The Curse of Black River Falls (17 photos)

The true story of a crime and the unsolved mystery of a small town continue to excite the imagination of mystery lovers decades later.





The year is 1890, and this once bustling mining town is in the throes of a crisis unlike any it has ever seen. The mine that made rich those who sought its riches and the sawmill that supplied the town with paper goods have both just closed, leaving the town in a state of desolation and poverty.



Bad weather destroyed all crops. Winters, cold and harsh, led to mass starvation. There were even rumors of witchcraft among the residents. The events described below took place from 1890 to 1910, and it is still unknown what caused this noisy, peaceful town to turn to murder, suicide, destruction, and absolute immorality.





A Deadly Trip to Wisconsin (1999)

In the early 1890s, diphtheria swept through the town, killing most of the children. Schools were forced to close, and residents took matters into their own hands. Panicked, the townspeople burned the homes of anyone who had the deadly disease. The epidemic caused more murders, suicides, grief, and panic than deaths from diphtheria.



Deadly Ride to Wisconsin (1999)

The first recorded death outside of the epidemic was that of an elderly lady, rumored to be in her sixties. She discovered a small wound on herself and thought it was cancer. Since she thought it would kill her anyway, she went out into the backyard, doused herself with kerosene, and set herself on fire.



Deadly Trip to Wisconsin (1999)

The second case involved the mother of the family, Mrs. John Larson, the wife of a local farmer.



A historical non-fiction book by Michael Lesi (Wisconsin Death Trip, 1973)

She began to believe that the devil was after her and felt there was only one way to end it. The woman took her three children and drowned them one by one while the others watched. Her heartbroken husband was only able to find the bodies of two of the children, and the third was never found.



Photo Charles Van Schaick, taken between 1890 and 1910, which were used in Michael Lesie's book, The Wisconsin Death Ride (1973)

Then there was the case of Sarah Smith. She was found buried alive in Rosedale Cemetery. It was said that when she died, she seemed to be in a coma, lethargy, or trance. When her body was found, authorities discovered that she had bitten off half of her fingers when she realized her grisly fate.



Photos by Charles Van Schaick taken between 1890 and 1910, used in Michael Lesy's book Wisconsin Death Ride (1973)

13-year-old John Anderson and his 10-year-old brother shot and killed a farm owner on the outskirts of town and stole his property. They were discovered when the farmer's brother came to visit. The younger boy confessed to the crime, but John escaped. One deputy was killed during the chase. John was eventually caught and sentenced to life in prison.



Photos by Charles Van Schaick taken between 1890 and 1910, used in Michael Lesie's book The Wisconsin Death Ride (1973)

Mary Sweeney, a former schoolteacher, was a frequent cocaine user who claimed it helped calm her nerves. In drug-fueled rages, she committed crimes, breaking over $50,000 worth of glass. The police were plagued by her antics, arresting the addict over 100 times. She was eventually committed to a mental hospital and never seen again.



Photos by Charles Van Schaick taken between 1890 and 1910, used in Michael Lesy's book The Wisconsin Death Ride (1973)

A group of traveling gypsies have arrived in the community, adding to the unrest among locals.



Photos by Charles Van Schaik taken between 1890 and 1910, used in Michael Lesie's book Wisconsin Death Ride (1973)

They took over a local farm known as "Sheldon's Farm" and began to slowly behead the poor farmer's chickens, carrying them off to eat the tasty chicken. Distraught, confused, and convinced that the devil was at work, the farmer set his farm on fire, letting it burn to the ground.



Photos by Charles Van Schaick taken between 1890 and 1910, used in Michael Lesie's book Wisconsin Death Ride (1973)

Then there was a brief period of love. By love is meant the story of rejected lovers, for in this town the darkness did not allow anything bright and holy to arise. Because of the rejection of his beloved after a proposal of marriage, a local boy shot his would-be wife three times in the face, and then turned the gun on himself. The young girl was institutionalized after her fiancé left her, and in despair she hanged herself. Some time later, the 50-year-old man hanged himself when his wife served him with divorce papers.



Photos by Charles Van Schaick taken between 1890 and 1910, which were used in Michael Lesie's book, The Wisconsin Death Ride (1973)

And finally, Nestor Provencher, who visited a traveling hypnotist passing through town. After meeting this mystical man, the boy could not speak louder than the faintest whisper. According to local doctors, he fell into some kind of hypnotic trance, which affected his speech. Poor Nestor remained almost mute until one day, months later, his voice suddenly returned, as if he had never lost it.



Photos of Charles Van Schaick taken between 1890 and 1910, which were used in Michael Lesy's book, Wisconsin Death Trip (1973)

In 1973, a man named Michael Lesy published a series of photographs in an album called Wisconsin Death Trip, which featured Charles Van Schaick's photographs of this horrific period.



Photos by Charles Van Schaick taken between 1890 and 1910, which were used in Michael Lesy's book "Wisconsin Death Ride" (1973)

Then in 1999, a documentary film of the same name, "Wisconsin Death Ride," was released, which included many of the stories and recreations of the events.



Photos by Charles Van Schaick taken between 1890 and 1910, used in Michael Lesy's book Wisconsin Death Ride (1973)

No one knows what caused the chaos, but locals speculate that a curse has been placed on the town. Whether it's witchcraft or desperation, one thing is certain: the dark history of Black River Falls continues in the form of ghosts and apparitions that are periodically seen by locals.



Black River Falls Today