By Cary Briel / Briel Computer & Network
Saturday, September 29, 2007 9:52 PM EDT
Like ghost stories? How about ghost stories in Skaneateles? Here’s a Skaneateles ghost story from the book Ghosts of the Erie Canal, by Anthony J. Gerst, copyright 2005.
“Pilot Down. Jordan, New York, part of the Old Erie Canal is a fascinating village. This story is about Skaneateles Lake and has come to us from this postcard village.
Skaneateles Lake, New York derives its name from the Indian word skan-e-a-dice, which means ‘long lake.’ The lake is 350 feet at the deepest spot. The third deepest of the Finger Lakes, yet is the least productive of the lakes in wildlife and plant species.
The first non-native visitors to the area were the Moravian missionaries, out of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; they built “The Pilgrims Hut,” along the St. James Beach. Skaneateles is also a quaint little town that has a large number of well-preserved homes and shops from various eras; the Evergreen House served as part of the Underground Railroad during the mid-1800’s and was a rest stop for refugees heading into Canada.
A very strange haunting occurs on Lake Skaneateles. It occurs in the spring of the year, on April 29th. People throughout the region from New Hope, and Bordino, have reported seeing a strange sight when out and about on the northern end of the lake. The event always takes place between 2:30 and 2:45 in the afternoon. People not familiar with the haunting have been known to contact emergency services in the area.
It happened on April 29th, 1956. A young Air National Guard pilot was out on a practice run when the following tragedy occurred.
Banking into a couple of rolls the now antiquated T33 jet climbed into the sky at a steep angle. Something went wrong as the plane and the pilot soon came crashing down. Nose diving from the sky, the jet came to rest 180 feet below the waves.
Many of the locals avoid the lake on this day, at least the north end. But newcomers to the area and fishermen tourists are not aware of the events of yesteryear. It is said that should a boat be near the crash site, the whole vivid nightmare comes back in full color as the jet flies over the water. Some of the reports about this ghostly jet tell of only hearing a jet engine and explosion, then seeing a splash coming from the water about them.
So, upon the anniversary of this tragic event, does the young pilot try in vain to correct the errors of that fatal day?”
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