The Haunted Brandywine Valley

Covered bridge in The Valley

 Stretching out from the Delaware border into Pennsylvania is a series of long windy roads, dense woods, and beautiful farmland known as the Brandywine Valley or simply "The Valley" to many of the locals. During the day, these roads provide a quaint drive through the country. You may drive through a few covered bridges like the one pictured to the left, or alongside a babbling brook, or rolling pastures. At night however, The Valley transforms into a completely different place. As darkness settles in, the roads seem to wander on endlessly into the night. Each turn leads to an unknown stretch of darkness that appears to be a completely different road than it was during the day. The trees seem to move with the vehicle as if you're not even moving forward. Dark shadows dart out in front of you and strange creatures seem to run alongside your vehicle in an attempt to catch you. Many mysterious and strange things lurk in the darkness of The Valley.

Leaning trees along Cossart Rd

One of the most spine-tingling roads you will find in the Brandywine Valley is Cossart Road aka Devil's Road. There have been many strange sightings along this road and its said to be so evil that the trees reach away from the road. This was one of the first urban legends that VAPI visited back in 2009, and one that I use to frequent years before that. There is definitely an uneasy feeling the entire time you are on this road, and I have to say, there's no better way to experience it than in the back of a pick up, especially when you are being pursued by a vehicle with the headlights out.

VAPI Jeff with Noah in the pick up bed
patrolling down Devil's Rd 2009

As a teenager, the summer I got my driver's license, my friends and I would spend many nights driving through The Valley. This fueled my passion for urban legends, dark creepy roads, and hauntings. One night as we were exploring the long dark roads, we came upon a dead end. as we were making a U turn, the headlights shown into the woods and lit up a large mound with a woman standing on top of it. There were no cars in sight and no houses around for miles. The woman didn't move, but stood there staring at us with her hands by her side. Needless to say, we didn't stick around (this was 10 years before VAPI). Another night, we were driving down a long road surrounded by farmland, when we passed a woman walking along the road. Startled at first, we discussed where she may have emerged from. We drove further down the road and saw no disabled vehicles or houses that she may have come from. I of course brought up the idea that she may have been a ghost. We decided to turn around and go back to the location where we passed her. As we drove down the road, surrounded by nothing but fields, the woman was no where in sight. It's possible that she cut through one of the fields, but there were no other cars, or houses along the road. Maybe a ghost? It's exciting to consider as a possibility.

along Cossart Road

Quite a few years have passed since my friends and I would spend our nights driving through The Valley. Sights that I would have run from at the time, I now seek out in our search for indisputable evidence of the spiritual realm. The Brandywine Valley still holds the same mystery and allure as it always has. These long roads, twisting through the night, still present unexplainable sights and eerie feelings. Even though we return to The Valley each time I return home, it always seems new and exciting, yet so familiar. I never know what to expect as I look forward to our next venture into the Brandywine Valley.

by Jeff Santos