The Bennington Triangle Disappearances: A Mysterious Enigma


The Bennington Triangle, a region in southwestern Vermont, is infamous for its eerie tales and unsolved mysteries. 

This area, including the towns of Bennington, Woodford, Shaftsbury, and Glastenbury, became notorious due to a series of strange disappearances between the 1940s and 1950s. 

These surprising events have fueled speculation and led to various theories as people try to uncover the secrets of the Bennington Triangle.

From 1945 to 1950, a series of unsolved disappearances rocked the local communities, leaving both investigators and residents surprised. 

Some of the most notable cases in the Bennington Triangle include:


Middie Rivers - November 1945

The first unsettling disappearance involved Middie Rivers, a 74-year-old seasoned hunting guide. 

In November 1945, Rivers was leading a group of hunters near Glastenbury Mountain. 

He somehow became separated from the group and was never seen again. 

Despite exhaustive searches by law enforcement and volunteers, no trace of Rivers was ever found. 


Paula Welden - December 1946

A year later, on December 1, 1946, 18-year-old college student Paula Welden vanished while hiking on the Long Trail near Glastenbury Mountain. 

Welden had told her roommate she was going for a walk but never returned. 

The subsequent search involved hundreds of volunteers, including military personnel, but no clues were found. 

Welden's disappearance is one of the most famous cases in the region, primarily because it led to the creation of Vermont's state police force.

Paula Welden


James E. Tedford - October 1949

In another mysterious case, 68-year-old World War II veteran James E. Tedford disappeared under inexplicable circumstances. 

On December 1, 1949, Tedford boarded a bus in Bennington bound for St. Albans. 

Witnesses saw him on the bus, but when it reached its destination, Tedford was gone. 

His belongings, including an open bus timetable and an unclaimed bus ticket, were found on the bus. 

Despite extensive searches, Tedford was never found.


Paul Jepson - October 1950

The fourth case involved the disappearance of three-year-old Paul Jepson. 

On October 12, 1950, Paul disappeared while his mother was attending to the family's pigs at their Glastenbury farmhouse. 

A massive search involving the Vermont State Police and the U.S. Army yielded no conclusive evidence. 

The disappearance of such a young child added to the eerie mystique of the Bennington Triangle.


Frieda Langer - October 1950

Frieda Langer, the final known victim of the Bennington Triangle, disappeared on October 28, 1950, just sixteen days after Jepson. 

While camping near the Somerset Reservoir, Langer fell into a stream and went to change her clothes during a hike with her cousin, Herbert Elsner. 

Despite promising to return quickly, she never came back. 

An extensive search involving numerous searchers, aircraft, and helicopters found no trace of Langer. 

Unlike the other cases, Langer's body was eventually found in May 1951, in an area that had been extensively searched, adding to the mystery.

Frieda Langer

Theories and Speculations

Many theories have tried to explain these mysterious vanishings, but no definitive answers have emerged. 

Popular theories include paranormal activity, such as aliens or supernatural forces. 

Some suggest the disappearances are the result of a time warp or inter-dimensional portal. 

Others propose more earthly explanations, such as secret government experiments or the actions of a hidden cult. 

Despite these theories, the truth remains elusive.

Joseph A. Citro's 1996 book, "Passing Strange: True Tales of New England Hauntings and Horrors", mentions that Native Americans avoided Glastenbury Mountain, believing it was a cursed land where the "four winds" met in perpetual conflict. 

This belief was partly based on the mountain's erratic wind patterns and sudden weather changes. 

Another legend suggests that an enchanted stone on the mountain could swallow people whole. 

These myths contribute to the area's mystique, though they remain unproven.

There have also been numerous sightings of a Bigfoot-like creature in the Glastenbury Mountain area known as "The Bennington Monster" dating back to the early 1800s. 

Eyewitnesses describe it as a large, hairy, black creature over six feet tall.

Strange lights and sounds have been reported in the area and some speculate the disappearances could be linked to UFO activity or "cross dimensional wormholes".

Eyewitnesses also say that the trails on Glastenbury Mountain stop partially up the mountain, suggesting that even animals avoid going up there




Practical Explanations

While many theories are fantastical, some practical explanations have been proposed. 

The area's unpredictable weather and challenging terrain could cause people to become lost or disoriented. 

Steep cliffs and dense forests add to the difficulty of navigating the region, potentially explaining some of the disappearances.


The Bennington Triangle remains one of America's most baffling and intriguing mysteries. 

Despite extensive investigations and numerous theories, the truth behind these disappearances remains hidden. 

This region continues to captivate imaginations worldwide, inspiring books, movies, and supernatural reports of Bigfoot, UFOs, and inter-dimensional portals. 

The Bennington Triangle is a testament to human curiosity and the enduring allure of the unknown.


sources

[1] https://vermontdailychronicle.com/secrets-of-the-bennington-triangle/

[2] https://listverse.com/2019/03/12/10-creepy-mysteries-of-the-bennington-triangle/

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bennington_Triangle

[4] https://www.vermonter.com/vermonts-bennington-triangle/

[5] https://www.grunge.com/625795/the-biggest-bennington-triangle-disappearance-theories-what-really-happened/

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