13 Strange but True Stories Buried in Local Newspapers
Big headlines usually go to celebrities or national scandals, but sometimes, the most unforgettable stories are hiding in the back pages of your local newspaper. These are the tales that make you laugh, gasp, or double-check if it's April Fool's Day — but nope, they really happened. From flying lawn chairs to ghostly town meetings, these strange yet true local stories prove that truth often outpaces fiction in the weirdness department.
- Tricia Quitales
- 4 min read
Local newspapers have always been a treasure chest of the strange and unexpected. While national media covers major headlines, the truly odd and hilarious often gets tucked into the corner of a community page. This article highlights 13 bizarre but real events that were reported in small-town papers across the country. From mysterious disappearances to unlikely animal heroes, these stories are authentic, verified, and wonderfully weird. They remind us that sometimes, the most unforgettable tales are right in our own backyard.
1. The Man Who Flew in a Lawn Chair
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In 1982, a California man named Larry Walters attached 45 helium balloons to a lawn chair and accidentally soared 16,000 feet into the sky. He carried sandwiches, a CB radio, and a BB gun to shoot the balloons when it was time to come down. Air traffic control wasn’t thrilled, but Larry survived and became a local legend.
2. The Town That Accidentally Elected a Dog as Mayor
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Rabbit Hash, Kentucky, held a fundraiser election and ended up with a dog named Goofy as its official town mayor. The canine “won” after receiving the most donations, which were counted as votes. Goofy served honorably and even attended ribbon cuttings.
3. The Mysterious Noise That Shut Down a Town
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Residents of Taos, New Mexico have long reported hearing a low-frequency hum that no one could ever fully explain. Nicknamed “The Taos Hum,” it was even investigated by scientists, with no conclusive results. Locals still claim they hear it — some nightly.
4. The Library Book Returned After 110 Years
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A library in Massachusetts received a surprise when someone returned a book that had been checked out in 1910. No fines were charged, and the book was still in readable condition. The return slip was intact, causing librarians to joke about setting a world record.
5. The Ghost That Called a Town Meeting
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In a small Mississippi town, officials claimed they heard voices and unexplained knocking in the old city hall building. Things got so intense that they called a town meeting to discuss what to do. Some believed it was a prank, and others blamed a ghost named Edna.
6. The Chicken That Survived Decapitation
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A chicken in Fruita, Colorado, survived for 18 months after its head was cut off, earning the name Mike the Headless Chicken. Locals fed him with an eyedropper and took him on tour. Mike became a celebrity and even got his own festival.
7. The Cemetery That Accidentally Sold Its Parking Lot as a Plot
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A local cemetery in Ohio made a clerical error and sold a parking space as a burial plot. The family arrived only to find their reserved spot was asphalt. The mix-up made front-page news, and the cemetery quickly issued a refund, with apologies.
8. The Man Who Claimed to Be Allergic to Wi-Fi
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In a quiet Arizona town, a man filed a lawsuit claiming the town’s wireless internet caused him health problems. He insisted he could feel the signal and demanded that the town shut off public Wi-Fi. Doctors were skeptical, but he stuck to his claim.
9. The Woman Who Found a 3-Foot Lizard in Her Toilet
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A Florida woman discovered a monitor lizard in her toilet bowl one morning and screamed for help. Animal control later said it likely came up through the pipes. She moved out the same week.
10. The UFO Landing in a Cornfield
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A local paper in Kansas reported a perfect crop circle and witnesses who claimed a glowing disc hovered overhead. Farmers were interviewed, but no definitive answer was found. It became a town mystery that still gets debated during bar nights.
11. The Middle School That Accidentally Sent Out a Pirate-Themed Emergency Alert
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Parents in a small town were startled when they received an emergency text from their kids’ school reading, “ARRR! School’s out, mateys!” It turned out someone tested the system using a pirate-themed placeholder and forgot to reset it. The principal issued a very apologetic (and slightly amused) email.
12. The Man Who Tried to Rob a Gas Station with a Pineapple
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In Hawaii, a man reportedly walked into a gas station holding a pineapple like a grenade, threatening to “blow the place up.” Police confirmed the fruit was not explosive, and he was arrested without incident. Locals now joke about “fruit-based crime waves.”
13. The Cow That Escaped a Slaughterhouse and Hid for Weeks
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A runaway cow jumped a fence at a local slaughterhouse in Indiana and disappeared into nearby woods. Locals spotted her several times but couldn’t catch her. She eventually turned herself in by walking right back into the stockyard like nothing had happened.