Item #1
Collected on May 14, 2015 in Alpha Phi Sorority
Collected from Peter Ambiel, 2015 Yale graduate from Palo Alto, CA
Swiss, American Background
Genre: Campfire Story
Camp Experience:
Peter’s family has a love of the outdoors and frequently goes camping.
A young boy is home alone one night with his dog, who is trained to lick his hand to signal that everything is safe. The boy keeps hearing mysterious dripping sounds throughout the house, but the dog under his bed licks his hand to signal it’s ok. But, dogs aren’t the only animals who can lick…
Item #2
Collected on May 19th, 2015 in Baker Berry Library
Collected from Jackie Friedman, Junior at Dartmouth College from San Diego, CA
German, Russian, Lebanese Background
Genre: Campfire Story
Camp Experience:
Dad and daughter camping she attended once a month for three years. Her father was leader of the “story telling”. The stories were things he had heard while being a camp counselor in Maine. She believes she would retell the stories in similar situations- such as camping with her kids one day.
A man who lived alone in the woods. There is a beast that lives in the area that he always tries to kill with his 3 dogs, one night he manages to steal the beast’s tail. Three nights in a row he hears the beast. First night, he sends all three dogs and only 2 return. The next night he sends 2 dogs out and only one returns. On the third night his last dog does not return and the beast comes for the man to take back it’s tail the man stole.
Item #3
Collected on May 19th, 2015 in Collis Common Ground
Collected from Meredith Gurnee, Sophomore at Dartmouth College from Orlando, FL
Family from Norway
Genre: Campfire Story
Camp Experience:
Meredith attended an all girls camp in North Carolina for 7 years beginning at age 5. There was a campfire night during the camp when counselors would tell campfire stories to the campers. The stories were passed down from counselors in the camp. She doesn’t think she will retell the story.
Story The Tajar Tales
The story is about a creature named the tajar, an animal that is part tiger, badger, and part jaguar who lives in the camp and causes mischief during the night. If you see it once you’ll forget you ever saw the tajar and if you see it twice you’ll forget to forget what he looked like, which is very dangerous. It has interactions with the camp counselors and the stories vary about his mischief and actions during the night.
Item #4
Collected on May 22, 2015 in Berry Library
Collected from Sam Schiff, Senior at Dartmouth College from New York City
Family from NYC
Genre: Campfire Story
Camp Experience: Sam attended an all girls camp called Tripp Lake every summer from the ages of 9 to 17. The camp is located in Poland, Maine. Campfire stories were shared between counselors and campers and were often passed down. However, Sam does recall that some stories were made up on the spot and not passed down. The following story was told to Sam by one of her fellow campers and she recalls passing the story down to other people.
The story of The Girl with the Scarf
This is a scary campfire story about a girl who always wore a scarf around her neck. The girl’s boyfriend was very curious about the scarf, and would often ask the girl why she was wearing it but she would never tell him. One day, the boyfriend was fed up and pulled the scarf off of the girl’s neck. Her head fell off.
Item #5
Collected on May 22, 2015 in Berry Library
Collected from Sam Schiff, Senior at Dartmouth College from New York City
Family from NYC
Genre: Campfire Story
Camp Experience: Sam attended an all girls camp called Tripp Lake every summer from the ages of 9 to 17. The camp is located in Poland, Maine. Campfire stories were shared between counselors and campers and were often passed down. However, Sam does recall that some stories were made up on the spot and not passed down. The following story was told to Sam by one of her camp counselors. Sam does not know where the story originated but it has been told many times and passed down to younger generations of campers.
The story of Falling Rock
There once was a Native American chief with two sons, Running Deer and Falling Rock. They lived very close to this camp. One day, Falling Rock went missing and the entire community went out looking for him. They searched and searched, but no one could find him. To this day, you can find signs near this camp that say “Look out for Falling Rock.”
Item #6
Collected on May 26th, 2015 on Dartmouth College’s Green
Collected from Kayla Kesslen, Senior at Dartmouth College from Tenafly, NJ
Eastern European Background
Genre: Campfire Story
Camp Experience:
Kayla attended a camp in the Adirondaks every summer for eight years and their camp director would tell them campfire stories late at night around a bonfire. The stories tended to be scary and were often related to the camp itself. She believes she would retell the story in a similar situation; at nighttime, during a full moon and around a bonfire.
Jane of the Lake
Many years ago, a camper at Kayla’s camp named Jane drowned during a full moon in the lake upon which the camp was located. Every year on the anniversary of her death the camp holds a candlelit memorial service in her honor. One year, during a full moon, when a counselor went to light the candle to honor Jane they felt her presence. She provided protection to this particular counselor throughout the night. The following year, the counselor who lit her candle also felt Jane’s presence, but this time she haunted him for an entire evening. It became known that lighting a candle for Jane during a full moon would make whomever lit the candle feel her presence, but no one ever knew if they would be haunted or protected. Kayla heard of one female who was haunted by Jane even after the night of the service, and eventually had to leave the camp and never return to escape Jane’s spirit. Kayla never lit a candle during the memorial service, but admitted this is partially out of fear the stories are real and she would be haunted by Jane.
Item #7
Collected on May 26th, 2015 on Dartmouth College’s Green
Collected from Erica Hendershot, Senior at Dartmouth College from Simsbury, CT
Genre: Campfire Story
Camp Experience:
The story was told to Erica during an annual family trip to a lake house outside of Boston. They were all sitting around a bonfire at nighttime and telling scary stories they knew. Her aunt and uncle told a story about an experience they had at a bed and breakfast when they were first married. She doubts she would retell the story, but if the setting was right she may be so inclined.
The Haunted House
When Erica’s aunt and uncle were first married they went on a trip where they planned to stay at a bed and breakfast they had found. During their first day in the town they met a man and began talking to him about their visit. He asked where they were staying and when they named the B&B a strange look crossed over his face. They asked what was wrong and he said he couldn’t tell them until after they had stayed there because he did not want to ruin their trip. He asked for their address and said he would send them a letter to look at when they returned home. That night, at the B&B, her aunt and uncle heard what sounded like chains dragging across the ground and other creepy noises outside their room but whenever they checked there was nothing/no one there. A couple weeks later, when they were back home they received a letter from the man they had met. He explained that the B&B was known to be haunted by previous guests who had died in the house.
Item #8
Collected on May 30, 2015 in Woodward dormitory at Dartmouth College
Collected from Katelyn Pan, Sophomore (class of 2017) at Dartmouth College from Boston, Massachusetts
Family is Chinese-American, from Boston.
Genre: Campfire Story
Camp Experience:
Katelyn attended multiple camps throughout her adolescence. She went to an environmental camp when she was 10. She also attended two different ski camps, one in Oregon and the other in Colorado, in 2008 and 2009. She heard this story at the camp in Oregon. Campers sat around a bonfire and counselors told scary stories to the group.
Hook on the Car Door
This is a story about a couple who in their car at a lover’s lane. They hear about a serial killer with a hook for a hand on the loose. As their night continues in the car, they hear mysterious scraping sounds outside the car. The girl is freaked out and makes the boy drive her home. When they get home, they discover a bloodied hook on the car door, ripped off the killer as the boy had sped away from lover’s lane.
Item #9
Collected on May 25, 2015 in Alpha Phi Sorority at Dartmouth College
Collected from Emily Leede, Senior (class of 2015) at Dartmouth College from Fredericksburg, Texas.
European family background, family lives in Texas.
Genre: Campfire Story
Camp Experience:
Emily frequently spent the night at friends’ houses for slumber parties. Some of these nights involved a pseudo camp setup: a tent and bonfire in the backyard. She heard this particular folklore inside her friend’s house, but in the dark, keeping in line with this folklore’s practice.
Clown Murderer
A babysitter notices a creepy clown statue in the parents’ bedroom. She calls the parents to ask to move it. The parents tell her to get the kids and get out of the house immediately; they don’t have a clown statue.
Item #10
Collected on May 30, 2015 in Alpha Phi Sorority at Dartmouth College
Collected from Helen Li, Senior (class of 2015) at Dartmouth College, from Wayland, Massachusetts
Parents are Chinese immigrants. Family lives in Wayland.
Genre: Campfire Story
Camp Experience:
Helen attended Center for Talented Youth camp in Saratoga Springs over her 7th grade summer. One night they had a campfire where the Residential Advisors told scary stories to the campers.
Killer in the Back Seat
A girl is driving home at night. The whole way a semi truck closely follows her and periodically flashes his lights at her. The girl calls the police and they interrogate the man. Turns out the driver followed her to warn her about a man in her backseat with a knife trying to kill her.
Item #11
Collected on May 25, 2015 at Dartmouth College
Collected from Carrie Wolf, Senior at Dartmouth College from Chicago, Il.
Family from Europe and fled Nazi Germany when her gran
Genre: Campfire Story
Camp Experience: She went to two overnight camps. The first was Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI) in Wisconsin then she attended Camp Walden in Maine for 5 summers after. The story she told originated at the camp OSRUI and she heard them as a camper when she was younger. She later became a counselor at the camp OSRUI and has told younger campers this story around a campfire.
Sussy
There was thought to be a ghost named Sussy who lived in the Bait (house in Hebrew). The campers could sometimes see a green light coming from the attic of the house but no one was in the house at the time. Everyone was convinced there was a ghost because of the light that would appear sometimes. One day, a counselor was cleaning up the attic in the Bait when suddenly she heard a window close and then a light switched on. The counselor never returned and was never seen or heard from again. Some say that Sussy took her but others will never know.
Item #12
Collected on May 26,2015 at Dartmouth College
Collected from Sally Glowiak, sophomore at Dartmouth College from Western Springs, Il.
Family is from around Chicago area.
Genre: Campfire Story
Camp Experience: She went to a girl’s camp from when she was 10yrs old to 17 years old. She also worked at a camp from when she was 18-20 years old. She also attended family camp for many summers as well. The following story is from the family camp in Northern Wisconsin.
Magnus Biddy
Magnus Biddy who is a woman who was supposed to get married. The night before her wedding night she comes back and finds her fiancé with her sister. She goes crazy and ties them to chairs, sets the house on fire and goes on a murderous rampage and disappears into the woods never to be seen again. But when you see a lantern at the end of the cape on the lake that’s her, and when you hear the dragging of an axe, that is her. There are sightings by counselors at this camp Magnus Biddy and when the story is re told to campers, the counselors act out the different parts by going to the end of the cape and holding up a lantern or dragging an axe on the ground to make the story seem even more believable.
Item #13
Collected on May 26,2015 at Dartmouth College
Collected from Sally Glowiak, sophomore at Dartmouth College from Western Springs, Il.
Family is from around Chicago area.
Genre: Campfire Story
Camp Experience: Sally went to a girl’s camp from when she was 10yrs old to 17 years old. She also worked at a camp from when she was 18-20 years old. She also attended family camp for many summers as well. The following campfire story is from the all girl’s camp in Northern Wisconsin.
Skinny Man
A man that was so skinny that he could hide behind skinny trees. The campers slept on an island. The counselors would tell the campers to be aware if you’re walking alone at night on the island the skinny man could get you because you can’t see him behind the trees.
Item #14
Collected on May 26, 2015 at Dartmouth College
Collected from Leigh Steinberg, freshman at Dartmouth College from Philadelphia, PA.
Mother is from Philadelphia and father is from Baltimore.
Genre: Campfire Story
Camp Experience: Leigh went to an overnight all girl’s camp in Maine called Camp Walden for seven summers (2005-2011). The story was told to the campers to make sure they didn’t go out onto the lake late at night. The older age groups and the alumni counselors would tell the campers the story. Her mom also went to Camp Walden when she was there in the 1970’s. She has told the story to the younger campers.
Annie the Ghost
A long time ago there was another camp on the other side of the lake from Camp Walden. At one point there was a girl from Walden who tried to canoe over to the other camp in the middle of the night and she never came back. They later found her canoe abandoned the next morning. Eventually that other camp was shut down and now it was abandoned. There is a big rock in the middle of the lake and the legend is that she haunts the rock. The oldest bunk had to canoe out there in the middle of the night and the counselors dressed up as Annie the Ghost on the rock.
Item #15
Collected on May 26, 2015 at Dartmouth College
Collected from Marina Plesons, senior at Dartmouth College from Santa Barbara, CA.
Father is from Greece, mother from Massachusetts. Father went to school under the dictatorship in Greece.
Genre: Campfire Story
Camp Experience: Marina went camping with her family in the summers as well as with friends at Dartmouth.
Babysitter Clown
There is a babysitter and she goes to work for a family one night. She keeps noticing a clown statue in the house and doesn’t understand why they have it. She calls the parents and asks why they have a clown statue in their home. The parents reply that there is no clown statue…
Item #16
Collected on May 31, 2015 in Alpha Phi Sorority at Dartmouth College
Collected from Mia Steck, Sophomore (class of 2017) at Dartmouth College from Wellesley, Massachusetts
Family is from the Midwest
Genre: Campfire story
Camp Experience:
Mia went to a camp in Freedom, New Hampshire each summer between 6th grade and 9th grade. She first heard this story from a counselor during her second year at the camp. Because of the wide range of ages at the camp, stories were not always intended to be too scary. Some, like this one, were meant for the younger campers.
The Viper
A woman keeps getting mysterious calls from “the Viper” saying that he is coming to her apartment. When he finally arrives, it’s just a window wiper with a thick accent.
Item #17
Collected on May 24, 2015 in Alpha Phi Sorority at Dartmouth College
Collected from Tessa Robertson, Senior (class of 2015) at Dartmouth College, from Ann Arbor, Michigan
European background, family lives in Michigan
Genre: Campfire story
Camp Experience:
Tessa went to an all-girls outdoor camp, Clearwater Camp, in Wisconsin every summer between 5th grade and 9th grade. This camp has a longstanding tradition of telling the Tajar Tales, which have also recorded in a book
A Tajar Tale
This story tells of how the Tajar and a tree-dwelling Witch trick the Range Ranger.
Item #18
Collected on May 24, 2015 at Dartmouth College
Collected from Katie McConnell, Senior (class of 2015) at Dartmouth College, from Falmouth, Maine
Family background in Maine and Ohio
Genre: Campfire Story/Urban Legend
Campfire Background:
Katie and her friends growing up had a lot of sleepovers, where they would set up a backyard campsite. They would build a bonfire and sleep in a tent in the backyard. For this lore they went inside, since a mirror is needed.
Bloody Mary
You lock yourself in a bathroom with the lights off. As you look in the mirror you chant “Bloody Mary” three times, and the ghost of Bloody Mary is supposed to appear in the mirror next to your reflection.
Campfire Folklore 