North Logan, Ut
Utah State University
Spring 2010
2
t . -
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•
Information:
Josh Meacham
Logan, Utah
April, 2010
Josh Meacham is an undeclared major at USU. He is 22 years old and recently just
returned from an LDS mission. He lived in California until he was 14, at which point he moved
here to Logan, where he's lived ever since.
Context:
This was recorded at a large gathering in Elk Ridge park. It was an LDS activity for our
ward.
Text:
Me: What do you know about St. Ann's retreat?
Josh: What?
Me: St. Ann's retreat. That's the nunnery.
Josh: Oh. I know that it was a place for nuns to go up that were pregnant and would kill
their babies. I've had some friends actually go up there, I did not attend with them, but I have
heard that on the full moon in the middle room or cabin, I guess there's some sort oflittle pool, it
fills up with blood on a full moon and there's chains hanging on the wall and there's blood seen
around there and it's kind of crazy.
Me: And this is what you were told by your friends?
Josh: Yes, that have gone up there.
Me: Any other times you've heard it told or just that?
Josh: I've heard of kids going up there and some getting possessed and getting attacked
by spirits, I guess you could say. Just rumors, basically. I haven't heard them first-hand from
anyone.
Me: That's awesome, thank you very much.
Russell Jones
North Logan, Ut
Utah State University
Spring 2010
- .
•
•
-.
Joe Yonk
Mendon, Utah
April, 2010
Information:
Joe Yonk is a retired police officer currently serving as a stake leader for the LDS
University student wards. He was involved in a lot of operations involving trespassers to St.
Ann's retreat. He currently lives in Mendon and has been in Utah for most of his life.
Context:
This was recorded at an LDS social gathering. He was hesitant to say much at first
because he claimed not to know the details of the legend, despite having been involved in a lot of
cases surrounding it.
Text:
Me: What do you know about St. Ann's retreat?
Joe: Well, I know that it's supposed to be haunted up there. I don't remember all the
background on it, but I've been up there on several incidences involving young people going up
there at night, trying to stay there. Most ofthem get in trouble doing one thing or another.
Me: Do you have any knowledge of the story that people tell about why it's haunted.
Joe: I don't.
Me: Have you heard anything, any stories about what people are supposed to see?
Joe: I know it's supposed to be people that used to live there. I can't remember ifit was
the way that they die, or, I don't know. Their spirits or their ghosts are supposed to still be
around there. That's about all I remember.
Me: About how often did people go up there when you were on duty?
Joe: In the spring and summer, every weekend.
Me: Every weekend?
Joe: Every weekend, there was somebody up there.
Me: You're serious?
Joe: Yeah, they had to finally put up No Trespassing signs up there. They've been going
up there for, oh, I was a cop for thirty years and they went the whole time I was there and they
were going up there before I was even a cop, so they've been going up there for forty years.
Russell Jones
North Logan, Ut
Utah State University
Spring 2010
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•
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•
Danielle Grunig
Smithfield, Utah
April, 2010
Information:
Danielle Grunig is 21 years old and an active member of the LDS church. She was
raised in Utah her whole life and is currently a student at USU majoring in English.
Context:
This was recorded at an LDS social event. She voluneered to be interviewed for this
project because she heard I was having trouble finding people to tell the story.
Text:
Me: You've been here in Logan, or here in Utah, this area?
Danielle: I've lived her my whole life, in Smithfield, which is right next to Logan, so ...
Me: Alright, tell me what others have told you about St. Ann's retreat.
Danielle: The nunnery is up Logan Canyon, I've seen it. Basically, the story is that a nun
had a baby and the Mother Superior there drowned it in a pool because nuns aren't allowed to
have babies, or something to that effect. That's all I know. It's technically (?) haunted by the
baby.
Me: By the baby?
Danielle: Yeah.
Me: Okay, what are the conditions under which you can see the baby?
Danielle: I don't know because I've never had the desire to go up there. I just know the
story because my parents told it to me.
Me: Have any of them ever actually told you how it is that the ghost is supposed to
appear?
Danielle: My brother told me that they can hear a baby crying from the pool area
sometimes.
Me: So, you saw it (the nunnery) what was the situation you saw it? Were you just
driving by?
Danielle: Yes. We were just driving by and I'd heard of the nunnery, but I'd never seen
it. I asked my parents about it and they drove slowly by it so I could see it through the trees.
Me: What kind of an impression did you get from looking at it?
Danielle: It looks like a haunted house, definitely.
Russell Jones
North Logan, Ut
Utah State University
Spring 2010
.,'
•
•
•
Dawn Jones
Logan, Utah
May, 2010
Infonnation:
Dawn Jones is a homemaker. She also works part time at K-mart and as a substitute
teacher. She graduated from Logan High in 1976 and has lived in Utah her whole life.
Context:
This perfonnance was recorded in my home. It was hesitantly given because she didn't
feel she had much to say about it. She told it with a bit of sarcasm and she was teasing me as
she told it. That's our relationship, though, so it may be nothing.
Text:
Me: So, I've been collecting these stories of the nunnery. I want to get just see what do
you know about it? Have you been told this story before?
Dawn: Oh, yes, around the campfire, years and years.
Me: Okay. How has it been told to you?
Dawn: It was told to me that there was a nunnery up there and one of the nuns had a baby.
She didn't want anybody to find out about it. It would be a secret. She'd been raped by one of
the fathers there, or priests or whatever. So, when the baby was born, she and the other nuns
that were there helping her smothered the baby. Somehow there was a tunnel or a basement
there, I don't know. It was buried inside the cement somewhere. Now when you go up there
it's haunted. The nun did such a terrible deed that she's not allowed to go to heaven, so she
haunts the nunnery. She's a spirit that wanders around there at night.
night.
Me: Alright. And, of course, everybody's heard about people going up to the nunnery at
Dawn: Oh, yes.
Me: Have you heard any stories about what people say is supposed to be up there?
Dawn: Oh, they say the black cloak floating around in the air, things like that. She
moans and wanders around. It's worth a thrill, but when I was a kid, all the kids going up there
for a thrill.
Me: So you say the nun was raped by a priest up there?
Dawn: That was the story, yeah.
Me (with malicious twinkle in my eye): So he was both a father and the father.
Dawn: *laughs* Yes, yes, I guess. Don't make fun of that. But I guess I always kind of
believed that because when we went to Rome with our family that was the story there too, that a
lot of the nuns, that they found babies cemented into the walls of the underground tunnels
throughout the city of Rome. So it sounds pretty believable to me.
Russell Jones
North Logan, Ut
Utah State University
Spring 2010
•
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•
Tawny Jones
Logan, Utah
May, 2010
Information:
Tawny is my sister and she is a senior student at Sky View High School, age 18. She
enjoys dancing and singing and is member of the LDS church. She currently works at a local
restaurant.
Context:
This performance was collected at my home, in the kitchen, in front of my mother and a
friend of hers from Sweeden. She was very nervous as she gave the performance.
Text:
Me: So, sitting here in the comfort of my own home, I am asking you to tell me the story
of St. Ann's retreat as you have heard it.
Tawny: Well, I heard that the nuns weren't allowed to have kids or something, so the
nunnery retreat was a place where they had nuns and there was a pool that they would drown the
babies in. That's the story that mostly everyone hears and so that's what I've heard that they do.
Me: And you of course know that people go up there, or that they used to before they
surrounded it in razor wire and crazy security guards. Have you heard stories from people
who've gone up there, or say they've gone up there.
Tawny: Yes .
Me: What do they say goes on up there?
Tawny: Well, the person that I talked to who said went up there trashed the place.
Me: Okay.
Tawny: They just said it was really scary. That it felt weird.
Me: What were they expecting to happen.
Tawny: I don't know. I think they thought it was haunted.
Me: So what were they supposed to see? What sort of ghost was supposed to appear?
Tawny: Babies.
Me: Babies?
Tawny: The ones that were drowned, but they're in their older years.
Me: Really?
Tawny: Yeah.
Russell Jones
North Logan, Ut
Utah State University
Spring 2010
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.. ,
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Infonnation:
Nathan "Nate" Jones
Logan, Utah
May, 2010
Nathan is a member of the LDS church who recently returned from his mission to North
Dakota. He has lived in Utah his whole life and currently works at a Camp Chef warehouse
unloading trucks.
Context:
Nathan insisted on being interviewed when he heard that I was doing this project It was
collected in my basement and he was particularly enthusiastic.
Text:
Me: St Ann's retreat; what's the story?
Nate: Well, what I've heard is that's where the nuns and the priests would go to take it
easy_ Somehow, the nuns got pregnant and you know the nuns can't have sex, or aren't
supposed to. To cover it up they would drown the babies and then they would throw their babies
in the well. I've been there. There's a pool and there is a well, but it's all blocked off. That's
what I know of the nunnery_
Me: So you went up there, did you see any ghosts or anything, or was this after the razor
wire?
Nate: No, the razor wire was still up .
Me: Did you actually get into the nunnery?
Nate: Oh, yeah.
Me: So you didn't see any crazy security guards or anything.
Nate: No, but we did hear weird stuff.
Me: Such as?
Nate: Such as doors moving, not like voices or anything, but we did hear growling. Who
knows, maybe it was a large cat, I don't know. But maybe it was a ghost
Me: Maybe. So you didn't hear any crying babies or anything.
Nate: No, they wouldn't cry, they were being drowned.
Me: Oh, that is a good point
Russell Jones
North Logan, Ut
Utah State University
Spring 2010]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 5848968 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1970-1979; 1980-1989; 1990-1999; 20th century; 2000-2001; 2000-2009; 2010-2019; 21st century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> Cache Valley Legend Tripping
Holly Williams
History 5700
Professor Gabbert
Utah State University
Spring 2010
• Living Legends
Holly Williams
HIST 5700
Assignment #3
In a culture of gossip and adrenalin, it's no wonder that legend tripping is such a popular
activity. Legend tripping, or the act of traveling to the location where the legend supposedly happened,
tends to be popular among the young adult age group. I spoke with three men, who had all experienced
legends, or supernatural happenings, personally, or who had heard of others experiencing them. All
these legends take place in Cache Valley. This paper will discuss why these men traveled to the
locations they, or others, did and why they tell the stories to others.
The first person I interviewed was John Reynolds. Each story that he told was a first hand
account of something that he had experienced. Why would John tell me stories that had happened to
him personally? Did they make the stories more scary? Did they make them more real? John, I believe,
• wanted to share his experience with others so that they could experience, too, what he had felt at those
moments.
The first story he told was from when he was in high school. He and some friends decided to
watch a scary movie in the old boy's gym at Logan High. They heard some creaking noises from the
dark corner, but ignored them. Then there was a loud metallic crash and everyone scattered. They later
found out that it was just some boys setting up a dinner for a school dance.
Why would John tell this story and then say what the real reason for the noise was? To start off
his story, he told of how the gym was supposedly haunted, since it was the floor above an old
swimming pool where several students had drowned. Naturally, watching a scary movie in a
supposedly haunted location, would give the gym the aura of spookiness. Similarly, in other legend
tripping adventures, the participants go to the location only when the conditions are right (i.e. on a full
• moon, at midnight, at a certain time of year).
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John ended his story by giving a real reason for the noise, as opposed to a supernatural one.
• What does this mean? Bruce Jackson says:
•
•
"Stories aren't just retrospective: they rationalize, compartmentalize, and
organize the past, but they also license the future. Our narratives provide
the charter for moral decisions, define the permissible and impermissible,
the good and the bad ...
With stories we know our world and where we are in it and where
everyone else is in it" (Jackson, 188).
So in Jackson's view, John was telling how it was something "real" that made the noise to find his place
in the world. He wanted to leave the possibility of there being a ghost open. Yet he rationalized his
character by indicating that the probability of it being something other than another person as being
very slight.
John's second story is similar in many ways. He starts his story off by telling the "facts" of the
story. These facts later justify his reasons for being scared at the house and for finding the house
creepy. After telling the facts about the story, John goes on to tell about visiting the house alone for the
first time, and then going back with friends and their reactions. To him, it didn't matter what time you
went to the house, it was always scary. He describes what the inside of the house looks like and why it
is so scary. He ends his story by saying, "anyway, it's the scariest house ever."
The Petersborough House, in a way, is Cache Valley's Winchester Mystery House. The house
itselfhas no paranormal stories associated with it. The only thing that makes it ''the scariest house
ever" is that fact that it is abnormal. While the main focus of the tours of the Wmchester Mystery
House is "a crazy lady", the main focus of the Petersborough House is the guy that "kind of lost his
mind over time" and disappeared, just like his wife (Goldstein, 100)
Just like the stairs that lead no where, or the doors in the floor of the Wmchester House, things
in the Petersborough House are strange too. The house looks completely abandoned, not moved out of,
just empty "as if they just left the house as is and and took off". This sense ofthings being unnatural,
2
• makes the house what it is, no ghost stories are necessary.
In John's last story, he explains why something isn't real, and why people think it is, similar to
his first story. This is a story about John and his friend going to the Weeping Widow, a famous statue in
the Logan Cemetery. He explains that the Weeping Widow is weeping because she had lost all of her
children in infancy. Supposedly on every full moon (although John was not quite sure) you can see the
statue crying real tears from her eyes. John explains that there are stains down the cheeks of the statue
from water, but that they could have gotten there from the rain.
His experience starts when he and his friend go out to the cemetery to look at the statue. They
shine their car lights on the statue to see it and then turn off the car and go look at it. Apparently "her
eyes are kind of glowing and her mouth is glowing a little bit too ... as if it was like stitched shut or
something, these like glowing lines or like a line between her lips." John was scared, showed his friend
who became scared as well, and they both jumped back in the car and turned back on the lights. They
• turned the lights off again and noticed that the statue was glowing more, and so decided that it must be
glow-in-the-dark paint or something on the statue.
I believe John told this story for the same reasons he told the first. He wanted to let the hearer of
the story (me) know that there was a possibility that this statue really cries, and he never really clears
that up. He justifies it as not being so scary because the statue was just painted and the stains were from
rain. I believe he told this story to indicate that he believes that supernatural things do occur, but that he
either doesn't believe in them, or has never experienced them himself. All three of his stories dealt with
why things were scary, even if there really was no "proof' of why it should be so (i.e. no supernatural
happenings at those locations).
I next collected stories from Kevin. He had three first hand accounts of the Alumni House on
campus and then just a retelling of the legend of the Caine Lyric Theatre ghost. The way Kevin told his
• stories is dramatically different than the way that John told his. Kevin's stories were not told to impress,
3
rationalize, or anything like that. They were told as fact, not as something to scare others.
• His first experience in the Alumni House, dealt with his computer. He was working in a room
that had two computers. While working on one computer the other started playing music, when he wen
to turn it off it turned offby itself and then turned on again after he had returned to his seat. It turned
off shortly after. All Kevin said of the experience was "kinda weird." He has no explanation of why this
happened except that, maybe, there might be a ghost in the Alumni House, but he wasn't sure. The way
Kevin leaves out all dramatics and fantastical words in his story, allows the listener to believe
everything he says. Nothing is said in a way to make the story feel scary, it simply is by the way he tells
it nonchalantly.
Kevin's second experience in the Alumni House, for many, is more terrifying than the first. For
many believers this story would be proof of a ghost (if not ghosts) in the Alumni House. Kevin tells of
hearing voices upstairs while working downstairs. When he went up the stairs the voices stopped. He
• looked in the office where the voices had come from and then heard them move into another office,
where he checked and once again found nothing. He said it sounded like two people having a
conversation, but at a distance. Once again his explanation for the happenings, nothing but that "it was
kinda weird."
His last experience in the Alumni House also dealt with things acting out of the ordinary. The
shredder in the office next to his started running while no one was in there. He went into the office and
it stopped. He looked around for someone, but there was no one there. He went back into the office
with the paper shredder and it started going again. This story is also told with little terrifying emotion
and almost as if it's not strange for things like that to be happening. In fact he calls the events "weird
disturbances", not hauntings or any of the like.
So why did Kevin tell this stories? And why did he tell them in the way he did? First off, I
• believe that Kevin, like John, was putting himself in his place in the world and trying to find some sort
4
of organization for the past events (Jackson, 188). Kevin had no explanation for why things happened
• as they did at the Alumni House. He did, however, characterize himself by indicating that these things
didn't scare him; almost as if he acknowledges them happening but disproving that they were caused by
a ghost because he doesn't believe in them (although he never states his beliefs on the paranormal).
Next Kevin told me the legend of the ghost at the Caine Lyric Theatre. The story is that a
traveling acting company came to the theater and during the play Hamlet, one grave digger gets more
laughs than the other. According to legend, the funnier grave digger never shows up for work the next
day and is never heard from again. It is believed that this actor was murdered and his ghost now resides
at the theater. He is a picky ghost and when someone sits in his seat he makes all things go wrong with
the performances that night.
This story is popular in Logan, and I have heard it told from many different people. Many
people tell it in a way that makes the theater less inviting to go to. Others tell it with more skepticism in
• their tale. I found that Kevin, however, told it just like he did his first hand accounts; as if nothing was
strange about a ghost in a theater.
The legend itself has much potential for study. It is very popular in Logan, and could be
classified as an urban legend. Similar to many of the vanishing hitchhiker stories, the ghost in the Caine
Lyric Theatre is always in the same location, experienced by many different people, and is protecting
something that is important to him. Many of the vanishing hitchhikers just want to make it home, or
complete the task they had set out to do. So too does the ghost in the Caine Theatre want to complete
his task. He wants to be in control of the stage, hold the audience in his hand, and he does (Brunvand,
24-46).
One interesting side note about the Caine Lyric Theatre legend is that of the play that the actor
was in. The ghost that resides in the theater was playing a gravedigger in the Shakespeare play of
• Hamlet. The story of Hamlet is about a man who is murdered, who comes back as a ghost, to avenge
5
his own death. The ghost in the Caine Theatre was supposedly murdered, who has come back and who
• will avenge his death on any unsuspecting audience, by ruining their show when someone sits in his
seat. Could this legend just be drawing motifs from Hamlet, or are the two stories coincidentally nearly
identical? Kevin, nor anyone else who has told me the legend, has ever mentioned anything about it.
The last person I collected stories from was Ryan. Neither one of his stories were first hand
accounts, but rather second hand accounts; he knew the person it had happened to. Although this kind
of legend telling is different than the last two legend tellers, it is equally as affective in telling the story
and getting its meaning across.
The first story Ryan told was of how the Junction eatery on campus has a haunted basement.
According to Ryan a lady died in the basement and haunts it. He claims to have had a coworker who
refused to go in the basement alone because he was so afraid of it. Although Ryan never stated if he
believed the story was true or not, the way he describes his coworker as being, there is an indication
• that he believes that his coworker, at least, experienced something strange enough in the basement for
the legend to have some basis, and to pass it on.
The next story he told was that of an experience of some friends of his. Apparently one night
they took a trip up to the Nunnery (another famous legend in Logan) to check out the area. They were
playing in the empty pool when they claim to have seen, in the dark shadows of the deep end, a baby
crawling or walking around. They were more scared, when they came back, than Ryan had ever seen
them. He indicated that they weren't the type of people to "show fear or anything like that", implying
that their experience must have happened.
So why did Ryan tell these stories? Why not tell one of his own? Jackson discusses why people
tell other peoples stories, and I believe Ryan was following just as Jackson says. Ryan "populated an
event [he] knew little about with sufficient detail to make it more affective and dramatic so it would do
• what {he] wanted or needed it to do" (Jackson, 24). Ryan was telling his friends account so that he
6
could prove that the Nunnery really is a scary place. There was no need for a back story in this case;
• most everyone in Logan knows the story of the Nunnery. So the strange event that took place there
simple added to the intensity of the legend.
•
•
All in all these three men told stories that helped them locate themselves, and their believes, in
the world. They indicated to the listener, who was a believer in ghosts and the paranormal, and who
was not. They included stories about going to a certain location (legend tripping) and legends about
locations that they may not have been to themselves, but each story had a location attached to it.
Legend tripping and telling of legend tripping will continue for years to come. Each time
something new or strange happens at a legend location that legend becomes more alive and it continues
to grow in the area. This living legends become a part of everyday life for those who have experienced
them. They are a conduit for story telling and belief rationalizing. And they will live on forever.
7
•
•
•
Bibliography
Brunvand, Jan Harold. The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends & Their Meanings. W. W.
Norton & Company: New York, London. 1981.
Goldstein, Diane E. Haunting Experiences: Ghosts in Contemponuy Folklore. Utah State University
Press: Logan, Utah.
Jackson, Bruce. The Story Is True: The Art and Meaning of Telling Stories. Temple University Press:
Phi Ii delphia. 2007.
•
•
•
My name is Holly Williams, I'm here with Ryan Kimball, it is May 4, 2010 .
My name is Ryan Kimball, I am 29 and I was born July 17th 1980. I'm a computer engineer. And I am
roommates with Holly's fiancee.
C9 This story was told to me by a coworker. So I worked with a guy at the Junstion up on campus and he
claims that there was a lady that haunts the basement of the Junction where the coolers and freezers are.
And he was so convinced of that that he was afraid to go down there by himself and so he was one of
the chefs there. And we would go down and get stuff for him and accompany him to the basement
when he had to go down there. And I guess the story is that this lady died down there or something and
haunts it.
And this other one I was, actually some friends of mine went up to the nunnerY to check it out. And I
guess there's a pool there, at the nunnery. And they were playing around in the pool, it was empty of
course. And they looked at one of, the opposite end, I guess as it got deeper and kind of in the shadows
down there, they saw, it looked a baby kind of crawling around or something. Anyway, I don't know
exactly kinda what the baby or whatever they saw was doing. They like came back, and they were like
scared out of their minds the rest of the night. Like they were like really scared, I haven't seen them like
that, ever, because they're pretty, I don't know, not the type to show fear or anything like that. So they
were pretty scared .
•
•
•
My name is Holly Williams today is May 4,2010 and I am here speaking with Kevin Crouch.
My name is Kevin Crouch. I am 26 borne on March 30th 1984. I'm a student. I know Holly from work
and I am roommates with her fiance.
Well the first one, because it happened to me. I work at th~lumni House on campus and there's been
several occasions where I've been there working late at night. And I had kind of unusual things happen.
I've never been able to determine if there's a ghost, like if there's any kind of back story, but I wouldn't
be surprised if there is some kind of paranormal things going on. One night I was there working late
and I had, in my office there are two computers, and I was working on one, and I had the other up with
Pandora running and I had paused that to concentrate on something on the other computer. And in
doing so, I went back and was working on the other computer, and the other computer had gone into
like a sleep mode. And all of the sudden I heard a noise and turned around and the computer had come
out of sleep mode and had started to play music again off of Pandora. And when I got up and walked
over to the computer, it paused again and went back into sleep mode. And then, when I went to sit
down again it ~ame ba~k up and started playing musi~ again. And then went ba~k into sleep mode
again, kinda weird. Another experience, I was there late and had gone downstairs for something. When
I was coming back up the stairs, in the office I work in, it sounded like I could hear voices talking. And
I came upstairs and I didn't have, none of the computers were on or anything, but I could here these
voices. And when I came upstairs, the voices kind of stopped for a minute but then they went into
another office and so I went over to that office and looked and nothing, and then the voices
disappeared. It just sounded like two people having a conversation, kinda, it sounded like at a distance.
But it was kinda weird. And the last experience I had, I was working, and we have a paper shredder in
another office, next to mine, by where the copier is. And I was working, and I thought I was there
working by myself, and all of the sudden the paper shredder starts going. And I thought, oh maybe
someone else is here, so I got up and I went in. And no one was in the room but the paper shredder was
going and then it stopped. And so I looked around the comer to see if anyone was there, no one was in
the building. And then when I came back into that office, the paper shredder started going again. So
just kind of weird disturbances kind of things. I don't know. I'm still trying to figure out if there is any
kind of story, per say, of there being a ghost that presides at the Alumni House. So that's story one.
The ~t story I've heard from friends that have worked down at the Caine Theatre. They say that there
was, that there's a ghost there. And the story behind that was a traveling acting group that would come
through. And one year they came and they were doing Hamlet. And in Hamlet there's the grave digger
scene. And the two grave diggers are kind of this comic relief duo. And one of the grave diggers was
getting a lot more laughs than the other grave digger. And the story that I've heard is that there were
kind ofjeleousy issues going on with that. And the next day the grave digger that was getting more
laughs the night before didn't show up for work and supposedly no one saw this person again. And it's
was believed that maybe this individual was murdered and their ghost now haunts the theatre. And the
ghost has a certain seat he likes to sit in, in the balcony and they leave that seat open for him Because
when someone sits in his seat, performances that go on have a lot of issues that arise. Lights that
become unplugged, sound systems that don't work, a lot of unusual technical issues that arise. And so
they try and leave that seat open for this ghost that apparently resides at the Caine Theatre and
apparently likes watching shows in his favorite seat.
So those are kind of two stories I have. ----
•
•
•
My name is Holly Williams it is May 4,2010 and I am talking to John Reynolds
Hi I'm John Reynolds I am 28. I was born on January 16th of 1982 and I am self empolyed and I am
Holly's fiancee. I am also from Logan, and so I know several stories. I'm going to start with a story r, ~
about the Logan High old boys gym. V
There used to be a gym at Logan High that had a label on the front that said Brigham Young College.
And it was built inlike 1820, no not that early, like 1890 or something like that. Anyway, the gym,
when I went to high school was actually haunted. It had a pool underneath that had a big crack going
through it and so it was not working anymore, obviously. And it used to work when I was little. I used
to go swimming in it a lot, my dad was a teacher at Logan High, and he would take us and I was always
so scared because there were all this scary paintings of like clown faces in the bathrooms and stuff and
it's just the freakiest place with all these bare pipes everywhere and just like rusty cement walls and
everything. Probably the scariest place you could ever find yourself in. Not to mention it's underground
and so it's completely pitch black, really scary. And there were all these stories about people seeing
ghosts down there because students had drowned in the pool. I don't exactly know the story about the
drowning but I just know a lot of people would talk about how they heard voices or sounds from that
basement. So anyway, one day me and my friends we decided to go watch a scary movie in the old
boy's gym, we didn't watch it downstairs, we watched it in the gym part and we're sitting there
watching the movie in this gym and we start hearing all these creaking noises coming from like the
back where it was all dark. And everybody was freaking out. And I was just thinking "it's probably just
the heater ducts moving" because the heaters would turn on and you know how metal expands when it
heats up and it makes noises. So I didn't think anything of it, I wasn't scared at all. But then all the
sudden we heard this loud crash noise of metal and everybody just dispersed and ran right out the door,
wetting their pants. And my friend and I we were like "oh no the TV's still in there" so we went back in
and grabbed the TV and brought the TV out and everyone was just like "I'm out of here" because we
were so freaked out. Even I like, my heart was just like, that was not the heater making noises, it was
like something moved in the back in the dark and made this loud noise and we were freaking out. And
we're sitting outside in front of the school wondering what to do and it turns out that these guys were
setting up for like a school dance downstairs in the pool to have like their dinner in the pool downstairs
for the school dance or something and they were just trying to get in the door and stuff. But that was
really scary. I'll never forget that. The old boy's gym is torn down now and it doesn't exist anymore so I
was pretty lucky to be able to experience the haunted old gym, old boy's gym before they tore it down.
Another story I have is one that I learned in, probably about 2004. I have a friend of mine who was (9
really into ghost stories around here and he was like, "John", he went to high school with me also but I
was in college at the time. And one day in the student center he was like "John I have this new place."
He started telling me about all these other new stories that he knew about, but he was like "there is this
one that is the ultimate scariest place I've ever been to in this area." And so he told me the story and he
told me where it was and so here's the story:
On the west side of the Valley in PetersboIDugb there is this house that kind of stands alone and it
belonged to the family, the Chase family. And there was a father and a mother and their children had
already moved out, they were older, and they had already moved out. And the father was a working
man still and one day, Mary his wife, his name was John and his wife's name was Mary, Mary
disappeared one day mysteriously. And they couldn't find her anywhere. They searched and searched
and they even looked through, you know, through, they looked everywhere they couldn't find her. And
so after years, they just, she remained on the missing persons list and to this day she is still on the
missing persons list. This was probably about in the 70s I think. So they didn't know, they never found
•
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her. Then one day, John, the father, he started like talking to himself and kind oflost his mind over
time. And his coworkers talked about how they'd heard him talking to himself sometimes and they
could hear him talking to himself inside of his house. They thought that was kind of weird. And then
one day at work John told his coworker that he was going to go join his wife, that he knew where she
was and he was going to go join her. But he was kind of acting weird and he didn't know what to think
of it and then he disappeared. They couldn't find him anywhere. So they looked everywhere and they
found his EI Camino crashed into the Benson Marina, which is a body of water, it's not very deep,
maybe like 4 feet deep max. And so they combed the Marina looking through the water for a body and
they couldn't find a body anywhere. So they couldn't really close the case, so to this day, John also
remains on the missing persons list. And they took the car and dragged it back on the property and the
car is still up there on the property.
So my friend told me, you know, just go up there, and you'll be, everyone will be freaked out because
it's the scariest place ever. So I told them this story, there aren't really any ghost stories, this is just the
story of what happened, very real story. And we, so I took some people up there and I didn't really
know how to get there so I went there in the middle of the day to try to find it, like at noon. And just so
that I wouldn't ruin the whole feeling when I'm like fumbling around trying to find this house at night
time because it's harder to fmd. So my friend gave me the directions, he said that if you're going west,
just past the train tracks you take a right on this road and then you take the second left and go up this
hill. And about part way up the hill on your right side you'll see this lone house, that's kind of nestled
against some trees and it's this really old house made of stone. And so I went up there and it really was
pretty easy to find. And I saw this house and I started driving up the drive way through this alfalfa field
and I got up next to the house and I was going to get out and maybe walk around, check it out. But my
heart was just racing. Mid-day, I couldn't stay there more than two minutes, no more than a minute. Just
immediately I put into reverse and drove away as fast as I could because the house looked so scary .
And so that night I took my friends there. One of my friends started crying as soon as the car lights like
shined on the house, she started crying and people were freaking out, no one would get out of the car.
Usually when I took people there nobody would get out of the car, let alone go inside of the house.
Once in a while I would get a daring group that would go inside of the house. And inside of the house
you'll fmd clothes allover the floors, upstairs and downstairs, really old clothes like old timey
suspenders and stuff. There are like dishes on the counters. There are like beds. It's as if they just left
the house as is and and took off. There weren't any couches there, I assume people took the couches,
but the beds are still there. There was even dishes on the counter. The fridge is like, you can tell it's
from the 70s, trying to all futuristic, you know those round fridges? You go upstairs and there are beds.
And upstairs in one of the rooms there's this creepy children's wallpaper that's like half tom off the wall
with these like paintings of children with empty eyes and stuff, really scary. All the windows are
boarded up so it's completely dark inside. Anyway, it's the scariest house ever. ~
The other story, I have this other experience. The same friend that told me about this house told me
about, we decided to go check out the Weeping Wj.Q.ow one day, and this was when I was in high school
also. So we went up to the Weeping Widow and the story, there are a lot of stories behind the Weeping
Widow, but the one that we were kind of focusing on was how basically she just had several children
that died in their infancy and they were all buried. And then when she was buried with the children,
they had this statue put up of this lady crying, and so hence she's called the Weeping Widow. The story
goes that on a full moon, I think it's just every full moon you can look and see her crying, from her
eyes. Or maybe it's, yeah I'll just go with that, every full moon you go up to her and you can see her
crying from her eyes that are carved out of the granite. So we went up there and we had car lights
shining on the statue and everything and we're looking at the statue, in the Logan Cemetery, and you
know she's not crying or anything. But you could see streaks down her face from her eyes, where the
-------------------------------_._ _ .. _.. ....
•
•
•
stone is stained from like water. So clearly the water runs down that part of her face. So we're like
"that's kind of spooky, I wonder if rain just runs down that part of her face" or whatnot, I don't, you
know, very speculative, not believing. And so I'm looking at the face really carefully and I noticed that
her eyes are kind of glowing and her mouth is glowing a little bit too, as if it had, as if it was like
stitched shut or something, these like glowing lines or like a line between her lips. They were like
glowing and I was like, I like jumped back a little bit and like shuddered, and I was like "oh my gosh"
and so I kind of looked to see if it was like the stone was reflecting somehow off of the lights in the
background down the street. And I looked and they weren't, it was like truly glowing, it wasn't a
reflection. So I like grab my friend and I was like "come over here", my hearts like racing, I was like
"what is this? Do you see this?" and he like looked and he was like, and he jumped back, and he was
like "oh my gosh!" and he got so scared. And we went and turned the lights back on from the car,
because during the time the lights were off. We went, got back in the car, turned the lights back on for a
while, and freaked out a little bit. And then we decided to go look at it again. And then we turned the
lights off again and it was glowing even more after that. And so we think that maybe someone put some
glow in the dark stuff on her face. But who knows, we'll never know. Anyway that's my story .]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 6345470 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1970-1979; 1980-1989; 1990-1999; 20th century; 2000-2001; 2000-2009; 2010-2019; 21st century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> By Diane Browning
Correspondent

LOGAN CANYON-Maybe it is a legend. Maybe it isn’t. But some of the locals here in Cache Valley believe that St. Anne’s retreat in Logan Canyon is haunted.

The particular details vary, but a general theme repeats among the different versions-the area is frequented by the ghost of a nun.

In broad daylight, St. Anne’s retreat looks innocent enough. A carefully maintained set of cabins with their window covered with shutters, St. Anne’s grounds include rock-lined pathways and manicured lawns. It is the kind of place to seek out in order to “get away from it all” and to find some peace in the forested hillside.

In addition to the cabins, there is a main lodge on the property and a small swimming pool. Overall, there is nothing particularly ominous about the setting-in broad daylight.

But according to legend, St. Anne’s, which had been used in the past as a retreat for nuns, is haunted:

One version holds that one of the nuns had been raped and murdered at the retreat at the retreat. Another version holds that a nun had given birth to a child while at St. Anne’s and had drowned the baby in the swimming pool.

Regardless of which happened-if either ever actually did-the ghost of a nun was born.

According to Nancy Bodily of Logan, local high school students used to travel up to St. Anne’s at night “mainly just to scare each other.”

Bodily never saw the ghost. But she said legend has it that a nun comes out of the woods accompanied by two white Doberman pinschers with red eyes.

“If you see the nun,” Bodily says, “and if you’re a first-born son, it means you are going to die.”

The nun has been said to appear along the road going through Logan Canyon. And the danger of seeing her there is just as great for first-born sons as of seeing her at St. Anne’s, Bodily says.

“If you’re coming down the canyon,” Bodily says, “she’ll appear out of nowhere.”

The lodge at St. Anne’s also is haunted. According to the legend, a person who tries to spend a night in the lodge will be “bodily disturbed.” No further details were provided.

“It’s just one of t hose things you talk about when you’re a teenager,” Bodily says about the St. Anne’s ghost. “I would imagine that the legend still lives on.”

A note to the adventuresome: St. Anne’s is located on private property and is patrolled regularly by a night watchman.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 1190890 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1980-1989; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]>
[Photo by Mitch Mascaro/Herald Journal. Caption: Cache County Sheriff Sgt. Brian Locke answers questions from parents and youths who gathered at the sheriff’s office Saturday to express concerns about the youth’s treatment at the hands of three men apparently serving as watchmen on posted property in Logan Canyon.]

Trespassing teens claim they were terrorized by watchmen
By Phil Jensen
Staff writer

About 30 Cache County teen-agers said they walked into a night of Vietnam-style terror in Logan Canyon Friday night when they were ambushed, shot at, handcuffed, tied together by their necks and threatened with their lives by shotgun-toting private guards.

A sergeant with the Cache County Sheriff’s Office, saying he’s never seen anything like this in 11 years on the force, said an investigation is under way. No arrests were made.

One teen-age boy, allegedly butted by a shotgun, was treated at Logan Regional Hospital and released. Some girls said they were sexually molested and other teens showed wrist marks left by the plastic, store-bought handcuffs.

The Halloween-come-early started about 10 p.m. Friday when several carloads of high school students, driven by curiosity of a “scary place,” arrived at an area formerly called St. Anne’s Retreat midway up Logan Canyon.

The teen-agers told authorities they walked over a small bridge and through a green gate topped with barbed wire when someone carrying a shotgun jumped from the bushes, ordered them to hit the ground, then fired a shot over their heads.

They said three men appeared armed with shotguns with flashlights on the end of the barrels, searched and handcuffed them, then ordered them into an outside, empty swimming pool.

There, they said, they were strapped together by ropes around their necks and told that the ropes were linked to explosives. If they tried to get free, they were told, the ropes would tighten and blow their heads off.

They said they also were told that if they tried to run, the guards would shoot off their legs.

One guard bragged about using the same tactics on Viet Cong in the Vietnam War, said one of the teen-agers.

The teens said the guards posted themselves outside the pool, shouting obscenities and threats at the line of teen-agers in the pool. They said the guards also took photographs of each teenager and took their names before sheriff’s deputies showed up.

[Photo/caption: The barb-wire reinforced gate leading to what locals call ‘The Nunnery’ stood open Saturday afternoon.]

Deputy Troy Liquin was first on the scene, followed by three other deputies.

Deputies said they ordered the guards to cut off the handcuffs and free the youngsters from the neck ropes, then cited the teen-agers with criminal trespass and sent them home.

Sgt. Brian Locke said deputies got the names of the three guards but did not confiscate their weapons. He said the sheriff’s office did not know the name of the property owner who hired the guards.

Teenagers told authorities they were scared for their lives.

One 16-year-old Sky View High School student said he was ordered face-down on the ground as he and several friends walked through the gate, then hand cuffed.

“I thought I was doing what I was supposed to do, and this guy picked me up by the back of my shirt and tossed me,” the boy said. “These guys are psychos.”

Girls gave statements to the sheriff’s office that they were sexually molested by being fondled under their shirts. The girls said they were told they were being frisked.

The boy treated at Logan Regional Hospital said he was kicked in the stomach and knocked unconscious by a glow to the head. He was treated for a concussion and head wound.

Others quoted one of the guards as saying, “I hope you run so I can take your legs off.”

About 40 parents and teenagers showed up outside the sheriff’s office in Logan Saturday afternoon demanding action, saying they were concerned primarily with what might happen to unwitting teen-agers drawn to the old St. Anne’s, also know [known] locally as “the Nunnery,” Saturday night.

“A friend of one of these kids might wind up dead,” one parent said.

One parent from an outlying Cache County town whose son was there Friday night said his main concern is that this won’t happen to kids again. “This is well beyond what is reasonable and what is legal,” the father said. “And I want to see them (the watchmen) prosecuted.”

Locke, the sheriff’s sergeant, said statements have been and are being taken from the teen-agers and the incident will be investigated by detectives.

“This is serious,” Locke said. “I have never seen anything like this in my 11 years.”

“If there was use of deadly force, they will be arrested,” Lock [Locke] said. Locke, who responded to the scene, midway between Card Canyon and the Right Hand Fork turnoff, said it looked like a “prison camp” with the gates topped with barbed wire. “There’s nothing like it in the country,” Locke said.

Lock [Locke] said the area has changed ownership and was under renovation. He said there have been several recent reports of vandalism including one early Friday morning.

A separate encounter about 4:30 a.m. Friday may have been even more frightening, according to statements given the sheriff’s office by five boys and two girls.

They said they were drawn to the area out of stories that it was a “whacked out place” and were accosted by three guards armed with shotguns, pistols and knives.

They said one of the guards pointed a gun at an Asian teen-ager, called him a “gook,” and said, “I know something about you Vietnamese…I have killed many of them.” A guard put a pistol to The [the] Asian boy’s head and threatened to shoot, then discharged the gun into the ground, the boys told authorities.

They said the guards took their pictures, saying, “Sit up straight or I will slit your throat.” The picture-shooting continued after the deputies arrived.

When three deputies arrived in three cars, they replaced the plastic handcuffs with official handcuffs. The youths were then taken by squad cars to the sheriff’s office, where they were cited for trespassing and released. Their two cars were impounded.

As they were being escorted by deputies off the land, one of the watchmen walked behind with a shotgun and another took pictures of them and their license plates, they said. The teens were puzzled that this behavior did not seem to concern the deputies.

“I’m just happy to be alive,” said one 19-year-old. “But I don’t like the idea of them having by [my] license plate number.”

Lt. Von Williamson, who is investigating, said he doesn’t know the details of Friday morning’s incident. But he said, “I doubt very seriously that that occurred,” Williamson said.

The teen-agers in both incidents said they showed up only as a Halloween-time curiosity and did not vandalism

“I’ve been here (in Cache Valley) since the 8th grade and have never been there until now, but I bet every teen-ager in the county has been up there,” said one 19-year-old, referring to the old retreat as the local “haunted house.”

Williamson said Saturday night that deputies instructed the watchmen on the proper use of weapons and didn’t anticipate any repeats of the alleged menacing Saturday night. He said, as far as the sheriff’s office knew, the guards had left the area, although manpower shortages prevented the office from posting a deputy at the scene overnight Saturday.

A press release issued by the office Saturday night referred to statements from teenagers of shots fired, excessive force and fondling of female teenagers.

“Due to the volatility of the situation, no action was taken on those allegations at the time,” the release said. It said evidence will be turned over to the county attorney.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 2191430 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> Guest commentary
Jake Jeppson

I am writing this as an answer to the recent articles and reports in the local media concerning my brother, John Jeppsen, who is the lead watchman at St. Anne’s Retreat.

I feel it’s necessary to bring out some facts that have not been mentioned, and to say something about circumstances involved.

It is my understanding that the shotgun shells which John had were loaded with rock salt. Years ago these were used for raiders of melon patches, hen houses, private outhouses or stray dogs. These to sting severely, not kill.

A great to-do was made about the fellow that was knocked unconscious. Nothing is said about him coming up behind John to jump him during the arrests. John was an Airborne Ranger in Europe. Rangers are one of three groups of America’s finest fighting men. John was not, nor is he, a Vietnam vet (with mental and emotional problems), as earlier articles implied.

Emotions? Name me as any man anywhere who would not be wound tight while arresting 38 people as big as himself in the darkness or poor light, alone, in Logan Canyon at that time of day? Especially in view of the monetary value of property damage at the site and the later made threats which I know were made.

Nothing has been said about the threats made against John; i.e. “We’re coming back to get you.”

There are inconsistencies in the young people’s stories. The Herald Journal stories say the trespassers were arrested just inside the gate. An article in the Statesman quotes a young man as saying “just as he jumped down into the empty pool.” Another was that the fellow who was knocked out was struck with a billy club. That man was struck with a bullstroke (military term), from the shotgun butt as he attempted to jump on John’s back. In other words, John did his job (a tough one) and got the attacker before he could get him.

The rope and knots are a tool to contain and retain prisoners as taught to the Airborne Rangers. The knot is not a “slip-knot” nor a “hangman’s knot” as implied. It is a knot like the “bowline” used to tie boats or tie a horse “expressly) because the knot will not slip. The loop is tied loosely or semi-loosely as needed to hold.

The owner of the property says he was “allowing John to stay there.” As if John was some homeless poor soul. John may have been staying there as part of their agreement, but he has a beautiful wife who is a fine woman, with whom he lives and they live with and care for our mother who is convalescing from a broken hip and joint replacement. The home they are living in is a very neat, clean and modern brick home in Providence with several bedrooms.

Now about the vandalism which is occurring all over our area. I was on top of Logan Canyon yesterday and stopped to use the public restrooms near Peter Sinks. On the older building the door had been totally ripped off and destroyed. There were unspeakable things which had been done inside and outside the restrooms. This is common all over now.

Several years ago there was a movie made called Walking Tall. It was a true story about a sheriff down south who was man enough to take on a corrupt system and individuals with his famous pick handle. He became a national hero. Two or three movies were made about his life.

Then there are the Rooster Cogburns and Big Jake’s of John Wayne. We cheer these men, yet seek to destroy a man who is striving to do his job and enforce the right of property owners to have their property be secure.

In Salt Lake City yesterday, a police officer was acquitted for shooting a dog while he was jogging. The owners were allowing it to run loose and get in trouble. Needless to say isn’t it lucky we don’t have such a law for kids and parents who cannot control their children and are embarrassed at the stunts they pull. I know, I have six of my own, two step-children and 22 grandchildren. Some of the finest people I know are also sharing this problem.

A remark was made in a commentary about the legends of St. Anne’s retreat, that a certain prominent attorney said he used to go up there when he was a kid, too. I don’t care if it was Thomas Jefferson, would that make breaking the law right? Or trespassing/vandalism?

John may not have done everything perfect, but who could under such conditions.

In my mind, John is a fine man, made of the stuff heroes are made of. If you think not-you try arresting 30 hell-raising young adults in the dark, lonely, middle of the night.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 591695 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]>
Three men are arrested. Thirty-eight teen-agers have been dismissed from criminal trespassing charges. But what has Cache Valley learned from the incident at St. Anne’s retreat last weekend?

It appears that the citizens stand divided on the issue.

While most agree that what the youth did was wrong and should be punished most will admit they too have gone up to St. Anne’s for some pre-Halloween haunts in their day.

The other half of the citizens believe the men had every right to use the tactics they did. The three men were taking bold steps to defend the rights of property owners who have been continually invaded by thrill seekers.

Some defend the gun-toting men claiming they had no other choice but to detain the youth and protect themselves. Friday evening it was 30 on three. Some ask the question, how were the men supposed to detain the youth and protect themselves from retaliation?

However, the Cache County Attorney Scott Wyatt disagrees that the men were justified and felony aggravated assault charges have been filed against the three men. He said the threats the men made, the shots that were fired and the abuse the youth incurred while under their restraint were beyond reasonable force.

The citizens of Cache Valley must take this incident seriously. This is only the beginning of this controversy. What is acceptable? Can teen-age thrill seekers continue to invade property owners’ privacy to fulfil a family tradition? Can anyone owning land and a gun, use any force possible to defend their land? We must decide for ourselves what adventures we take accountability for.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 398118 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> Canyon watchmen identified
By Ryan Robb Oliver
Staff writer

The Cache County Sheriff’s Office this morning released the names of three watchmen accused of terrorizing a group of teen-agers trespassing at the former St. Anne’s Convent in Logan Canyon on Friday night.

John Jeppson, 50, of Pocatello, Idaho, is the head watchman that made the initial trespassing call from Zanavoo Restaurant and Lodge to the Cache County Sheriff’s Office at around 10:30 p.m. Friday.

The other two watchmen were identified as Christopher Doerr and Arthur Peasnall, both of Tooele County.

When The Herald Journal telephoned John Jeppson this morning, an unidentified woman answered the phone and said she’d leave a message for Jeppson but hung up before the paper’s number could be given.

When Peasnall was called and asked to give his side of the story, he repeatedly said, “I have no comment.”

Doerrs telephone number could not be located.

Chief Deputy Mike Stauffer with the sheriff’s office said the three men are being investigated and it will be up to the Cache County Attorney’s Office if charges are filed.

Deputy Troy Liquin, in his report of the incident, stated that when he arrived, he was met by the three watchmen each with flashlights taped to the end of their shotguns. Jeppson also was wearing a holstered pistol strapped to his belt.

When he told them to put their weapons in their vehicles, all of them complied except Jeppson, who Liquin said had to be told three times before he put his weapon away.

Liquin said he discovered the 30 trespassing youths in the pool on their knees. Twenty of them had a continuous nylon cord wrapped around their necks and if one person moved, they would all choke, he said in the report.

Some of the girls were crying and two or three other males were near tears because their hands were tied so tight with plastic cuffs, according to the report.

“As I looked at their hands, on the girls particularly, most of them were turning white in color, almost bluish in color. Visible swelling as well as red marks were observed on the majority of the individuals,” Liquin stated.

Liquin said he ordered the cuffs to be removed, and the youths complained of being hit and yelled at. One girl said one of the guards fondled her, according to the report.

One teen-ager handed a spent Federal 12-gague shotgun shell casing to an officer and said it had been shot near his head. Another said a guard shot next to his feet, the report said.

When deputies approached the three watchmen, Liquin said Peasnall used a military identification card to identify himself.

“Mr. Jeppson was very upset about the juveniles being there. He stated, ‘What am I supposed to do?’” according to the report. “Mr. Jeppson…began talking about Vietnam and how this was similar to troops being placed in Vietnam, and went on with some conversation about police powers in the war.”

Stauffer said the watchmen weren’t arrested because an investigation would need to be conducted to determine which of the juveniles were telling the truth.

“We arrested the juveniles because it was immediately apparent they were trespassing,” Stauffer said.

He said the fact the juveniles were trespassing and had to cross through a barbed wire fence to get there has been underplayed in this incident.

“Obviously, someone didn’t want them on their property,” he said.

The thirty people were cited and released for trespassing.

Another six people, three youths and three adults, were cited earlier Friday for trespassing on the same property.

Action beyond legal limits?
By Phil Jensen
Staff writer

Trespassing laws do not allow the kind of force or confinement allegedly used by three armed caretakers who terrorized Cache County teen-agers in Logan Canyon on Friday.

The Cache County Sheriff’s Office is investigating two incidents of teen-agers who said they were held captive, abused and threatened with their lives at the old St. Anne’s Retreat midway up the canyon.

Detectives said the case will be turned over County Attorney Scott Wyatt who will determine what if any charges against the caretakers will be filed.

Wyatt said he was meeting today with sheriff’s investigators and should know by Tuesday morning what action his office will take.

A Logan attorney read to reporters parts of the state law covering trespassing and what a property owner legally can and cannot do.

The use of force such as weapons against a trespasser or confining a trespasser is against the law unless the owner feels his life or the life of others is in danger, the law states.

“They could be liable for false imprisonment, assault and battery and a whole host of things,” said Joe Chambers, a Logan attorney and former Rich County deputy attorney.

Chambers said the law also covers “intentional infliction of emotional distress” against a trespasser, saying it is illegal to do something “so extreme and outrageous that if you hear about it the average person would say, I can’t believe they did that,” Chambers said.

Chambers, who has a 17-year old son, said he would have been outraged if his daughter had been fondled by the caretakers, as one of the teenagers alleged. “I’d be sitting on Scott Wyatt’s doorstep right now,” he said.

Chambers said the owner also has liability.

“You can’t just hire a bunch of crazies to take care of your property and have no liability, Chambers said.

According to records at the Cache County recorder’s office, the property was sold by the Catholic Church in 1992 to Peggy Godfrey for $120,000. Records also contain the name of Richard Salvitti of Salt Lake City as the person responsible for taxes. Efforts to contact both Godfrey and Salvitti were not successful.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 1085016 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> By Ryan Robb Oliver
Staff writer

A watchman accused of terrorizing 38 trespassers at the former St. Anne’s Retreat in Logan Canyon was arrested Monday afternoon by a Cache county lieutenant sheriff.

John Jeppson, 50, of Pocatello, Idaho, was arrested at his parents’ home in Providence by Lt. Von Williamson, the lead investigator.

Warrants for the arrest of two other watchmen suspected of assisting Jeppson have been forwarded to Tooele County. The other men have been identified as Arthur Peasnall and Christopher Doerr, Jeppson’s son-in-law, both of Tooele County.

The suspects in the case have each been charged with six counts of aggravated assault, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in jail for each count.

Cache County Attorney Scott Wyatt said he chose to file six counts because it was a “representative sample” of what happened Oct. 10. He said the number was also agreed upon by a group of parents of the alleged victims he met with last week.

Six charges, he said, “was sufficient for every aspect of the trial.”

Wyatt said he will also name only six alleged victims to testify for the state during trial. He said he didn’t want to needlessly stack dozens of charges and witness testimonials against the men.

The trespassers have accused the three watchmen of tying them together by their necks, handcuffing them and holding them at gunpoint in a swimming pool in two separate episodes Oct. 10. The mostly teen-aged victims said their lives were threatened, shotguns were fired near them, and one female said Jeppson felt her up.

“If these gentlemen had handcuffed them and secured them and stopped there, we probably wouldn’t be filing charges,” Wyatt said. “You’re entitled to use a reasonable amount of force to protect property.” But Wyatt said the men acted beyond what the law allows.

The sheriff’s office originally cited all 38 trespassers, but the trespassing charges were not filed. Property owners who allowed Jeppson to tend the St. Anne’s property were sympathetic to the treatment they received at the hands of the watchmen, Wyatt said.

Jeppson was released from the Cache County Jail on Monday on a $5,000 bail.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 414298 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> By Ann Vlnar
STAFF WRITER.

Three men were charged on six counts of felony aggravated assault because =of the exceissive fore they used to restrain 38 trespassing youth at St. Anne’s retreat last Friday, Cache County Attorney Scott Wyatt said.

The three men who have been identified as John Lemon Jeppson, Christopher Lynn Doerr and Arthur Benjamin Peasnall.

Aggravated assault is a third degree felony, under Utah law, and carries with it a possible sentence of up to five years in prison.

“What we charged them with will be sufficient in a trial and more than sufficient for sentencing,” Wyatt said.

“They went a few steps too far,” Wyatt said. “Their conduct with respect to these kids after they were bound and secure is what brought the charges.”

Charges were filed because the suspects apparently used guns and rope to detain the youth and threatened their lives, ‘Wyatt said.

The owners of St. Anne’s retreat has requested to dismiss criminal trespassing charges against the 38 youth who illegally entered their property on Friday.

“They expressed to me they are saddened by the treatment the youth received and are sympathetic to what they are going through,” Wyatt said.

“The alleged excessive conduct of these men was unfortunate and in no way authorized by the property owners.”

Charges would not be filed in response to one girl’s complain that she had been inappropriately touched.

“The law is real specific on a sexual-abuse case,” said Cache County Sheriff Lynn Nelson. The defendants claim they were “patting down the kids for weapons.”

Some of the youth involved are still undergoing counseling because of the incide [incident].]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 486953 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> By Phil Jensen
Staff writer

The Cache County Attorney’s Office said today criminal charges most likely will be filed against three men who allegedly ambushed two groups of thrill-seeking teen-agers Friday, tied them up and terrorized them.

The charges could range from misdemeanors to felonies and will focus on assault, said Cache County Attorney Scott Wyatt.

“There is a very high probability that will file criminal charges against these guys,” Wyatt said this morning. “The initial reports are pretty incredible.”

Wyatt said the actions of the three at the old St. Anne’s retreat 8 miles up Logan Canyon apparently went far beyond legal limits.

Wyatt said his office would likely decide on the charges and issue warrants by the end of the week.

The attorney’s office is waiting for sheriff’s deputies t9o finish taking statements from nearly 40 teen-agers, the three men and others. Wyatt said he wants to read all the statements before determining charges.

“They’ve only given me the initial reports,” Wyatt said. “I haven’t seen any statements at all. But as soon as they are collected we will make a decision.”

Wyatt said St. Anne’s is a local haunted house on private property and what happened when the carloads of youngsters got there is almost unbelievable.

“It’s one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen,” Wyatt said.

The kids should not have done what they did because they were trespassing but that doesn’t justify the reactions of these guys,” Wyatt said. “Overkill is a good way to describe it.”

“The kids told authorities the gate was open or partially open when they walked through and were ambushed by three shotgun-wielding men.

In the first incident, before dawn Friday, six boys and two girls were ambushed on the grounds by the men who fired at least one shot over their heads, then marched into a lodge, handcuffed and tied neck to neck by ropes, the teen-agers said. They told sheriff’s deputies who arrived nearly two hours later that the men shouted obscenities at them and threatened to kill them and hide their bodies.

The teen-agers were handcuffed in official police cuffs and taken by squad cars by four deputies to the sheriff’s office where they were interrogated and released. Some were given citations for trespassing, a Class C misdemeanor similar to a traffic ticket.

The three men were not arrested.

The second larger group of about 30 boys and girls, unaware of what happened in the earlier incident, said they were accosted by the same men as they walked through what they said was an open gate late Friday night.

They said they were ordered into an empty swimming pool, handcuffed with plastic flexible ties and also bound by ropes, neck to neck. They said they were told that if they moved the ropes would tighten, trigger an explosive and their heads would be blown off.

One boy said he was knocked unconscious by a billyclub and a girl complained that she was fondled.

About 40 parents confronted sheriff’s deputies outside the station Saturday after demanding action.

Parents told reporters they were angry at the non-action of the Sheriff’s Office for allowing a repeat Friday night of the incident early that morning and thus placing minors in danger.

Wyatt said he has not interviewed John Jeppson, identified as the oldest of the three men at St. Anne’s and the lead watchman who was armed from time to time with a shotgun, pistol, knife and billyclub.

When told Jeppson was still living at St. Anne’s, Wyatt said, “Good, then he can stay put so we can serve him with a warrant.”

The property owner said he allowed Jeppson to live there in exchange for fixing up the place and knew nothing of the other two men or of Jeppson’s alleged actions Friday.

Legends have lured generations to site

Legends surrounding St. Anne’s have provided a thrill to Cache Valley youths for generations.

Middle-aged people, including prominent members of the local community, remember when they were kids, too, and they drove up Logan Canyon with nerves of steel to get the wits scared out of them.

They were drawn at Halloween time by stories of hosts, including one of a nun emerging from the forest and followed by two red-eyed Dobermans.

“It’s been a place where everybody’s been. I remember when I was there,” said Shannon Demler, a Logan attorney.

People around town are laying bets that just about every old-time Cache resident went to scary St. Anne’s in the October darkness at one time or another.

The compound 8 miles up the canyon on the right started as a lodge and cabins in the 1920s and was converted into a Catholic retreat. It was eventually sold by the Catholic Church and has changed hands several times.

The property, with a Yellowstone-type lodge that has a rock fireplace and winding stairs, also includes several sleeping cabins and the famous swimming pool which still abounds with frightening stories.

It is commonly known today as the “nunnery.”]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 1007288 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> By Tom Zoellner and Vince Horiuchi, The Salt Lake Tribune

LOGAN-A man hired to watch St. Ann’s Retreat felt he was “in serious fear for his safety” when he allegedly tired up 20 local youths and threatened to kill them, said one of the owners of the property.

“He was just trying to sound aggressive,” said Mark Epstein, a San Francisco attorney who has an owners hip share in a mountain lodge and several cabins that became the scene of the real-life nightmare for some pre-Halloween trespassers.

The 50-year-old caretaker reportedly fired guns near the heads of the teen-agers he caught sneaking onto the property in Logan Canyon on Friday.

One 16-year-old boy said he was whacked in the head and knocked unconscious with a billyclub, and a girl reported being fondled when a guard frisked her for weapons.

The head caretaker and his two assistants could now face a variety of criminal charges, said Cache County sheriff’s deputies, who said they will present the case to County Attorney Scott Wyatt by the end of the week.

The caretaker made repeated references to his military service in the Vietnam War, and allegedly told the trespassers, “I’ll kill you like I killed the Vietnamese.”

He also reportedly bound the frightened teens together neck-to-neck with nylon cord and told them it was “detonating cord” that would blow their heads off if they moved-a trick he said he learned in Southeast Asia.

But Epstein said the man has no record of service in Vietnam that he knows of. Epstein said he hired the resident of Pocatello, Idaho, two months ago to do maintenance work and help save the place from vandals.

“He’s someone we were put in touch with by a Mormon youth group,” Epstein said in a telephone interview from his San Francisco office. “He called and asked if he could spend some time up there and go fishing and spend the weekends-basically enjoy the land.”

When called at home, the caretaker said only “no comment,” and hung up. The Tribune does not print the names of criminal suspects until they are charged in court.

His two assistants, who live in Tooele County, could not be reached for comment.

St. Ann’s Retreat, formerly owned by the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, has been a favorite subject of ghost stories and juvenile trespassing for decades. Epstein said he bought the compound in 1992 with several families in Utah and California, which he would not identify.

Tying up the trespassers was appropriate, Epstein said, because a group of teen-agers who had sneaked onto the grounds had allegedly been threatening the caretaker.

“I don’t think tying them up was excessive,” said Epstein, who has spoken with the caretaker.
“He had been threatened by the first group, and he didn’t know whether they had come up there with weapons or what.”

Some of the Halloween trespassers said it appeared the night watchmen set a trap to catch them.

When 18-year-old Tito Thanadabouth and seven of his friends sneaked into the compound at about 4:30 a.m. Friday, they found the front gate open and all the “no trespassing” sign removed, Thanadabouth said. The guards later surprised them inside the empty swimming pool.

Thanadabouth said he and his friends then were subjected to a diatribe of death threats and cursing while they were tied by the neck. Cache County deputies were called and the eight were charged with criminal trespassing. Police said they were not told of the alleged abuse at that time.

About 16 hours later, 16-year-old Matt Clark and 29 other young people, mainly from the Smithfield area, reportedly were ambushed by a shotgun-wielding guard just after they stepped onto the grounds of St. Ann’s.

Clark said he was hit on the head with a club and knocked to the ground unconscious when he refused to obey the guard’s order to lie down. His girlfriend had a pistol stuck into her back, he said.

“They were loony, they were out of their minds,” said Clark. “It seemed so unreal to me.”

The guards led the 30 teenagers to the drained swimming pool-the subject of numerous grisly legends-and tied 20 of them together by the necks with the phony “detonating cord,” The youths also were bound with disposable plastic handcuffs and told to remain on their knees for almost two hours while the police were called.

One boy who tried to get away was shoved to the ground and a shotgun round was fired near his head, Clark said.

They were taunting us to run,” he said. “They said, ‘It’s no fun if you don’t run. We want to shoot someone tonight.’”

Cache County sheriff’s Deputy Troy Linquin found several of the teen-agers crying from the tightness of the handcuffs when he arrived.

“As I looked at their hands, on the girls particularly, their hands were turning white in color, almost bluish in color,” wrote Linquin in his report. “Visible swelling as well as red marks were observed on the majority of individuals.”

Several of the teenagers came forward immediately with the story of their brutal treatment, Linquin noted.

Despite this, the guards were not arrested because police needed time to sort out all the witness statements and figure out the truth, said Cache County Sheriff Lynn Nelson.

“We know who they are,” Nelson said. “They aren’t going anywhere. We didn’t want to jump in and make a rash decision.”

Linquin said the police gave a warning about “the use of deadly force” to the caretaker, who was still visibly upset and began talking about Vietnam and how this was similar to troops being placed in Vietnam and went on with some conversation about police powers in the war.”

The sheriff said the case presents an interesting conflict between the rights of trespassers and the rights of property owners.

“The law says you can take reasonable steps to detain trespassers. The question is: Was this reasonable? They were protecting their property, and whether that was reasonable is a focus of our investigation,” said the sheriff, a native of Logan who admitted to peering into St. Ann’s from the bridge when he was a teenager.

Police said there is no evidence the teenagers-who were all given misdemeanor citations for criminal trespassing-were a party to any of the vandalism that has recently plagued St. Ann’s, which is about 10 miles from the center of Logan.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 1512960 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> By Ryan Robb Olivar
Staff writer

An owner of the former St. Anne’s Convent in Logan Canyon said the [that] the three men accused of terrorizing trespassers on the property were not paid employees.

Part-owner and San Francisco attorney Mark Epstein said one of the accused men, John Jeppson, was allowed to use the property in exchange for tending it. The property was purchased more than three years ago from the Catholic Church by Epstein and three other people intending to use it as a get-away spot, he said.

Jeppson is one of the men accused by two groups of Cache County teen-agers and young adults who trespassed on the property Friday of binding them with cords around their necks and flexible ties around their wrists while he held them at bay with a shotgun. The two other men allegedly wielding shotguns and threatening the trespassers have been identified as Arthur Peasnall and Christopher Doerr of Tooele County.

Epstein said he did not know Peasnall or Doerr, or why they were with Jeppson on Friay.

“I don’t know exactly what went on that night,” Epstein said. “But no one is going to tell anybody to chase down a bunch of people and tie them around the neck.”

If Jeppson did that, it was not something directed by any of the property owners, he said.

Tim Bradfield of Logan, who was taking care of the property before Jeppson replaced him six weeks ago, said he was told by property owners that if a problem occurred to call the sheriff.

“They never told me to physically detain people,” Bradfield said. “I think these people were acting of their own accord,”

Epstein said one thing that might have been frustrating for Jeppson was the amount of damage caused by vandals. “We’ve incurred in excess of $100,000 in property damage.”

Another thing that may have disturbed him was on early Friday morning, he captured eight people banging on the front doors of the main building who told him they’d come back to get him, Epstein said. Several of the people Jeppson detained in that first incident have told The Herald Journal they were bound with rope around their necks and were forced to sit in a circle until sheriff’s deputies arrived and arrested them for trespassing.

When an unrelated group of 30 people snuck through the gate’s door on Friday night, the trespassers were this time stopped at the door by Jeppson and his shotgun-wielding companions, according to the sheriff’s department.

Cache County Sheriff Lynn Nelson said his office is trying to determine if the men were threatened and were acting upon that threat when they violently detained the second group of trespassers. But he said he hasn’t been able to substantiate any threats and that both groups of trespassers were treated with equal force.

The parents of the trespassers and the community ought to know the Sheriff’s Office is taking the allegations made by the trespassers very seriously, said Nelson, who spent much of Monday answering questions from Utah news media and two syndicated television news magazines, including Inside Edition.

The kids were wrong to trespass, he said, but they were just looking to have some fun. “The big issue here is what these other guys did to them.”

Nelson said all indications so far indicate that Jeppson and his two companions went beyond what was appropriate.

Jeppson began tending the property six weeks ago because of his experience as a carpenter, according to several sources.

Morris Pitcher, who attends church with Jeppson, said the man moved to Cache Valley last spring from Pocatello, Idaho to take care of his invalid mother. He sold his home and gave up his job to come here, Pitcher said.

When his mother got a little better and didn’t need his help, Pitcher said Jeppson asked around in the church ward if people knew where he could find work. It was then that he got hooked up with the people at the St. Anne’s property and was allowed a place to stay if he fixed it up and tended it.

“He’s got a good heart that guy,” Pitcher said. “But maybe this job wasn’t particularly suited to him.”

Jeppson couldn’t be reached for comments.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 626015 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> Youngsters tell of gunshots, death threats and now therapy
By Phil Jensen
Staff writer

If carloads of teen-agers sneaked into legendary St. Anne’s in Logan Canyon last weekend for a good Halloween scare, it worked.

They couldn’t have imagined in their wildest dreams that what happened there, in the unsettling October darkness, would be a real nightmare. It is a nightmare, a number of Cache County’s boys and girls say, that still wakes them in the warm security of their homes.

When 6 boys and 2 girls were on the floor of the lodge in the old St. Anne’s Retreat at 5 a.m. Friday, their hands cuffed behind them, ropes around their necks and a burly man with a shotgun leaned down and reportedly told his two partners, “I want some blood tonight, boys,” they thought their lives were over.

Interviews with the youths who say they were tortured and their parents reveal a gruesome script like Hollywood’s “Friday the 13th.”

A 17-year old Logan girl who is a member of her high school drill team was one of the eight youths on the floor. She said she went to St. Anne’s for the same reasons that a generation before her had visited the local haunted house.

“I honestly thought it was the end because you don’t say that unless you’re psychotic,” the girl said about the man’s comments.

Her friend and drill team companion said she thought for a time that her life could end at sweet 16.

“When they took our pictures I got really scared,” she said. She said the only thought that came to her was that the three men with shotguns, knives, pistols and clubs wanted before and after pictures.

“Sit up straight or I will slit your throats,” the burly man reportedly said before flashing the shutter.

The burly man is believed to be John Jeppson, who one of the owners said was allowed to stay at the retreat in exchange for tending the property.

Some of the kids began to cry when the burly man with short, graying hair and wearing jeans and suspenders reportedly wiggled his 10-gauge shotgun with a flashlight strapped to the barrel and talked about kids who never made it back from St. Anne’s.

He could kill them and hide their bodies under the building. He said he had done it before, according to some of the youths. “You know how many people I’ve killed in this canyon? You want to know where those bones under here came from?

The ropes, the youngsters were told, were linked to a fuse that, if they moved, would ignite and decapitate them.

The burly man would leave the room from time to time and the teen-agers told the other two watchmen that they only came to St. Anne’s to get scared and asked if they would let them go. They were told that the burly man was in charge.

“They seemed like they were afraid of him,” one of the girls said.

The 17-year-old girls did not have a jacket and sat shivering. A boy asked the burly man if he could give her his coat and the man reportedly said, “Don’t be a hero,” He kept his coat.

Three of the eight youths were Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese and they said that got the attention of the burly man, who kept talking about his life “fighting for my country” in Vietnam.

When they walked through what they said was a partially open gate with no visible “no trespassing” signs, they were ordered to hit the ground.

“Freeze m…., or I’ll blow your f… head off. I’ll slit your f… throats,” said the man, according to the youths.

He allegedly put a gun to the head of one of the Asians, who was now on his knees, called him a “gook” and threatened to blow his head off. Witnesses heard a shot. It was apparently into the ground.

The teen-agers said the burly man talked of Vietnam and patriotism inside the lodge and told them, “You all look like Vietnamese to me. You mean nothing to me.”

When sheriff’s deputies arrived, the man started rambling to them about this being like troops in Vietnam and “about police powers in the war.”

A 17-year-old girl from Smithfield was among 30 or so teenagers who, not knowing what happened earlier that day, tiptoed onto the grounds of St. Anne’s late Friday night. Before she was brought to her knees in an empty pool with the others, handcuffed and tied neck-to-neck with rope, she was allegedly fondled.

Her father said today the family is arranging therapy for his daughter through the LDS Church.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 2773842 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> By Ryan Robb Oliver
Staff writer

The 911 call John Jeppson made from Zanavoo Restaurant & Lodge around 10:30 p.m. Friday when he reported that a group of kids had trespassed at St. Anne’s Retreat revealed a man on a mission to end vandalism at the site.

Jeppson is the lead watchman who handcuffed and wrapped cord around the necks of two groups of teen-agers and young adults early Friday morning and Friday night. The trespassers claimed Jeppson and two other men yelled death threats at them and fired shotgun shells above one person’s head and near the feet of another. The two other men with Jeppson have been identified as Arthur Peasnall and Chris Doerr, Jeppson’s son-in-law, both of Tooele County.

On the 911 recording, Jeppson calmly tells a Cache County dispatcher about the trespassers bound in the retreat’s swimming pool.

The dispatcher sounds shocked as she gears what Jeppson tells her. Jeppson loses his cool with the dispatcher and raises his voice near the end of the three and a quarter minute all when she incredulously repeats what he says.

When Jeppson is put on hold, he talks bitterly with one or more men at Zanavoo Lodge about his frustration with students vandalizing the property he’s tending.

He also brings up an incident involving Nick Chournos’ son where he implies that trespassers caused his death. Chournos is a sheep rancher from Tremonton.

Tremonton Police Chief Steve Hodges said Chournos’ 52-year-old son, John, committed suicide in 1992, that he would kill himself,” but it was unrelated to trespassers.

“This was a family problem,” Hodges said. “He was having a lot of emotional problems at the time.”
Hodges noted that John’s wife, who never took the suicide well, has claimed that Tremonton Police shot her husband. “She’s never been able to believe that he would kill himself.”

Jeppson also said on the tape that the St. Anne’s Retreat trespassers he detained Friday night had something to do with the earlier group of eight people he detained when they threw eggs on the property. Although, it was later determined these were two separate groups.

Cache County Sheriff Lynn Nelson said Jeppson was interviewed by his office on Monday. Jeppson thought he had a right to do a lot of what he did Friday night, Nelson said.

“He has a lot of really different views on things,” Nelson said.

But the law does allow for some of the things he did, the sheriff explained. People protecting property are given a considerable amount of latitude, he said.

Nelson said Wednesday night he and Cache County Attorney Scott Wyatt spoke with more than a dozen parents of victims in the Friday incidents.

The meeting was closed to the news media. Wyatt said afterward that he wanted to answer their questions about the case, but there were too many parents with questions to talk to individually.

Charges against Jeppson and the two other men could be filed as early as today, he said.

When asked for his reaction to the 911 recording, Nelson said “I think it’s pretty consistent with what we’ve anticipated.

“I think he thought all along he was defending his property,” he said. “He was scared of these kids. He viewed them as a danger to himself.”

Transcript:
Jeppson-Well, we’ve got at least a bus load of them.
(delay)
Jeppson-(inaudible)…to stop ripping people’s property apart-steal shit, you know?
(Dispatcher returns to the line)
Dispatcher-John
Jeppson-Yes?
Dispatcher-We’re getting a hold of a deputy. Who have you got up there with the juveniles?
Jeppson-I have two of my men.
Dispatcher-Two men. And you said you got fifty-five zero-right?
Jeppson-Five zero.
(Dispatcher breaths a slight, bewildered and incredulous laugh.)
Jeppson-Very, very close to that number. I don’t know. I didn’t take a head count. They are all handcuffed, and they’ve all got cords around their neck.
Dispatcher-Around their necks?
Jeppson-Yes, they’re on their knees in the swimming pool.
Dispatcher-You got them on their knees in a swimming pool?
Jeppson-(sounding defensive and raising his voice) Hey!
Dispatcher-I’m just…
Jeppson--This is on private property!
Dispatcher-John.
Jeppson-Do you understand that?
Dispatcher-I understand that, but I’m trying to get this information, OK?
Jeppson-Yes.
(A phone line rings at the dispatch center.)
Dispatcher-Now hold on one moment please.
(Dispatcher puts Jeppson back on hold.)
Jeppson-Damn dispatcher, where are you?
(While on hold, Jeppson talks to another or the same unidentified man.)
Jeppson-By the time the goddamn high school gets done with that place it’ll be nothing but powder.
Unidentified man-(speaking in the background)-Let their f--- parents believe they don’t do anything wrong. (He or another man continues to talk, but his remarks are inaudible.)
Jeppson-And like sophomores shoot them dead if you want. Nick Chournos does. Nick Chournos pussy-footed around with some people like this and got his son killed. And now he don’t pussy-foot. He hunts them in his…
(Dispatcher comes back on-line and cuts him off.)
Dispatcher-Hey John.
Jeppson-Yes?
Dispatcher-I’ve got ofoficers on their way. Do you want them to meet you at Zanavoo or do you want them to…
Jeppson-At St. Anne’s Retreat.
Dispatcher-OK.
Jeppson-Three-tenths of a mile past Preston Valley Campground.
Dispatcher-They know where it’s at. They’re on their way, OK?
Jeppson-I’ll be waiting.
Dispatcher-Bye bye…]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 1923197 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> By Ryan Robb Oliver
Staff writer

Charges were filed this morning against the three watchmen accused of terrorizing two groups of trespassers at St. Anne’s Retreat on Oct. 10.

By noon, Cache County Attorney Scott Wyatt also announced trespassing charges against the 38 juveniles and young adults were dropped.

He said the decision to drop the charges came fr om the property owners, who were sympathetic to the what [sic] the trespassers said happened to them Friday at the hands of the watchmen.

John Jeppson, Arthur Peasnall and Jeppson’s son-in-law, Christopher Doerr, have each been charged with six counts of aggravated assault.

Aggravated assault is a third degree felony, and each count is punishable by up to five years in jail.

“the basis for the charges is that the actions alleged far exceeded the authority granted to the gunmen by state law and the property owners,” said Wyatt, who filed this morning’s charges.

On Oct. 10, 38 teen-agers and young adults were roped around the neck, handcuffed and forced to kneel in the retreat’s swimming pool when they were captured by the three shotgun wielding men for trespassing on the property. The trespassers claimed the men fired shotguns near them, and that the men threatened to kill them. One teen-ager said he was knocked unconscious and another claimed she was fondled.

Cache County Sheriff Lynn Nelson said he will be putting together a warrant for the arrest of the three men today. He said he didn’t yet know when or where the men would be arrested, but he said there’s a possibility they may turn themselves in.

Commentary
‘…the stuff heroes are made of’

Editor’s note: Jake Jeppson [Jeppsen], older brother of John Jeppson [Jeppsen], the man accused of terrorizing Cache Valley teen-agers in two incidents at the former St. Anne’s retreat in Logan Canyon, has written the following commentary in defense of his brother. Jake Jeppson [Jeppsen] is a Brigham City resident employed at the Utah State University physical plant. His book of cowboy prose and poetry, “Give My Love to the Children,” is on file at USU Special Collections.

By Jake Jeppson

I am writing this as an answer to the recent articles and reports in the local media concerning my brother, John Jeppsen, who is the lead watchman at St. Anne’s Retreat.

I feel it’s necessary to bring out some facts that have not been mentioned, and to say something about circumstances involved.

1. It is my understanding that the shotgun shells which John had were loaded with rock salt. Years ago these were used for raiders of melon patches, hen houses, private outhouses or stray dogs. These to sting severely, not kill.

2. A great to-do was made about the fellow that was knocked unconscious. Nothing is said about him coming up behind John to jump him during the arrests. John was an Airborne Ranger in Europe. Rangers are one of three groups of America’s finest fighting men. John was not, nor is he, a Vietnam vet (with mental and emotional problems), as earlier articles implied.

3. Emotions? Name me as any man anywhere who would not be wound tight while arresting 38 people as big as himself in the darkness or poor light, alone, in Logan Canyon at that time of day? Especially in view of the monetary value of property damage at the site and the later made threats which I know were made.

4. Nothing has been said about the threats made against John; i.e. “We’re coming back to get you.”

5. There are inconsistencies in the young people’s stories. The Herald Journal stories say the trespassers were arrested just inside the gate. An article in the Statesman quotes a young man as saying “just as he jumped down into the empty pool.” Another was that the fellow who was knocked out was struck with a billy club. That man was struck with a bullstroke (military term), from the shotgun butt as he attempted to jump on John’s back. In other words, John did his job (a tough one) and got the attacker before he could get him.

6. The rope and knots are a tool to contain and retain prisoners as taught to the Airborne Rangers. The knot is not a “slip-knot” nor a “hangman’s knot” as implied. It is a knot like the “bowline” used to tie boats or tie a horse “expressly) because the knot will not slip. The loop is tied loosely or semi-loosely as needed to hold.

7. The owner of the property says he was “allowing John to stay there.” As if John was some homeless poor soul. John may have been staying there as part of their agreement, but he has a beautiful wife who is a fine woman, with whom he lives and they live with and care for our mother who is convalescing from a broken hip and joint replacement. The home they are living in is a very neat, clean and modern brick home in Providence with several bedrooms.

Now about the vandalism which is occurring all over our area. I was on top of Logan Canyon yesterday and stopped to use the public restrooms near Peter Sinks. On the older building the door had been totally ripped off and destroyed. There were unspeakable things which had been done inside and outside the restrooms. This is common all over now.

Several years ago there was a movie made called Walking Tall. It was a true story about a sheriff down south who was man enough to take on a corrupt system and individuals with his famous pick handle. He became a national hero. Two or three movies were made about his life.

Then there are the Rooster Cogburns and Big Jake’s of John Wayne. We cheer these men, yet seek to destroy a man who is striving to do his job and enforce the right of property owners to have their property be secure.

In Salt Lake City yesterday, a police officer was acquitted for shooting a dog while he was jogging. The owners were allowing it to run loose and get in trouble. Needless to say isn’t it lucky we don’t have such a law for kids and parents who cannot control their children and are embarrassed at the stunts they pull. I know, I have six of my own, two step-children and 22 grandchildren. Some of the finest people I know are also sharing this problem.

A remark was made in a commentary about the legends of St. Anne’s retreat, that a certain prominent attorney said he used to go up there when he was a kid, too. I don’t care if it was Thomas Jefferson, would that make breaking the law right? Or trespassing/vandalism?

John may not have done everything perfect, but who could under such conditions.

In my mind, John is a fine man, made of the stuff heroes are made of. If you think not-you try arresting 30 hell-raising young adults in the dark, lonely, middle of the night.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 1157046 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]>
To the editor:
Once again I read the Herald Journal and find myself disgusted with some of the “prominent members of the local community!” Isn’t it sad that we taxpayers employ a dedicated police force to protect us and even though it may mean the loss of their own lives, they are willing and eager to serve only to have an officer of the court tell the public on the front page that the crime is approved by her because she did it to [too].

Ms. Demler, I am one of those “middle aged” “old -time Cache residents” that you’re laying bets on, and you’re not a winner! Not only did I not violate the property rights of St. Anne’s, but the group of friends I ran with didn’t either. Most of us were to [too] busy working to have the time for such nonsense, not to mention the fact that we were raised such that we didn’t go looking for trouble. I thank God every day for the hard-working, valiant, honest parents that taught me right from wrong! Not only did they teach me to respect others property rights but that we as fellow residents have a responsibility to watch over and protect our neighbor’s property rights.

I don’t condone the extent to which the guards allegedly carried out their duties, for which I am sure they are going to pay. However, Deputy Stauffer was correct when he stated that the trespass through posted fences and gates has been underplayed. “Obviously, someone didn’t want them on their property” was made very evident by the property owner. These teen-agers are all old enough to have known before hand that this was wrong, yet they chose to jump into the fire anyway. This time the fire was hot and they got burned. They should receive there [their] proper justice as will the guards. As the old saying goes “kids will be kids.” We can hold no malice towards them as they learn from their mistakes, but they must learn.

You, Ms. Demler, are a totally different case! You are supposed to be an educated officer of the court. The fact that you condone a crime that over time has cost a property owner more that [than] $1000,000 really rubs a saddle sore! Maybe if the $100,000 damage was to your house you would feel differently. We as parents need all the help we can get to raise teen-agers in this corrupt world. How do we explain to our teen-agers the consequences for violating the moral law, which includes honesty, or the civil law when an attorney at law justifies a crime because it was just for thrills? Isn’t that why Ted Bundy raped and murdered women? I know that attorney’s [attorneys] make their living from gray areas, but that fence and those signs were very black and white.

Ms. Demler, I’ve checked my records and neither I nor my business have ever hired you, so please refrain from speaking for “everybody” who is an “old time Cache resident.” This old-timer likes to speak for himself.

Reed Wallentine
Lewiston]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 1226209 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> By Michael R. Weibel
Staff writer

Most people who responded to a Herald Journal telephone survey Monday night said trespassing charges should have been filed against a group of teen-agers who were caught at St. Anne’s Retreat on Oct. 10.

The newspaper’s voice mail system was so overwhelmed by the volume of calls that many people who wanted to respond to the non-scientific poll were cut off and couldn’t leave a message

Cache County Attorney Scott Wyatt announced Friday that charges would not be filed against 38 youths who were caught trespassing in two separate incidents at the Logan Canyon retreat. On the same day, Wyatt filed assault charges against the retreat’s caretaker, John Jeppson, and two assistants for their alleged actions while detaining the youths.

Of the 50 or so comments that did get recorded in The Herald Journal survey, most people said a bad message is being sent to local youths-that they can get away with breaking the law.

Micala Jensen of Providence, for example, said, “I was appalled to see that the charges were dropped against the students, the young adults who were there. I think that tells the rest of the kids that they don’t have to respect other people’s property, and it sends a message out to everyone else that you can get off, that those laws are made to be broken.”

Cindy Jackman of North Logan said she’s not sure the caretakers’ actions were appropriate or whether they should be prosecuted. But “I do know that the teen-agers trespassed, and that’s against the law. It was posted, it was an obvious thing that they were trespassing with barbed wire and everything there. And the teen-agers have been not charged. I think that’s very wrong. That sends a message that if teen-agers just want to go have fun…it’s OK to break the law.”

Gary Denton of Lewiston said, “I think the charges against the teen-agers should not have been dropped. I think they need to be accountable for their actions. … I think teen-agers nowadays get away with way too much. They get their hands slapped for doing what adults would be fined or put in jail for.

“I think it’s time they own up to their wrongdoings,” he said.

Some respondents said they appreciated the commentary by Jeppson’s brother, adding that they believe the newspaper has not balanced its coverage with Jeppson’s side of the story.

Cindy Miller of Providence, for example, said, “I feel what has taken place has been poorly represented by the media. I feel that Mr. Jeppson’s point of view has not been given fair time.”

Herald Journal reporters have tried unsuccessfully to contact Jejppson for his comments.

Nate Steele had a personal perspective on the incident.

“I was up there Friday night. I was probably the second person in the gate. I would just like to say, under no circumstances should this man be looked upon as a hero. What he did was wrong. He crossed the line. In fact, he drove about 10 miles past the line.”

The trespassers accused the three watchmen of tying them together by their necks, handcuffing them and holding them at gunpoint in a swimming pool in two separate episodes Oct. 10. The mostly teen-aged victims said their lives were threatened, shotguns were fired near them, and one female said Jeppson felt her up.

“I don’t understand why people are trying to justify what he did,” Steele said. “The only way I can see why is because they weren’t up there. They don’t know exactly what happened. I think the only people that can make an educated decision on what happened and have an educated opinion on what happened would be the people who were up there. We are the only ones that know exactly what happened.

“I don’t think this man was a hero,” he added. “I have trouble looking at this man and saying he is human. He was given an ounce of power, an ounce of authority, and took it from that ounce and made it into something much more than it was. He crossed the line and people need to see that.”

But Jeff Hansen of Logan said he knows what Jeppson was facing.

“I own a piece of property up Logan Canyon and my place gets vandalized at least once a year,” he said. “And I feel I have the right to protect my property, and I think it’s just a bad deal to let those ids off. I eel if you let those kids off, the young adults, we should let the guards off on the charges that were filed against them. What’s fair is fair.

“I think the kids that were involved in that should be prosecuted for trespassing,” Hansen said. “I always felt that trespassing was a serious offense, not a mild offense. If they hadn’t been there, nobody would have been able to rough them up. I don’t feel the guards have done anything wrong. I feel they had every right to protect that piece of property. Every right…those young adults were totally in the wrong.”


Comment sampler

Kathy Edwards, North Logan
I think the teens’ accusations, if they are true, that that man who was up there is not a hero, but maybe some sort of overzealous man wielding a gun that was trying to injure children. And they are minors. He has no business doing that. And if that’s what he wanted to do, he’s no better than any of those guys who go out and shoot people in the post offices and anywhere else. Also, the charges against the teen-agers that have been dropped, probably a very smart thing to do in terms of what can happen to the county in regards to lawsuits and whatever else the families could do. He had no right to do what he did, and I would surely hope that cache county people do not honor him as a hero.

Tami Johnson, Benson
I feel the young adults, not children, gave up their rights as soon as they knowingly and willingly crossed the no-trespassing property line. They chose to break the law, setting in motion the consequences they received. If they had chosen to obey the law, nothing would have happened to them. There would be no “overboard,” your word, treatment. I feel that the trespassing was seriously under-stressed in the media coverage. The young adults were the criminals, not the victims. Stop and think, pretend you live in a high crime area. Trespassing and vandalism are crimes. It’s late at night, its [it’s] around midnight, suddenly a large group of people break in. I mean what are you supposed to do? Welcome them with open arms and who them the best places to vandalize?

No matter how the young adults were treated, they were the guilty party. They were the catalyst. The charges against them should not have been dropped.

Cindy Hamilton, Smithfield
After seeing these kids on TV and in the paper, they all seem to be smiling and happy and thinking what they did was pretty neat. They got all this attention. But they seemed to have forgotten they trespassed. They went through gates that were barbed wired and chained and had no-trespassing signs. And they did something wrong. Also, the guards went overboard, but the kids don’t seem to have any comprehension that they also were at fault and should not have been up there. I hope that since their charges were dropped their parents will help them realize the part they played in it. If they hadn’t been up there, nothing would have happened to them.

Jeff Watkins, Newton
All of those ten-agers caught trespassing on that land should not have the charges dropped against them. They should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Had nobody bene there, there’s a very likely probability that those teen-agers would have continued on the vandalism that’s been going on. The three officers who protected the property perhaps engaged in some extreme activities and they could be charged for some of the things they do, but they should not be charged for everything. They were trying to protect property against vandalism.

Larry Winborg
I think that he, if these allegations against these three men are true, then they went way overboard. They should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. In no way are they heroes to treat people, any people, like that, especially young impressionable people. If their purpose was to keep them out of there, then they should have just said, “I’m sorry but you can’t come in here.” They should have called the sheriff at that point if they didn’t’ leave. But to take them in there and hold them captive and do all the things that they did to them, and abuse them both verbally and physically was absolutely wrong.

Steve Brown
Supposedly he was hired as a maintenance man, not as a security guard. I have no problem that he felt like he was doing the right thing. But when someone does a job that they’re not trained for, there’s bound to be problems. The teens were trespassing and should not have been there. But trespassing is not punishable by torture or death.

For the man that thinks the teens should have lost all their rights when they were trespassing, I hope for your sake the next time you’re speeding on the freeway the person next to you with a loaded gun doesn’t have the same views as you.

…We don’t need to take the law into our own hands. Two wrongs don’t make a right.

Jean Kennedy, Smithfield
The fact that the charges against the teen-agers have been dropped is further evidence of how we are absolving our young people of responsibility. I think it’s wrong to absolve those tee-agers of any responsibility. And if the property owners don’t press charges, the county should. These kids were willfully disobeying the law, and in a very large group. What would any homeowner think if their property were descended upon en mass by a group of teens in the middle of the night. The Herald Journal does the community a disservice by constant labeling the adults as watchmen, a derogatory term, and a group of trespassers as kids. I believe the adults in this story may have been a bit overzealous in their actions. But the fact is they were within their rights, and the trespassers were not. Keep in mind also that no one was hurt in this scenario and the men immediately report it to the proper authorities. Supposedly, those kids went there to get scared, and when they did, they ended up whining to ma and pa. I think The Herald Journal reporting in this matter has been extremely biased, and I think the only reason these kids are being absolved of guilt is that they are white. Image your change of heart if the watchmen had reported a bunch of Hispanic or Tongan youths. Suddenly those watchmen would be heroes in your eyes and the kids would be a gang, wouldn’t they? Wake up, Herald Journal, you’re too entrenched to see beyond the end of your noses.

Ken Daniel, Smithfield
The charges against the teen-agers should not have been dropped, and I think Joe Blow citizen has to take a stand against vandalism regardless of where it is. If we don’t do that, it will only get worse.

Walt Appel
It seems to me that there’d be no problem if the kids hadn’t trespassed. The whole incident was started by kids breaking the law. And they whole be held responsible for it and charged for it. That’s part of being responsible. What have we taught them as a society if we don’t hold them responsible for their actions-that they can do anything and get away with it?

Another point, Jeppson is being charged with going overboard. However, take a look at it from his point of view. He was outnumbered and he was attacked by one of the kids. Didn’t he have a right to defend himself? Didn’t he have a right to do what he did thinking that there wasn’t any help around?

Another thing, the kids were looking for a thrill. Boy, they sure got it, didn’t they? Perhaps, if they had gone to a park and paid for it, they would have appreciated that s care more. There’s people in this world that pay a lot of money to get that kind of adrenalin rush.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 1518245 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> By Scott Wyatt
Cache County attorney

“As I see it, there is only one person who should have authority to initiate and terminate prosecution of a property crime such as trespass. That one person…is the owner of the property.”

Over the past few days, I’ve received several calls from various people questioning why I would “let the kids off” by dismissing the trespassing charges that were brought against them. I hope to clarify some confusion as to why the charges were dismissed.

As I see it, there is only one person who should have authority to initiate and terminate prosecution of a property crime such as trespass. That one person (or persons) is the owner of the property. In a time when we are becoming ever more aware and concerned about individual property rights, it would be an unfortunate state of affairs to see a governmental official, like me, or other community members usurp the landowner’s authority to make these critical personal decisions about his or her land.

When the owners of St. Anne’s retreat called and requested that I drop the trespass charges that were brought against the kids, I felt duty-bound to respect their rights in their property and honor their request. I dismissed the charges. As the elected prosecutor, whose duty it is to serve the public, I, and my staff, will continue to vigorously prosecute appropriate trespassing cases (that are supported by laws and the evidence) when requested by the landowner, and I will also continue to decline to prosecute cases when the owner does not want the matter pursued in court.

There has also been some confusion as to what these kids were actually charged with. They were not charged with intending to damage property or vandalism as there is no evidence of that. They were charged with simple criminal trespass, which means nothing more than they crossed a fence or other enclosure designed to keep them out or they passed a no trespassing sign.

I would like to get back to the question of “letting the kids off.” Forgive me, in this case, for being somewhat of an optimist. But, I like to hope that, despite the owner’s insistence that I not pursue criminal charges, the kids are not necessarily “getting off.” Juvenile court is obviously not the only means of correction for our youth. The primary source of discipline for our kids is good parents. I have personally met with most of the parents of the kids involved in the St. Anne’s event and believe all of them to be good parents who are doing their best to help their kids grow up to become honorable adults. These parents understand the seriousness of what their kids did and are working to discipline and teach their kids with respect to this incident. These kids are generally good kids, and I believe they will respond to this event and their parents’ teaching in a positive matter.

I’m not sure there is much value in attempting to second guess the basis for the owners ‘decision to not have the kids prosecuted. They told me they were concerned that the three men who confronted the kids went beyond their authority and good judgement and that the kids had more than paid the price for their trespass. I respect the decision based on their compassion toward these ids and, based on reports I’ve received from some of the concerned parents, believe that their assessment might just be true.

For the benefit of the owners of St. Anne’s retreat and the owners of other cabins and property in this county let me end this letter with a plea. Young men and women-please consider the plight of the owners of St. Anne’s and other cabins. After spending considerable sums of money and time to purchase and improve recreation property for their families’ enjoyment, they have difficulty finding pleasure in it. Vandalism continues to “nickel and dime” cabin owners to death. In the case of St. Anne’s retreat, vandalism to the extent of almost $100,000 over the past several years. Hundreds of small acts of vandalism, a broken window here, a busted door there, and on and on, add up to extraordinary sums of money.

The owners’ decision to drop the charges here is based on specific concerns about how these kids were treated by the “watchman.” Charges brought against the next group of kids who trespass will not be dropped. Please understand this-I can give you names of people my office prosecuted who were sent to the Point of the Mountain and are currently serving time in prison for vandalism and thefts they committed in cabins in Logan Canyon. We aggressively prosecute these cases and will continue to do so when requested by the owners.

But threats should not be necessary to motivate considerate people. Each of us should make decisions to keep off others property out of respect for their rights rather than fear of prosecution and punishment. These frustrations that owners of cabins have are no different than the concerns of farmers who are constantly rebuilding their fences and suffering other damages from sportsmen and others-or the concerns of people who have storage sheds, cars, houses, bikes or anything else of value. We all own something we don’t want damaged or destroyed by others.

The historical buildings and grounds at St. Anne’s retreat are beautiful and irreplaceable; please leave them alone. Some trespassers might say, “but, I didn’t hurt anything, I just walked through.” Don’t kid yourself, even wandering through the retreat destroys the owners’ quiet enjoyment. Please respect their rights.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 1961975 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]>
To the editor:
After reading the article on the 30-plus teen-agers that had trespassed on private property in Logan Canyon, we felt compelled to present our view of a hitherto unspoken portion of this alleged violent occurrence.

The purpose of “law” is to protect the rights of the citizenry. The first principle of all law does not compel performance. Quite to the contrary, law prohibits performance. “Do not speed, Do not ill, Do not covet.” I fail to see the action of the watchmen as being as reprehensible, as we have been led to believe.

Where do the parents stand on the issue of their children breaking the law? Does this issue take a back seat because someone held these young adults accountable for their actions?

I have not read one iota of evidence where the watchmen werw outside this private property inviting anyone in. These teen-agers knew that they were trespassing, yet because they were caught and held for the police the watchmen are the ones in the public hot seat.

If my teen-ager had been among those involved, I would have been just as outraged as those parents, but at my teen-ager, not the watchmen. We, as parents, have a God-given responsibility to teach our children to respect other people’s rights, such as obeying the law and being good citizens.

Also to Mr. Chambers, Logan attorney, to teach your children that being frisked or emotionally distressed by our “now” teen-agers taking guns, knives and explosives to schools, churches, etc. The idea of making the perpetrator the victim and the watchmen the villains appears typical of jurisprudence today. Do we even need to wonder why our social structure is breaking down?

Susan Walker
Wellsville

Youths could have prevented incident

To the editor:
When we first picked up the paper and read where we could leave a message for you between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., we found your “mailbox” was full, so we decided to leave this at your office.

Incidentally, we do not know any of the parties involved in this Logan Canyon incident, so we have no preconceived notions because of any friendships.

We would expect our community to hold people accountable for their actions. Although the caretaker definitely overreacted, if the story as reported was accurate, but one must realize this would have never occurred had the youths involved not been breaking the law in the first place. We feel the youths should be required to perform some form of public service to make up for their actions, which initially caused the problem.

A reprimand to the caretaker is all that should be required, as he probably handled it the way he thought best to control the crowd which had him overwhelmed.

Monte and Eunice Merrill
Logan]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 858858 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]>
Newspaper hasn’t told whole story
To the editor:
It was with disbelief that I read the first article of the incident at St. Anne’s retreat. Who were these guardsmen, and what were they protecting?

My mind began to wander. Was it a drug ring? Were they members of some militia movement?

My disbelief quickly turned to disgust after watching the local news reports. Wait a minute! We haven’t heard the whole story. And isn’t that a reporter’s job? To get the story? The whole story?

You gleefully told us in great detail the accusations made by the teen-agers, while glossing over the fact that they were knowingly and willingly breaking the law. They didn’t just stumble across private property. Every single one of them knew as they were climbing through tall, locked chain-linked fences topped with razor wire and huge signs clearly stating “No Trespassing” that they were breaking the law.

Funny how the other side of the story is coming, not from your reporters, but by editorials and letters to the editor. Somebody at the Herald Journal is not doing their job!

The teen-agers and their parents were quick to whine and run to the press when they felt their rights had been violated. They failed to mention the actual “prank” or the “criminal act,” as it should appropriately be called, they were about to inflict on the property, its owners and the guardsmen that surely wo7uld have violated their rights!

The parents of these teen-agers have obviously failed to teach them right from wrong and the difference between “having fun” and breaking the law.

Maybe that comes from the attitudes expressed by some of these parents downplaying their children’s involvement by calling it a “prank.”

Some of these parents participated in similar “pranks” while they were in their youth. Perhaps if these same parents had been held accountable and taught the seriousness of their actions back then they wouldn’t be downplaying their children’s actions today.

Quit treating these teen-agers like they are the victims, or worse, like they’re the heroes. They haven’t done anything heroic.

I cannot condemn or condone the actions of these guardsmen. I can only imagine how I would have reacted to having 38 people breaking and entering my home in the middle of the night.

Stopping and detaining them would be a challenge. How does one do that? We do have the right in this country to protect our lives and our property. Thank goodness no one was killed.

It is ironic that the guardsmen will be legally responsible for the choices they made that night, while the teen-agers, who knowingly made the choice to break the law, are set free with no accountability whatsoever. I guess whining really does pay.

And now a suggestion to those teen-agers who were involved. Unfortunately, the charges against you were dropped. But if you would like to right those wrongs started by you, how about returning to St. Anne’s retreat, legally this time, and putting in some hours of community service repairing the damage inflicted on that property over the last couple of decades.

Maybe then this whole awful, scary and upsetting incident will be put to rest on a positive note.

Cindy Thompson
Logan

Incident a black eye for law enforcement

To the editor:
This incident in the canyon really put a black eye on some of the Sheriff Department (deputies) for their handling of the situation. Some of our friends say maybe they’d better take a refresher course at training school so they know whom and when to arrest.

Look at the scenario, police called, on arrival they find crying teens, ropes around their necks, handcuffed, with men standing over them with guns and knives, a definite hostage situation, same thing as the night before. So arrest the hostages, charge them with criminal trespassing.

Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Men with guns arrested and taken into custody and the names of the teens taken. Did they have a problem identifying the criminals? Or, as quite a few people are now suggesting, buddies of some officers?

But they go to church, one report said, fine, upstanding men. Tell me about it!

Charges should not be so hard to find. Child molesting, child abuse, death threats, kidnapping (because some of these young people had not entered the gate but were forced to enter, guns held to their heads).

If no action is taken against these men, consider what a dangerous precedent it sets. When you go to hunt, fish, hike, picnic, Halloween, some crazed landowner with a no-trespass sign could terrorize you. But maybe if such a thing happens, the right people will be arrested, charged and prosecuted.

If $100,000 damage had been done by vandals, as claimed by the owner, nothing would be left worth guarding, especially with guns, because it was stated they only paid $120,000 in the first place. How easy to justify their actions and shirk responsibility for this terror on young people.

Blame the young people for things they did not do and classify all of them as destructive and bad. These young people who came there Friday night are good, decent kids. They did not destroy his property and did not deserve the crazed treatment they received at the hands of some morons and at the hands of officers who were supposed to be in control of the situation.

I read the sheriff is trying hard to determine if these groups of frightened young people had threatened the lives of the gun-toting men. Come on, get real.

Faye Johnson
Benson

Guards roughed up by zealous media

To the editor:
The recent incident at St. Anne’s retreat brought to mind problems my husband and I endured with some youthful trespassers when we were first married.

A group of neighborhood kids continuously climbed the apple tree in our back yard and ascended to the roof of our house. They considered it their private playground. They would run around there having a grand dime until discovered.

Our pleadings, threatenings and entreatings that they could get hurt or cause damage to our roof fell on deaf ears. Their response was, “But where will we play?”

There was a public park within a block of our home with a fine playground. So the issue wasn’t really where could they play, but where else could they find excitement, danger and challenge doing something they shouldn’t, while trying to avoid getting caught?

Finally we did the only thing we could do to salvage our sanity, the roof and to keep someone’s child from ultimate serious injury. We cut down the tree. It shouldn’t have had to be.

The father of one of the “St. Anne’s 30” was reported to have said during TV coverage that if the owners wanted to keep the kids out, they could have found a better way. And what, pray tell, wo uld have been a better way? An electric fence, vicious guard dogs or land mines?

Although I can’t recommend all the actions taken by the guards, I can certainly understand their frustrations. With determined trespassers making it difficult for the caretaker to fulfill his responsibilities, and with previous vandalism and threats, can’t we understand his trepidation when 30 trespassers (the age of North Korean soldiers in my husband’s war) penetrated the security fence at 10 p.m. How are those guards to know if these night invaders onto private property were intent only on “having fun?”

These trespassers could have learned a valuable lesson concerning the law: “Want the consequences of what you want.” The incident could have been an effective deterrent for future lawbreaking fun-seekers. Instead, all charges against the teens, have now reportedly been dropped, eliminating those consequences for their actions.

Once the guards have been thoroughly manhandled by a zealous media and by a legal system seeking to appease angry parents, local floodgates will be opened, not just at St. Anne’s, but everywhere. IT’s going to take more than “No Trespassing” signs to stem the tide of disrespect for law and property.

If special consideration is to be given to trespassing teens seeking fun at someone else’s expense, then shouldn’t special consideration also be given to guards who reacted in the performance of duty to extenuating circumstances resulting from an incident they did not precipitate?

Janice H. Keeler
Nibley]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 1015530 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]>
To the editor:
There have been many thought-provoking letters and commentaries written concerning the Logan Canyon incident. I learned a little of the history of St. Anne’s and why it was sold, and feel sad that it does not speak well for our community that the Catholic Church was forced to sell its property because of the treatment received at the hands of Cache Valley youths.

If adults in this valley were involved in trespassing in their youth, maybe they should not tell anyone or at least express regret and teach their children to have respect for other people’s property. I feel it shows a lack of maturity when adults tell young people things they did that were wrong: it’s like “I did it and I turned out OK, so you do it too”

I am sure there are two sides to this problem, no one really knows what happened up there except the young people and the watchmen. (even the second guy at the gate doesn’t know.) Those watchmen called 911 as soon as they got the 30-plus youth contained.

If they had meant to harm them, they could have kept them for as long as they wanted to instead of turning them over to authorities. Those guards were very probably tired of young people coming the property and thought a good scare might prevent a recurrence for a while.

If the one girl was touched inappropriately that man should be punished, but if he accidentally touched her then it would be just as wrong to accuse him of such a horrible thing. (I’m sure no one was too willing to be tied up.) Did even one parent go to the watchmen and ask for t heir side of it before going to the authorities?

None of us has perfect parenting skills, and even if we did that’s no guarantee that our children won’t do things we wish they would not do.

I feel we all can learn some valuable lesson from this incident and know that it could have been one of our own involved. I would hope that the parents and the 30-plus youth would not be made to feel that they have to keep on hanging their heads.

It is hard to let this issue be put to rest because the watchmen have been charged. Maybe it would be good for the community if the parents and the youths were to go to the authorities and ask that the charges against the three watchmen be dropped-especially since the owner of the property saw fit to have the charges against the youth dropped.

Margaret Townsend
Logan]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 586627 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]>
To the editor:
Hero? Mother Teresa was a hero! If this John Wayne wannabe fired his weapon, threatened and hogtied the teens as reported, he should be severely punished.

Although the teen-agers did what teenagers have done since teen-agers were invented, they should not get completely off the hook. Although I doubt that a half dozen weekends of community service will have much impact on the next generation of teens, it couldn’t hurt.

P.S. Harmless rock salt loads can have blinded.

Thom MacAdam
River Heights]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 714835 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]>
To the editor:
I believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But, I would think that before they offered it publicly they would make sure that they were informed on the subject. (I’m speaking to several women who have written recent letters to the editor).

To be informed, you’d have to talk to all involved and get the whole story, not take half statements from the media as the way it really happened. The only ones who have done that are Scott Wyatt, Cache County attorney, and the Sheriff’s Department. That makes them the only ones qualified to make an honest judgement of this vase, which they did.

The thing that people need to understand is yes, these kids did break the law, they trespassed. And they are very sorry and are willing to take their punishment. They have learned great lessons from this experience. Good and bad.

But, because they broke the law, it didn’t give the adults up there the right to break it too. And to a greater extent we are comparing trespassing with no intent to vandalize, with aggravated assault. There is a big difference. (I speak for the second group of kids, as I don’t know any of the first.) In any case, abuse in any form (physical, verbal, mental) will not be tolerated. To say the kids deserved what they got is sick. No one deserves that!

You all can say over and over how you would react. But until it is your daughter being fondled or your son with a gun to his head, his life being threatened, you don’t know! I can guarantee your self righteous ideas will change really fast when it happens.

As for judging and blaming the parents without talking to any of us is wrong. Just because we love our kids and don’t want them harmed doesn’t mean we haven’t’ taught them right from wrong. We do know where they are, whom they’re with, etc. We, also, don’t condone their trespassing as you imply, No, they are not perfect. But neither are we. And, I have to tell you that I was very surprised to see that some of you listed your homes in Cache Valley. For as perfect as you think you are, I would have thought you would have been translated by now.

Let’s hope that this case taught this whole valley a few things. First, to respect the rights of others, both property and constitutional. Second, think before we act. Both youth and adults. Because all actions have consequences, no matter how we rationalize. Third, get the facts and be informed before we make judgements. Because I know there is not one perfect person out there.

Lonetta Brady
Richmond]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 513910 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]>
To the editor:
1. Trespassing, looting and vandalism have a long-term problem at St. Anne’s and other canyon properties.
2. Two groups of teen-agers admittedly trespassed within 24 hours, seeking a thrill as their excuse. They got what they went after.
3. The trespassers initiated the whole affair by their admitted trespassing, the caretaker “reaction” with the background of vandalism in the past was to be expected, but was taken seriously enough for charges to be filed by the county attorney against the caretakers. Their actions will be heard in a court of law.
4. The actions of the caretaker, “if proven to be criminal” do not excuse the trespassers of their illegal behavior. “One can not justify his bad conduct by the bad conduct of another.” The trespassing teen-agers should answer to the laws for their behavior regardless of the caretaker’s actions. They are two separate issues.
5. Our local attorney’s statement, “every teen in Cache Valley” went up to St. Anne’s for the thrill of it, is not true and doesn’t justify the illegal behavior but speaks volumes on her guardianship of law and order.
6. Teen-age drinking, a keg of beer in the canyon and fast driving are all done for the “thrill” but are illegal and not accepted by society.

F. Robert Bryner
Logan]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 856969 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]>
To the editor:
I have followed the articles on the incident at St. Anne’s with some interest. I have been disappointed with people who publicly voice their opinion on a situation of which they cannot know all the details

It is amazing to me that in a community as largely Christian as this one, so many seem anxious to pass judgement on these teen-agers’ families and methods of parenting.

As an “average citizen,” I do not know all that went on that night up Logan canyon. Although we hear and read much, it all must be taken as hearsay, and only those personally involved can possibly know everything.

At first, I was a little disgusted that the young adults involved were not being punished for their crimes. But then I read Scott Wyatt’s report stating that he did not press charges because the property owners did not wish to.

Well, he certainly should be in a position to know. And if the owners did not want to pursue it, that is certainly their choice.

As a parent, I understand that our society seems to be falling apart at times and young people often abuse privileges and assume they are their rights. What I don’t understand is why so many who have written letters to the editor assume that these teens were not taught better by their parents.

Haven’t any of them ever had a child go against their teachings and better judgment? Or have they perhaps been so quick to place blame that they forgot about their own children’s mistakes?

I have also read letters from adults who have admitted that over the years they, too, went up the nunnery, drawn by its lore. And they have turned out to be respectable citizens in their communities now that they are adults.

My point is, as kids are growing up they make stupid decisions and mistakes. That is how we learn and grow.

It doesn’t mean that these children were not taught better or that their parents condone their actions and behavior. It’s just possible that they may still grow to be decent people and, heaven forbid, leaders of our community, and perhaps this experience will have a lasting impression.

We do not know exactly what the guards’ actions were or what may have prompted their behavior, but I can understand that it must have been a frightening experience for all those involved, especially the parents of the youths.

After all, they are adults and understand the implications of how serious and tragic this could have been better than anyone. I hope that the truth will be presented and a fair decision reached, but until then, I, for one, am not going to point a finger at people who are trying to raise their children the best that they can and lame them for mistakes made not by them. They probably have enough to contend with right now.

Cindy Wheeler
Smithfield]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 539056 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]>
John Jeppson, center, walks with Chris Doerr and Arthur Peasnall on 100 North in Logan after leaving his arraignment hearing today. The three men are accused of terrorizing 38 trespassers at the St. Anne’s Retreat in Logan Canyon on Oct. 11. In court, a motion was made to continue the arraignment on Nov. 24. Attorneys for the suspects claimed the state hasn’t released all the evidence yet. The men have not yet entered their pleas.

[By Ryan Robb Oliver/Herald Journal]]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 839061 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> To the editor:

After living here peacefully for over 30 years, for some unknown reason I suddenly find myself the victim of several consecutive nights of harassment and vandalism, including screaming and pounding on the house, outdoor planters upset and damaged, large boulders landing in the driveway, etc. While I have appreciated the quick and professional response of the authorities, I am somewhat baffled by being told by two different government and law enforcement officials that “Tuesday nights are the worst because that’s the night for scouting and other youth activities at the church.” Perhaps because I’m not of the local culture, the connection there escapes me, but what does seem clear is that there must be some parents out there unaware of what their kids are doing, and I appeal to them for help.

Another factor may be the unfortunate message, misinterpreted or not, that seems to have been sent by the recent events at St. Ann’s, that teen-agers can do anything they want without fear of any consequences or accountability. This is not fairly preparing teens for their future in the real world and is definitely a problem for the rest of us in the meantime.

Jerry Benbow
River Heights]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 554198 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]>
To the editor:
Picture if you will, yourself driving down the highway. You are in a hurry. You’re late!

You glance in the rearview mirror and see a flashing red light right behind you, and an officer motioning for you to pull over. You glance at your speedometer and realize you are going 65 mph in an area clearly posted at be 55 mph. You think to yourself … oh my, I am going to get a ticket.

You pull over and wait for the officer to come to your car, making sure during that time you have your license, registration and insurance ID. Much to your astonishment, the officer opens your door with anger and forcefully yanks you out of your seat. He quickly turns you around and pushes you, face first, up against the car. Then he proceeds to angrily handcuff you making sure that the cuffs are good and tight (for they are flex cuffs). He wants to make sure you are truly subdued, so he puts a rope around your neck and attaches it to his steering wheel. He tells you that if you put any pressure on the rope that it will explode and blow your head off.

Fortunately this is a hypothetical situation.

This poor officer has really had a bad day, and his anger has reached the boiling point. He has already had to give 15 citations for speeding in areas that have been clearly marked. Tired of all he has had to put up with, he kicks you in the ribs, and slaps your face. He then proceeds to utter a stream of obscenities. And you say to yourself, is this what happens when you are only speeding.

What does this have to do with the incident at St. Anne’s retreat? Quite a bit. Trespassing and speeding are offenses that are both considered Class C misdemeanors. Neither should be punished by use of deadly force, abuse, or torture. Nor should the offenses be tried and convicted at the scene of the crime. Fortunately we have a justice system to handle that. We also have a justice system in Cache County that is perpetuated by people with a great deal of integrity and morals. We should be extremely grateful for that. Many people seem to think that these young people that trespassed at St. Anne’s should be punished for all the crimes committed at St. Anne’s over the past 40 years. That would be about the same as the judge punishing you for every speeding citation ever issued on that street. They should not be punished for vandalism. Only those guilty of such a crime should.

It may interest you to know that this particular group of 30 young people offered to do a service project for the owner on his property as their way of saying they were sincerely sorry. This offer was made after the charges were dropped. It was something the did not have to do but wanted to. The owner gratefully accepted.

Daily I see in the paper an advertisement entitled. “THERE’S NO EXCUSE FOR ABUSE.” In Cache Valley we have the “Dare” program which reinforces this to our children. We live in a society intelligent enough and well educated enough to realize that making a mistake does not give another person the right to be abusive, whether they are a parent, police officer, teacher or a citizen.

Aileen Lee
Smithfield

Righting the wrongs from a rite of passage

To the editor:
The recent furor over the trespassing at the former St. Anne’s Retreat has given all of us a chance to reflect on past behavior. I read comments from some former Cache Valley teen-agers who implied that this kind of thing was almost a local rite of passage. If this so, I think this is a wonderful opportunity for those who have participated to do some repenting. I think most of us recognize that vandalizing property, and even disturbing the rest of the good sisters, are simply wrong.

If we turn the situation around, and think of our own aunts or mothers going for a much needed vacation on our own property, and being frightened by people prowling outside, we could be quite angry. As grown-ups, I doubt that any of us would contemplate taking part in such an activity. Most of us realize that entering other people’s property without an invitation is wrong, regardless of the time of day, or season of the year. We expect to be in control of who enters our property. We keep sales people on the porch. We tell other people’s kids when it’s time to go home, and we expect them to leave (and they do leave.)

As adults, I expect that some who took part in those activities are feeling some twinges of guilt. May I suggest that those twinges can be alleviated if correct action is taken. Please consider making reparation for the wrongs.

What is a good night’s sleep worth to you? If you’re on a slim budget, you still have to pay about $50 for a motel room for a night. Consider sending a donation in the amount to the local Catholic Diocese. Remember that there were probably a few sisters whose rest was disturbed, and you may wish … more to make full reparation ….]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 635041 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]>
The third and final suspect accused of violently detaining and threatening 38 people at the St. Anne’s retreat on Oct. 10 was arrested Sunday morning.

Arthur Peasnall, 22, of Tooele was taken into custody by Cache County deputy sheriffs. Peasnall is charged with six counts of aggravated assault. He posted $5,000 bail and was released from jail shortly after the arrest.

Two other suspects in the incident, John Jeppson of Pocatello, Idaho, and his son-in-law Chriss Doerr of Tooele County, were arrested last month, and both posted bail.

Jeppson, considered the lead property watchman in the assault, is scheduled to be arraigned in 1st District Court on Nov. 10. Dates have not been set yet for the two other men.

The three men are accused of tying up, threatening and assaulting young people who were caught trespassing at the cabin site in Logan Canyon.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 288621 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]>
To the editor:
The era in which the constitution of our nation was formed was preceded by many abuses against individuals and their property. Because of this, the founding fathers created the Bill of Rights to help define what “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” entailed.

Article 10 deals with the rights of criminals and those accused of crimes. It states: “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”

Several forms of punishments a God-fearing people will always cry out against are: verbal assault (death threats), physical assault and sexual assault. They should not be tolerated even in a parent and child relationship.

I am saddened by the many letters that contend that tie youths who trespassed at St. Anne’s were not entitled to the respect that is due all men, regardless of their crime, because of the sanctity of life which is given at God’s hand. Many have justified their feelings by expressing loyalty to the rights of property owners.”

Let’s remember that the property owners exercised their rights. They pardoned the youths on the grounds of the treatment they had received. I applaud this compassionate attitude. We, as a people, claim that an individual does not have to be tried twice for the same crime. These youths were tried, convicted and punished by individuals, not by a judge and jury; another crime against the form of government we uphold.

Judgements against the parents have been unfair and untrue. I personally know five sets of these parents. If any who have accused them of being unloving and irresponsible lived by them for several months, they would know that nothing is further from the truth. Unfortunately, many judge the character of God by the actions of his children, too.

The greatest tragedy of this incident is not the trespassing or the vandalism (which the youths spotlighted did not commit), but the feelings of self-righeousness [righteousness] and bitterness that have surfaced in the community.

Good parents have been attacked repeatedly, youths have been told they deserve unlawful and immoral treatment, a public servant has been condemned for uploading the rights of the property owners, and a newspaper that has tried hard to help parents protect other people’s children from experiencing similar terror and injustices has been criticized with explosive emotionalism.

When times are hard, the people show their true character. Let’s learn from this and humble ourselves so that future times find us united in brotherly love and upholding the sacred rights God gave us and we are blessed enough to have protected under the laws of our great land.

April Anderson
Amalga

Trespass raises question of values

To the editor:
I moved from California to Logan because I love the area and the values seemed better here. But I was troubled by the incident at St. Anne’s.

The caretakers seem to be the only ones who really learned something from the whole thing. They are being punished and they sure won’t do anything like it again. But what about the kids or their parents?

The kids and parents have not come forward and offered to pay the owners for the damage that has been done by vandalism and breaking and entering at Saint Anne’s. And they have not offered to help in the repairs.

The damage may not have been done by those kids, but that is not my point. I think that paying for the damage and getting involved in the repairs would teach them to value others’ property and to take responsibility.

Richard Primbs
Logan]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 761093 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]>
To the editor:
I was appalled when I read that several carloads of teenagers broke into private property bent on doing mischief. I was appalled when I read that the three guards had to use force to get them removed.

I was appalled when I read how the parents were crying foul and that their sweet children had a few bruises and abrasions due to the rough handling by the guards. And then I was really appalled when I read where the police had caved into the parents and the charges against the teens had been dropped while the guards had to face charges.

Well, that’s America, the land of the guilty and the home of the vandals.

I don’t really blame the teenagers. They obviously haven’t been taught that other people’s property is off-limits. No, it’s not the children I feel angry about, it’s you parents.

What kind of parents are you? Probably you think that because they are your kids whatever they do is all right. Well, it’s not all right. The teenagers broke the law. They invaded someone’s private property bent on mischief.

Today, we worry about gangs, drugs, rape and murder all committed by someone’s kids. Kids who have no respect for the law, just like your kids. Don’t you realize that there is a lesson to be learned from this? Respect the law. Respect the property of others. And respect yourself. If they aren’t taught these lessons at home, where do you think they’ll be taught them [then]?

If they were my kids, I would have been grateful to the guards for this experience. I would hope it scared the kids so they would never consider doing such a thing again. And I would insist that the least the kids do was some community service repairing the vandalism on private property so they could see the work and money that vandalism costs.

And when I got them home, I’d make up for their lack by reinforcing the lesson learned, so they’d never break the law again. But then, I love my kids and I wouldn’t want them to go on to big-time lawbreaking.

Barbara Boman
Logan]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 456715 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> By Ryan Robb Oliver
Staff writer

Additional criminal charges were filed Monday in 1st District Court against three men accused of terrorizing 38 teen-agers and young adults at the St. Anne’s Retreat in Logan Canyon on Oct. 10.

John Jeppson of Pocatello, Idaho, Christopher Doer [Doerr] and Arthur Peasnall, both of Tooele County, were charged with forcible sexual abuse in addition to the six charges of aggravated assault that had been filed against each of them in October.

A preliminary hearing on all seven charges against the three men has been set for Wednesday in 1st District Court.

Cache County Deputy Attorney Don Linton said the latest sex abuse charges stem from an investigation into a statement by one of the teen-agers who said Jeppson had felt her breasts with his hands under her shirt and on top of her bra. Jeppson told police he was checking her for weapons, according to a Cache County sheriff’s report.

The three men were arrested after a sheriff’s investigation determined they had gone too far when they detained eight trespassers at the St. Anne’s property on the morning of Oct. 10 and 30 more trespassers later in the evening.

Then teen-agers and young adults said they went onto the property in search of a Halloween thrill. After entering the gates they said, they were detained by the three men, who were yelling threats and wielding shotguns with flashlights taped to the barrels. In both instances, the trespassers were bound with cords around their necks and handcuffed. The latter group would be placed in an empty swimming pool until deputy sheriffs arrived.
The St. Anne’s Retreat property is owned by four people from outside Cache County. Jeppson was allowed to use it in exchange for helping maintain the grounds.

Cache County Attorney Scott Wyatt has said he doesn’t intend to call all 38 alleged victims to testify in court. Instead, Wyatt said he’ll call a few people to testify on several specific criminal acts that allegedly took place.

A sheriff’s report based on interviews with the trio and the trespassers alleges the following took place that day in addition to the sexual assault:

-Jeppson placed a revolver to one woman’s head, threatened to kill her, moved the gun away from her head and then fired it.

-The three men fired their shotguns at or near the trespassers and threatened to kill them by “blowing their heads off.” Jeppson fired one shot at a tree, which showered several people forced to lie under it with debris. He told them if they didn’t believe that he would kill them, they could look at the 6-inch hole put in the tree.

-One juvenile was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion after he was struck in the head with the butt of a shotgun by one of the men.

-Another juvenile was told to spread her legs while being held at gunpoint and then kicked in the crotch.

-A juvenile was held by her hair by one of the men and had her head yanked back, aggravating a previous spinal condition.

-A male juvenile was punched in the mouth by one of the men holding him at gunpoint.

The three men have since been released on bail from the Cache County Jail. Misdemeanor trespass charges were originally filed against the juveniles and young adults but were later dropped by Wyatt at the request of the property owners.

Wyatt was criticized in the community for dropping the charges by many people who said the actions the three men took were a reasonable and prudent response for dealing with trespassers on a property all too often plagued by vandals.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 737855 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]>
To the editor:
Much has been said about the incident at St. Anne’s retreat concerning the kids and their parents. I am amazed at the number of parents who have commented about this issue, especially those who have done so without all the facts.

The fact is these kids are very good kids and have very good parents and for you to judge them as you have done is unfair. Fact-These kids know they have done wrong and so do the parents. No one “whined” to the authorities to try to get anyone off. The landowners dropped the charges completely on their own for whatever reason they had. In fact, they felt bad for what had happened to them and the landowners have actually met with these kids and their parents and he has commented on what great kids they are.

Fact-The parents only went to the authorities to try and stop these men from continuing this kind of action again, and maybe against your kids. And you can’t convince me that just because you taught them it will prevent your youth from making any mistakes or to grow through their teen-age years being perfect. If so, I want a leaf from your book. If you think we condoned their action you’re completely mistaken.

Fact-The kids showed up around 9, not in the middle of the night as so many of you think. Fact-they showed up in small groups of 2, 4, and 6 not a large group of 30 with intent to do vandalism and attack poor Mr. Jeppson. In their pockets they had gum and chapstick, hardly any attack tools.

Fact-The kids were attacked, some not even on the property yet, and were taken by gunpoint to the pool, tied up etc. You know the rest of the story. This wasn’t a necessary protection tactic, it was a very cruel one that they laughed and joked about. He told them “it was a great adrenaline rush and to run because they would love to shoot their legs off.” If this is proper treatment for citizens to inflect on trespassers, what should we (as citizens) do to other Cache Valley people who speed, beat their children or their wife, or even avoid child support. They also have broken the law and made a mistake. Is it their parents fault (maybe) and should we tie them up and shoot at them? I would hope not.

I think as parents aw need to help offer the youth wholesome activities and not sit around and judge these parents on who has taught their kids the best and most valuable lessons.

Sue Griffin
Newton]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 695549 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> By Ryan Robb Oliver
Staff writer

A bench warrant was issued this morning after a man accused of terrorizing 38 teenagers and young adults at the St. Anne’s Retreat in Logan Canyon failed to appear for his preliminary hearing.

Arthur Peasnall of Tooele County was scheduled to appear at 1st District Court in Logan at 9 this morning. The two other men charged in the case, John Jeppson of Pocatello, Idaho, and Chris Doerr of Tooele County, were present for the hearing, but Judge Clint Judkins continued it until 1:30 this afternoon and ordered a bench warrant issued for Peasnall.

Judkins made his decision at 10:20 a.m. when Peasnall had still not arrived. No one in the court, including his attorney, Arden Lauritzen, could account for his whereabouts.

“Use your contacts in Tooele County and do what you have to do to find him,” Judkins said to Cache County Attorney Scott Wyatt.

Many of the witnesses set to testify at the hearing and their family members expressed displeasure at the delay.

The preliminary hearing is being held for the state to prove it has enough evidence to bring its case against the three men to trial. The men were arrested in October after they tied up and allegedly threatened to kill 38 trespassers on the retreat they were caretaking for. They are also accused of touching the breasts of one juvenile, claiming they were searching her for weapons.

The men are each charged with six counts of aggravated assault and one count of forcible sexual abuse. All three were released from the Cache County Jail shortly after their arrest on $5,000 bail each.

The Herald Journal will have a report on this afternoon’s development in its Thursday edition.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 402589 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> By Ryan Robb Oliver
Staff writer

A packed courtroom of witnesses, family members, deputy sheriffs and reporters listened Wednesday afternoon to the testimony of five people who said they were victims of three men who went too far while protecting a Logan Canyon retreat.

The preliminary hearing in Logan’s 1st District Court had to be delayed into the afternoon because one of the defendants, Arthur Peasnall of Tooele County, failed to show. He was contacted and arrived later, saying he was confused about the hearing date. Testimony in the hearing was expected to continue through most of today.

The three men, Peasnall, John Jeppson of Pocatell9o, Idaho and Christ Doerr of Tooele County, are each charged with six counts of aggravated assault and one count of forcible sexual abuse for violently detaining 38 teen-age and young adult trespassers Oct. 10 at the St. Anne’s Retreat property they were tending.

The 17-year-old Smithfield girl who was allegedly sexually abused said in court that Jeppson felt her buttocks and under her shirt as part of a search for weapons.

“He never checked my jacket.” She said in tears. “He just went up my jacket and shirt.”
Jeppson felt her stomach and her breasts on top of her bra, she said.

The girl said she had come up to the property, a former Catholic retreat rumored to be haunted, with several friends for a Halloween scare, but when she squeezed through the gates she got more than she bargained for.
“We got to the end of the bridge, and this guy came around with a gun and said get down on the f’ing ground,” she said.

She said all three of the men were armed with shotguns with flashlights taped to them, and she said Jeppson fired his gun into a tree to show he was serious.

Like the other victims who came down on the evening of Oct. 10, the girl said her hands were bound by plastic flex cuffs and she was placed into an empty swimming pool until police arrived. All of the trespassers were bound with cords around their necks, which Jeppson allegedly said would detonate and blow their heads off if they moved.

“I felt extremely scared, like something you see in a movie. I didn’t believe it was happening,” she said.
Defense attorney for the three men tried separating their clients from the totality of allegations made by the prosecution’s witnesses. Defenders for Doerr and Peasnall pointed out neither of the two touched the girl. In later testimony, the three defense attorneys would try to separate out who exactly did what, since prosecutors have charged all three men with the same seven crimes.

A Logan boy of Asian descent was a member of the first group of eight people who went to the retreat in the early morning of Oct. 10. The other 30 didn’t arrive at the retreat until the evening of that day.

He testified in a Cache County Jail uniform, having been recently convicted on shoplifting charges.

He said when the three men caught his group on the property; Jeppson held a revolver up to his temple and told him, “I should kill you like I killed one of your family members in Vietnam.”

Jeppson then moved the gun away from his head and fired, he said.

Three more teen-agers who were in the latter group of 30 testified the men physically assaulted them during the episode.

A 17-year old Richmond girl said her head was pulled back by her hair while she was handcuffed in the pool, aggravating a spinal condition. She said she was talking to her friend at the time.

“Mr. Jeppson came up behind me and pulled my head back and said, ‘Shut up. Do you want that rope any tighter?”

A Trenton teen said he was punched in the face by Peasnall and a 17-year old North Logan boy said Doerr kicked him in the stomach when he had been forced at gunpoint to lie on the ground.

He said Jeppson hit him on the side of the head and knocked him unconscious with the butt of this [his] shogun.

One more alleged victim was scheduled to testify for the prosecution today along with a couple of deputy sheriffs. The defense is then scheduled to bring forward its case.

Neither Jeppson nor Doerr would talk with reporters when they left court, and Peasnall was booked into the Cache County Jail for failing to show up on time for the hearing.

[Photo (top) by Mitch Mascaro/Herald Journal. Caption: Assault suspects John Jeppson, right, and Christopher Doerr are flanked by a TV crew Wednesday as they leave 1st District Court following a preliminary hearing. The hearing continued into the afternoon due to the late arrival of fellow suspect Arthur Peasnall.]
[Photo (bottom) by Mitch Mascaro/Herald Journal. Caption: County Attorney Scott Wyatt speaks to the media Wednesday after the end of the first day of the preliminary hearing into the charges against three men in the St. Anne’s retreat case.]]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 1542253 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1990-1999; 20th century;]]>