Sometimes, as innocent as a place can seem, there is still a sense of eeriness there. Such is the case of Trollwood Park in Fargo, North Dakota. It's a lovely park with playgrounds, picnic shelters, and disc golf. Many people enjoy holding events such as weddings there. But there is a history to this park that will completely change your perspective on it.
This is one place that I would definitely not go to at night, ever, and here's why:
Trollwood Park hasn't always been what it is today.
This place has gone through a lot of changes in use and ownership. Right now, it's a city park of Fargo. Before that, it was part of the Trollwood Performing Arts School - hence the name - and part of their campus, then later left abandoned. And before that... well, that's where it starts to get creepy.
From the outside, it looks completely normal. But when you explore the ground, you might find something unusual...
Within the park, near a willow tree, is a stone marked "County Cemetery #2." Indeed, this place used to be - and still partially is - a cemetery. Unmarked graves for those who weren't wealthy enough to afford them were all around here in the early 1900s. While it was believed that all of these had later been moved, it was discovered after some years of erosion that not all the bodies had left this place. How did they find out? Someone tripped over a human bone sticking out of the ground.
The original need for the cemetery came from the Cass County Hospital and Farm in 1895. This hospital was, again, for the less fortunate and elderly who could not afford to live on their own and get the care they needed. The "Farm" was for the more capable and healthy individuals to work at in exchange for care. Many of the people that died here were buried in that cemetery.
Later, the hospital became strictly a nursing home for the elderly, then closed and was torn down in the 1970s. But it appears that some traces have stayed behind...
This park has a notorious ghostly figure that has haunted it for decades.
If you stand near the willow over the cemetery and wait long enough, there are high chances of seeing a woman in a blue dress. Many people have reported seeing her, or seeing lanterns - swaying as if they are being carried but no one there to carry them - emerge from the shadows of the trees. The feeling of being watched is very common when visiting this place after dark, and various paranormal investigation groups have come to investigate this place and came back with results that gave strong indications of paranormal activity taking place here.
Many people theorize that the woman appears in anguish over the neglect of the cemetery that once lay there. Some say a man in the same period clothing as the woman in blue also makes an appearance. People who have worked at this park in more recent years report many strange, haunting encounters they faced when working at Trollwood Park at night, such as hearing voices and the feeling of being followed.
Needless to say, this place is definitely haunted. It's perfectly pleasant during the day, but as soon as the sun goes down, I would hightail it out of there, or at least be sure to avoid the willow tree.
Ready to be creeped out some more? Take the Haunted North Dakota Road Trip to experience some of the state's spookiest spots for yourself.
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