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#1 davejew01

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Posted 06 January 2009 - 12:58 PM

Hi, Sorry if a repeat post. I've been reading quite a few interesting stories from some of you on various topics. Ive spent most of my 29 years in Ft. Worth and very interested to know of any Ft. Worth urban legends. I had an old boss a few years back tell of a couple in the Tanglewood area. One example was of a house known as the "KKK" house because of the way the lighting made it look at night. Another was about "pygmy village". Who knows, maybe he was filling me with hot air, but anyone got some good legends or heard of the ones I was talking about?

#2 ramjet

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Posted 06 January 2009 - 09:13 PM

I grew up in Fort Worth, too, a bit older than you, but always heard of a "midget" village somewhere near Westworth Village. Don't know if it's true, but even if it's not, funny to think of how something like that got started. Then there's the classic Donkey Lady and Goat Man who terrified the residents around Lake Worth (and the campers at Camp Carter). And then there's the devil worshipping infant sacrificers in Burleson and the machete wielding baby snatchers and gift stealers that roamed the parking lot at Hulen Mall. And then there's this legend of a man with porn star hair and IQ who became governor of Texas. Oh wait...

#3 Recyclican

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Posted 06 January 2009 - 09:36 PM

He's not very up-to-date with it, though the Lake Worth Monster has a blog: http://lake-worth-mo...r.blogspot.com/

#4 McHand

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Posted 07 January 2009 - 11:25 AM

QUOTE (ramjet @ Jan 6 2009, 10:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I grew up in Fort Worth, too, a bit older than you, but always heard of a "midget" village somewhere near Westworth Village. Don't know if it's true, but even if it's not, funny to think of how something like that got started. Then there's the classic Donkey Lady and Goat Man who terrified the residents around Lake Worth (and the campers at Camp Carter). And then there's the devil worshipping infant sacrificers in Burleson and the machete wielding baby snatchers and gift stealers that roamed the parking lot at Hulen Mall. And then there's this legend of a man with porn star hair and IQ who became governor of Texas. Oh wait...


ROFL at "midget village". Seriously?! People believe the strangest things. I mean, I am gullible, but come on!
I remember the devil worshiping infant sacrificing rumor about Burleson. Were they perhaps connected to Proctor & Gamble? Because, you know, their profits support witchcraft (at least that's what a church lady told me when I was little).

Back to local lore, the Victory Arts Center supposedly is haunted. Unfortunately I never had an encounter while living there, but I'm not really that perceptive so you never know!

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#5 Buck

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Posted 07 January 2009 - 04:48 PM

There is a Midget Village -- probably covered in previous threads.

#6 Okie-JR

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Posted 07 January 2009 - 08:15 PM

"I remember the devil worshiping infant sacrificing rumor about Burleson. Were they perhaps connected to Proctor & Gamble? Because, you know, their profits support witchcraft (at least that's what a church lady told me when I was little)."

I think that came from what Proctor & Gamble used as an logo for years. They had a crescent moon w/face thing that people thought was associated w/witchcraft.

Who knows? Maybe it is. I enjoy the thought that my fabric softener is blessed.


#7 cajunmike

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Posted 07 January 2009 - 08:23 PM

Back in the late 60's I remember going with a bunch of guys late one night out to Lake Worth. They said there was a Goat Man. We drove around for awhile and heard some noises. We saw some guy walking in the dark along one of the lake roads and the driver peeled out of there. Really funny thinking back on it. A bunch of high school guys tooling around Lake Worth.
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#8 801hme

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Posted 08 January 2009 - 08:02 AM

QUOTE (Okie-JR @ Jan 7 2009, 08:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
"I remember the devil worshiping infant sacrificing rumor about Burleson. Were they perhaps connected to Proctor & Gamble? Because, you know, their profits support witchcraft (at least that's what a church lady told me when I was little)."

I think that came from what Proctor & Gamble used as an logo for years. They had a crescent moon w/face thing that people thought was associated w/witchcraft.

Who knows? Maybe it is. I enjoy the thought that my fabric softener is blessed.


This has nothing to do with this topic, but I walked into a printing shop one day, and they had a stained glass version of the Proctor/Gamble "moon-face" thing hanging from the ceiling. I asked the lady there "isn't that the logo from...", and was quickly read the riot act about "how stupid people were, to make stuff like that up, blah blah blah...". Apparently she felt very strongly that her "moon-face" thing wasn't Satanic...

#9 Ghost Writer in Disguise

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Posted 16 January 2009 - 08:48 PM

An old chum swears there is a lake under the Weatherford (sic) circle.

That Procter & Gamble rumor was started by a secret cabal of Amway distributors.

#10 Mark S

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Posted 17 January 2009 - 06:00 PM

QUOTE (davejew01 @ Jan 6 2009, 12:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hi, Sorry if a repeat post. I've been reading quite a few interesting stories from some of you on various topics. Ive spent most of my 29 years in Ft. Worth and very interested to know of any Ft. Worth urban legends. I had an old boss a few years back tell of a couple in the Tanglewood area. One example was of a house known as the "KKK" house because of the way the lighting made it look at night. Another was about "pygmy village". Who knows, maybe he was filling me with hot air, but anyone got some good legends or heard of the ones I was talking about?


I've lived in Fort Worth since '57 (birth), but I haven't heard the pygmy village story. On the other hand, I've seen the KKK house. It was simply an illusion of light and shadow. I've always heard it called the "KKK man", as the illusion is created by, as I recall, a combination of shapes from a roof, trees, and a yard light. It's not far from Bellaire Dr. S., but I don't recall which street it was on. (Tanglewood Trail? Sweetbriar?) To see it one had to be at the Harlanwood end of the block, looking south. I don't know who first noticed it, as I had to have it pointed out to me. It was sort of cool though! I don't know if it's still visible, as I last saw it in the '80s.


#11 davejew01

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Posted 21 January 2009 - 10:37 PM

Thanks Mark S. Me and some friends about 10 years ago used to go driving around on Friday nights and always went through Tanglewood neighborhood looking for it. I probably passed it a couple of times but from the wrong angle tho. Thanks the info.

#12 Dr Quest

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Posted 22 January 2009 - 08:09 AM

"Midget Village" was/is at the base of Hidden Rd(behind RiverCrest CC). In the early 80's we used to park at the bottom of the hill, climb thru the barbed wire fence and by the time you walk 20-30 yards into the heavily wooded area you swore you saw or heard something and went screaming back to the car. Every time I run by there I think of that. There is a nicer fence up and it's been cleared out a little but it's still Midget Village (to me anyway).

#13 FortWorthLowrider

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Posted 06 August 2009 - 10:59 AM

QUOTE (ramjet @ Jan 6 2009, 10:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I grew up in Fort Worth, too, a bit older than you, but always heard of a "midget" village somewhere near Westworth Village. Don't know if it's true, but even if it's not, funny to think of how something like that got started. Then there's the classic Donkey Lady and Goat Man who terrified the residents around Lake Worth (and the campers at Camp Carter). And then there's the devil worshipping infant sacrificers in Burleson and the machete wielding baby snatchers and gift stealers that roamed the parking lot at Hulen Mall. And then there's this legend of a man with porn star hair and IQ who became governor of Texas. Oh wait...

Friend of mine claims to have happened upon that village. I think its all a load of crap. LOL But as you said. still funny.
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#14 FortWorthLowrider

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Posted 06 August 2009 - 11:02 AM

QUOTE (Dr Quest @ Jan 22 2009, 09:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
"Midget Village" was/is at the base of Hidden Rd(behind RiverCrest CC). In the early 80's we used to park at the bottom of the hill, climb thru the barbed wire fence and by the time you walk 20-30 yards into the heavily wooded area you swore you saw or heard something and went screaming back to the car. Every time I run by there I think of that. There is a nicer fence up and it's been cleared out a little but it's still Midget Village (to me anyway).

So it is real? I sound like a big kid. I would like to go see it.
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#15 NThomas

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Posted 06 August 2009 - 07:20 PM

Here's a good forum for similar stuff. This place was the first time I heard of someone outside of Denton who heard of "Goat Man's Bridge"

#16 Birdland in Handley

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Posted 08 August 2009 - 12:01 AM

I'm a bit disappointed that there's not more hoopla about this summer being the 40th anniverary of our "Summer of Goatman." The main library had a wonderful exhibit of student art for, I guess, the 30th anniversary. We're going to the downtown library tomorrow, maybe they will be have a new exhibit. And off topic, guess we'll take our last pix of the Startlgram Classified Building.

#17 Dismuke

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Posted 08 August 2009 - 10:34 AM

QUOTE (Birdland in Handley @ Aug 8 2009, 01:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I'm a bit disappointed that there's not more hoopla about this summer being the 40th anniverary of our "Summer of Goatman."



Not sure if you have seen it, but the Star-Telegram recently ran an article on it and the fact that it is the anniversary.
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#18 waywr

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Posted 10 January 2010 - 12:48 PM

QUOTE (Mark S @ Jan 17 2009, 06:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (davejew01 @ Jan 6 2009, 12:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hi, Sorry if a repeat post. I've been reading quite a few interesting stories from some of you on various topics. Ive spent most of my 29 years in Ft. Worth and very interested to know of any Ft. Worth urban legends. I had an old boss a few years back tell of a couple in the Tanglewood area. One example was of a house known as the "KKK" house because of the way the lighting made it look at night. Another was about "pygmy village". Who knows, maybe he was filling me with hot air, but anyone got some good legends or heard of the ones I was talking about?


I've lived in Fort Worth since '57 (birth), but I haven't heard the pygmy village story. On the other hand, I've seen the KKK house. It was simply an illusion of light and shadow. I've always heard it called the "KKK man", as the illusion is created by, as I recall, a combination of shapes from a roof, trees, and a yard light. It's not far from Bellaire Dr. S., but I don't recall which street it was on. (Tanglewood Trail? Sweetbriar?) To see it one had to be at the Harlanwood end of the block, looking south. I don't know who first noticed it, as I had to have it pointed out to me. It was sort of cool though! I don't know if it's still visible, as I last saw it in the '80s.


Think we just knew it as the hanging klansman, or hanging klansman house. Don't remember the street now either other than it was off Bellaire not too far from Hulen.
First time I saw it was probably 82 or so. I don't remember where I heard about it specifically, but do recall that a lot of high school/college kids seemed to know about it back then.
It did look pretty real the first time you saw it. But, as you drove closer to the house, you realized it was just an optical illusion. The top corner of the house (eave?) was white and the shape, branches of a tree beside the house made it look, from a distance of a couple of blocks or so, like there was somebody hanged from the tree.
I always wondered if whoever lived there knew about it. I figure they kind of had to.
I don't recall any newspaper or news stories on it, but I certainly heard the story of it from several people throughout the early 80s.
The house is still there as far as I know, but not the hanging klansman illusion. The tree grew out more, or the owners trimmed it, don't remember which.

Midget Village is in fact in Rivercrest. You won't find any midgets there, however.
I know the house and used to be friends with a couple of the family members. They don't live there now, sold the house a few years back. Don't want to give out the location or their names though, because I don't think we're supposed to do that here. Plus, I don't know who owns the house now.
Anyway, the people who used to live there told me it was the largest tract of land in Rivercrest. Which may well be the case, it was certainly big.
The big house has a backyard with a pool and then a big drop off (which made for a pretty swell view).
From the front entrance, a road veers off leading down to the back end/bottom end of the property.
Down there are wooded areas, horses, dog kennels and other buildings. There are a couple of pretty good size houses (not as big as the main house, but pretty big nonetheless), a church, gas station and a few other buildings.
This was back in the 80s/early 90s. Not sure if all those buildings are still down there.
The gas station worked at one time I assume, but nobody used it during the time I was around. The church was in good shape, but it wasn't used on any regular basis. The family occassionally did let people use it for weddings.
The house dates to 1920 or so. The family I knew bought it in the mid 60s and sold it around five years ago.
Don't know who owned it before, but one of the family members I was buddys with said the original owner was the guy, or one of the guys who started Texaco, or the company that later became Texaco.
Anyway, midget village because, with the houses, buildings, orchards etc., the backyard, for use of a better term, was like a little village. Not midget village because a bunch of midgets lived there.
I think the original owner probably did run it as a little farm, village for his employees, garnderers and so on.
No idea if the original owners of the house ever called it midget village, but somewhere along the way the name, among high school kids and such came to mean a village filled with midgets.
Anyway, I became friends with a guy and a girl from the family, both about my age, in the mid 80s. I'd heard the midget village stories several years before I met them.
They, the family members, just kind of rolled their eyes and laughed about it. Naturally, they were aware of the stories. The only real concern was that occasionally a car load of high school kids would climb the back and wander around the property.

#19 Woodsher

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Posted 26 March 2013 - 05:38 PM

This is all very funny to me. I went to Midget Village when a teenager... around 17 & 18 years old. I clearly saw the midgets milling about their little village... the Church, Store and such structures. They were definitely midgets and I do not understand the secrecy about it all and why anyone would lie about it. This would have been back in 1965-67. I even took a date down there to look and some buddies. To me it was the neatest thing and the fact it was down "Hidden Road" added to the fun.  My art teacher from Jr. High, Ms. Silvestri, lived there in a very modern and stylish house. The house has been torn down and a conventional yet pretty home has taken its place. Hidden Road is lush and has a little 'dry' creek running down its pronounced incline.

 

Anyway... would love to know the true story about Midget Village... I saw it... saw the Midget occupants and the only mystery is the story behind it and why it is so hush, hush. There are many interesting things about this city. I spent 20 years in New Orleans working as a fine artists… I still am today and have my studio here in Cowtown. That was a great city for weird folks and strange experiences… but Fort Worth is not as conventional as many would have you believe…. some fine eccentrics here…LOL. Guess if you have bags of money and you're bored who know what you might get into ;-)



#20 johnfwd

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Posted 27 March 2013 - 07:28 AM

Not familiar with Midget Village.  Here's an urban "legend", if you want to call him that.  Back in the 1940s, 50s and probably early 60s, a man (of African-American descent) driving an old wagon pulled by a horse would come by our neighborhood in southwest Fort Worth.  Loaded in the wagon was a plowing implement.  His sole occupation was to plow your yard for re-landscaping. Pleasant fellow.



#21 Ghost Writer in Disguise

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Posted 27 March 2013 - 09:44 PM

In January I was listening to Everything You Ever Wanted To Know on KERA, a show where listeners call in with questions and answers, and one caller asked about a midget village in Fort Worth. Presently there came a call or two in reply and the answer was that yes, there was a midget village but it was more of a village of children's play buildings. At least that's what I seemed to hear; I was drowsing and didn't quite have my attention focused on the show. That seems to be the best answer I've come across; more evidence in favor can be seen here: http://www.uer.ca/fo...&threadid=80598

and here (scroll to comment #17): http://www.freerepub...s/2351230/posts .

 

An actual picture, but without midgets: http://www.uer.ca/fo...uer village.jpg



#22 Mick

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Posted 02 June 2014 - 06:43 AM

Midget Village was something that someone built for their kids to play in, and a few high school kids stumbled on it and the legend began. (used to go out there all the time when I was 16/17 years old) And no, there were never any midgets living there.

 

I do remember one persistent rumor back in high school that there was a nearly new Corvette at Jack Williams Chevrolet that someone had passed away in and they couldn't remove the smell so they only wanted $500 bucks for it. Of course it was completely false but I knew a salesmen there who said they got calls about that $500 Vette for years. :laugh:



#23 BedfordLawyer

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Posted 14 June 2014 - 07:24 PM

It seemed like in the 70s-80s there were rumors everywhere in DFW about devilworshippers. Every abandoned house, sewer drain and closed business had a satanic cult looming inside.


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#24 Birdland in Handley

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Posted 25 July 2014 - 04:43 AM

it's 45th annivesary of Lake Worth Goatman encounters  and all the national and local news is about the moon. I was rather scared--were you?



#25 WestSide44

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 07:09 AM

As a teen in the '60's, several friends and I visited Midget Village. As stated, it was located below Rivercrest CC and consisted of a number of small buildings much like a small town. I recall that it was adjacent a dairy farm with a herd of Jersey cows and ice cream made from the rich Jersey milk was available in a little store there. We each purchased cones that day. Three in our group, including me, did not believe in the village's existence until that afternoon. And no, there were no midgets living there.

#26 catfishwilkie

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Posted 02 October 2014 - 11:50 AM

I'M searching on Gene Paul Norris , I've discovered that I am his biological son ,my sister Paula Sue Norris is passed on and i'm his only son, Iwas 2 years old when he was killed but my grand parents raised me and I was never known to him.



#27 detail larry

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Posted 03 October 2014 - 08:52 PM

What are you trying to find out / or what have you been told ?

#28 lcbrownz

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Posted 16 January 2018 - 03:55 PM

An old chum swears there is a lake under the Weatherford (sic) circle.

That Procter & Gamble rumor was started by a secret cabal of Amway distributors.

The Weatherford Traffic Circle has been gone for over 60 years. You maybe referring to the Benbrook Traffic Circle (to the south) and there is no lake underneath it.



#29 JBB

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Posted 16 January 2018 - 04:50 PM

It's interesting to look at the old circle on Historic Aerials.  The Weatherford Circle disappears and the Benbrook Circle appears sometime between 1956 and 1963 updates.  It would appear that the circle itself was removed, the main lanes of 80 and Alta Mere were extended through the middle of the circle, and the approaches were kept as protected right turn lanes with massive grass islands separating the turn lanes from the main lanes.  This kept the size of the intersection in tact.  At some point between the 1979 and 1990 updates, the huge islands were drastically reduced in size and the turn lanes were moved in closer to the main lanes.



#30 Ghost Writer in Disguise

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Posted 16 January 2018 - 09:15 PM

 

An old chum swears there is a lake under the Weatherford (sic) circle.

That Procter & Gamble rumor was started by a secret cabal of Amway distributors.

The Weatherford Traffic Circle has been gone for over 60 years. You maybe referring to the Benbrook Traffic Circle (to the south) and there is no lake underneath it.

 

That's why I put (sic) after Weatherford. Do you know what (sic) means?






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