That story seems to be more of an urban legend. Whats the unique spin that Iowa City adds to such ghost tales?
First, there is a rich tradition of Iowa ghosts, as that series of haunted farmland books will attest. I think it’s in part because of the regional isolation, because of the darkness of the nights and because of the sad and lonely country cemeteries that are increasingly disappearing as housing additions crop up over them. It all inspires the imagination. What about Iowa City specifically? Well, think about the backdrop I just described and add the waves of people from more urban areas passing through Iowa City. Ghost stories are a good way to energize the mind and imagination when you’ve run out of things to do besides hit the bars and go to the mall. And when you hear about things you normally associate with more urban areas – like a fair number of murders, including mass killings – Iowa City starts to seem like a veneer of something normal hiding the awful Lovecraftian truth just below.
