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Coordinates: 44°28′06″N 89°36′31″W / 44.468260°N 89.608578°W / 44.468260; -89.608578
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Adding local short description: "Isolated road located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin", overriding Wikidata description "isolated road located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, mentioned in various ghost stories"
 
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{{Short description|Isolated road located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin}}
{{Infobox Paranormalplaces
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2014}}
|Place_Name = Boy Scout Lane
|Image_Name = BoyScoutLane.jpg
|Image_Caption = Boy Scout Lane
|Grouping = Urban Legends,<br /> Haunted locations
|AKA = Boyscout Lane
|Country = [[United States]]
|Region = [[Stevens Point]], [[Wisconsin]]
|Coordinates = {{Coord|44.468260|-89.608578|display=inline,title}}
|Terrain = Woodland
|Owner =
}}'''Boy Scout Lane''', sometimes written “Boyscout Lane”, is an isolated road located in [[Stevens Point, Wisconsin]]. A number of ghost stories and urban legends have become associated with the road, including its being named because of a tragic incident that resulted in the deaths of a troop of [[Boy Scout]]s. The area has been the subject of several paranormal investigations, and has been a 'haunt' for youths hoping to experience a paranormal event. The land surrounding Boy Scout Lane is now privately owned and is off limits to the general public.<ref name=conley1>{{cite news | last = Conley | first = Mike | coauthors = | title = Do ghostly Boy Scouts haunt rural lane? | work = | pages = | language = | publisher = Marion (McDowell) News
| date = 2007-02-23 | url = http://mcdowellnews.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=MMN%2FMGArticle%2FMMN_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149193354782&path=!news!localnews
| accessdate = 2007-04-28 }}</ref>


{{Infobox street
==Urban legend==
| name = Boy Scout Lane
According to local [[Urban legend]], during the 1950s or early 1960s, a troop of Boy scouts visited the area on expedition where they hoped to earn a number of merit badges. However, that night, as they slept, they were murdered one-by-one by their Scout master (in some variations it is the bus driver).<ref name=lewfis1>{{cite book | last = Lewis | first = Chad | authorlink = | coauthors = Fisk, Terry | title = The Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Locations | publisher = Unexplained Research Publishing Company | year = 2004 | location = | pages = | url = | doi = | isbn = 0-9762099-1-8 }}</ref> In a second variation on the legend, a small group of Boy scouts leave their camp during the night and accidentally drop their lantern, resulting in a forest fire that kills the entire troop.<ref name=lewfis1/>
| image = BoyScoutLane.jpg
| caption =
| other_name = Boyscout Lane
| former_names =
| postal_code =
| addresses =
| length_m =
| length_ft = 2500
| length_mi =
| length_km =
| length_ref =
| width =
| area =
| location = [[Stevens Point]], [[Wisconsin]], [[United States]]
| client =
| maint =
| coordinates = {{Coord|44.468260|-89.608578|type:landmark_region:US|display=inline,title}}
| direction_a =
| terminus_a =
| direction_b =
| terminus_b =
| junction =
| designer =
| commissioning_date =
| construction_start_date =
| completion_date =
| inauguration_date = <!-- {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| demolition_date =
| north =
| south =
| west =
| east =
| website =
}}


'''Boy Scout Lane''' is an isolated road located in [[Stevens Point, Wisconsin]]. A number of ghost stories and urban legends have become associated with the road, including the fictional deaths of a troop of [[Boy Scouting (Boy Scouts of America)|Boy Scouts]]. The area has been the subject of several [[ghost hunting|paranormal investigations]], and has been a 'haunt' for youths hoping to experience a paranormal event. The land surrounding Boy Scout Lane is now privately owned and is off limits to the general public.<ref name=conley1>{{cite news |last=Conley |first=Mike |title=Do ghostly Boy Scouts haunt rural lane? |publisher=Marion (McDowell) News |date=February 23, 2007 |url=http://mcdowellnews.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=MMN/MGArticle/MMN_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149193354782&path=!news!localnews |accessdate=April 4, 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928065938/http://mcdowellnews.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=MMN%2FMGArticle%2FMMN_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149193354782&path=%21news%21localnews |archivedate=September 28, 2007 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
Other variations of the story exist including one in which the scouts are killed after their bus crashes or accidentally catches fire. There is also one in which the scouts vanish without explanation, and are never found. In some versions of the legend, two boy scouts escaped the fate of the rest of the troop and tried to find help, only to become lost in the woods where they die of starvation and/or exposure. In most variations of the legend it is said that the dead scouts haunt the forest where they died. They can be heard hiking through the undergrowth, or their lights can be seen at night as they try to find help, or search for their fellow scouts.<ref name=lewfis1/>


==Overview==
There is an associated legend in which the killer (usually the Scout leader) hangs himself from a tree in the area after coming to terms with what he has done. In this legend, the tree is said to be an elm tree overhanging the road.
Boy Scout Lane is in the [[Linwood, Wisconsin|Town of Linwood]], [[Portage County, Wisconsin|Portage County]], [[Wisconsin]]. It is located west of the Wisconsin River Golf Club, on West River Drive (West), and is situated between Cemetery Road and Little Chicago Road. It is unpaved and about {{convert|2500|ft|m}} long.<ref name=locate1>{{cite web |work=Google Maps |title=Boy Scout Lane |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=%22Boy+Scout+Ln%22&ie=UTF8&z=14&ll=44.476053,-89.598055&spn=0.025539,0.05579&om=1 |accessdate=October 16, 2006 }}</ref>


The road was named Boy Scout Lane because the land that it is located near was once owned by the [[Boy Scouts of America]], who planned to use the land to build a Scout camp.<ref name=shaine1>{{cite news |last=Shaine |first=Alex |title=In search of a real-life ghost story |publisher=Stevens Point Journal |date=April 23, 2005 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/stevenspointjournal/access/1777447741.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+23%2C+2005&author=Alexander+Shaine&pub=Stevens+Point+Journal&desc=In+search+of+a+real-life+ghost+story&pqatl=google |accessdate=April 4, 2011 |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106091205/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/stevenspointjournal/access/1777447741.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+23,+2005&author=Alexander+Shaine&pub=Stevens+Point+Journal&desc=In+search+of+a+real-life+ghost+story&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }}</ref> Although the camp was never constructed and the land remains woodland, the name was still used.
Stories published in "haunted travel guides"<ref name=lewfis1/> include visitors reporting a strong sense of foreboding or 'being watched', the sound of footsteps and/or breaking branches coming from multiple directions, unusual red or white lights, sometimes described as resembling swinging lanterns, other times reported as being flashlight beams, sightings of ghostly buses or figures
and 'child-like hand prints' on cars stopped in or driven through the area.


==Facts==
==Urban legend==
According to a local [[urban legend]], the road is named for a troop of Boy Scouts who were killed while on a camping trip in the 1950s or 1960s. In some variations the murderer is the troop's Scoutmaster. In others it is their bus driver.<ref name=lewfis1>{{cite book |last=Lewis |first=Chad |last2=Fisk |first2=Terry |title=The Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Locations |publisher=Unexplained Research Publishing Company |date=2004 |isbn=0-9762099-1-8 }}</ref> In other versions of the legend, a small group of Scouts leave their camp during the night and accidentally drop their lantern, resulting in a forest fire that kills the entire troop.<ref name=lewfis1/>
===Location===


Other variations of the story exist including one in which the Scouts are killed after their bus crashes or accidentally catches fire. There is also a version in which the Scouts vanish without explanation and are never found. In some versions of the legend, two Boy Scouts escaped the fate of the rest of the troop and tried to find help, only to become lost in the woods where they die of starvation and/or exposure. In most variations of the legend it is said that the dead Scouts haunt the forest where they died and can be heard hiking through the undergrowth, or their lights can be seen at night as they seek help or their fellow Scouts.<ref name=lewfis1/>
Boy Scout Lane is in [[Stevens Point]], [[Linwood, Wisconsin|Linwood]] township, [[Portage County, Wisconsin|Portage County]], [[Wisconsin]]. It is located west of the Wisconsin River Golf Club, on West River Drive (West), and is situated between Cemetery Road and Little Chicago Road.<ref name=locate1>{{cite web | last = Google Maps
| first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Boy Scout Lane | work = | publisher = | date =
| url = http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=%22Boy+Scout+Ln%22&ie=UTF8&z=14&ll=44.476053,-89.598055&spn=0.025539,0.05579&om=1
| format = | doi = | accessdate = October 2006 }}</ref>


Stories circulated in "haunted travel guides"<ref name=lewfis1/> include visitors reporting a strong sense of foreboding or "being watched", the sound of footsteps or breaking branches coming from multiple directions, red or white lights sometimes described as resembling swinging lanterns or flashlight beams, ghostly buses or figures, and "childlike hand prints" on cars stopped in or driven through the area.
===Name===


==See also==
Historically, the road was named “Boy Scout Lane” because the land that it is located on was once owned by the [[Boy Scouts of America]], who planned to use the land to build a Scout camp.<ref name=shaine1>{{cite news | last = Shaine | first = Alex | coauthors = | title = In search of a real-life ghost story | work = | pages = | language = | publisher = Stevens Point Journal
{{Portal|Scouting}}
| date = 2005-04-23 | url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?s_site=journal&f_site=journal&f_sitename=Stevens+Point+Journal%2FCentral+Wisconsin+Sunday+%28WI%29&p_theme=gannett&p_product=SPJB&p_action=search&p_field_base-0=&p_text_base-0=Scout+lane&Search=Search&p_perpage=10&p_maxdocs=200&p_queryname=700&s_search_type=keyword&p_sort=_rank_%3AD&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date%3AB%2CE&p_text_date-0=2005
* [[Scouting in Wisconsin]]
| accessdate = 2006-10-01 }}</ref> Although the camp was never constructed and the land remains woodland, the name was still used.

===Deaths===

There are no records of fatal forest fires or mysterious disappearances on or around Boy Scout Lane.


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==See also==
==External links==
* [http://www.scaryforkids.com/boy-scout/ Boy Scout Lane Urban Legend]
{{Portal|Scouting}}

*[[Scouting in Wisconsin]]
{{Urban legends}}


[[Category:American folklore]]
[[Category:American folklore]]
[[Category:Boy Scouts of America]]
[[Category:Paranormal places in the United States]]
[[Category:Tourism in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Urban legends]]
[[Category:Urban legends]]
[[Category:Central Region (Boy Scouts of America)]]
[[Category:Reportedly haunted locations in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Portage County, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Roads in Wisconsin]]

Latest revision as of 14:20, 30 November 2023

Boy Scout Lane
Boyscout Lane
Length2,500 ft (760 m)
LocationStevens Point, Wisconsin, United States
Coordinates44°28′06″N 89°36′31″W / 44.468260°N 89.608578°W / 44.468260; -89.608578

Boy Scout Lane is an isolated road located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. A number of ghost stories and urban legends have become associated with the road, including the fictional deaths of a troop of Boy Scouts. The area has been the subject of several paranormal investigations, and has been a 'haunt' for youths hoping to experience a paranormal event. The land surrounding Boy Scout Lane is now privately owned and is off limits to the general public.[1]

Overview

[edit]

Boy Scout Lane is in the Town of Linwood, Portage County, Wisconsin. It is located west of the Wisconsin River Golf Club, on West River Drive (West), and is situated between Cemetery Road and Little Chicago Road. It is unpaved and about 2,500 feet (760 m) long.[2]

The road was named Boy Scout Lane because the land that it is located near was once owned by the Boy Scouts of America, who planned to use the land to build a Scout camp.[3] Although the camp was never constructed and the land remains woodland, the name was still used.

Urban legend

[edit]

According to a local urban legend, the road is named for a troop of Boy Scouts who were killed while on a camping trip in the 1950s or 1960s. In some variations the murderer is the troop's Scoutmaster. In others it is their bus driver.[4] In other versions of the legend, a small group of Scouts leave their camp during the night and accidentally drop their lantern, resulting in a forest fire that kills the entire troop.[4]

Other variations of the story exist including one in which the Scouts are killed after their bus crashes or accidentally catches fire. There is also a version in which the Scouts vanish without explanation and are never found. In some versions of the legend, two Boy Scouts escaped the fate of the rest of the troop and tried to find help, only to become lost in the woods where they die of starvation and/or exposure. In most variations of the legend it is said that the dead Scouts haunt the forest where they died and can be heard hiking through the undergrowth, or their lights can be seen at night as they seek help or their fellow Scouts.[4]

Stories circulated in "haunted travel guides"[4] include visitors reporting a strong sense of foreboding or "being watched", the sound of footsteps or breaking branches coming from multiple directions, red or white lights sometimes described as resembling swinging lanterns or flashlight beams, ghostly buses or figures, and "childlike hand prints" on cars stopped in or driven through the area.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Conley, Mike (February 23, 2007). "Do ghostly Boy Scouts haunt rural lane?". Marion (McDowell) News. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved April 4, 2011.
  2. ^ "Boy Scout Lane". Google Maps. Retrieved October 16, 2006.
  3. ^ Shaine, Alex (April 23, 2005). "In search of a real-life ghost story". Stevens Point Journal. Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2011.
  4. ^ a b c d Lewis, Chad; Fisk, Terry (2004). The Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Locations. Unexplained Research Publishing Company. ISBN 0-9762099-1-8.
[edit]