The Heer of Dunderberg - Hudson Valley Highlands, New York, United States

From the time when the first Dutch settlers came to New Amsterdam and the Hudson Valley, there has been a certain mystic about a sixty-five mile stretch of the Hudson all the way from Gravesend Bay to Pollepel Island located at a wide spot in the river approximately six miles north of West Point.  They believed that the Heer of Dunderberg dwelled in the highlands and kept watch over the River.  He would call upon his Storm Ship manned by witches and goblins to wreak havoc on seafarers making their way up and down the Hudson River.

The Dunderberg or "Thunder Mountain" on the left is said to be the home of the "Heer of Dunderberg", the Storm King of the Hudson Highlands who wreaks havoc on sailors that travel these waters.

The most dangerous part of the voyage, the Dutch sailors believed, was from the southern gateway of the Hudson Highlands known as Dunderberg, to Pollepel Island.  It is easy to see why the sailors of old were intimidated by these mountains looming towards them. The river narrows at this point as it passes through the Appalachian Mountain range. The Dunderberg as it was named, "Dunder" meaning thunder and "berg" for mountain, or loosely translated as "Thunder Mountain" was believed to be the home of a Heer or King.  So the rough translation of Heer of Dunderberg is the King of Thunder Mountain.  Over the years, some simply referred to him as the "Storm King".  This distinction was given because of the horrific weather the sailors would experience once they rounded the Dunderberg.  It was bad from the entrance at the sea, but the Hudson Highlands were so bad, that many ships and seamen were lost due to the storms; they refused to navigate those waters for some time.  Only the bravest would do so and when they did, they would lower their top sails in reverence to the Heer of Dundenberg, hoping that their ships and crew would be spared.



The Dutch sailors described the Goblin King as a small round imp like creature wearing a light colored sugar-loaf hat. It is rumored that he would leave this mast on some of the ships that were under his attack.  And when the ship would be in the clear, the hat would blow away. He is also referred to as the Imp of Donderberg.

Sailors would tack horseshoes to the masts of their ship for good luck while sailing the Heer of Dunderberg's domain.  They were truly afraid of these waters.  They also had fear of seeing the ghostly "Storm Ship" said to be manned by the Heer's goblin army.  This would be a sign that a ship was in danger. Once it approached, the horrific winds, thunder, lightening and rain would bear down on a ship until it was sunk. The Dutch thought that this ship came from the land of their ancestors over in Europe where the haunting of witches and goblins were common, and that the Heer of Dunderberg summoned the ship to the Hudson Valley to cast it's evil upon the sailors.

Once the sailors made it past Pollepel Island, they felt that they were safe from the wrath of the Heer of Dunderberg.  This island was thought to be the northern most outpost of the Goblin King and his army.  Even the early Native Americans were deathly afraid of this island for some reason.  They refused to go there at night, terrified of the sprits that dwelled there.  Over the years, soldiers who fought the Natives, knew this and would hide there at night for protection. At one point, the Dutch believed that a sailor's right of passage for the first time through the Heer of Dunderberg's domain, was to be dropped off on the island on the northbound voyage and then be picked up on the return trip. If they survived, then they would be given leniency by the Storm King. The island itself however, has had a history of evil and destruction in it’s more recent years. Bannerman Castle is living proof that the island need be left to the Heer and his Goblins.

Pollepel Island, according to Dutch sailors of old, is the northern most boundary of the domain of the Heer of Dunderberg, Storm King of the Hudson Highlands There can be found the remains of Bannerman Castle.

If you drive up the Hudson Valley today or take the train northward along the river, you can see the Dunderberg still marking the gateway to the highlands as well as Pollepel Island with the ruins of a castle as a reminder that some evil exists here.  Or, you can take a boat if you dare to meet the Heer of Dunderberg.

Locaton of Gravesend Bay - Latitude: 40.589224 Longitude: -74.028282

Location of Dunderberg - Latitude: 41.291437 Longitude: -73.989143

Location of Pollepel Island - Latitude: 41.455775 Longitude: -73.988371

Related Stories:

Goblins of Bannerman Castle - Pollepel Island, Hudson River, New York
Ghostly Storm Ship of the Hudson River - New York, United States

Index of Haunted Places

References:

The Storm Ship, Washington Irving
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunderberg_Mountain
http://hhr.highlands.com/dunderbe.htm

Ghost of Woodend and Phantom Coachman of the Hermitage - Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

The ruins of a mansion known as the Hermitage, lay In the Dundas Valley near the town of Ancaster located in Ontario, Canada.  However, this is no ordinary relic from the past.  It is said that it is haunted by the ghost of a lowly coachman who was forbidden to marry his love as well as the last owner of the property.

Near Ancaster, Ontario is the ruins of a old mansion that is thought to be haunted by it's last owner and the ghost of a forlorn lover

The Hermitage was built in 1865.  A few years later, it was purchased by an English officer named Otto Ives.  He moved there with his wife Magdalene who brought her niece along as a companion.  Over time, a coachmen that drove the Ives around named William Black, fell in love with Magdalene's niece and wished to marry her.  However, Otto forbade the marriage since William was just a coachman.

Upset over the fact that he could not marry his love, he hung himself from a tree on the grounds of the mansion.  Some dispute that it was the barn where he hanged himself, but there is substantial records indicating that a distraught lover hanged himself from a tree.  Ives, quickly buried William on the grounds at the intersection of two roads.

William Black hung himself from a tree

The Hermitage changed hands several times over the following century and then ended up in the ownership of Alma Lauder who loved the estate dearly.  One night in 1934 however, the mansion was totally destroyed by fire.  Alma, not wanted to give up her beloved estate, built a small house within the ruined walls of the mansion and lived out her days.  However, some say that she never left.  Visitors and workers at the site have claimed to see the dark cloaked figure of what appears to be and old woman wandering the grounds.  She has become known as the Ghost of Woodend.

Regardless of ownership or occupants, many strange occurrences have been seen at the mansion over the years. The spot where William Black was buried is at what is today the intersection of Sulphur Spring's Road and what has become known as Lover's Lane.  The story of the lover's tragedy spread over the years and became well known and is today legend.  Hence the name Lover's Lane.  At this spot, some claimed to see the apparition of a man walking back and forth on Lover's Lane, while others have heard footsteps behind them and turned to find nobody there.  

The ruins of the Hermitage is host to a couple of torrid spirits...  as well as the mansion itself!

A park employee was walking the grounds on day and swears he came across a body hanging from tree by a noose.  However, in a few brief moments, it was gone.  It was only later that he learned that it was on that very spot that William Black had hanged himself.

One of the wildest things that has been witnessed was by several who claimed to have seen an apparition of an actual mansion standing on the sight of the ruins as if it were lived in and occupied.  However, as they approached the ruins to investigate, the phantom mansion would disappear.

Nighttime tours of the Hermitage ruins are given by Haunted Hamilton via Ghost Walks: www.ghostwalksofhamilton.com

The Hermitage is now under management of the Hamilton Conservation Authority.  It is a park that is open to the public but only during daylight hours.  There are Ghost Walk tours given that take you through the Hermitage property at night if you want to get a spooky thrill!  For more information visit http://www.hauntedhamilton.com/ghostwalks/hermitage.htm

Sheba the Ghost Dog - Walker's Cay, Abaco Islands

A ghostly Caribbean  legend of the canine sort is that of a phantom dog that has been known to rescue distressed swimmers along the shores of Walker's Cay in the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas.

A phantom dog roams the beaches of Walker's Cay.  It can be seen swimming out to sea and then vanishes into thin air.

Back in the 1800's, a sailing ship named the Richmond, was making for Bermuda when the vessel was pounded by a hurricane.  On board was a family of which there were two little girls and a family dog, a German Shepard named Sheba.  The ship finally succumbed to the pounding waves and broke up.  The dog being ever so faithful as dogs are, swam to one of the girls as she grabbed the dog, he swam to a nearby shore.  The dog dove back into the water to retrieve the other little girl.  Neither were ever seen again.

Since then, to this day on the shores of Walker's Cay, during heavy seas and especially when a hurricane is approaching, a German Sheppard has been spotted swimming in the ocean just off shore.  It has been seen swimming out away from the shore, then disappears into thin air.  It is believed that this is the ghost of Sheba, the family dog that perished centuries before attempting to save the shipwrecked little girl.

There have been several accounts of the dog actually rescuing people over the years.  Helping struggling and drowning swimmers to shore when they are in distress, only to return to the sea and disappear.

Walker's Cay National Park, Abaco Island, The Bahamas is said to be haunted by a ghostly dog that roams the beach during extreme weather

The waters of Walker's Cay is now a national park.  The island is surrounded by a natural barrier reef and is a haven for marine wildlife.  The island does feature an air strip, hotel and restaurant. A great place to get some scuba diving in and just maybe you'll catch a glimpse of Sheba if you are there during bad weather.