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While the story of Dudleytown seems to be one of the most well known hauntings/urban legends of CT, one of the best legends(albeit not urban, but actual) is The Old Leatherman, a man completely dressed in leather who walked the same 360-mile circuit for 30 years in the 1800's. He even was the inspiration for the Pearl Jam song "Leatherman". He is one of the most written about legends due to the massive amount of information and photographs of him.
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While the story of Dudleytown seems to be one of the most well known hauntings/urban legends of CT, one of the best legends(albeit not urban, but actual) is The Old Leatherman, a man completely dressed in leather who walked the same 360-mile circuit for 30 years in the 1800's. He even was the inspiration for the Pearl Jam song "Leatherman". He is one of the most written about legends due to the massive amount of information and photographs of him.
I haven't heard of this before. Can't wait to read more!
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Wow, that song by Pearl Jam is really out there. My least favorite because it is so different, but I had no idea of it's inspiration..
Andy
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Wow, that song by Pearl Jam is really out there. My least favorite because it is so different, but I had no idea of it's inspiration..
Andy
LOL- never was a favorite of mine for the same reason- definitely different, and surely not their best. But I did always appreciate the dedication to an old Connecticut vagabond.
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While the story of Dudleytown seems to be one of the most well known hauntings/urban legends of CT, one of the best legends(albeit not urban, but actual) is The Old Leatherman, a man completely dressed in leather who walked the same 360-mile circuit for 30 years in the 1800's. He even was the inspiration for the Pearl Jam song "Leatherman". He is one of the most written about legends due to the massive amount of information and photographs of him.
Wow I was just thinking about this story recently and was going to try and find the article I cut out of the paper years ago. He also made his way through Westchester County. This my friends is no urban legend…
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Very interesting story….I cant imagine wearing 60 pounds of leather and walking in the August heat and during it for 30 years….Truly intriguing story….
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This could be turned into a great horror movie.
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I haven't heard of this before. Can't wait to read more!
I have been following the story of the Leatherman for years, and grew up in a town he walked through. Recently, an announcement was made in a local daily paper that a group of researchers has gotten the court's permision to exhume his body and perform forensic testing on his remains to "learn more about him", through the taking, and subsequent destruction of "anotomical gifts. This is set to happen in teh spring, probably when the ground thaws, although they have said they do not want to release the date to "avoid too much media attention" I have set up a website for people to learn more about the Leatherman, and give others a forum to share their opinions. My opinion is that he went to unimaginable lengths to maintain his privacy during his life. The people of his time who encountered him respected that privacy, and so should we.
Don
http://leavetheleathermanalone.com/ "Map his footsteps, not his DNA!'
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Actually heard on the radio recently that a local historical group wants to exhume his body and perform an autopsy to see what he died from.
From the CBS 880 news radio station web site:
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/20…../01/22/lea…y-be-uncovered/
Leather Man Mystery May Be Uncovered January 22, 2011 2:34 PM
OSSINING, N.Y. (WCBS 880) – He remains a mystery in much of Westchester County and parts of Connecticut, but information behind a 19th century costumed wanderer might finally be solved.
He’s called the “Leather Man,” and his stories fascinate many. The man who in the 1800s walked to parts of Westchester County and parts of Connecticut for more than 30 years dressed in a leather suit and sleeping in caves. He even called the attention of Pearl Jam, who wrote a song about him.
Ossining Historical Society’s Norman McDonald said this spring the leather man, whose real name is unknown, will be exhumed and studied.
“They’ll be able to determine whether or not he was autistic. Where he may have originated,” McDonald said.
McDonald said the man never worked and never spoke, which is why it’s going to be fascinating.
“He remains one of histories great mysteries,” he said. “People identify with the old leather man because he was a survivor.”
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I wonder how the people who want to exhume this poor man would feel about having their grandparents dug up. Where is the respect for this man's privacy? He was a human being, not a puzzle to be solved. Let him rest in peace.
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I heard that one too, so I contacted the reporter and she got my side of the story on the air two days later.
-Don Leave the Leatherman Alone.com
From CBS NEWS 880am:
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/20…../01/25/mov…-of-leatherman/
OSSINING, NY (WCBS 880) – On the internet, the movement is growing to leave the “Leatherman” alone.
WCBS 880′s Catherine Cioffi reports from Ossining
The “Leatherman,” whose real name is unknown, is set to be exhumed this spring for testing.
The founder of the website Leave the Leatherman Alone, Don Johnson, says it’s not right.
“I don’t see the enormous historical benefit,” Johnson told WCBS 880 reporter Catherine Cioffi. “I think the legends and the folklore that we have are amazing.”
Johnson says the Leatherman who wandered Westchester County and Connecticut for thirty years would have wanted his privacy preserved.
Johnson says, “I wouldn’t want anybody doing this to me.”
Johnson says the decision to exhume should be made by the public.
Ossining Historical Society’s Norman McDonald said this spring the leather man, whose real name is unknown, will be exhumed and studied.
“They’ll be able to determine whether or not he was autistic. Where he may have originated,” McDonald said.
McDonald said the man never worked and never spoke, which is why it’s going to be fascinating.
Actually heard on the radio recently that a local historical group wants to exhume his body and perform an autopsy to see what he died from.
From the CBS 880 news radio station web site:
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/20…../01/22/lea…y-be-uncovered/
Leather Man Mystery May Be Uncovered January 22, 2011 2:34 PM
OSSINING, N.Y. (WCBS 880) – He remains a mystery in much of Westchester County and parts of Connecticut, but information behind a 19th century costumed wanderer might finally be solved.
He’s called the “Leather Man,” and his stories fascinate many. The man who in the 1800s walked to parts of Westchester County and parts of Connecticut for more than 30 years dressed in a leather suit and sleeping in caves. He even called the attention of Pearl Jam, who wrote a song about him.
Ossining Historical Society’s Norman McDonald said this spring the leather man, whose real name is unknown, will be exhumed and studied.
“They’ll be able to determine whether or not he was autistic. Where he may have originated,” McDonald said.
McDonald said the man never worked and never spoke, which is why it’s going to be fascinating.
“He remains one of histories great mysteries,” he said. “People identify with the old leather man because he was a survivor.”
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While the story of Dudleytown seems to be one of the most well known hauntings/urban legends of CT, one of the best legends(albeit not urban, but actual) is The Old Leatherman, a man completely dressed in leather who walked the same 360-mile circuit for 30 years in the 1800's. He even was the inspiration for the Pearl Jam song "Leatherman". He is one of the most written about legends due to the massive amount of information and photographs of him.
Great picture and great story! Based on the comment above, did they ever dig the man up, or is that still in the works? What a fantastic story.
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Great picture and great story! Based on the comment above, did they ever dig the man up, or is that still in the works? What a fantastic story.
They got a court order to exhume him and perform some tests. I sent the historical society a letter protesting their action and I encourage anyone who thinks this is wrong to do the same. The director of the historical society claims he has only heard from one person who is against this. All the poor man wanted in life was his privacy and now they are willing to desecrate his corpse to invade that privacy. What a shame!
Here's the contact information:
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They got a court order to exhume him and perform some tests. I sent the historical society a letter protesting their action and I encourage anyone who thinks this is wrong to do the same. The director of the historical society claims he has only heard from one person who is against this. All the poor man wanted in life was his privacy and now they are willing to desecrate his corpse to invade that privacy. What a shame!
Here's the contact information:
Based on the way the Leatherman lived his life, digging his body up just seems wrong. Don't these people know what R.I.P. stands for?
Rest In Peace, Leatherman.
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Based on the way the Leatherman lived his life, digging his body up just seems wrong. Don't these people know what R.I.P. stands for?
Rest In Peace, Leatherman.
Couldn't agree more.
Just keep on walkin', Leatherman. Ignore these still living fools.
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The planned research is going ahead as planned.
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The planned research is going ahead as planned.
Poor Leatherman. This just makes me ill.
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It was reported in The Journal News that the exhumation went on as planned but when they dug up the grave all that was left were some coffin nails.
http://www.lohud.com/article/2…..10526/NEWS…|text|Frontpage
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It was reported in The Journal News that the exhumation went on as planned but when they dug up the grave all that was left were some coffin nails.
http://www.lohud.com/article/2…..10526/NEWS…|text|Frontpage
Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust.
…But personally, I'd like to think that he just got sick of laying around and got up one day and just started walking.
"A pedestrian is a man in danger of his life. A walker is a man in possession of his soul." David Mccord, American Poet
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