Tag: virginia ghost stories

The Legend of the Bunny Man: Urban Myth or Reality?

Alex Matsuo1 Comment

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

When I first moved to Northern Virginia, the story that intrigued me most was the legend of Bunny Man Bridge. It didn’t take long to realize how this eerie tale had taken on a life of its own. As I researched for my book, Haunted Northern Virginia, it seemed like everyone I spoke to had the same advice: “Make sure you include Bunny Man Bridge!”

But who exactly is the Bunny Man? Where did this legend come from? And is Bunny Man Bridge really haunted?

The Bunny Man Legend

The original story of the Bunny Man dates back to 1904. As the legend goes, a bus transporting patients from a local asylum to Lorton Reformatory crashed. This caused all the patients on board to escape. All but two inmates, Douglas Griffin and Marcus Wallster, were found.

When authorities searched for the two men, they found the remains of rabbits strewn around the area. They also found the body of Marcus Wallster. The story claims Griffin was using the rabbits for food—and perhaps more disturbingly—for clothing. Griffin had been convicted of killing his family. Soon, the terrifying figure of a man in a bunny suit began to stalk the area around Colchester Overpass in Clifton. This earned the area its title; Bunny Man Bridge.

Also according to legend, a group of teenagers were hanging out at Bunny Man Bridge on Halloween night. When they didn’t return the next morning, a search party was sent out. The teens were found strung up under the tunnel of Bunny Man Bridge. It looked like they were mutilated with a hatchet.

Source: The World Coos Bay, Oregon • Sat, Oct 31, 1970 Page 16

How the Legend Grew

Over the years, the Bunny Man’s tale became even darker. The story transformed into one of an axe-wielding madman who skins his victims. He leaves their remains hanging from Bunny Man Bridge. Some versions claim that on Halloween night, anyone daring to visit the bridge risks being killed by the Bunny Man.

These gruesome details don’t appear in any historical records, but they continue to fuel the legend. Could belief in the Bunny Man have given life to something more? Despite these reports, no further incidents occurred, and the case was never solved. However, the Bunny Man legend was born—and it quickly snowballed into something far more sinister.

After 1970, countless stories and urban legends stemmed about Bunny Man. One could say he turned into a Grimm’s fairy tale about Northern Virginia.

Uncovering the Truth: Was the Bunny Man Real?

Despite the legend’s persistence, there’s no historical evidence to support it. Fairfax County never had an asylum, and Lorton Prison didn’t even exist in 1904, it opened in 1910. Douglas Griffin’s name doesn’t appear in any court records.

So where did this story come from? As I often say, “There’s truth in fairy tales.” In this case, the truth may lie in two incidents from the 1970s.

In October 1970, two reports emerged of a man in a bunny suit terrorizing local residents. The first incident involved a couple parked near a relative’s house on October 19th, 1970. The gentleman was an Air Force cadet named Robert Bennett. He and his fiancée saw a figure in a white suit with long bunny ears in their rearview mirror. Before the couple could go investigate, the man hurled a hatchet at their car, screaming at them for trespassing. The hatchet went through their window.

On October 29th, 1970, a security guard spotted a man in a bunny suit. This man was also wielding an axe and shouting similar threats at a construction site saying that he was tired of people trespassing.

Credit: The Washington Daily News Washington, District of Columbia Wed, Nov 11, 1970 · Page 3

Can Collective Belief Create a Paranormal Entity?

One theory I have surrounding the Bunny Man is the idea that he may be a thoughtform. This is a being created through the power of collective belief. In the 1970s, a group of parapsychologists in Toronto conducted The Philip Experiment. They attempted to manifest a spirit through their collective imagination and belief.

Could the Bunny Man be a similar phenomenon? As more people told the story and believed in his existence, is it possible that they collectively created the Bunny Man? If so, perhaps the most terrifying thing about this legend isn’t that the Bunny Man was ever real—but that he has become real through the fear and fascination of those who keep the story alive.

The Bunny Man Bridge Today

Despite the lack of historical evidence, Bunny Man Bridge continues to attract visitors every Halloween, daring to test the legend’s power. Whether you believe in ghosts, cryptids, or thoughtforms, the tale of the Bunny Man endures as a chilling reminder of how urban legends can shape our reality.

If you want to dive deeper into the haunted histories and ghostly mysteries of Northern Virginia, be sure to check out my book Haunted Northern Virginia, available now.

Sources

https://research.fairfaxcounty.gov/local-history/bunnyman

https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/northern-virginia-ghosts-spirits-witches-and-the-bunny-man/article_164fb91c-60b5-11e4-a99d-3b8c50270542.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2003/10/31/boo-its-the-bunny-man/75237ae1-2bdf-4e1a-9c91-c0f2f0ed0191

The True Story Of The Bunnyman, Northern Virginia’s Most Gruesome Urban Legend

Haunted Northern Virginia: The Chilling Echoes of the Henry House

Alex Matsuo2 Comments

The American Civil War left an indelible mark on the landscape of Northern Virginia, with countless battlefields and historic sites forever scarred by the ravages of that bloody conflict. But among the most haunting of these places is the Henry House, originally known as Spring Hill Farm, a modest 19th-century structure that stands on land that that stood as a somber witness to the horrors of war.

The Tragedy of Judith Henry

Few tales are as harrowing and heartbreaking as the tragic demise of Judith Henry. Her story, once confined to the dusty pages of history, has taken on a far more sinister and supernatural edge in the years since. The original Henry House, was a modest 19th-century structure on what is now the Manassas Battlefield.

The Henry House after the First Battle of Bull Run

On July 21st, 1861, Judith Carter Henry, an 85-year-old widow, met her untimely and gruesome end. As the Battle of Bull Run raged around her, the bedridden Judith was unable to heed the calls to evacuate, nor did she want to leave her home. Her children attempted to take her out of the home on a mattress. But as the smoke and gunfire raged, Judith begged to be taken home.

Federal artillerary fired at the house as a strategy to drive away Confederate sharpshooters, unaware that there were civilians inside. Her daughter, Ellen, was forced to take refuge in the home’s chimney, her screams drowned out by the thunderous roar of artillery. The volume of the fire caused Ellen to temporarily lose her hearing because it was so loud. Judith’s enslaved teenager, Lucy Griffith, was seeking refuge under the bed and suffered an injury to her heel.

Caught in the crossfire, Judith was struck by cannon fire, sustaining horrific injuries that would ultimately claim her life. She was wounded in the neck and on her side. Plus, Judith’s foot was partially blown off. Judith died later that afternoon.

She was the only civilian casualty that day, and she was the first known civilian casualty of the Civil War.

The house was completely destroyed. The Henry family built a new home near the site of the original house in 1870 and an addition was included in 1884. Judith’s grave stands in front of the house. The house stayed in the Henry family until the 1920s when it was given to the Manassas Battlefield Park.

The Haunting of the Henry House

But Judith’s tragic demise was not the only darkness to haunt the Henry House. Reports include the sightings of a spectral Union soldier. His ghostly form has been seen roaming the halls of the current structure, eternally seeking retribution for the wounds that claimed his life. And then there are the sightings of the women themselves – Judith and Ellen, their ethereal forms glimpsed through the windows, their faces etched with an eternal sadness.

The reconstructed Henry House with Judith’s grave. Credit: Alex Matsuo

The most chilling of these apparitions, however, is that of a woman in a white nightgown and bonnet, gliding silently along the path surrounding the Henry House. Is this Judith, forever tethered to the home she loved so dearly? Or is it the spirit of her daughter, Ellen, forever searching for the solace that eluded her in life?

The Enduring Mystery

The answers lie shrouded in the shadows of the past. They are lost to the ravages of time and the unspeakable tragedies of war. What is certain is that the Henry House stands as a haunting testament to the cost of conflict. It is a place where the echoes of the past refuse to be silenced.

Those who dare to venture near the Henry House report an overwhelming sense of unease, a palpable chill that seems to seep into the very bones. Some have even spoken of the feeling of being watched, of unseen eyes that follow their every move. Also, in the quiet of the night, mournful wails of the departed can be heard. It is chilling reminder that the dead may not yet found their final rest.

A Haunting Legacy

If you find yourself drawn to the Henry House, tread carefully. For in its shadows, the past still lingers, a testament to the fragility of life and the enduring power of the human spirit, even in the face of the most unimaginable horrors. The ghosts of Judith and Ellen, and the nameless soldier, still walk these grounds, their stories forever etched into the fabric of this haunted place.

The ruins after the Henry House was demolished. Credit: Library of Congress

To learn more about this chilling story and other hauntings in the area, pick up a copy of my book, Haunted Northern Virginia, published by The History Press. Immerse yourself in the ghostly lore and history that still lingers in the region. Available now for purchase on Amazon. (Note: This is an affiliate link. This means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through it, at no additional cost to you.)

Sources

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-civil-wars-first-civilian-casualty-was-an-elderly-widow-from-virginia-180980434

https://www.womenhistoryblog.com/2008/06/judith-carter-henry.html

https://www.nps.gov/places/000/henry-house.htm

History of Judith Henry and Her House