Ghostly tales I heard growing up and experienced during my travels have influenced the Finger Lakes Mysteries. I will share a couple over the next two weeks in October because, after all, Halloween.
Every hometown seems to have its favorite ghostly myth. In my hometown, it was the legend of The White Lady.
The Legend
In the 1800s, Eelissa and her daughter lived in a castle near the shore of Lake Ontario in Rochester, NY. One evening, her daughter walked down to the lake and never came home. Eelissa went out searching for her. Some say the daughter ran away with a lover. Some say the lover killed her. Others say she was abducted and murdered. Her daughter was never found, and Eelissa died of heartbreak alone in her castle.
To this day Eelissa wanders at night, sometimes with two large, white wolfhounds, scouring the shore for the daughter she lost. A nearby stone wall is believed to be the ruins of her castle. When she roams, she appears as a sorrowful figure to women but is spiteful to men. There are reports of her chasing men away or shaking their cars.
Legend has it that her spirit continues to search for her daughter. Some people have reported seeing a figure in a white dress gliding over the waves on misty nights. Some have seen her walking along the shore with her spectral hounds.
The area along the lake in Durand Eastman Park is a popular spot for teens to park and watch the “submarine races.” I was there myself as a teen (don’t tell my kids.) Perhaps someone invented the story for people to tell as they pull their date closer. Still, local law enforcement officers have reportedly experienced unexplained incidents related to the legend.
A Legends & Lore historical marker now stands in the park to commemorate the well-known story.
Looking for a good ghost mystery? Start with The Cavanaugh House, Book One in The Finger Lakes Mysteries.
I’d love to hear about ghostly tales from your hometown. Leave a comment and tell me your story.
Elizabeth