Program

Legends & Lore®

Subject

Folklore

Location

38 Spook Hill Rd, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590, USA

Lat/Long

41.586421, -73.891935

Grant Recipient

Wappingers Historical Society

Spook Hill Road is a legendary place in the town of Wappinger. It is home to some of the town’s oldest buildings, including the venerable Obadiah Cooper house dating back to 1730. The origins of its haunting name trace back to a time when the road was but a dirt path, skirting a small hill and rock outcropping. Although the hill’s topography was altered in the mid-twentieth century to pave the way for development, its notable name is a permanent reminder of the fear it once evoked.

On nights when it glowed its brightest, the moon’s shimmering rays would dance upon the smooth stones of the outcrop, casting an otherworldly glow. This luminescent spectacle would often startle horses that traveled past, causing them to bolt in fear, unseating riders, and overturning wagons. Over time, the road earned its eerie moniker, “Spook Hill,” as the tales of frightened horses and the strange glows passed from one generation to the next.