| Eric Tapout's original website dedicated to the alleged haunted Buckout Road of Westchester County , NY |
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The several
mile woodsy
back road that
connects the
city of White
Plains to the
neighboring
town of
Harrison is
rooted in
history going
back to the
1600s that is
arguably just
as twisted as
the road itself.
Native Americans,
Revolutionary War
Battles, Murders,
a Hanging, a Serial
Killer, a Slave
Cemetery, Grave
Robbings, and
every single urban
legend you can
think of ranging
from flesh eating
albinos to
paranormal
activity. Its all here.
mile woodsy
back road that
connects the
city of White
Plains to the
neighboring
town of
Harrison is
rooted in
history going
back to the
1600s that is
arguably just
as twisted as
the road itself.
Native Americans,
Revolutionary War
Battles, Murders,
a Hanging, a Serial
Killer, a Slave
Cemetery, Grave
Robbings, and
every single urban
legend you can
think of ranging
from flesh eating
albinos to
paranormal
activity. Its all here.
| The Infamous Urban Legends of Buckout Road in Westchester County, NY. |
There have been stories surrounding the Buckout Road area for decades...and in one case as early as the late 1600s. Native American legend claimed
that a Great White Deer visited the area at during a full moon and would bring good fortune and success to the person who saw it. Natives traveled from
as far away as the Great Lakes in hopes of seeing it. A native known as “Indian Dan” returned once a month from 1805 to 1866 to seek out the Great
White Deer (Reminds me of Linus waiting for the Great Pumpkin). There is a newer road in the Buckout Rd vicinity known as White Deer Lane.
A little ironic; 1600's we have Indian Dan looking for an albino deer ... 400 years later we have people looking for cannibal albinos. Go figure.
that a Great White Deer visited the area at during a full moon and would bring good fortune and success to the person who saw it. Natives traveled from
as far away as the Great Lakes in hopes of seeing it. A native known as “Indian Dan” returned once a month from 1805 to 1866 to seek out the Great
White Deer (Reminds me of Linus waiting for the Great Pumpkin). There is a newer road in the Buckout Rd vicinity known as White Deer Lane.
A little ironic; 1600's we have Indian Dan looking for an albino deer ... 400 years later we have people looking for cannibal albinos. Go figure.
Honk 3 Times And The Albinos Will Eat You
The story is that if you stop in front of a particular red house on Buckout Road and beep your
car horn three times then flesh eating albinos will attack you. As ridiculous as this sounds,
people have sworn this has happened to them. The chance of being an albino is about 1 in
17,000. When two carriers of the albinism gene have a child together, that child has a 1 in 4
chance of receiving two albinism genes. Thus a family of albinos is unlikely but possible. The
chances of that same albino family however being cannibals is even more unlikely if not
absurd. Regardless, folks have honked their horns in front of this house until it ultimately burned
down and subsequently demolished in early 2009.
The story is that if you stop in front of a particular red house on Buckout Road and beep your
car horn three times then flesh eating albinos will attack you. As ridiculous as this sounds,
people have sworn this has happened to them. The chance of being an albino is about 1 in
17,000. When two carriers of the albinism gene have a child together, that child has a 1 in 4
chance of receiving two albinism genes. Thus a family of albinos is unlikely but possible. The
chances of that same albino family however being cannibals is even more unlikely if not
absurd. Regardless, folks have honked their horns in front of this house until it ultimately burned
down and subsequently demolished in early 2009.
The Hanging Boyfriend at serial killer Albert Fish's old
house
This is the story of a guy and a girl who drove on the road on a rainy night in the 1970s.
The car battery died, so the boyfriend got out knocked on the nearest door for
assistance . Moments later, the girlfriend hears three thumps on the roof of the car.
When she gets out to investigate, she sees her boyfriend hanging from a tree. To
heighten the .. eerie factor in this story, the aforementioned house was once inhabited
by notorious serial killer Albert Fish.
house
This is the story of a guy and a girl who drove on the road on a rainy night in the 1970s.
The car battery died, so the boyfriend got out knocked on the nearest door for
assistance . Moments later, the girlfriend hears three thumps on the roof of the car.
When she gets out to investigate, she sees her boyfriend hanging from a tree. To
heighten the .. eerie factor in this story, the aforementioned house was once inhabited
by notorious serial killer Albert Fish.
The Leatherman and his Ghost
Some locals have claimed to have seen the apparition of infamous
The Leatherman near Pop’s Cave on Buckout Rd. Pop’s Cave was
used during the Revolutionary War to store ammunition and it was the
reported hangout for “The Leatherman” when he roamed through the
area in the 1880s. Jules Bourgalay was born in France and fell in
love with a woman named Margarette Larson who’s family owned a
leather business there. Mr Larson was against his daughter dating
Jules, so Jules agreed to work for him for one year free of charge to
prove himself worthy. If after one year of free labor Mr Larson did not
gain approval of Jules, then he would leave. A year later, Jules left
France and headed to the US by boat. He became known as “The
Leatherman” and was first sighted in CT in 1862. He was a wandering
hobo who frequented the Buckout woods before passing in March
1889, in Mount Pleasant, N.Y., after cancer ate away his mouth and
jaw. The coroner's report indicated he was 50 to 55 years old. The
Leatherman was said to a bone comb and rosary wherever he went
and also frequented a cave in the near by Saw Mill River Woods.
Rumors still continue to circulate that Bourglay buried money in one
of these two locations and some have claimed that they have been
confronted by either Leatherman’s ghost or a Leatherman double.
Some locals have claimed to have seen the apparition of infamous
The Leatherman near Pop’s Cave on Buckout Rd. Pop’s Cave was
used during the Revolutionary War to store ammunition and it was the
reported hangout for “The Leatherman” when he roamed through the
area in the 1880s. Jules Bourgalay was born in France and fell in
love with a woman named Margarette Larson who’s family owned a
leather business there. Mr Larson was against his daughter dating
Jules, so Jules agreed to work for him for one year free of charge to
prove himself worthy. If after one year of free labor Mr Larson did not
gain approval of Jules, then he would leave. A year later, Jules left
France and headed to the US by boat. He became known as “The
Leatherman” and was first sighted in CT in 1862. He was a wandering
hobo who frequented the Buckout woods before passing in March
1889, in Mount Pleasant, N.Y., after cancer ate away his mouth and
jaw. The coroner's report indicated he was 50 to 55 years old. The
Leatherman was said to a bone comb and rosary wherever he went
and also frequented a cave in the near by Saw Mill River Woods.
Rumors still continue to circulate that Bourglay buried money in one
of these two locations and some have claimed that they have been
confronted by either Leatherman’s ghost or a Leatherman double.
Mary's Lantern
Another Buckout Rd urban legend
that has survived for decades is about
Mary’s Lantern. Basically there’s a
statue of Mary on someone’s front
lawn and the legend was that if the
statue was illuminated then it was safe
to precede and if the statue was not lit
then there was potential danger
ahead. There are variations of this
story which include the statue crying
(ie some form of stigmata). Another
variation is of a different statue
holding a lantern ...which would be lit
if it was safe and dimmed if it wasn't.
I have also been informed of an urban
legend pertaining to a demonic doll
in someone’s attic with a story that
goes if you stare into the doll’s eyes
then you become possessed.
Another Buckout Rd urban legend
that has survived for decades is about
Mary’s Lantern. Basically there’s a
statue of Mary on someone’s front
lawn and the legend was that if the
statue was illuminated then it was safe
to precede and if the statue was not lit
then there was potential danger
ahead. There are variations of this
story which include the statue crying
(ie some form of stigmata). Another
variation is of a different statue
holding a lantern ...which would be lit
if it was safe and dimmed if it wasn't.
I have also been informed of an urban
legend pertaining to a demonic doll
in someone’s attic with a story that
goes if you stare into the doll’s eyes
then you become possessed.
THE WITCHES - THREE X'S MARK THE SPOT ...
For decades there has been a story about three women who were accused of being
witches and subsequently burned at the stake in the 1600s by locals in the area that
is now Buckout Road. People have said to have felt their presence and seen
apparations in the Buckout woods. The story is that three X's were marked on the road
where these three women were killed and if you drive over the X's strange things will
happen to you. The place on Buckout Road where the three X's were marked in spray
paint was on the crest of the hill that overlooked the Buckhout/Baldwin/Foster family
cemetery. After the construction on the road a few years back, the hill was leveled
and the X's were paved over and are no longer there.
There is another story pertaining to a small house which was located in the center of
a lake on Buckout Road where a witch was rumored to have lived.
To determine whether or not three women were burned at the stake for witchcraft on
Buckout Road, let's educate ourselves a bit on the subject of burning witches. It was
once commonly believed that a witch's power could be nullified by blooding her or
by destroying her blood in a fire, hence the practice of burning at the stake. Just how
many were burned? I have read estimates ranging from 1-9 million women burned at
the stake throughout Europe. In 1484 Pope Innocent VIII issued a bill declaring the
reality of witches and initiated the accusation, torture,and execution of "witches" all
over Europe. All costs of investigation, trial, and execution of witches were borne by
the accused or her relatives, including per diems for private detectives, torturers and
tar. The members of the tribunal for each witch burned received a bonus, and
remaining property was divided between Church and State .The first Anglo settlers in
North America were the Puritans who arrived first in 1620. The Puritans murdered and
stole land from Native Americans. They burned at the stake - in public forums for all
to see anyone whose beliefs were different than there own; this included witches.
When most people think of 'witch trials' they think of Salem, Mass where 19 were
executed duringthe witch hysteria of 1692. None were burned at the stake. In 1664,
Setauket, NY resident Ralph Hall and his wife Mary were accused of witchcraft. In
1665 a trial was held which was the first witch trial in New York state. Oddly enough,
the place on Buckout Road where the three women were said to have been burned at
the stake for witchcraft is where Buckout Road turns into Hall Ave. Even more odd...a
second woman who was tried in New York state for witchcraft was named Katherine
Harrison, who resided in the Towne Of Westchestre. However both the Halls and
Katherine Harrison were released. I have not been able to find any records pertaining
to this alleged urban legend.
For decades there has been a story about three women who were accused of being
witches and subsequently burned at the stake in the 1600s by locals in the area that
is now Buckout Road. People have said to have felt their presence and seen
apparations in the Buckout woods. The story is that three X's were marked on the road
where these three women were killed and if you drive over the X's strange things will
happen to you. The place on Buckout Road where the three X's were marked in spray
paint was on the crest of the hill that overlooked the Buckhout/Baldwin/Foster family
cemetery. After the construction on the road a few years back, the hill was leveled
and the X's were paved over and are no longer there.
There is another story pertaining to a small house which was located in the center of
a lake on Buckout Road where a witch was rumored to have lived.
To determine whether or not three women were burned at the stake for witchcraft on
Buckout Road, let's educate ourselves a bit on the subject of burning witches. It was
once commonly believed that a witch's power could be nullified by blooding her or
by destroying her blood in a fire, hence the practice of burning at the stake. Just how
many were burned? I have read estimates ranging from 1-9 million women burned at
the stake throughout Europe. In 1484 Pope Innocent VIII issued a bill declaring the
reality of witches and initiated the accusation, torture,and execution of "witches" all
over Europe. All costs of investigation, trial, and execution of witches were borne by
the accused or her relatives, including per diems for private detectives, torturers and
tar. The members of the tribunal for each witch burned received a bonus, and
remaining property was divided between Church and State .The first Anglo settlers in
North America were the Puritans who arrived first in 1620. The Puritans murdered and
stole land from Native Americans. They burned at the stake - in public forums for all
to see anyone whose beliefs were different than there own; this included witches.
When most people think of 'witch trials' they think of Salem, Mass where 19 were
executed duringthe witch hysteria of 1692. None were burned at the stake. In 1664,
Setauket, NY resident Ralph Hall and his wife Mary were accused of witchcraft. In
1665 a trial was held which was the first witch trial in New York state. Oddly enough,
the place on Buckout Road where the three women were said to have been burned at
the stake for witchcraft is where Buckout Road turns into Hall Ave. Even more odd...a
second woman who was tried in New York state for witchcraft was named Katherine
Harrison, who resided in the Towne Of Westchestre. However both the Halls and
Katherine Harrison were released. I have not been able to find any records pertaining
to this alleged urban legend.
The White Lady
"A common story going around at the time was about the 'White
Lady'. Supposedly, this was the ghost of Mary Buckhout, who had
allegedly hanged herself from a tree in the woods up there
someplace, and now haunted the area in the form of an all white
apparition. I had one friend who actually lived on Buckout Road.
She swore that her father on several occasions had seen the
French doors leading to an outside porch that faced the woods fly
open on their own, even though they had been locked. He would
then see a whitish looking apparition of a woman float past him.
She also claimed to have seen several occurrences of apparent
grave robbery in the Buckhout family cemetery, which was right on
Buckout Road. Her house was almost right across the street from
it. On several occasions, she claimed to have seen dug up graves,
and various things left scattered around the dug up area" -
1977 White Plains High School graduate who did not want to use
his name
"A common story going around at the time was about the 'White
Lady'. Supposedly, this was the ghost of Mary Buckhout, who had
allegedly hanged herself from a tree in the woods up there
someplace, and now haunted the area in the form of an all white
apparition. I had one friend who actually lived on Buckout Road.
She swore that her father on several occasions had seen the
French doors leading to an outside porch that faced the woods fly
open on their own, even though they had been locked. He would
then see a whitish looking apparition of a woman float past him.
She also claimed to have seen several occurrences of apparent
grave robbery in the Buckhout family cemetery, which was right on
Buckout Road. Her house was almost right across the street from
it. On several occasions, she claimed to have seen dug up graves,
and various things left scattered around the dug up area" -
1977 White Plains High School graduate who did not want to use
his name
Haunted Mansion, slaughter houses, ...
Buckhout Mansion
To the best of my knowledge this was the estate where John Buckhout once
lived. The site included the main house, a farm house, and several
'slaughter houses in the nearby area. I randomly met a guy named Pete in
2002 who told me his father owned Buckhout Mansion and was using it as
an office for his fuel company. Pete had described the inside of the
mansion as "creepy" and I was denied entrance when asked if I could visit
the mansion with a camera. Pete also told me of an experience regarding
him in the attic of the mansion and finding neckties "from another century"
on the door knobs and that "a lot of murders happened in the house". He
also told that a night watchman at the estate had some strange
experiences so I went there one night with several friends to speak to the
guy. He told me he knew nothing and referred me to a “very good web site
about the area”; my site. The mansion used to be located off of Buckout
Rd behind a locked gate. Behind the gate was a path which led to several
abandoned slaughterhouses and a farm house. I have stopped on the road
in front of the particular location on several occasions and heard unusual
banging and chopping noises. Frequently photographs of the mansion
would come out with visible orbs (solid sphere balls which are believed to
be a form of a spirit).
The mansion was torn down in 2003. Since then a new house is up in its
place; the last house at the end of (new road) Old Carriage House Road, off
of Buckout Road. There was another story I had first heard about ten years
ago regarding a babysitter who was working at a mansion on Buckout Road
and began receiving strange phone calls. Upon calling the police, she was
notified the calls were coming from inside the house, and the children she
was sitting for were murdered. Oddly enough, this was the plot of the 1979
film When A Stranger Calls.
Buckhout Mansion
To the best of my knowledge this was the estate where John Buckhout once
lived. The site included the main house, a farm house, and several
'slaughter houses in the nearby area. I randomly met a guy named Pete in
2002 who told me his father owned Buckhout Mansion and was using it as
an office for his fuel company. Pete had described the inside of the
mansion as "creepy" and I was denied entrance when asked if I could visit
the mansion with a camera. Pete also told me of an experience regarding
him in the attic of the mansion and finding neckties "from another century"
on the door knobs and that "a lot of murders happened in the house". He
also told that a night watchman at the estate had some strange
experiences so I went there one night with several friends to speak to the
guy. He told me he knew nothing and referred me to a “very good web site
about the area”; my site. The mansion used to be located off of Buckout
Rd behind a locked gate. Behind the gate was a path which led to several
abandoned slaughterhouses and a farm house. I have stopped on the road
in front of the particular location on several occasions and heard unusual
banging and chopping noises. Frequently photographs of the mansion
would come out with visible orbs (solid sphere balls which are believed to
be a form of a spirit).
The mansion was torn down in 2003. Since then a new house is up in its
place; the last house at the end of (new road) Old Carriage House Road, off
of Buckout Road. There was another story I had first heard about ten years
ago regarding a babysitter who was working at a mansion on Buckout Road
and began receiving strange phone calls. Upon calling the police, she was
notified the calls were coming from inside the house, and the children she
was sitting for were murdered. Oddly enough, this was the plot of the 1979
film When A Stranger Calls.
"Man me and Kate had some freaky experiences up there. One night I
was driving, and I dont remember exactly where I turned in Kates car,
but it was a left hand turn near like a path that you couldnt tell if it was
meant for driving or walking, and and we pulled up more, there looked
as if there was this drop off, like t was hte end of the earth, and i
totally freaked out, and started screaming how i didnt wanna drive
down farther. and everyone was allk inds of smoked out and were
persistant in me to keep going, and i did a little further, and the car got
stuck and i swear to god i heard voices call out to us. I reversed and
went back to Kates house, and then a second time we drove out there
and kept up that path in the day time, and came up to this old, eerie
house mansion like house, no cars, no nothing were up there, and it
seems like these faces were peering out the windows at us, and i
tookback off in the car it was a long time b4 i was able to go through
there again dman near died once from some care bareling down. Eric
it freaked the fuck out of me"
-Sara, Dallas, formerly of White Plains
was driving, and I dont remember exactly where I turned in Kates car,
but it was a left hand turn near like a path that you couldnt tell if it was
meant for driving or walking, and and we pulled up more, there looked
as if there was this drop off, like t was hte end of the earth, and i
totally freaked out, and started screaming how i didnt wanna drive
down farther. and everyone was allk inds of smoked out and were
persistant in me to keep going, and i did a little further, and the car got
stuck and i swear to god i heard voices call out to us. I reversed and
went back to Kates house, and then a second time we drove out there
and kept up that path in the day time, and came up to this old, eerie
house mansion like house, no cars, no nothing were up there, and it
seems like these faces were peering out the windows at us, and i
tookback off in the car it was a long time b4 i was able to go through
there again dman near died once from some care bareling down. Eric
it freaked the fuck out of me"
-Sara, Dallas, formerly of White Plains
"In maybe 1981-81, Spring, jumped up on the wall of the
Buckout graveyard, and to my horror, not sure why it was a
horror though, all I saw a was a pit, with 2 shovels left on the
ground, a small pile of dirt, and Mary Buckout's empty grave.
It was in the paper at the time. then I think some else got
snatched, unclear, but I still can't sleep at night. More
nightmares mix with folk tales, rumors, and possibilities, it
is all too much. Just don't, just don't go up there." -
anonymous
Buckout graveyard, and to my horror, not sure why it was a
horror though, all I saw a was a pit, with 2 shovels left on the
ground, a small pile of dirt, and Mary Buckout's empty grave.
It was in the paper at the time. then I think some else got
snatched, unclear, but I still can't sleep at night. More
nightmares mix with folk tales, rumors, and possibilities, it
is all too much. Just don't, just don't go up there." -
anonymous
"The story I remember about the Barrymore house was that
someone in that house had seen a ghost on one of the rafters,
days later the rafter broke in the spot where the ghost was
seen killing a house resident" - Mario
someone in that house had seen a ghost on one of the rafters,
days later the rafter broke in the spot where the ghost was
seen killing a house resident" - Mario
"About 2 year's ago, my boyfriend at the time, my best friend, my
other friend, and myself all went to Buckout. On our way there my
friend received a voice mail, but his phone didn't ring. We were about
a mile away from the entrance to Buckout, when we listened to the
message it was all static while someone or something in the back
round was saying "GO BACK! GO BACK! BEWARE!" No one knew
we were going to Buckout, except for us, it was a spur of the moment
type thing. When we got there, to the beginning of the road, the light's
on the street went out, so it was pitch black. We stopped in front of
the graveyard, and we were all looking to the left at it. Someone or
something knocked on the passanger window, where I was sitting.
We all jumped and looked, no one was there. We left there & I
haven't gone back since" - Ashley
other friend, and myself all went to Buckout. On our way there my
friend received a voice mail, but his phone didn't ring. We were about
a mile away from the entrance to Buckout, when we listened to the
message it was all static while someone or something in the back
round was saying "GO BACK! GO BACK! BEWARE!" No one knew
we were going to Buckout, except for us, it was a spur of the moment
type thing. When we got there, to the beginning of the road, the light's
on the street went out, so it was pitch black. We stopped in front of
the graveyard, and we were all looking to the left at it. Someone or
something knocked on the passanger window, where I was sitting.
We all jumped and looked, no one was there. We left there & I
haven't gone back since" - Ashley
owned farmland on this road sometime in
the late 1800's. They held captive a group
of albino slaves (!) in a nearby barn. One
night (during a thunderstorm, of course),
the youngest Buckout daughter went
mad, slaughtered her family, set the
slaves free, then hung herself in the attic.
A manhunt was formed to capture the
slaves, but not before three of them
murdered a nearby family.
Those three slaves were caught and hung
from a branch that streched across the
road in front of the Buckout's home.
As they hung there, they were gutted and
their blood formed three smalls pools on
the road below.
To this day (it's true....I've seen it myself!)
the ground where the slaves were hung
has "wet spots" that never go away (no
matter what the temperature).
Freaky". - Samhain
the late 1800's. They held captive a group
of albino slaves (!) in a nearby barn. One
night (during a thunderstorm, of course),
the youngest Buckout daughter went
mad, slaughtered her family, set the
slaves free, then hung herself in the attic.
A manhunt was formed to capture the
slaves, but not before three of them
murdered a nearby family.
Those three slaves were caught and hung
from a branch that streched across the
road in front of the Buckout's home.
As they hung there, they were gutted and
their blood formed three smalls pools on
the road below.
To this day (it's true....I've seen it myself!)
the ground where the slaves were hung
has "wet spots" that never go away (no
matter what the temperature).
Freaky". - Samhain
"The three "X's" were supposedly where three witches were hanged.For years, there was rope
hanging from the thickest part of the tree nearest the road, and the tale was that it could not be
pulled, broken, cut, or burned.
Leader of albino clan was supposedly named "Moses", and if you cursed him from road, people
would claim to have red eyes stare at them in darkness, hear voices, or have car trouble. When a
friend of my Dennis, enlisted in army, the night before he left, we "had a few", had the driver take
us to the cemetary at Buckhout, and I am telling you, I still don't believe (although we were the only
ones to exit the car), that we were not alone in graveyard." - Peter
hanging from the thickest part of the tree nearest the road, and the tale was that it could not be
pulled, broken, cut, or burned.
Leader of albino clan was supposedly named "Moses", and if you cursed him from road, people
would claim to have red eyes stare at them in darkness, hear voices, or have car trouble. When a
friend of my Dennis, enlisted in army, the night before he left, we "had a few", had the driver take
us to the cemetary at Buckhout, and I am telling you, I still don't believe (although we were the only
ones to exit the car), that we were not alone in graveyard." - Peter
"There was a house there in the late 90's that had two grey hound statues on the property.
Legend had it that occasionally one of the dogs would come alive to chase people away. Some
say it was to protect them from danger there, others say it was to harm them. As a result,
whenever driving there I would always check for the statues. I never really believed it but would
tell the story to girls that I drove there to scare them. Well one night, on the way out, the girl I was
driving asked where the other statue was (I had told her the story on the way in). I figured she was
messing with me and broke out my flashlight to scan around. We had seen both statues earlier
but this time the pedestal for one the statues was clearly bare. Somewhere in the distance we
heard a dog bark and that was enough for us. We were gone." - Ryan
Legend had it that occasionally one of the dogs would come alive to chase people away. Some
say it was to protect them from danger there, others say it was to harm them. As a result,
whenever driving there I would always check for the statues. I never really believed it but would
tell the story to girls that I drove there to scare them. Well one night, on the way out, the girl I was
driving asked where the other statue was (I had told her the story on the way in). I figured she was
messing with me and broke out my flashlight to scan around. We had seen both statues earlier
but this time the pedestal for one the statues was clearly bare. Somewhere in the distance we
heard a dog bark and that was enough for us. We were gone." - Ryan