8 Creepy Missouri Legends People Still Swear Are True

Missouri is full of far-fetched tales of odd things that have happened and a few of them are just the result of overactive imaginations. However, there are 8 urban legends in Missouri that locals swear are true and there are at least 2 that I can prove are real.

Since I have become known over the years for sharing stories from the paranormal and unusual, I frequently have audience members reach out with stories of their own or questions about the validity of urban legends in Missouri they've been told about. Here is a collection of the 8 most asked about including 2 that I have learned were based on factual events.

1 - The Zombie Road Hauntings - Wildwood, Missouri

What used to be an old railroad corridor is now the location where many claim they've experienced footsteps, seeing shadow figures, and encountering mysterious lights along the trail at night. I learned that the origin of this famous Missouri legend derived from a 1950's story about a mental health patient that escaped and took the lives of teenagers on this trail. Note that because of all of the interest, local law enforcement strictly enforces a 10pm curfew on this trail so don't even think about a midnight exploration here.

2 - The Hornet Spook Light - Hornet, Missouri

Many in this small Newton County town swear they see unexplained floating lights appearing along remote roads. Locals call them "ghost lanterns", but meteorologists say they are atmospheric refraction to misidentified vehicle headlights. No one has been able to prove there's a natural cause - yet.

3 - The St. Louis, Missouri Exorcism that Inspired the Famous 1973 Movie

Many in Missouri claim that a real exorcism in the St. Louis area inspired the 1973 movie "The Exorcist". I have done enough research into this that I can confidently say this urban legend is 100% true. This supernatural event happened in St. Louis in 1949 and there are some that claim the room the exorcism happened in remains off-limits to this day. I've had people comment that they work in the building where it happened and there is a forbidden room there. Chills. 

4 - Momo - Missouri's Bigfoot

I remember hearing about "Momo" early in my childhood. The big hairy beast in the Missouri woods sounded like locals trying to create their own local version of Bigfoot, but I've shared legions of stories from real Missourians who have encountered a large and bizarre creature in the woods. In my opinion, there are too many people that have believable reputations to just dismiss this as an urban legend without basis. Something massive resides in our woods.

5 - The Lost Treasure of Jesse James

The stories many in Missouri tell about Jesse James are wild, but some are based on real history, too. There were coins valued at $100,000 found near Gads Hill, Missouri that some believe are connected to Jesse James. We also know that Jesse James and his gang hid in Mark Twain Cave at some point so could his treasure be there also?

6 - Screaming Johnny's - Hannibal, Missouri

As the story is told, a young boy lost his life in the old Bear Creek Baptist Church in Hannibal that is now abandoned. There are reports from the caretaker there that back in the day there were up to 100 cars lined up waiting to hear Johnny scream in the dark. Some said it was just teenagers trying to scare teenagers while others claimed the screams were from a mountain lion hiding in nearby White Bear Cave.

7 - The Bubbleheads - Florissant, Missouri

This is a real Missouri urban legend that is based on a real sad truth. The stories claimed there was a family on a remote Missouri road that had abnormally large heads and that they would attack anyone who dared come near them. The attack reports were false, but the family really did exist on Carrico Road in Florissant, Missouri. I've learned there really was a family on this road that had a son who had hydrocephalus which is condition of the head that involves the buildup of fluid in cavities around the brain. This is one case where a Missouri urban legend is based in real sad truth.

8 - The Corpse Under the Bed - Kansas City, Missouri

Legend says a couple stayed at a Missouri motel and slept all night with a deceased corpse under the bed. The facts say that the truth is far worse than the legend. A man and woman really did check into the Capri Motel near Kansas City in July of 2003. A report by the Orlando Sentinel on July 15, 2003 says they stayed in the room they were given for THREE nights before they discovered there was a corpse under their bed. They had complained to management about the terrible smell, but were told everything was fine. Eventually they insisted on an investigation and that is when the body was found. The Capri Motel would eventually be demolished years later, but the legend of what happened there will likely be told forever.