Fitch Bits: Leather Man

-

This post was originally shared as a Facebook and Instagram "DID YOU KNOW" post.

We share them weekly and you can get in on the fun by liking us at Facebook.com/TheNewSlightlyOddFitchburg and following us at Instagram.com/SlightlyOddFitchburg! Now onto the odd story!


Fitch Bits: Leather Man

Okay, so this might actually become a full post but,

DID YOU KNOW that a man clad in rough, stiff leather used to walk a constant 365 mile circuit through western Connecticut and eastern New York?

Dubbed Leather Man, he was first spotted in 1857, walking between the Hudson and Connecticut rivers. He walked about ten miles a day and never stopped. It didn't matter how hot the summer sun was or how cold the winter, he walked all day, every day, completing his circuit every single year.

The leather he wore was handmade and barely fit for a human. He rarely spoke a word and never accepted any invitations for a place to sleep at night. He simply found a cave or built a shelter when it was time to sleep, then woke up and started walking again. The only thing he carried with him were a walking stick and a French language prayer book.

No one knows who he was or why he walked. They would simply see him walking into town at about the same time every single year and carry right on through.

Leather Man was found dead, in a cave, in 1889 and buried in a pauper's field at Sparta Cemetery in Ossining, New York. He would later be exhumed and moved his own plot. Plans were made to study his DNA to identify him, but the decision was ultimately made against it to respect the privacy he had spnet his whole life maintaining.

His leather suit was exhibited at a museum in New York, but sadly lost to a fire. Oh, and Pearl Jam made a song about him!


How about making it crazier by getting your very own Ouija Board and trying to contact Leather Man? They help support the site and you'll never find a higher quality, handmade board anywhere!

Your supports means the world!


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Ultimate Guide to Pukwudgies! – Part 1 – Hockomock Swamp

-
Image
“Far and wide among the nations, spread the name and fame of Kwasind; No man dared to strive with Kwasind, No man could compete with Kwasind. But the mischievous Puk-Wudjies, They the envious Little People, They the fairies and the pygmies, plotted and conspired against him.” – Excerpt from The Song of Hiawatha – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow The Ultimate Guide to Pukwudgies! - Part 1 - Hockomock Swamp Pictured: Not Dagobah Just mention the name “Hockomock Swamp” in New England and you’re going to conjure images of ghosts, monsters, and lots and lots of mosquito bites. Those things are just on the surface, though. If you really know what’s going on then the person you’re talking to is going to be immediately reminded of the Pukwudgie. You don’t even have to be talking to someone to make it happen! Just say it to yourself, we’ll wait. See?   This guy gets it! The Pukwudgie is as much a part of New England as potholes and road construction. You can’t go more than a few minutes without
Read more

The Strange Case of Arthur Blood and Lancaster Town Forest

-
Image
There are two sides to every story and two sides to every person. There’s the story you get publicly, with all of its embellishments and inaccuracies, and the story that’s actually true. It’s just like the public persona a person puts out and the private individual with his or her own thoughts and motivations. Such is the case with Arthur Blood and Lancaster Town Forest. Talk to some people and you’ll hear the story of a kindly old gentleman who donated his private land so his town could have a public, wooded area to explore. Talk to other people and you’ll hear the tale of a murderous psychopath who slashed his way through the local populace after he lost his mind. Which story is true? Well, we may never know. One thing is clear, though: Blood Town Forest will always be a great place to take a hike!   Nothing creepy to see here! The Hauntings This is a story that’s best to start off at the final result. Camp or hike through Blood Forest and you might just run into a few victi
Read more

The Ultimate Guide to Pukwudgies! – Part 3 – Pukwudgies

-
Image
“The Pukwudgie is also native to America: a short, grey-faced, large-eared creature distantly related to the European goblin. Fiercely independent, tricky and not over-fond of humankind (whether magical or mundane), it possesses its own powerful magic. Pukwudgies hunt with deadly, poisonous arrows and enjoy playing tricks on humans.” – Excerpt from Wizarding World – J.K. Rowling The Ultimate Guide to Pukwudgies! – Part 3 – Pukwudgies Okay, so here we are! This is the end of the Pukwudgie series and we’re going to talk all about these little guys! Now, first off, you’re probably wondering how we went from part 1 to part 3. Well, it’s simple, actually. The Ultimate Guide to Pukwudgies! – Part 2 – Freetown Forest is a Patreon exclusive! It’s a deep dive on all things Freetown State Forest and the insanity that goes on there. We go into detail about ghosts, its connection to King Philip’s War and the Wampanoag, lots of murders, and satanic cults! Oh, and there’s some light swearing.
Read more