Posted in San Francisco
January 18, 2017
8 San Francisco Urban Legends You’ll Never Forget
If you know even a little about San Francisco, there is no doubt that you’ve heard some pretty surreal and unbelievable urban legends about living in this city. Here are some of the most eerie and unexplainable San Francisco urban legends that we know you won’t forget anytime soon. Let’s see what these legend are about now:
During these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list to visit at a later date.
One of the biggest legends involves Golden Gate Park specifically Stow Lake. The Lady of Stow Lake Legend is about a woman, who drowned in Stow lake, after her toddler son fell overboard during a boat ride. The legend is essentially a ghost story that has inspired locals to visit Stow Lake after dark to see the woman in white, with spotty success. Have you seen this lady of Stow Lake?
This is an urban legend that is true. Recent statistics don't dispute this ---- There are an estimated 120,000 dogs in San Francisco, according to the city's Animal Care and Control department. In terms of children, there are around 113,000 children, according to recent U.S. census figures.
The urban legends and stories surrounding Alcatraz are abundant. There have been stories of guards frightened from cold spots, nauseating smells, and a "presence" with red eyes that would chase them down the corridors. Are these true? Let's just say this an urban legend with many angles.
This is an urban legend that will spook most anyone. Apparently, if you drive Golden Gate Park at night with your headlights off, a police officer will pull you over and give you a ticket. However, when you file the ticket, it shows that the cop doesn't exist. Creepy ....
Mount Tamalpais was home to Coastal Indian tribes for thousands of years, and was called "The Sleeping Maiden" for the Indian Princess asleep at the top of the mountain. This myth is debatable because others have claimed it has origins to a 19th-century romance written about Mt. Tamalpais. Hmmm.
The legend of secret tunnels under Chinatown has some factual basis. There may be a network of secret tunnels under Chinatown, which may have led to underground gambling and opium rings at one time. We need to dig deeper to see the truth of those claims.
This legend began between 1899 and 1908 when several bodies were found in Sutro forest. The dense foliage of Sutro made suicide more discreet, so suicides increased. There are stories of un-recovered bodies, but if you believe these myths then the souls of these bodies will continue. Whatever way you look at this myth, it is eerie and mystifying.
This may be linked to Anton LaVey, pictured above, and his Church of Satan, which was located near the Sutro Baths. Some rumors claim there have been human sacrifices performed at Sutro Baths. This is an urban legend full of a lot of unanswered questions.
Do you know of any interesting urban legends? Let us know. Also, if you’re curious about odd and fascinating attractions then check out The One Place In San Francisco That Looks Like Something From Middle Earth.
