Buckley Island
PANICd#: 2106
Publication date: 08/08/2022
Buckley Island is an island on the Ohio River in Wood County, West Virginia between Marietta, Ohio and Williamstown, West Virginia. The Interstate 77 bridge over the Ohio crosses the island's western portion.
Buckley Island, WV 26187
Open to the public: Yes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckl...
Lat: 39.397852
Lon: -81.421787
Database Summary:
Demographic Rank: 0
History: 1
Stories: 2
Claims: 1
Evidence: 0
Resources: 2
Retrievals: 13332
Vistor Rating: 0.0
Votes: 0
| |
Rate this Location <- Get Location Badge Code |
History
History information is some background and history about the location. This is meant to be a basic summary. Below the history records you will find sources in which you can click on to find out more information. There may be multiple history records per location.
The earliest known reference to the island is a 1770 journal entry by George Washington who was surveying the area at the time. In 1897, the Buckeye and Eureka Pipeline Company bought the island and turned it into an amusement park. In 1907, a flood washed away much of the park. The Buckley family bought the island in 1911 and it remained in their family until it was sold to the Fish and Wildlife Service for $400,000 in 1998.
Added by: sdonley on 08/08/2022
DB#:574
Source(s):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckley_Island
Stories & Folklore
Stories & Folklore are just that. Stories and personal accounts that have been reported about the location and passed down from generation to generation. This section could also contain research notes as well.
Buckley Island, situated on the Ohio River between Marietta and Williamstown, West Virginia, doesn't have a happy history. It started in 1782 when a flatboat carrying settlers got disoriented in a thick fog and wrecked onto its eastern shore. As the travelers prepared to spend the night, a group of Native Americans raided the encampment, killing two men and carrying the rest of the passengers off to fates unknown. After the settlement of Marietta was established, a Pestilence House was built on the island, and it became the final destination for many a victim of infectious disease, along with an unlucky few who just happened to get a fever at the wrong time. To add to its grim reputation, between the years 1875 and 1896, the island became a haven for debauchery and all things illegal under the ownership of a gentleman named Colombia Bland. Mostly this involved gambling, cockfighting, drunkenness, etc. To improve the island's reputation, it was transformed into an amusement park in 1897. Less than a year after opening, tragedy would strike when a pleasure boat by the name of WM Duffy capsized while transporting thrill seekers to the park. Miraculously, only 3 people were killed. Nine years later, a flood destroyed the park, and the island was purchased by the Buckley family, who lived there for nearly 100 years before recently selling the land to the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Many visitors have reported being overcome with strange feelings while hiking there, and they say that if you walk down to the banks of the river at night, you can hear the eerie sounds of days past coming from the now uninhabited island.
Added by: sdonley on 05/24/2025 DB#: 1704
Source(s):
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_oDw_SnSLA/?img_index...
Today, Buckley Island is a wildlife refuge only accessible by boat. Some visitors have reported feelings of sickness and fatigue... clearly the island's troubled spirits are preying on their immune systems.
Added by: sdonley on 08/08/2022 DB#: 1570
Source(s):
https://theworldincorporated.com/ghosts-in-mariett...
Paranormal Claims
Here are the paranormal claims for this location. These have been found through Internet research, reports from members, or reports from personal interviews. To add a claim, please contact PANICd.com, and we will review and add your information.
| Claim # | Added | Added By | Claim |
| 3288 | 08/08/2022 | sdonley | People have reported feelings of sadness and fatigue when they visit the island. |
Additional Resources
This is a collection of Internet resources for this location. This section will house links to other websites that contain information related to history, claims, investigations, or even the location's website.
| Wikipedia Entry
Added: 10/19/2019 By: sdonley |
Wikipedia entry for this location. |
| Haunted History of Marietta, Ohio: 7 Spooky, Kooky, Crazy Tales - Sand and Snow
Added: 07/28/2022 By: sdonley |
if you want to check out the haunted history of Marietta, Ohio, including its tragic past, here's my 7 favorite places to get your thrill on. |
Recently Added Locations
