Bunny Man

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For the horror film, see Bunnyman (film).

Coordinates: 38°47′23″N 77°21′44″W / 38.78985°N 77.36225°W / 38.78985; -77.36225

The "Bunny Man Bridge" in daylight
The "Bunny Man Bridge" at night

The Bunny Man is an urban legend that probably originated from two incidents in Fairfax County, Virginia, in 1970, but has been spread throughout the Washington D.C. area. There are many variations to the legend, but most involve a man wearing a rabbit costume ("bunny suit") who attacks people with an axe. Many variations occur around Colchester Overpass, a Southern Railway overpass spanning Colchester Road near Clifton.[1] Colchester Overpass is commonly referred to as "Bunny Man Bridge". Story variations include the origin of the Bunny Man, names, motives, weapons, victims, description of the bunny suit or lack there of, and the possible death of the Bunny Man. In some accounts the Bunny Man's ghost or aging spectre is said to come out of his place of death each year on Halloween to commemorate his death. In some accounts, victims' bodies are mutilated.


Contents

The legend [edit]

The legend has circulated for years in several forms. A version naming a suspect and specific location was posted to a web site in the late 1990s by a "Timothy C. Forbes". This version states that in 1904, an asylum prison in Clifton, Virginia was shut down by successful petition of the growing population of residents in Fairfax County. During the transfer of inmates to a new facility, the transport carrying the inmates crashes; some prisoners escaped or were found dead. A search party finds all but one of them.

During this time, locals allegedly began to find hundreds of cleanly skinned, half-eaten carcasses of rabbits hanging from the trees in the surrounding areas. Another search of the area was ordered and the police located the remains of Marcus Wallster, left in a similar fashion to the rabbit carcasses hanging in a nearby tree or under a bridge overpass—known locally as the "Bunny Man Bridge"—along the railroad tracks at Colchester Road. Officials name the last missing inmate, Douglas J. Grifon, as their suspect and call him "the bunny man".

In this version, officials finally manage to locate Grifon but, during their attempt to apprehend him at the overpass, he nearly escapes before being hit by an oncoming train where the original transport crashed. They say after the train passed the police said that they heard laughter coming from the site. It is eventually revealed that Grifon was institutionalized for killing his family and children on Easter Sunday.

For years after the "Bunny Man's" death, in the time approaching Halloween carcasses are said to be found hanging from the overpass and surrounding areas. A figure is reportedly seen by passersby making their way through the one lane bridge tunnel.

Conley says this version is demonstrably false. Among other inconsistencies, Conley notes that "there has never been an asylum for the insane in Fairfax County", that "Lorton Prison didn't come into existence until 1910, and even then it was an arm of the District of Columbia Corrections system, not Virginia's." Court records also show neither a Grifon nor a Wallster.

Cryptozoologist Loren Coleman, via his blog Cryptomundo and in the book Weird Virginia, which has a section on the Bunny man, sees a direct association between the legend of Bunny man and that of the Goatman of nearby Maryland.

Pedestrians, trains and cars at Colchester Overpass [edit]

Because of its association with the legend, Colchester Overpass is a popular destination for paranormal enthusiasts and curiosity seekers.[2] Colchester Overpass was built in about 1906[3] near the site of Sangster's Station, a Civil War era railroad station on what was once the Orange and Alexandria Railroad.[4] Understandably, interest increases around Halloween and starting in the year 2003, local authorities began controlling access to the area during that time.[5] During Halloween 2011 over 200 people, some from as far away as the Pennsylvania/Maryland state line, were turned away during a 14 hour traffic checkpoint into the area.[6] Non-local visitors could be unaware that Colchester Overpass is an active intersection of trains and traffic. The railroad tracks overhead are used by Norfolk Southern Railway, Virginia Railway Express (VRE-Manassas Line) and Amtrak trains. VRE-Manassas Line and Amtrak traffic alone accounts for ninety trains using the overpass each week.[7] In the vicinity of Colchester Overpass, Colchester Road is narrow and windy with limited visibility. In Fairfax County, Virginia, it is illegal to trespass on posted railroad tracks or to loiter in a public roadway.[8]

Norfolk Southern freight train at Colchester Overpass aka Bunnyman Bridge
Train and road traffic at Colchester Overpass aka Bunnyman Bridge
Amtrak train at Colchester Overpass aka Bunnyman Bridge
Night time traffic at Colchester Overpass aka Bunnyman Bridge

References [edit]

  1. ^ 38°47′23″N 77°21′44″W / 38.78972°N 77.36222°W / 38.78972; -77.36222
  2. ^ Varhola, Michael J. (2008). Ghosthunting Virginia (America's Haunted Road Trip). Chapter 2. Bunny Man Bridge (Fairfax Station): Clerisy Press. pp. 15–22. ISBN 1-57860-327-7. 
  3. ^ Netherton, Nan and Wykoff, Whitney Von Lake (1995). Fairfax Station All Aboard. Fairfax Station, Virginia: Friends of the Fairfax Station. p. 42. 
  4. ^ Netherton, Nan and Wykoff, Whitney Von Lake (1995). Fairfax Station All Aboard. Fairfax Station, Virginia: Friends of the Fairfax Station. p. 41. 
  5. ^ Newspaper, Article (November 4, 2003). "Legend Lives on at Bunnyman Bridge". Connection Newspapers. Retrieved 5/8/2012. 
  6. ^ Stachyra, Mary C. (November 17, 2011). "Neighbors Find 'Bunnyman Bridge' an Unwelcome Atraction". CentrevillePatch. Retrieved 5/8/2010. 
  7. ^ "Virginia Railway Express Manassas Line Schedule". Virginia Railway Express. Retrieved 4/28/2012. 
  8. ^ Code of Ordinances, Fairfax County Virginia. "Chapter 5 - Offenses, Articles 1 and 4". Fairfax County. Retrieved 5/8/1012. 

External links [edit]

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