An abandoned theme park in the US is said to be one of the world’s ‘most haunted places’, with a violent history and reports of paranormal activity on site.
Lake Shawnee Amusement Park in West Virginia was originally home to a farm – until some of the farmer’s children were mysteriously killed, leading to a bloody feud between the family and the tribe held responsible for their deaths.
The eerie site was purchased in 1926 and converted into a theme park with rides, swings, a water slide, dance hall and swimming hole put in place.
It operated for two decades – until the spooky history continued with a further string of children’s deaths, including a boy who allegedly drowned in the pond and a three-year-old girl who lost her life on the swings.
After closing in 1966, the park was abandoned for 20 more years until developers thought it would make a great residential neighbourhood.
That is, until they discovered the site was built on top of an ancient burial ground – and most of the skeletons were of children.
Since then, the park has drawn in ghost hunters and paranormal enthusiasts from the US and around the world.
The entrance to Lake Shawnee, the abandoned amusement park in West Virginia that has a macabre history
Creepy, ancient swings – that reportedly move on their own – can be found in the park
The list of strange and unsettling observations at the theme park is terrifying – from voices to footsteps and even swings moving of their own accord, WTRF reports.
Visit Mercer County says: ‘Known as “one of the world’s most haunted places,” Lake Shawnee Abandoned Amusement Park is a place where mystery hangs in the air.
‘Stories passed down by word of mouth recall a frontier-era tragedy, an ancient burial ground and an eerie amusement park left behind. The site draws historians and curious minds alike, all wondering what truths lie within the folklore.’
YouTube channel Abandoned World Explorer shared a video of visitors exploring the park, kitted out with paranormal detection gear to see what they could observe.
Initially, with blue skies and sun shining, the site looks pretty – until old dolls, abandoned teddy bears and chain swings indicate that nothing here is as meets the eye.
Things get truly freaky, though, when the sun sets.
The first hurdle? Gaining entry. In order to get in, the visitors ask: ‘Are we welcome here? Can we stay the night?’
A flashing light and a beep indicate in the affirmative, and the team are permitted entry. Cynics might surmise there is someone operating the gates but others say they open without human intervention.
The caption explains the visit: ‘Lake Shawnee isn’t just an abandoned theme park… it’s a graveyard of tragedies long before the rides even rusted.
‘Long before the swings creaked in the wind, this land was home to violent conflict between early settlers and Indigenous tribes.
‘In the 1700s, a bloody clash unfolded right here – several children were killed, and one boy was kidnapped and never seen again. Locals say the ground never healed from that day.
Lake Nightmare is a horror attraction at Lake Shawnee, which attracts ghoul seekers from far and wide
‘Fast-forward to the 1920s: a small amusement park was built on this very soil. Instead of bringing joy, it brought more death.
‘A little girl died on the swings… a young boy drowned in the lake… and accidents kept happening until the park finally shut its gates in the 1960s.
‘Since then, Lake Shawnee has become one of America’s most haunted abandoned places. People report shadows walking between the trees, swings that move on their own, and whispers across the water long after midnight. Some say the land never wanted to be touched again – and it shows.’
The ghost hunters take a walk through the park.
They hear voices and the music of ice cream vans, and see gravestones, abandoned buildings and dolls strewn around the site.
Other visitors have reported similar experiences at the site, dubbed one of America’s ‘eeriest’.
Reviews highlight the fascinating history of the ancient burial grounds, as well as the remnants of the park – a slide, swings, Ferris wheel.
One visitor wrote on Tripadvisor: ‘Definite creepy aura especially near the swings, Ferris wheel and inside the bus. The dogs got very cautious with their fur up going inside the bus.’
Another said: ‘We’ve had some unbelievable experiences, to include catching a full body apparition on camera, who we believe is the young boy who was scalped.
‘It seemed to follow us around, even touching the shoulder of my stepson. In fact, his phone captured, on its own mind you, an orb that was flying and some really weird growls to go along with it.
‘You may not have anything happen to you, but we’ve found that it usually happens when you’re not expecting it, and mostly late at night.’
