Rehmeyer's Hollow
Rehmeyer's Hollow, also known as Hex Hollow, is located in Central Pennsylvania (York County) near the Maryland border. The area was brought to national attention by a murder that occurred there in 1928. The name of the hollow was later changed to Spring Valley County Park.
Murder of Nelson Rehmeyer
In 1928, under the malicious advice of a local witch named Nellie Noll (known as the River Witch of Marietta), John Blymire believed that he had been cursed by Nelson Rehmeyer. Blymire and his accomplices broke into Rehmeyer's home to find his copy of the braucherei 'spell book', the Long Lost Friend. Blymire and his fellow conspirators John Curry and Wilbert Hess (who likewise felt victimized by Rehmeyer) were unable to find the book, but did find Rehmeyer himself, whom they killed and mutilated in hopes that this would lift the curse. The resulting trial drew substantial media attention.[1][2][3]
Rehmeyer's house where he was murdered still stands on Rehmeyer's Hollow Road. Many locals believe it to be haunted. [4] Teenagers can usually be found down in the hollow legend tripping.
Cultural references
Amateur filmmaker Shane Free from Los Angeles, CA began filming in 2013 the Hex Hollow movie; a documentary chronicling the events leading up to and following the murder of Nelson Rehmeyer. Free explores the history of the crime through interviews of surviving relatives of all involved; as well as interviewing folklore expert Thomas White and Powwow experts Robert Phoenix and Chris Bilardi.
Central Pennsylvania-based novelist Brian Keene wrote four novels in a series loosely based on Rehmeyer's Hollow and the region's powwow magic: Dark Hollow (2007), Ghost Walk (2008), A Gathering of Crows (2010), and The Last of the Albatwitches (2014).
HEX "Hex Hollow EP" (2003) (music)
References
- ^ PARDON BOARD HEARS PROTEST IN 'HEX' CASES, at the Gettysburg Times; published October 27, 1943; retrieved from Google News Archive June 30, 2014
- ^ Witchcraft Practiced in York County, at the Gettysburg Times; published February 1, 1969; retrieved from Google News Archive June 30, 2014
- ^ Powwowing Among the Pennsylvania Dutch: A Traditional Medical Practice in the Modern World, by David W. Kriebel; published 2007 by Penn State Press (via Google Books)
- ^ https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ8YiubX4n0
Witches of Pennsylvania by Thomas White
Pennsylvania Dutch Powwow website of author Robert Phoenix
Further reading
- Lewis, Arthur (1969). Hex.
- McGinnis, J. Ross (2000). Trials of Hex.
