The USS Nightmare Haunted Attraction
The USS Nightmare is a haunted house attraction built upon an actual steam-powered dredge boat.
Attractions:
Death Dredge:
“Home away from home is how a lot of us thought of her when we first got aboard…and then we would find out differently as she would show her dark side.”
THE DREDGING MACHINE:
Built in 1934 by the US Army Corps of Engineers, these 1,300+ ton machines could move 80,000 cubic yards in just 24 hours. But as river passage became more stabilized, three of the four boats were retired and the Mitchell was left as the only dredge still in service. Although the Captain and his crew were still operating infrequent dredging missions, the William S. Mitchell’s retirement was also imminent.
CAPTAIN WILLIAM S. MITCHELL:
Crewmembers described Captain Mitchell as a “peculiar” and, at times, “maniacal” leader who would collect bones and other items that were dredged up from the river’s bed. An apparent journal he began writing in the days leading up to his death offered even more ominous insight into life on the boat. One caption noted “various accounts […] of odd circumstances” surrounding his beloved daughter, Anna, who also lived on the boat.
ANNA:
Anna was the only child between the Captain and his late wife. Although he was very protective of her, one can only imagine what the life of a young girl aboard a dredging vessel could have entailed. During its missions, the boat would make infrequent stops to refuel and restock onboard supplies. It is noted the Captain would allow “clowns” from local carnivals to come aboard to entertain Anna and his crew.
The Mitchell Massacre:
On a seemingly quiet summer day, the William S. Mitchell mysteriously broke free of its moorings and wreaked havoc for miles down the river. Although no one was thought to be aboard at the time, the boat's eventual demise revealed a much different story.
THE AFTERMATH:
Upon entering the ship after its erratic journey, search team members would be sickened by the sinister macabre in front of them. What they found was not only that there were people aboard but that their bodies had been tortured and mangled to an unimaginable degree.
Haunted Dredge Boat Tour:
The USS Nightmare is the resurrection of the William S. Mitchell. The boat is in the exact condition it was left in the aftermath of the Mitchell Massacre. To this very day, anyone who enters is tormented by the sinister past of this former dredging vessel – including the cast and crew of our haunted dredge boat tour.
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