DUBOIS: CITY OF THE DAMNED

 

The region now known as Clearfield County, and specifically the city of DuBois, was once known to the Susquehannock tribe (a branch of the Lenni Lanape) as OTOCSIN which is roughly translated as “Land of the Devils.” They called it this for many reasons. First, the forests were dense and dark giving a sense of eeriness and anxiety. Also, the region was plentiful with predatory animals that the Native Americans did not want to deal with like bears, mountain lions, and rattlesnakes. Next, the Native Americans believed that the trees held evil spirits which thirsted for the souls of men. And last, but not least, the region was thought to be inhabited by monstrous creatures that would feast on the bodies and souls of anyone entering the Dark Woods. The Native Americans knew that the monsters would remain in the Dark Woods, and remain there if they were unprovoked and undisturbed. Despite many warnings, the white man chose to settle OTOCSIN, and in doing so released the Devils from the Land.

George Shaffer was the first (recorded) permanent inhabitant of what is now DuBois, moving into the dark wilderness area in 1812. They lived in a log cabin near the present intersection of West Long Avenue. and Main Street. Shaffer died in 1812 leaving the land to Henry Shaffer. He did not value the land, seeing no real worth in the low lying swampy acres. Furthermore, he was disturbed by terrible dreams of tentacled creatures with rubbery flesh, lashing tentacles, and burning three-lobed eyes. Greed and fear led to him selling off the land acre by acre in parcel until it was all gone. With his pockets full, he departed the dark land known as OTOSCIN.

Settled officially in 1812 by Shaffer and platted in 1872, DuBois was incorporated as a borough in 1881 and as a city in 1914. While DuBois was founded as a lumber town, the mining of bituminous coal quickly became the chief industry in DuBois. Over the years there have been many unsuccessful attempts to combine the city with the surrounding Sandy Township. The town was founded by John Rumbarger, for whom the town was originally named. The Rumbarger Cemetery is all that survives of this original settlement. The town was later renamed for local lumber tycoon John DuBois, who came from a longstanding American family of French descent.

DuBois and the surrounding region has prospered from its abundance of natural resources. In its early days, the local economy depended heavily on timber and furs. The hardwood industry continues to be important to the region, and is home to one of the largest hardwood forests in the United States. After the railroad came to town, the coal mining industry grew quickly and provided fuel for steel mills, factories and power plants throughout the Commonwealth. This region leads the world in the powdered metal industry. Local manufacturers use powdered metal technology to make parts for manufacturing equipment, automobiles, and appliances. Natural gas wells have been part of the local landscape for decades, and politicians have been lining their pockets with bribes and poisoned money. This industry is poised to grow with companies drilling in the Marcellus Shale formation. Last but not least, DuBois offers a diverse and encompassing array of medical, mental health, and social services to promote, improve and sustain the quality of life in this thriving community.

And that is the reason that DuBois and its surrounding environs are now a gateway to the supernatural, monsters, demons, and ghostly presences. The things that go bump in the night are now free to roam, play, and devour. There is an interesting contrast between the general air of “normalcy” and the underlying menace of Evil that festers beneath the Façade.

I mean, don’t get me wrong, my friends. DuBois is a wonderful place to live. It’s a quaint little town with a rich history. It’s close to miles of forests, making the small town a haven for nature-lovers, hunters, hikers, and anybody seeking the quiet of the outdoors.

And DuBois is also home to antiques, inns, country stores, and golf, making it a popular tourist destination. Restaurants and shopping abound. Nearby Driftwood is the ancestral home of a famous area resident – Tom Mix, Hollywood’s “King of the Cowboys” in the silent era. The home of the Penn State DuBois campus, the town is accessible by DuBois Regional Airport in Falls Creek.

But when night falls, and the Darkness creeps in, things change in DuBois. The creatures of OTOCSIN awake from their slumbers in the dark, forgotten places and walk the streets looking for whom they may devour.

Evil thrives when good people do nothing. And that is part of the problem within DuBois. Most people don’t want to acknowledge the bad that is lurking just under the surface. They don’t want to see the homeless, the abused, the mentally ill, the meth fiends, and the crack houses. And they certainly don’t want to notice the creatures that prey on these individuals like vampires, ghouls, warlocks, and faeries.

And so the world keeps spinning and the community as a whole lives their daily lives unaware of the creatures that lurk just under the surface. They are very much like a swimmer within the ocean, unaware of the huge shark swimming below them. And until the teeth tear into their flesh, they swim along merrily enjoying the moment, blissfully unaware of the thing about to shred them into little bloody bits.

And when the shark comes, it is too late.

The world is a strange place. Maybe stranger than you think.

All of your life you have been told tales of monsters, vampires, werewolves, zombies, and fairies.  They’ve been used to scare children and entertain adults.  They’ve been the subject of  novels, comic books, and innumerable TV programs.

Its all in good clean fun, isn’t it?

Sure.

What if there really were trolls under the South Brady Street bridge?  What if ghosts do haunt Rumbarger Cemetary? What if every fairy-tale and urban legend was based in truth?  What if there was a world that you didn’t see?  Not that you couldn’t see it, but were taught not to see from the time you were a little child?

What if everything you think you know was a well crafted lie?

Welcome to the Real World.

The world where Truth can be seen by the naked eye.

It’s called DuBois, The City of the Damned.

What is DuBois City of the Damned? Click Here for more information.