The Bennington Triangle: Disappearances in the Woods

This is Tales of the Twisted. Stories of the strange, weird, bizarre, and shocking. Everyone has heard or knows of the Bermuda Triangle. But have you heard of the Bennington Triangle? There’s an area in Vermont that is home to strange occurrences — missing people, a cursed mountain, paranormal creatures such as a rock monster, a red-eyed animal, mysterious weather, and abandoned ghost towns. Let’s dive into the Bennington Triangle. Southwestern Vermont is known for its iconic mountain scenery, but one small area of dense woods became the center of one of America’s most enduring mysteries. Between 1945 and 1950, six people disappeared under mysterious circumstances in what became known as the Bennington Triangle. Bennington already had a long history of misfortune. Its mining and logging industries collapsed. Tourism failed. A devastating flood destroyed the community in the late 1800s. By the early 20th century, Glastenbury and surrounding towns were essentially ghost towns. Then the disappearances began. --- CARL HERRICK – 1943 Often excluded from the Triangle narrative, but disturbing enough to mention. While hunting northeast of Glastenbury Mountain, Herrick became separated from his cousin. Days later, his body was found — with crushed ribs and a punctured lung. He had not fired his gun. Cause of death: “compression,” or being squeezed. Locals shrugged it off… until the next disappearance. --- MIDDIE RIVERS – 1945 A 74-year-old seasoned hunter guiding four men along Hell Hollow Brook. He walked ahead and vanished. Search parties, including the U.S. Army, spent over a month looking for him. Only a single rifle cartridge was found. No trace of Rivers was ever recovered. --- PAULA JEAN WELDON – 1946 An 18-year-old Bennington College student who set out for a hike along the Long Trail wearing a bright red coat. She was last seen speaking with hikers, then stepping onto the trail alone. Four weeks of searching turned up nothing. Her father believed she had a secret boyfriend, but no credible evidence was ever found. Her disappearance remains unsolved. --- JAMES TETFORD – 1949 This is the strangest case. A WWII veteran boarded a bus to return to Bennington. Fourteen passengers confirmed he was asleep in his seat shortly before their stop. When the bus arrived, Tetford was gone — vanished from a moving bus. His luggage and personal belongings were still on the seat. Tetford was never seen again. --- PAUL JEPSON – 1950 An 8-year-old boy who vanished from his family’s farm after being left in the truck for about an hour. He was last seen wearing a red coat — just like Paula Weldon. Bloodhounds traced his scent to a crossroads near Glastenbury Mountain, then the trail vanished. Paul had been obsessively talking about the mountain for days before he disappeared. --- FREDA LANGER – 1950 Just weeks after Paul disappeared, 53-year-old Freda Langer fell into a creek while hiking with her cousin. She returned to camp to change clothing but never returned to the trail. Her body was found six months later, but decomposition prevented any determination of cause of death. She is the *only* Bennington Triangle victim whose body was ever recovered. --- Paranormal theories grew from here — UFOs, curses, disappearances connected to the color red, mysterious weather patterns, and the legend of the "man-eating rock" that supposedly swallows people whole. But there are other possibilities: • **Harsh weather** that disorients hikers • **Unmarked mine shafts** beneath the forest floor • **Hypothermia**, exposure, and getting lost • **Animal attacks** (though extremely rare in this region) Still… the lack of bodies, footprints, clothing, or evidence fuels the mystery. --- MODERN INCIDENTS In 2019, the body of New York resident Jessica Hildebrandt — nicknamed “Red” — was found near Somerset Reservoir. Her death was ruled a homicide. In 2021, missing man Joseph Shernig was found deceased in his red truck near the same reservoir. The color red continues to appear in the lore. And the Bennington Triangle continues to grow its reputation as one of the most unsettling wilderness regions in America. --- Thanks for listening to Tales of the Twisted.