If you’ve loved West Virginia for long, you’ve probably already heard the legend of Mothman. You’ve probably heard of the Flatwoods Monster. You might even have heard of the Greenbrier Ghost. But do you know about the legend of Screaming Jenny? It’s not as commonly told, but it sure is a hair-raiser!

Historic Harpers Ferry, West Virginia is one of the Mountain State's prettiest towns.
Jesse Lee Tucker / Wikimedia
But, as beautiful and charming and delightful and popular as it is, it holds a few dark, dirty secrets. And one of those is the story of the legendary Screaming Jenny.
Steve Jurvetson / Flickr
Not far from the Harpers Ferry Depot, along the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, a group of poverty-stricken residents moved into several old, abandoned storage sheds located adjacent to the tracks. These sheds provided barely-better-than nothing protection from the elements, especially during the harsh winter season.
gianni / Wikimedia
It was an unfortunate lot, but it was the lot of a gentle woman by the name of Jenny. Alone, penniless, always hungry, often cold... yet still always generous, kind, caring, and cheerful. That was Jenny.
emiliokuffer / Flickr

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At least, that was Jenny until one fateful fall evening. Cold, tired, and hungry, Jenny stooped by her fire, sipping a small bowl of thin broth.
Liv Unni Sødem / Flickr
She didn't even notice the small spark that jumped from the fire to her skirt. Didn't notice, that is, until the flames ate through her woolen garment and began to scorch her tender skin.
Phil Long / Flickr
By then, it was too late. Though Jenny attempted to douse the flames with what was left of her broth, and though she began to run desperately down the tracks toward the Harpers Ferry station, screaming in pain, screaming for help, no one heard her agonized pleas in time. The flames engulfed her body as she ran.
May Wong / Flickr
Her screams grew almost inhuman. Pain overcame all her senses. In her terrible confusion, she staggered onto the tracks, a blazing, fiery inferno. At just that moment, a train rounded the bend. Though the engineer tried to stop, it was too late. Screaming Jenny gave one last desperate cry. Then a terrible silence fell. When the train finally did grind to a halt, the engineer climbed out and began to run back down the tracks toward Jenny. He was joined by crew from the station, who had been alerted by his whistle. When they reached Jenny's still, dead body, they found it, still burning. Jenny was given a pauper's funeral and buried in an unmarked grave.
Her name, and her life, would have been quickly forgotten but for one thing: a month later, a train rounded that very same bend where Jenny had died... and there she was.
May Wong / Flickr
Again, the engineer could not stop in time. Again, the train plowed viciously over the flaming figure. Again, the engineer ran back to look for his victim as soon as he could bring his great iron beast to a halt. But this time, there was no body to be found! Jenny's ghost had returned to haunt this lonely stretch of track.
Again and again, sightings of this ghost have been reported. No one can quench the fire that consumes her ghastly frame. No one can arrest her desperate flight. And no one can stop her haunting screams.
Jane Fox / Flickr

So there you have it; the legend of Screaming Jenny. Had you heard of her before? Do you know anyone who has actually seen her ghost? Do tell!

Oh, and if these sorts of legends are just your cup of tea, then don’t miss the legend of the White Devils of West Virginia…

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Harpers Ferry, WV 25425, USA