# The ghost of ? lake
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-of-lake/1001256
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [May 8, 2024, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-of-lake/1001256 "2024-05-08T11:45:15Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2024, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-of-lake/1001256/1 "2024-05-08T11:45:15Z")
I’ve heard this ghost story so many times. Only except it’s never at the same place. It’s just the same story different place.
The story goes something like this:
The story takes place somewhere near a large body of water. A lake usually.
A couple picks up a mysterious lady on the side of the road. She asks them to drive her to her home. Which they do.
When they arrive at the home, they notice she is no longer sitting in the backseat.
That couple then go up to the door of the home and inquire the residents about the lady.
They proceed to say that was their daughter who died sometime ago.
So my question is: Have you heard this story before and what lake or area is it associated with?
Here in Dallas it’s White Rock lake.
“The lady of White Rock lake” as they call it.
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### Author:  [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2024, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-of-lake/1001256/2 "2024-05-08T13:02:46Z")
Well, there I was reading the story, and thinking “hey, I know this one!” And of course it turns out to be White Rock Lake, in the town I grew up in. 😅
I can at least verify the Dallas version. 🤷♂️
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### Author:  [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2024, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-of-lake/1001256/3 "2024-05-08T13:07:30Z")
It’s an old urban legend, but I don’t know of any version specifically dealing with a lake. IIRC, there may have been a _Twilight Zone_ episode with a similar story.
I knew it from the Country Gentlemen’s song, “Bringing Mary Home,” which doesn’t mention a body of water.
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRFLZfv7Vw8)
Here are the [lyrics](https://www.google.com/search?q=song+bringing+Mary+home&client=tablet-android-samsung-nf-rev1&sca_esv=ff007314d2b9c596&sca_upv=1&sxsrf=ADLYWIK-WGZmt9dxgbiRR-YihHVzcdLbgg%3A1715172549271&ei=xXQ7ZqaAENWg5NoPms6h2A4&oq=song+bringing+Mary+home&gs_lp=EhNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwIhdzb25nIGJyaW5naW5nIE1hcnkgaG9tZTIFEC4YgAQyBRAAGIAEMgYQABgFGB4yBhAAGAUYHjIGEAAYBRgeMgsQABiABBiGAxiKBTILEAAYgAQYhgMYigUyCxAAGIAEGIYDGIoFSI1FUK4ZWNQscAF4AZABAJgBlAOgAd4PqgEJMC42LjMuMC4xuAEDyAEA-AEBmAIIoALgC8ICChAAGLADGNYEGEfCAgYQABgIGB7CAggQIRigARjDBMICBhAAGAcYHsICCBAAGAUYBxgewgIHEC4YgAQYDcICChAAGAcYCBgKGB7CAgoQABgHGAgYHhgPwgIKECEYoAEYwwQYCsICCBAAGAgYDRgewgIHEAAYgAQYDZgDAIgGAZAGCJIHCTEuNS4xLjAuMaAHrks&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp#wptab=si:ACC90nxRWvuwqTR4TiacZ7sCfkHhcGgWdDOv2v2HxpHAAuIhwd0hqVQcoOD2_2OWmYVP1phToJUuWqVCPoltHYD1qyHv799uFU-eKK_kcWvG-oXTq4bW4Ed3420E2_kAnxPNxhgo6nCHoVQGF2Mg85J5oL4tncL9I2ykl2kgLwSbmOPDjHVTy_xLku0QMG5Ts4IB4NBrlTPr), if you don’t want to watch the 3:37 video.
I found this (somewhat credulous) blog which claims to recount a 1920s incident that features a bridge, although not necessarily over water.
> **[The Story of Lydia’s Bridge](https://daoliviart.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/the-story-of-lydias-bridge/)**
>
> On certain foggy nights, where US 70 in North Carolina twists around a sweeping curve that passes by an old, overgrown underpass, drivers may see a young woman in a white evening dress standing by …
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### Author:  [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2024, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-of-lake/1001256/4 "2024-05-08T13:25:51Z")
It’s called [“The Vanishing Hitchhiker”.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Harold_Brunvand#The_Vanishing_Hitchhiker) Folklorist Jan Harold Brunvand wrote about it in his 1981 book on urban legends.
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### Author:  [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2024, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-of-lake/1001256/5 "2024-05-08T13:31:29Z")
> [@Grrr](#):
>
> They proceed to say that was their daughter who died sometime ago.
_ **…ten years ago on this very night** _ 😱
I’ve heard the story, but not in connection with a lake. I think the most common version I’ve heard is that the mysterious woman is dropped off at the house, and seen to go up to the door, whereupon the driver leaves. Then the driver notices she left a sweater in the back seat, goes to return it, and learns the spooky truth from the parents-- she had died in a car accident at the very spot she was picked up, exactly ten years ago to the very night.
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### Author:  [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2024, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-of-lake/1001256/6 "2024-05-08T13:50:09Z")
Yeah I think I’ve heard that version too.
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### Author:  [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2024, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-of-lake/1001256/7 "2024-05-08T14:08:18Z")
Laurie (Strange Things Happen) - Dickey Lee (1965)
The backstory of the song is that it was inspired by a newspaper story, which in turn was probably inspired by the [Resurrection Mary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection_Mary) legend from Chicago.
> **[1965 HITS ARCHIVE: Laurie (Strange Things Happen) - Dickey Lee](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOwa_yBC0XU%2F)**
>
> Laurie (Strange Things Happen) (Addington-Harmon) by Dickey Lee, arranged by Ray StevensRay Stevens’ effective musical arrangement enhanced this ghost tale b...
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2024, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-of-lake/1001256/8 "2024-05-08T14:30:51Z")
There’s a dark spooky dirt road that goes to the Blue Hole. (A man made gravel dig out that filled with water. Turned into _not so secret_ swimming hole).
A bikini’d blond was walking down the road. A group of teens were driving and stopped and asked her did she need a ride. She hopped in the back of the pick up. Two others were back there.
Beer, loud music, bad driving, and cutting up were happening.
Someone noticed the girl wasn’t back there any more.
Thinking she fell out they drove back to look for her.
They decided she just jumped out at some point.
They get to where they were going and they notice her beach towel was back there.
Monday they went back to school. As they were talking about it during the day it gets out a similar event happened to 2 other groups of kids.
There was always a towel left.
Turns out a family that lived close to the Blue Hole had a daughter who drowned there (presumably a great swimmer, no body ever located),all they ever found was her beach towel.
Thus, you have “The drowned girl of the Blue Hole”
ETA, I imagine every community has a similar tale.
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### Author:  [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2024, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-of-lake/1001256/9 "2024-05-08T14:40:15Z")
I love this particular story. As ghost stories go, it’s more “real”, and spooky. I’ve read a lot of variations.
Anyway, tell 'em Large Marge sent ya.
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### Author:  [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2024, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-of-lake/1001256/10 "2024-05-08T19:18:58Z")
_Supernatural_ did a version of that.
> **[Roadkill](https://supernatural.fandom.com/wiki/Roadkill)**
>
> Roadkill is the 16th episode of Season 2. It premiered on March 15th, 2007. While driving down a deserted road, Sam and Dean are startled after a bloody woman named Molly (guest star Helfer) bolts out in front of the Impala screaming for help from...
And of course there is a song with a twist on it.
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy5XiRFCosM)
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### Author:  [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2024, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-of-lake/1001256/11 "2024-05-08T19:37:31Z")
> [@Telemark](#):
>
> the [Resurrection Mary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection_Mary) legend from Chicago
That’s the one I though of but I’m from here.
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2024, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-of-lake/1001256/12 "2024-05-08T20:41:46Z")
Love that.
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### Author:  [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2024, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-of-lake/1001256/13 "2024-05-08T20:47:01Z")
Here on the Big Island there are tons of stories of seeing either a young lady or an old woman walking down the road in the middle of nowhere (we have lots of nowhere here!) and giving her a ride. It’s assumed to be Pele, of course.