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In the forgotten corners of an ancient mansion that once stood long ago, shadows linger like specters of sorrow. Within its ghostly crumbling walls, tragedy and heartbreak have etched their haunting tale, leaving an indelible mark on the land where it once stood.
Echoes of lost love and shattered dreams resonate, where there were once empty halls, where ghosts of the past still wander, yearning for the ones they loved and lost. Amidst eerie silence, a mournful breeze whispers of long-forgotten promises and shattered bonds, forever binding the spirits to the desolate ground. In the depths of darkness, the anguished souls' cries resonate,
Their lingering presence a testament to the price of love and the pain of loss, as they drift between worlds, forever searching for solace in an eternal night of sadness.
Welcome to Destination Terror, your passport to the scariest places in the world. From haunted hotels to locations of unexplained creature sightings, we will travel to places that will provide excitement, adventure and horror. Today we are visiting the grounds of the White Lady's Castle in Rochester, New York, a place where a mother's broken heart left an eternal mark.
So if you're into travel and all things scary, listen close and you might just discover your next exciting adventure destination. But hopefully, not your final destination. Destination Terror is an EerieCast original podcast hosted by me, Carmen Carrion.
If you would like to send us a suggestion or submit a story with your own experience, you can email them to CarmenCarrion at gmail.com or follow me on Twitter at Carmen Carrion. If you enjoy the show, please follow and rate Destination Terror on Spotify and Apple Podcasts to help us grow. Also, check out eeriecast.com for more scary podcasts, such as Tales from the Break Room, featuring allegedly true and terrifying stories that happened on the job.
As the sunlight faded from the sky over Durand-Eastman Park, a group of adventurous teenagers gathered at the old foundation of the White Lady's Castle. Among them were Sarah, a strong-willed girl who loved ghost stories, and her friends Mike, Alex, and Emily. They had heard the legend countless times, but had never ventured into the park this late in the day. The atmosphere was tinged with excitement and unease as they stepped onto the grass-covered ruins.
Sarah couldn't help but imagine the castle that once stood there, its turrets reaching for the sky. The story of the White Lady intrigued her, and she couldn't resist the temptation to experience the legend for herself. As darkness descended, the group huddled together, sharing ghostly tales they had heard from their elders. The wind rustled through the trees, and the lake's gentle waves provided a haunting backdrop to their whispered stories.
Despite their bravado, an unspoken tension lingered in the air. As they continued to share stories, the temperature seemed to drop, and a dense fog rolled in, obscuring their view of the castle ruins. Sarah felt a shiver run down her spine as she looked around, trying to shake off the feeling of being watched. "Hey, let's do a séance," Alex suddenly suggested. "I think that is a terrible idea."
Emily retorted back. Come on. I know we don't have a spirit board or candles, but we can still try. It'll be fun. Alex continued to urge the group as he reached and grabbed Sarah and Emily's hands. Mike looked at them hesitantly, if not skeptically, and then finally, he joined hands with them as well. Alex began to speak. Hello. We come in peace. Emily giggled. We are looking for the White Lady. The Lady of the Castle.
He paused for a moment, searching for his next words. "We just want to talk to you." Suddenly a faint whisper broke through the silence, causing the group to stiffen. They couldn't make out what was being said, but the voice was unmistakably female. "Who's there?" Sarah called out, her voice shaking slightly. No response came, but the whispering grew louder, and the fog thickened, making it difficult to see even a few feet ahead.
"This isn't fun anymore, guys. I want to go home," Emily whispered. Mike, the bravest of the group, stepped forward, determined to find the source of the voice. "Come on, guys, let's see what's going on," he said, his voice steady but his eyes betraying his nerves. The others followed, their hearts pounding with a mixture of excitement and fear. As they stood and walked deeper into the fog, the whispering grew louder, and Sarah could feel an invisible force tugging at her hair.
She turned around to see if anyone was behind her, but no one was there. Suddenly, she felt a cold breath on her neck and she froze, too scared to move. "Guys, I don't like this," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Mike spun around, flashlight in hand, and shone it in Sarah's direction. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice tense. Sarah could feel her heart racing as she tried to steady her breathing. "Something touched me."
she said. Her voice was shaking. Mike's eyes widened, and he quickly shone his flashlight around, searching for any sign of an intruder. "Okay, let's stick together," he said, his voice firm. "We'll find out what's going on, but we need to stay calm." As they continued to walk through the fog, the whispering grew louder, and Sarah could feel a chill creeping up her spine. Suddenly they heard the sound of footsteps.
and Mike motioned for the group to hide behind a nearby tree. In the distance, a figure in white appeared. The teens exchanged nervous glances, wondering if their eyes were playing tricks on them. But the figure drew closer, and they could make out a woman, her form ethereal and almost translucent. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her eyes were pools of sorrow.
The group held their breath as the White Lady approached, her two white dogs by her side. Sarah's heart pounded in her chest, torn between fear and fascination. She had always been skeptical, yet fascinated by ghost stories, dismissing them as mere superstitions. Yet there was something undeniably real about the apparition before her. With trembling hands, Sarah mustered the courage to speak. "Are you the White Lady?"
The woman's gaze met hers, and for a moment, Sarah felt a surge of empathy. "I am the lady of the castle," the woman replied in a voice that seemed to echo from another time. Mike stepped forward, his voice wavering. "Why are you still here? What happened to your daughter?" The white lady's face contorted with anguish, and her dogs let out mournful howls. "I search for my daughter, but she is lost to me, forever wandering in the void between worlds.
She lamented. Emily couldn't hold back her tears, filling the immense sorrow radiating from the apparition. "Is there anything we can do to help you find peace?" The White Lady shook her head sadly. "My time in this world has long passed. I am bound to this place, unable to rest until I reunite with my daughter."
the woman put her face in her hands and began to sob as her shoulders shook she began to visibly fade and as she disappeared so did her cries leaving only a hint of them in the wind's gentle breeze the four teens looked from one to another in shock and awe they had witnessed something truly spectacular that they would never forget four weeks after the encounter with the white lady sarah and her friends were haunted by the experience
They couldn't shake the feeling that they had stumbled upon something otherworldly that night. Sarah, in particular, couldn't stop thinking about the sorrow in the ghostly woman's eyes. Determined to uncover the truth behind the legend, Sarah delved into historical records, searching for any clues that might shed light on the White Lady's existence. She spent hours at the local library, poring over old newspapers and documents.
Finally, Sarah came across an old journal entry, dated back to the early 1900s. It was written by a young woman named Isabella, who had visited the area with her family for the summer. Isabella's journal spoke of a chance encounter with a reclusive woman and her daughter living on the hill. As Sarah read on, she discovered that Isabella had befriended the daughter, whose name was Eliza. The two young women formed a deep bond.
and Eliza confided in Isabella about her desire for a life beyond the confines of her home. According to the Journal According to the Journal, Eliza had met a young man named Thomas during one of her secret excursions to the lake's edge. Their love had blossomed in the shadows, away from her mother's watchful eyes, but their happiness was short-lived as tragedy struck when Eliza's mother discovered their forbidden romance.
In a fit of rage, Eliza's mother forbade her from seeing Thomas again. Desperate to be with her love, Eliza concocted a plan to run away with Thomas. But fate had other plans, and on the night of their escape, a terrible accident occurred, leaving Eliza lifeless by the lake's edge. Isabella's journal detailed the heartbreak and grief that followed. Eliza's mother, unable to bear the loss of her daughter,
spent the rest of her days searching for her in vain. Her grief had driven her mad, and she refused to accept that her daughter was dead. Isabella had been a witness to the White Lady's sorrowful journey, a journey that had continued even into death. Armed with newfound information, Sarah returned to Durand-Eastman Park with her friends, seeking to communicate with the White Lady once more.
She carried Isabella's journal with her, hoping it would serve as a bridge between the living and the dead. As night fell, the White Lady appeared again, accompanied by her two white dogs. Sarah held out the journal, her voice steady despite her inner turmoil. "We know your story. We know about Eliza and Thomas. We want to help you find peace." The White Lady's spectral eyes locked onto the journal, and a glimmer of recognition crossed her face.
"Isabella," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "We want to reunite you with your daughter," Sarah continued. "We want to help you find closure so you can finally rest." Sarah wasn't sure what she had expected, but it certainly wasn't what happened next. The white lady's ghostly face contorted and began to change into a rage-filled, hideous form. Her mouth dropped open, and she let out a terrifying scream.
The group stumbled back, shocked by the sudden transformation. The dogs howled, their fur standing on end, as the white lady's ghostly form twisted and writhed. Sarah felt a sense of dread wash over her. "What have we done?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of the wind. Suddenly the apparition lunged forward, her ghostly fingers reaching out to grab Sarah.
The group scattered, running in different directions, hoping to escape the vengeful spirit. Sarah could feel the white lady's cold breath on her neck, and she ran faster, her heart pounding in her chest. She could hear the others calling out, but she couldn't focus on anything except getting away. Finally, Sarah stumbled onto a narrow path and followed it, her legs burning with exhaustion. She didn't dare look back, fearing the worst.
As she ran, Sarah could feel her heart racing and her breath coming in short gasps. She didn't know how much longer she could keep this up. Suddenly her foot caught on a tree root, and she fell to the ground, her ankle twisting painfully. She cried out in pain, and the white lady's laughter echoed through the trees. Sarah knew she had to act fast. Using all her strength, she pulled herself up and limped as fast as she could down the path.
The laughter grew louder, and Sarah could feel the White Lady's presence closing in. Just when she thought she couldn't go on, she saw a light in the distance. It was Mike's flashlight, and he was calling out to her. With a renewed sense of hope, Sarah ran as fast as she could, pushing past the pain in her ankle. As she drew closer, she could see Emily and Alex with him, looking worried. She stumbled toward them, tears streaming down her face.
"Are you okay?" Emily asked, putting a hand on Sarah's shoulder. Sarah could only nod, still gasping for breath. She turned to Mike, her voice shaking. "We have to leave, now." Mike didn't need any further explanation, and he led the group back to their car. As they drove away from Durand-Eastman Park, Sarah's mind raced with questions. What had happened to the white lady?
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Durand-Eastman Park, located outside of Rochester in the small town of Irondequoit, was formally dedicated on May 22, 1909. Durand-Eastman Park's 5,000 feet of Lake Ontario shoreline creates a tranquil summer atmosphere that draws a large number of visitors.
Many hikers and nature lovers return to the park because of its incredible beauty, which is enhanced by its steep wooded slopes, breathtaking panoramas, and small lakes. Fans of the eerie and unexplained, on the other hand, frequent Durand-Eastman Park. Many of these tourists visit the area in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the White Lady's Castle, a stone wall that resembles something out of the Middle Ages.
According to legend, the wall was once part of a grand castle atop the hill, where a mysterious woman and her beautiful daughter lived in seclusion. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, if you live close to Rochester's Durand-Eastman Beach, where the White Lady is rumored to visit, you probably know the story.
Before the area was transformed into Durand-Eastman Park, a reclusive woman and her teenage daughter lived there. The daughter, who attracted the attention of numerous young men due to her stunning beauty, was unable to escape her mother's overbearing protection. The mother urged her to stay inside their isolated house and avoid the attention of these boys. While the daughter listened to her mother's warnings with dignity, she still yearned for the company of a young man.
One night, the daughter crept out of the house and walked to the lake's edge. The young woman vanished, and her mother was so distressed that she spent every night with her two white dogs exploring the lonely countryside for her. Passersby would see the old lady in white as she conducted her evening promenade in search of her missing daughter. The older woman died alone and brokenhearted after years of searching.
Her house decayed over time, until all that remained was the foundation. The neighborhood immediately became popular among teenagers, who began using it as a lover's lane to meet their dates in an intimate environment. Strange rumors began to circulate that something unusual was going on there. Many of the young couples got scared off by the sight of the white ghost, followed by the two phantom dogs.
The terrible story of the mother and daughter was passed down from generation to generation, perpetuating the mystery of the White Lady and her castle. Some versions of the story say the woman lived in the famous White Lady Castle, which was actually a refectory. There's no historical evidence that such a woman ever lived in the area, or that the alleged events even happened. In other versions, the teenage daughter runs away with her lover, but her suitor isn't who she believes he is, and he murders her.
And in yet another story, the teenage daughter meets a horrific end after being abducted by a band of rowdy and violent marauders. In all versions, the mother spent the rest of her life looking for her. Regardless of the version told, the White Lady roams the lakefront to this very day, searching for her missing daughter. She has been known as a more menacing spirit towards men, but appears to women as a sorrowful spirit on her never-ending search for her daughter.
Folklore and local legends are common in small, close-knit communities all throughout the world. While some legends are vastly distinct, others contain a surprising number of similarities. One of the latter is the Lady in White. The tradition of a heartbroken female ghostly apparition is comparable to stories passed down from generation to generation in various cultures around the world.
Ghost stories about a woman in white can be found throughout Europe, North America, South America, Russia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. All versions portray a ghostly woman, clad in white, who died as a result of a tragic loss while she was alive. Some of the women are always waiting for their sailors to return home from sea, while others have died as a result of an accident, betrayal by a husband, or death at the hands of another.
In the upstate New York version, a devastated mother named Elisa is said to be looking for her missing daughter. She can be spotted walking the Durand-Eastman Park shoreline in search of her lost daughter. Some Rochester residents believe the white lady, the ghost of a woman who used to live in the region, has returned to haunt a tree. According to the Democrat and Chronicle, a windstorm in 2017 blew off a big limb in Durand-Eastman Park.
creating a scary shape in the wood. A woman with a skull-like visage appears to be dressed and lifting her arms, while some claim she is cradling a baby. The unsettling damage to the tree, according to Monroe County Parks Department Director Larry Staub, is natural and not the product of a prankster. Dr. Henry S. Durand owned a Boy Scout summer camp in the area in the early 1900s, which is now Durand-Eastman Park.
Dr. Durand was persuaded by his friend, George Eastman, that Rochester needed a public park with lakefront access. In 1907, the couple purchased neighboring farmland and offered it to the city of Rochester. Rochester spent almost a year transforming the mostly swampy farmland into a diversified park, complete with wooded hills, valleys, stunning vistas, and small lakes.
The park was officially dedicated on May 22, 1909, and it is today a huge recreation area with numerous activities for families and visitors. The White Lady has also given Durand-Eastman Park a reputation as a paranormal hotspot. Frank Lelogia, a native of Rochester, New York, included the legend of the White Lady of Durand-Eastman Park into his thriller, Lady in White.
which was mostly shot in Wayne County, Lyons, and surrounding locations. In the film, an author describes how, as a little child growing up in a tiny town in the 1960s, he was confined in a school closet on Halloween 1962, where he encountered the ghost of a young girl and the guy who murdered her years before. He is quickly pursued by the killer and enticed to an old house where a mysterious lady in white resides.
As he learns more about the woman's secret, he realizes that the killer could be someone close to him. Those looking for the White Lady's castle should take Route 590 north until it intersects with Seabreeze Drive, take a left at the 4th roundabout onto Durand Boulevard, and continue straight through the intersection until you reach Sweet Fern Road on the right.
Many visitors spend the rest of their day at Durand-Eastman Park after visiting the White Lady's Castle, which is located a mile down the road on the top of a knoll overlooking Lake Ontario. The park includes numerous lakes, including Durand and Eastman, a swimming beach on Lake Ontario, a secret playground, a beautiful botanic garden, and miles and miles of hiking paths.
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Sarah became obsessed with finding answers and spent the next several weeks searching for them again. She reached out to paranormal investigators, historians, and anyone who might know something about the legend of the White Lady. She spent countless hours researching, poring over old documents, and interviewing locals. Finally, she received a lead from a historian who had stumbled upon a diary belonging to Eliza's lover, Thomas.
The diary detailed his experiences with Eliza and the tragic events leading up to her death. With trembling hands, Sarah read through the diary, tears streaming down her face. She could feel the pain and loss in Thomas' words, and she felt a kinship with the young man. He had loved Eliza with all his heart, and he had been devastated by her loss. As Sarah continued to read, she discovered something that shook her to her core.
Thomas had been convinced that Eliza's mother had been behind her death. He had sensed something off about the woman, and he had witnessed her fits of rage firsthand. Sarah knew what she had to do. She gathered her friends again and returned to Durand-Eastman Park, armed with the knowledge she had acquired. As they walked through the trees, Sarah felt a sense of purpose.
She was determined to bring closure to the White Lady, no matter the cost. Sarah spoke first this time. "Hello? Are you here?" she yelled into the night. They walked up the stairs and around the foundation of the old castle. "I have something to tell you about your daughter," Sarah yelled again, but there was no response. They walked into the forest towards the lake, searching for the White Lady.
As they approached the lake's edge, the white lady and her two large white dogs finally appeared again, her ghostly form shimmering in the moonlight. Sarah stepped forward, holding out Thomas's diary. As she did, the dogs stepped forward with their teeth bared and a low rumbling growl as a warning for Sarah not to come closer. "We know the truth," she said firmly. "We know what happened to Eliza.
The white lady's spectral eyes flickered at the recognition of her daughter's name, and a look of sadness crossed her face. I have searched for so long, she whispered, but I never knew the truth. Sarah took a deep breath. Eliza's lover, Thomas, suspected that you were responsible for her death, she said. He believed that you were consumed by rage, and that you couldn't bear to see your daughter with someone you deemed unworthy.
The white lady's form wavered, and Sarah could feel her anger fading. "'It is true,' she said softly. "'I couldn't bear to see my daughter with someone from a lower class, but I never meant for her to die.' Sarah stepped forward, offering the diary to the white lady. "'Take this,' she said. "'It belongs to Thomas, Eliza's lover. He loved her deeply and wanted nothing but the best for her.'
He never stopped loving her, even after her death. The White Lady took the diary, her fingers passing through Sarah's hand. As she read through the diary, her ghostly form began to shift. Her spectral eyes filled with tears and she let out a mournful cry. "I never knew," she said, her voice trembling. "I never knew how much they loved each other." Sarah approached the White Lady, her heart filled with compassion. "It's time to let go."
She said softly, "It's time to find peace." The White Lady's dogs circled around her, their mournful howls filling the night air. Sarah felt a strange sensation, as though the barrier between the living and the dead was thinning. She held her breath, waiting for a sign that their words had reached the sorrowful spirit. And then a soft glow enveloped the White Lady, and she began to fade away.
But this time, there was a sense of peace in her eyes. A glimmer of hope that had been absent before. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice carried away by the wind. Sarah and her friends watched in awe as the White Lady and her dogs disappeared into the night. It was a bittersweet moment, knowing that they had played a part in the restless spirit's journey to find her daughter.
From that night on, the legend of the White Lady took on a different tone in the town of Irondequoit. The ghostly apparition was no longer a menacing figure, but a sorrowful soul seeking closure. Sarah and her friends had bridged the gap between the living and the dead, bringing a sense of peace to the haunting tale.
As they walked back through the park, Sarah knew that the memory of the White Lady would stay with her forever. And though the legend would continue to draw visitors to Durand-Eastman Park, the true story behind the White Lady would remain known only to those who had witnessed the haunting revelation. Thank you for joining us as we explored the White Lady's castle. Tune in next week as we discuss another terrorific destination.
I'm Carmen Carrion. Remember, you can send me suggestions and stories of haunted places to my email, carmencarrion at gmail.com or follow me on Twitter at Carmen Carrion. Be sure to check out eeriecast.com for more terrifying podcasts. Until next time, be safe out there until I see you at our next destination.
