The charming town of Newbury, Vermont seems like a quintessential place with its general store, villages and a close-knit community. However, a few mysterious things happened in this town, and with those mysteries come the legends. Let’s take a look at two of the events that have changed the town of Newbury forever.
It all changed on June 14, 1913 when a fire known as the “great conflagration” broke out in the town.
wikipedia.org
The fire began in the blacksmith shop and with no adequate way to stop it, it went on to destroy over 25 structures, some of which had stood for 100 years.
Facebook/Wells River Fire Department
The mysterious thing here is that this “strange freak of the fire” burned the brick Newbury Seminary and left the wooden Methodist church unscathed.
Flickr/Michael Jones
The town rebuilt, but it was never the same. The blacksmith shop rebuilt with fire proof brick and the building now houses the Newbury town office and post office.
wikipedia.org
The other mystery happened in 1958 and involves the death of a local farmer.
Facebook/Newbury Village Store
Many believe that 47 year old farmer, Orville Gibson, was not a well liked man.
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He suddenly disappeared and his body was found months later tied up and frozen in the Connecticut River.
wikipedia.org
After questioning many suspects and two separate trials, no one was found guilty of the crime. The legend is that people know who did the deed, but are unwilling to say anything and consider justice served.
Yelp/Jessica W
Time didn’t make this case go cold, though. One alternate theories (other than the vigilantes getting revenge) is that he died while friends were pulling a prank and they covered it up.
Flickr/elcareeb
Others have claimed that the knots and manner of death were similar to other suicide cases and that Gibson took his own life to retaliate against people who disliked him.
Flickr/Ken Lund
We may never know the true story of what happened to Orville Gibson, but the town will never stop wondering.
Flickr/Robert Meeks
If you like the strange things that Vermont holds, check out these 12 mysterious and unusual spots in Vermont!
wikipedia.org
Facebook/Wells River Fire Department
Flickr/Michael Jones
Facebook/Newbury Village Store
Flickr/hartanto
Yelp/Jessica W
Flickr/elcareeb
Flickr/Ken Lund
Flickr/Robert Meeks
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