‘World’s most haunted amusement park’ built on burial ground where 6 kids died and abandoned rides are left to rust
A CURSED amusement park where six kids tragically died has been left abandoned and untouched since the chilling deaths.
Dubbed the world’s most haunted amusement park by many, Lake Shawnee is now rusting away in West Virginia after diggers found it was a Native American burial site.
Freak accidents caused the once beloved family park to be shut for good in 1966.
A woman was shot just outside the park in 1934 in the first reported death surrounding the haunted place.
Before one little boy brutally drowned in a swimming pool as his arm got trapped in a drain.
His desperate mum searched the entire park trying to find her boy, but his cold body was found floating in the pool.
A three-year-old girl was also crushed by a lift as another poor youngster was tragically run over by a reversing refreshment truck as she played on the swings.
More than 20 years after the parks closure a huge archaeological dig on the amusements led to more shocking finds.
Another 13 bodies were discovered, mostly children.
Chris White, who now manages the property, said: “We found arrowheads, pottery, and pots.
“So we stopped.
“We said this is pretty interesting, let’s get somebody out here and see what we can do.
After going deeper White and the team stopped after they started to find kids’ graves.
The same kids who decades earlier kept themselves happy in the park by going on the big swings, Ferris wheel, outdoor pools, water slides, and diving boards.
After hunting into the backstory some more after the parks closure the story worsened.
Until 1783, a Native American tribe lived in the same area as the park in Mercer County and used it as an ancient burial ground to keep dead bodies.
The site however, has a particularly gruesome truth as it was the home of a violent turf war between the Native Americans and Europeans coming over.
Going by reports, the head of the tribe, Mitchell Clay, was out hunting when a group of men killed his youngest son, Bartley.
His other children faced similar fates as his daughter Tabitha was knifed to death before his oldest son Ezekial was kidnapped and burned at the stake.
After burying his children, Clay got his revenge, going on to murder several of the Native Americans.
Paranormal enthusiasts have been left fascinated by the park’s chilling backstory.
As freaky pictures of what the park looks like today show the old wooden ticket booths rotting and attractions rusting beyond repair.
The amusement park, first opened in the 1920s by businessman Conley Snidow, has since gone on to be the subject of lots of TV shows and documentaries.
The Travel Channel described it as one of the “Most Terrifying Places in America”.
And, the popular crime series Scariest Places on Earth had a whole show dedicated to the eerie park.
The film crew reportedly refused to go into the park at night due to its “intense energy” terrifying everyone.
History Channel program The UnXplained and Jack Osbourne’s Portals to Hell also featured the park, famous in America for being a parent’s worst nightmare.
Today, fans still flock to the park to tour the abandoned grounds and take in the creepy atmosphere that’s still lingering all these year later.
Haunting shadowy figures have been spotted on the Ferris wheel and children’s giggles heard through the park gates.
The most seen ghostly image is of the young girl who was killed on the swing wearing a little red ribbon.
Many even leave creepy dolls and toys for the children who died there.
Abandoned theme parks have been spotted across the planet and some have just as creepy killer pasts.
After only two seasons of being opened, L’Aqautic Paradis closed its doors over disturbing rumours of a dead child
Spanish legend tells of a child who was killed after being sucked into the engine of a wave machine.
The 13-acre site quickly fell into disrepair and has remained untouched ever since – haunting the landscape and those that live nearby.
Elsewhere, a deserted amusement park – that once boasted a crocodile pit, fake volcano and Indonesia’s biggest swimming pool – is now considered the most haunted place in Bali.
A superstition now hangs over the park as Balinese legend states that the abandoned site is host to “roaming spirits”.
A gatekeeper who looks after the park still leaves offerings to the dead, and has shared scary stories such as sitting with the ghosts of kids to eat his midnight snack.