Mysterious America

Uncovering the supernatural secrets of the United States

From spiritual places of power to secret underground cities to areas of mysterious vanishings, the USA is dotted with paranormal hotspots. Here, you can explore some of the USA's most mysterious places.

Mount Shasta

Tales of technologically advanced civilisations hidden beneath the mountain have swirled around this California peak for many years. Mount Shasta is considered a spiritually significant place by many New Age belief systems as well as some Native American tribes, who tell stories of an epic battle fought between good and evil inside the mountain. Visitors to Mount Shasta note the beauty of the place with its surrounding forest, lake and parkland, and some say the area has a feeling of being a centre of something spiritual or otherworldly. The stories of a civilisation tucked away underneath the mountain supposedly stem from gold prospectors of the 19th century, who stumbled upon a cave leading to a lost underground city filled with gold, artefacts, and extremely tall mummified humanoids. Believers speculate that the city may have been the home of the Lemurians - a mythological super-advanced race of beings from another galaxy.

Area 51

Secretive and hidden away, the activities at Area 51 are unknown, which has sparked the imaginations of mystery lovers across the globe. Most likely an airbase where classified aircraft research takes place, its connection with UFO technology and strange phenomena has burned this place into cultural consciousness. Rumours of reverse engineering of alien craft and the study of the deceased occupants of these craft are said to take place. While meetings with beings from other worlds, the development of extraterrestrial weapon technology and the creation of time travel and teleporting technology are also supposed to have occurred. Of course, experimental terrestrial aircraft would account for many of the strange sightings of UFOs near the airbase. As for the dealings with living beings from another world - who knows!

Alaska Triangle

While you've probably heard of the Bermuda Triangle, there is an equally odd area in Alaska which is the centre of many mysterious disappearances of people, planes and vehicles. The Alaska Triangle is a large section of the state from the south eastern near Juneau and Yakutat, then north to the Barrow mountain range, and on to Anchorage. A large number of people, both tourists and locals, go missing within this triangle every year. Also a high number of airplanes crash or disappear from radar over this area. Interestingly, the area has a reputation as a place of evil according to the Native American people who have inhabited surrounding areas for centuries. The legend says that a shape-shifting demon dwells in this area, luring lost people to their doom. Another theory is that the area sits over a ley line, which emits electromagnetic currents, causing machinery to malfunction and people to become disoriented.

Village of the Damned

This real life ghost town is riddled with tales of a curse, demons and paranormal activity. All that now remains of Dudleytown in Connecticut are crumbling ruins being swallowed back up by the landscape. But the town was once a thriving hamlet - until the curse of the Dudleys struck it down.

The Dudleys were a prominent family in England, tracing their roots back to Saxon times. During the reign of King Henry VIII, the Dudley patriarch was executed for treason - and so the family's troubles reputedly began. In disgrace, through several generations, the Dudleys emigrated to America. Later many of them settled in the town bearing their name, in the mid-1700s. Apparently the town was named for them because so many of their kin moved there - supposedly bringing with them their curse. A series of misfortune struck the residents, including disease, attack by Natives, suicides and insanity. Gradually the town grew a reputation for misfortune and its inhabitants abandoned it to the elements. Modern day visitors to the place still report instances of supernatural activity, such as orbs and ghostly beings captured on camera and a creepy feeling of being watched from the woods which border the vanished town.

Death Valley's Secret City

Native American legend tells of a 5,000-year-old underground city hidden beneath Death Valley in California. A network of subterranean tunnels reputedly lead to the underground world of Shin-au-av. Much like the secret city under Mount Shasta, this place was said to be inhabited by an ancient and technologically advanced race who have now left this planet for the stars. A beguiling legend indeed.

Dighton Rock

A 40 ton boulder discovered in the Taunton River at Berkley, Massachusetts. The rock has sparked worldwide debate because of the carved petroglyphs (images) which have been engraved onto one side of the boulder. The mystery is that nobody can say for certain who carved the images and what message they were trying to convey - although many theories have been put forward.

One idea is that the Native Americans drew the images to represent a battle between themselves and early invaders of the New World. The engravings are said to be Phoenician script, rather than images by some scholars, which would mean the USA was discovered by outsiders much earlier than the history books record. Other ideas are that the petroglyphs are a map of territory boundaries, or record visions after a spiritual experience, called a vision quest.