No-Mans Land, The strange story of Allentown NY

Where i come from there is a local legend about a small mountain hamlet of Allentown (Coordinates 43.320276,-73.957902).
Just north of the Great Sacandaga Lake lies an old hamlet with its roots in the old logging days, although there is some minor development on the southern area of this hamlet, this place remains stuck in time and the inhabitants keep mostly to themselves.
there are many stories about this place i will give you the main one, it is the most talked about one.

In the late 1970's local police were sent to the town to perform a welfare check requested by the State of NY because of reports of unsanitary conditions ie. no running water and no electricity for any of the residences as to see why the children were not attending school. The 2 Officers never came back, after an extensive search of the forest the vehicle or bodies were ever found, the State responded and sent in some of its Troopers and the same thing happened the troopers were never seen again.
to this day the police will not go into Allentown and many hikers/hunters that have strayed to far have ended up missing without a trace. it is assumed that these people are cannibals and they belong to a satanic cult.

Attributes of the hamlet:

-the main village is roughly 1200 ft long by 400 ft wide
-surrounded by dense fores to the NW, N, and NE
- satellite imagery shows that most of the residences are run-down and there is trash strewn all around, an overall dilapidated look.

Observations Made by various locals to-date:

-there is a fence line in the woods that surrounds the entire hamlet of Allentown

-large but distant bon-fires are often visible and "yelling" "fake human made animal sounds" is often heard emanating from deep in the forest

-Of the inhabitants that have been observed, they are all "Gingers" the Males have thick beards, and the Females are well kept, quiet, and act very robotic.

- all of the 20 or so residences have the same last name on the mailboxes "Allen"

- all of the children are home schooled.

- they have their own town "Doctor"

-local farmers have reported missing cattle, horses, and pets

-some times there is a sweet acrid smell in the air, faint burning flesh?

- A Radio and Cell "Dead-zone that is roughly 5 miles in circumference around the town, Possible Transmitting tower interference?

- "Alters" were found in the woods with blood-stains and animal bones in the immediate area.

- they will chase you off or run you out of the town.

ok guys i know what you are going to say, Pics or its not true and whatnot i am defiantly not going there myself to get any pics. you can take this story for what its worth really don't care if you choose to believe it or not, i am just looking for some possible answers to what these people are.

Satanists, Mormons,Jehovah, Aliens, Cannibals?

does anyone here have any similar stories?


Update* Link NY TIMES Article from 1993

NY Times

Here is a NYT Article from 1993.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

WOW Excellent find, thanks

a reply to: Craninalbliss

Nice. Looks like the area you are referring to is just two roads which are actually outside of town, S. Hollow Rd. and Allen Rd.
I see a couple of places with swimming pools and what looks like a staging area for a lumber mill.

On a small mountain ridge known as the Hollow, ... which is 35 miles north of Saratoga Springs and is in the town of Day in the northwestern corner of Saratoga County, bordering Warren County.

www.nytimes.com...

It looks run down, I will say that, and there are a lot of trailers, however there are worse places.
Could be they don't want all of the problems that are associated with "modern" society, ie drugs or invasive government bureaucracies.

It does sound like a really good place to base a horror book or movie, with all of the rumors about it.

Hmm, I certainly wish I had checked this out back when I lived in NY. Good find! Seems they have been there forever, wonder if there are any of them left?

Send in Mulder and Scully. Make me think of H.G. Lewis' "2000 Maniacs." A must see for fans of old school B-horror.

A view of the area with Google Earth shows the place to look very strange indeed. Quite a few single-wide trailers, some houses in immense disrepair, but then there's one house that looks pristine with a gated entry. Odd.

a reply to: Bilk22

I am guessing the pristine house is the cult Leaders.

a reply to: Craninalbliss

Great story ... but you'd think if they lost some State employees that the N. Guard would be sent in en masse. It's probably a cult and somewhere where outsiders are "cottoned to none."

That said, I've heard all sorts of weird things about the NY woods... including ghosts, UFOs, strange humanoids, time slips, phantom dogs, etc.... so yeah...

Good find...thanks.

I know *quite* a bit about this place. In fact I would guess I know just about as much as anyone on the internet about this (seemingly) mythical enclave.

This is one of the first things I read about "The Allen Town" a.k.a. "The Hollow".
www.jerkmagazine.net...

In 74', or thereabouts, a now very well known fledgling reporter who works for WRGB 6 (Fred Dicker) wrote an article for the Times Union titled "Allentowners' Lack Key to 20th Century Door". (I cannot for the life of me find it- if someone can that'd be awesome.)

Then a guy named George T. Nierenberg and a fellow Skidmore student went up and made an extremely amateur documentary about the place.

The long and short of it is that the State Capital (Albany) used to flood frequently and with understandably disastrous consequences. In 1932 the Upper Hudson River was damned up at one point, flooding a MASSIVE swath of, well- frankly- God's Country.

42 square miles and over 30 miles were drowned forever. The state claimed Eminent Domain and either seized or bought out countless farms and a massive amount of acreage and flooded an entire area of NYS, bordering on Adirondack Park.

HOWEVER, (essentially) two families, intermarrying for many generations (Allen and Kathans) REFUSED TO LEAVE, and formed a bizarre enclave far away from EVERYONE and EVERYTHING. A place that sociologists call "The Appalachia of The North", as the 1993 NYT Article denotes.

It's VERY far off the beaten path- no gas stations, stores, nothing at all anywhere within many miles....nothing except woods, and three roads that lead up into a mountain hollow/oblivion. I personally know two very frightening/odd stories- related firsthand. One involving a Social Worker who was accosted, the other a State Police Officer, who was called in (local police do not go up there) to investigate a reported stabbing and after much investigation/obfuscation from Residents was told by an elder statesmen of the place "We'll take care of it".

Admittedly, I have not been there myself. Frankly? Outsiders from this region are afraid to be considered quite unwelcome, trapped, or or worse.

But, I am hoping to make the trek next month (with appropriate provisions) and will take pictures to prove it. I've scoured the internet for about a year and if you can believe it Text. Can you imagine, in 2014, still nothing?

Google Maps and Earth are useless.

Hopefully I can share what I find out here.

Keep this conversation going and send me a message if you're interested.

originally posted by: FloydGondolli
I know *quite* a bit about this place. In fact I would guess I know just about as much as anyone on the internet about this (seemingly) mythical enclave.

This is one of the first things I read about "The Allen Town" a.k.a. "The Hollow".
www.jerkmagazine.net...

In 74', or thereabouts, a now very well known fledgling reporter who works for WRGB 6 (Fred Dicker) wrote an article for the Times Union titled "Allentowners' Lack Key to 20th Century Door". (I cannot for the life of me find it- if someone can that'd be awesome.)

Then a guy named George T. Nierenberg and a fellow Skidmore student went up and made an extremely amateur documentary about the place.

The long and short of it is that the State Capital (Albany) used to flood frequently and with understandably disastrous consequences. In 1932 the Upper Hudson River was damned up at one point, flooding a MASSIVE swath of, well- frankly- God's Country.

42 square miles and over 30 miles were drowned forever. The state claimed Eminent Domain and either seized or bought out countless farms and a massive amount of acreage and flooded an entire area of NYS, bordering on Adirondack Park.

HOWEVER, (essentially) two families, intermarrying for many generations (Allen and Kathans) REFUSED TO LEAVE, and formed a bizarre enclave far away from EVERYONE and EVERYTHING. A place that sociologists call "The Appalachia of The North", as the 1993 NYT Article denotes.

It's VERY far off the beaten path- no gas stations, stores, nothing at all anywhere within many miles....nothing except woods, and three roads that lead up into a mountain hollow/oblivion. I personally know two very frightening/odd stories- related firsthand. One involving a Social Worker who was accosted, the other a State Police Officer, who was called in (local police do not go up there) to investigate a reported stabbing and after much investigation/obfuscation from Residents was told by an elder statesmen of the place "We'll take care of it".

Admittedly, I have not been there myself. Frankly? Outsiders from this region are afraid to be considered quite unwelcome, trapped, or or worse.

But, I am hoping to make the trek next month (with appropriate provisions) and will take pictures to prove it. I've scoured the internet for about a year and if you can believe it Text. Can you imagine, in 2014, still nothing?

Google Maps and Earth are useless.

Hopefully I can share what I find out here.

Keep this conversation going and send me a message if you're interested.

You have to get video. I will go with you if we can get funding.
This sounds like a ballsy adventure.

"but the restlessness was handed down and it's getting very hard to stay."

a reply to: Craninalbliss

That's a great quote. So perfect for the entire Northeast Rustbelt, in the post industrial age.

I've never owned a firearm and am looking into procuring one legally.

www.youtube.com...

Still can't believe there's a place this infamous and not one picture or video exists of it.

Well, except these:
www.youtube.com...

www.youtube.com...

I grew up around that area and remember hearing all of the stories. Never was bold enough to venture in. To be honest I always kind of thought it was a legend until today when I randomly thought of it and ran it through Google. Crazy place. I wanna drive by the next time I'm in upstate.

a reply to: Stranglefoot82

I grew up in Saratoga Springs and spent many days during the summer at friends camps up around Sacandaga. Always heard the same folk tails everybody else is hearing about this place. Fast forward years later I have some friends who grew up and went to school with some of the residents of the Hollow. I've driven through there multiple times myself out of shear curiosity. In face I just did last week. There are some pretty run down homes back there.
There are a few very nice homes also. Admittedly there are some interesting looking people who live up there but anyone I have met from there are actually very nice people. I'm sure they get annoyed with the stereotypes and people driving through there to look at what they see as some sort of freaky attraction. I can't blame them for that. But in the 5 or so times i've driven through there I've never been chased or threatened. Had one younger guy stop and ask if we were all good. That was in a very friendly manner. I've actually had occasion to meet and chat with many of the residents from this area bc they have been coming in my business for years. They don't know I know anything about where they're from and I dont ever ask them any questions. They may be a little different in certain ways bc they are def simple country type folk. Bottom line is all of them that the majority I have met have been very friendly, good people.

hi everyone. i am actually from just down the street of allentown (the hollow), i lived there my whole childhood, until i moved to attend college. i went to galway public school with many allen children. i have many tales and much info about this place and the allens/kathans. my mother was a public health nurse for awhile in the 90's and had some truly chilling experiences there as well. in general, these are sweet country folk, isolated from society and they prefer it that way. please let me know if you have questions!

a reply to: megamegamega

Tell us those chilling stories from your mom,please? Im South African and find this Allentown thread fascinating.In my country there is a little enclave that sounds a bit like Allentown,i forgot the name,will look it up when im by pc,maybe i can find something about it.I remember hearing about in childhood.

Hey man/chick/whatever, I grew up in Saratoga as well and spent a lot of time partying in those woods too... It's possible we know each other?!? I graduated in 2000 and was a bit of townie...

Basically everything I heard about the hamlet was terrifying. If you went in, you didn't come out. Of course I took that sigh a grain of salt but never wanted to really test my chances. I did used to hear that some of the weird , more hillbilly drugs (meth etc) used to come from there tho. Again always assumed it was just campfire legend sort of thing. Something for he dealer to get an extra few bucks on.

reply to: cgny518

Has anyone actually heard from FloydGondolli since his trip in 2014. I have checked and he hasn't posted a thing since then and I am wondering if he is still OK after going to Allentown NY?

God I hate these connecting flights with like negative stopover time..



Sacandaga lake was featured in the Tempus Fugit X-files Ep..

Google Earth yup!

I just came across my post in here from a year or 2 back. Present day I have actually hung out in the hollow a few times and have made good enough friends with a few residents that my buddies and I stop over for a beer and hang out for a few hours sometimes. They are def skeptical of people they dont know but overall very friendly people. Always overjoyed when my buddy and I stop by which is always random and unannounced yet they still are very happy to see us. And I'm a city boy from Saratoga that happens to like being in the adirondacks and riding atvs/shooting guns haha. There def is a "good old boy" network with a lot of drugs and god knows what else but thats no different than any other city/town in america. And certainly are some "Mountain Men" type characters but they're not out to bother anybody. They're just living their life the way they want to live and enjoying it. No reason to be scared of going out there besides the fact that there is barely and cell service in/around the whole Sacandaga Lake and no gas stations so if you have car trouble be prepared to walk...