18 Urban Legends from the Past That Turned Out to Be True
These 18 urban legends were once dismissed as myths but have since been confirmed to be true.
- Sophia Zapanta
- 6 min read
Urban legends are often treated as rumors or campfire stories, but in some cases, strange tales turned out to be based on real events. This list covers 18 stories that seemed unlikely at first but were later backed up by facts, evidence, or official confirmation.
1. The Government Was Spying on People
Collectie SPAARNESTAD PHOTO on Wikimedia Commons
For decades, people have claimed that the government monitors phone calls and online activity. In 2013, Edward Snowden leaked documents proving the NSA had been collecting massive amounts of data on U.S. citizens without warrants. The program included call metadata and internet activity. This confirmed a long-suspected theory.
2. The CIA Conducted Mind Control Experiments
United States Federal government on Wikimedia Commons
Stories of government mind control programs were widely dismissed until declassified documents revealed MK-Ultra. Between the 1950s and 1970s, the CIA ran secret experiments involving LSD, hypnosis, and sensory deprivation. Some tests were done without consent. Congress later held hearings to investigate the program.
3. A Town Was Poisoned with LSD
Peny Stone on Wikimedia Commons
There was a rumor that a French town had been poisoned with LSD in the 1950s. For years, it was thought to be a case of contaminated bread. Later evidence suggested the CIA may have secretly exposed the town of Pont-Saint-Esprit to LSD as part of MK-Ultra research. Although it remains controversial, multiple sources confirm U.S. interest in that incident.
4. The Mafia Really Did Use Cement Shoes
Magnus Manske on Wikimedia Commons
Stories about mob victims being thrown into water with cement on their feet were treated like fiction. However, in 2016, a body was found in Brooklyn with concrete around the legs. Police confirmed it was a homicide connected to organized crime. It was the first modern case that matched the legend exactly.
5. Snuff Films Existed
Heber Vazquez on Pexels
For years, people believed in the existence of films showing real murders for profit, but there was no proof. In the 1990s and early 2000s, investigators uncovered illegal recordings made by serial killers like Paul Bernardo. These tapes were used as evidence in court. While rare, they proved the concept wasn’t entirely fictional.
6. People Were Living in the New York Subway
Adjoajo on Wikimedia Commons
Stories of entire communities living underground in the New York subway system were seen as urban myths. In the 1990s, journalist Jennifer Toth wrote “The Mole People,” which detailed real-life interviews with people who lived in tunnels. Later documentaries and police reports confirmed the existence of these communities. Many lived without official support or documentation.
7. Alligators in the Sewers
Zygy on Wikimedia Commons
The legend of alligators living in New York City sewers has circulated for decades. While full-grown alligators are not common, sanitation workers have confirmed sightings of small ones. In 1935, a newspaper reported a real incident where boys pulled a live alligator from a storm drain. The animal was killed on the spot, and the city confirmed the story.
8. Bodies in Hotel Water Tanks
Zitu.madcap0901125 on Wikimedia Commons
A popular internet rumor claimed someone found a corpse in a hotel water tank after guests complained about the taste. This actually happened in 2013 at the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles. The body of Elisa Lam was found in a rooftop tank weeks after she went missing. The case received wide media attention and was confirmed by police.
9. The Government Poisoned Alcohol
Nik Frey on Wikimedia Commons
During Prohibition, rumors spread that the U.S. government intentionally made illegal alcohol dangerous to consume. Historians later confirmed that federal agents ordered industrial alcohols to be poisoned to deter bootlegging. Over 10,000 people died from tainted liquor. It’s now considered one of the darker aspects of Prohibition-era policy.
10. The FBI Watched John Lennon
Tony Barnard on Wikimedia Commons
Many people claimed the U.S. government kept tabs on John Lennon due to his anti-war activism. In 1975, journalist Jon Wiener filed a Freedom of Information Act request and later received documents confirming this. The FBI tracked Lennon’s movements and tried to block his visa. These files are now publicly accessible.
11. Organ Trafficking Scams
Anna Tarazevich on Pexels
Stories about people waking up in bathtubs with missing kidneys were mostly considered hoaxes. However, real cases of illegal organ trafficking have been reported worldwide. In 2008, Indian police uncovered a large organ harvesting operation in Gurgaon. Victims were misled and operated on without consent.
12. Killer Asylum Patients Escaping
Conradsay on Wikimedia Commons
Tales of violent mental hospital patients escaping and blending into society sounded like horror fiction. However, in 1978, serial killer Ted Bundy escaped from custody and committed further crimes before being caught. He had previously faked illness and jumped from a second-story window. His case confirmed that security lapses could lead to real danger.
13. Poisoned Halloween Candy
Toyah Anette B on Wikimedia Commons
Most claims about strangers poisoning Halloween candy are false. However, in 1974, Ronald O’Bryan gave his own son cyanide-laced Pixy Stix to collect life insurance. The case became known as the “Candy Man” murder. He was convicted and executed years later.
14. LSD Testing at Colleges
WikiLinuz on Wikimedia Commons
Rumors circulated that college students in the 1950s and 1960s were given LSD by researchers. These were confirmed when documents revealed that Harvard professors, including Timothy Leary, conducted such experiments. Many students were not fully informed about the effects. The events were tied to larger MK-Ultra operations.
15. The Bohemian Grove Meeting
UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library on Wikimedia Commons
The idea of powerful men meeting secretly in the woods sounded conspiratorial, but Bohemian Grove is a real private gathering in California, attended by business and political elites. Journalists and activists later confirmed its existence and even recorded footage of it. The club is private, but its annual meetings are documented.
16. Real Spy Tunnels Under Cities
Thomas Bresson on Wikimedia Commons
People used to joke that spies built tunnels under embassies. In the 1980s, it was revealed that the U.S. had built a tunnel under the Soviet Embassy in Washington, D.C. The project, called Operation Monopoly, was exposed by a former FBI agent turned spy. It was confirmed by the U.S. government.
17. Radiation Experiments on Citizens
National Aeronautics and Space Administration on Wikimedia Commons
There were rumors that U.S. citizens were unknowingly exposed to radiation during Cold War experiments. In the 1990s, the government admitted that hundreds of people were part of secret radiation tests without consent. These included hospital patients and military personnel. Official investigations and documents confirmed the stories.
18. Police Using Facial Recognition in Secret
Daniel Schwen on Wikimedia Commons
For years, people have speculated that law enforcement has used facial recognition technology without public knowledge. In the late 2010s, reports revealed that police departments across the U.S. were using private software to scan faces, often without oversight. Companies like Clearview AI built massive databases from online photos. The practice raised legal and privacy concerns.