Vermont’s Very Own Bermuda Triangle || The Bennington Disappearances

BRIGHT SIDE
21 Jul 202408:16

Summary

TLDRThe script recounts mysterious disappearances in Vermont's Bennington Triangle, starting with Paula Jean Welden in 1946. Five people vanished without a trace in the area over half a decade, with theories ranging from foul play to natural elements. The remote, dense forest and unpredictable weather add to the intrigue, making the Bennington Triangle a chilling tale of the unknown.

Takeaways

  • 🧳 In 1946, Paula Jean Welden, an 18-year-old college sophomore, went missing after a hike near Bennington, Vermont, and her case remains unsolved.
  • 👣 A year prior, in 1945, a 74-year-old man named Middie Rivers disappeared while guiding hunters in the same region, with no trace found despite extensive searches.
  • 🔍 The area in southwestern Vermont became known as the 'Bennington Triangle' due to a series of mysterious disappearances, drawing parallels with the Bermuda Triangle.
  • 🚌 In 1949, a 68-year-old veteran vanished into thin air on a moving bus, just before reaching Bennington, and his disappearance occurred on the same date as Welden's, three years earlier.
  • 👦 The youngest to disappear was an 8-year-old boy who went missing from his family's farm, with tracking dogs losing his scent at a crossroads.
  • 🧍‍♀️ A 53-year-old woman disappeared after falling into a stream and deciding to return to her camp to change clothes, never to be seen again, until her body was found far from the campsite the following year.
  • 🏞️ The commonality among the five disappearances is the geographic area of 36 square miles of dense forest in the Bennington Triangle.
  • 🏚️ Bennington and the nearby village of Glastenbury were once mining and logging towns with harsh living conditions, which later became nearly abandoned.
  • 🤔 Several theories attempt to explain the disappearances, including foul play, unpredictable weather, or accidents involving abandoned mine shafts.
  • 🐻 The area is also home to wildlife such as black bears, which could pose a threat to hikers, and special precautions are advised to avoid attracting them.
  • 🌲 Today, the Green Mountain National Forest within the Bennington Triangle is a popular recreation area, but the mysterious disappearances remain a chilling part of its history.

Q & A

  • What was the name of the college sophomore who went missing after a hike in 1946?

    -The college sophomore's name was Paula Jean Welden.

  • In which town did Paula Jean Welden go missing?

    -Paula Jean Welden went missing in Bennington, a town in Southwestern Vermont.

  • What was unusual about the disappearance of Paula Jean Welden?

    -Paula Jean Welden disappeared without taking any extra clothes, money, or a bag, suggesting she didn't plan to be out for long.

  • What was the name of the area where multiple disappearances occurred, similar to the Bermuda Triangle?

    -The area is known as the Bennington Triangle.

  • How many people disappeared in the Bennington Triangle within half a decade from the time Paula Jean Welden went missing?

    -In just half a decade, five people in total disappeared in the Bennington Triangle.

  • What was the common feature between the disappearances of Paula Jean Welden and the 8-year-old boy?

    -Both Paula Jean Welden and the 8-year-old boy were wearing bright red jackets at the time of their disappearances.

  • What was the age of the youngest person to disappear in the Bennington Triangle?

    -The youngest person to disappear was an 8-year-old boy.

  • What was the final disappearance in the Bennington Triangle mentioned in the script?

    -The final disappearance mentioned was a 53-year-old woman who went missing while camping with her family in the Green Mountain National Forest.

  • What was the outcome of the search for the 53-year-old woman who disappeared while camping?

    -The searchers found the woman 3 and 1/2 miles from the original campsite the following spring, but the cause of her disappearance remained a mystery.

  • What are some of the theories proposed for the disappearances in the Bennington Triangle?

    -Some theories suggest foul play, unpredictable weather conditions, or the possibility of falling into abandoned mine shafts or encounters with wild animals.

  • Why was the area of Bennington Triangle once considered for rebranding as a tourist destination?

    -The locals tried to rebrand the area as a tourist destination to improve living conditions, but a huge flood washed away their dreams.

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Related Tags
MysteriesBenningtonDisappearancesVermontHikingUnsolvedForestsCold Cases1940sHistorical