A Rundown of Iowa's Greatest Legends, Lore, and Haunted Spots.

Feel that? Feel your hair rise on the back of your neck? That's your body's natural fight-or-flight response kicking in. It's a way for your body to prepare to defend itself against a perceived threat. The hairs on the back of your neck stand up as a way to make you appear larger and more intimidating to a potential threat. It's really eerie when you see no visible threat before you. There are enough urban legends in Iowa to scare you to the point of turning your hair white, so buckle up and check the batteries in your flashlight!

We begin with the Black Angel of Oakland Cemetery. The Black Angel of Oakland Cemetery is a mysterious eight-foot-tall black granite statue that is rumored to be cursed. It is said that anyone who looks into its eyes will be cursed with bad luck and misfortune. It is also said that the statue changes position at night and that it has been spotted moving around the cemetery. For instance, locals have reported seeing the angel standing in the center of the cemetery, facing the entrance, as if beckoning visitors to enter. As the German poet Rainer Maria Rilke once wrote: “Every angel is terrifying.” The creepy angel statues in cemeteries have long been a source of fascination and superstition. Stories abound of angel statues that seem to come alive, with tales of their eyes glowing in the darkness, and of their wings fluttering in the night.

Have you heard of Stony Hollow Road? In Burlington, Lucinda, a young woman by the name of Lucinda, waited near the cliffs on Stony Hollow Road. The lover Lucinda wanted to run away with failed to arrive, so she jumped off the cliffs and took her own life. The ghostly spirit of her remains on this roadway to this day. Whether you believe the urban legend or not, saying her name three times in a row on Stony Hollow Road still requires courage. The urban legend of Lucinda is that if you chant her name three times while standing on the cliffs of Stony Hollow Road, a ghostly figure of a young woman will appear in the mist, and a blood-curdling scream will be heard in the wind. People have reported seeing a ghostly figure of a young woman on the cliffs and hearing a deafening scream in the wind. Others have reported feeling a chill in the air when they say Lucinda's name three times. Even today, some people are brave enough to visit Stony Hollow Road and test the urban legend. Do you dare?

It is no urban legend that the Josiah Moore family and guests were murdered and bludgeoned to death in 1912. It is a fact that this eerie and incredibly morbid crime took place in the house that is known today as the #Villisca Ax Murder House, and the gruesome murders remain unsolved to this day. In addition to the fact that the crime has never been solved, it has been investigated and documented by various sources over the years, including books and newspaper articles. Furthermore, there have been paranormal investigations conducted in the house that have uncovered various supernatural occurrences. Some of these occurrences include #paranormal activity, strange noises, the feeling of being watched, and objects moving on their own. Several investigators have reported feeling a presence in the house and have experienced strange physical reactions, such as numbness and dizziness. Additionally, some have reported seeing a ghostly figure in the house that has been described as a woman in a long white dress. Who is she?

Here's a real-life exorcism that will send chills up your spine. One of the last sanctioned exorcisms was performed on a woman in Earling, Iowa, in 1928. This Earling, Iowa exorcism, which became one of the most notorious horror movies in history, partially inspired the novel "The Exorcist." This event was so shocking that it made international headlines and is still remembered today. The #Earling #exorcism was one of the very few documented exorcisms in the United States. It gained much attention due to the extreme #supernatural events that happened during the exorcism. The woman, who was believed to be possessed by the devil, exhibited powers far beyond any reasonable explanation. The priest who performed the exorcism claimed that the woman spoke in multiple voices, levitated, and even spoke Latin.

This case is just one of many that have occurred in Iowa over the years, proving its reputation as one of the most haunted states. There have been numerous reports of ghost sightings and strange phenomena, some of which have been documented by paranormal investigators. Iowa arguably deserves more recognition as one of the most haunted states in America!