This gnarled, bizarre-looking cypress tree is often said to be in Selbyville, Delaware, but it is in fact on Swamp Road just over the state line in Whaleyville, MD (see the map for the precise location). Almost everyone who has ever walked up to the tree has experienced something strange – chills down their spine, strange lights and orbs, sounds, etc. No one knows exactly what causes it, but some say attribute it to a witch that once lived nearby.
If you've had a paranormal experience here, or have any additional information about this location, please let us know!
Rate this Haunted Place
What do you think? Is this place really haunted? Voice your opinion here! Click "thumbs up" if you think its haunted, or "thumbs down" if you think its all just a tall tale.
Geographic Information
- Address:
- Swamp Road
Whaleyville, MD
United States
Get Directions » - GPS:
- 38.44320761211735, -75.32418277858591
- County:
- Worcester County, Maryland
- Nearest Towns:
- Whaleyville, MD (3.4 mi.)
Willards, MD (3.8 mi.)
Selbyville, DE (5.7 mi.)
Pittsville, MD (5.8 mi.)
Frankford, DE (7.0 mi.)
Bishopville, MD (7.1 mi.)
Powellville, MD (8.4 mi.)
Dagsboro, DE (8.5 mi.)
Parsonsburg, MD (8.8 mi.)
Ocean Pines, MD (9.7 mi.)
Please note: It is your responsibility to acquire appropriate permissions before investigating any location listed on this site. Private property should be respected at all times, as should all posted signs concerning trespassing, hours of operation and other local regulations. Many "ghost hunters" have been arrested because they failed to contact property owners and/or local authorities ahead of time.
Share Your Experiences
Disclaimer: The stories posted here are user-submitted and are, in the nature of "ghost stories," largely unverifiable. HauntedPlaces.org makes no claims that any of the statements posted here are factually accurate. The vast majority of information provided on this web site is anecdotal, and as such, should be viewed in the same light as local folklore and urban legends.
Went there last night with a few friends as soon as we turned the truck off and got out the back tire sprung a leak and it was so loud it sounded like snskes it was completely flat by the time we goy ten minutes down the road to the gas station
There is definitely a goose bump factor at this tree! It’s really not a road. It’s more like a widened dirt trail. Very difficult to drive on which is probably why the above folks got a flat tire. We spoke with a local and he told of us a recent murder that happened at a nearby school in Pittsville. A janitor murdered a teacher and brought her to this tree and this is where she died. There are numerous places on this tree where you can just imagine the hangings and suffering. It’s got a huge creep factor. It’s also the only tree that looks like that of all the trees in this area.
The lady in question wasn’t murdered at the Hanging Tree. She was taken down the road,straight instead of making the right/left turn that takes you to the tree,raped,murdered and tossed to the right/left side of the tree line,depending if you’re coming from Gumboro or Whaleyville. Myths passed to me from,my family are that African Americans and witches were hanged from this tree. It is not advised to ridicule this area at all.I was,unfortunately,in a truck w 2 “friends” that screamed racial slurs and insults during our trip there and when we left…it seemed like the driver,who was the most ignorant one,had the wheel wrenched from his hand,causing us to,propel into the 8.5 ft tax ditch next to,us. His neck was broken,the passenger suffered a broken,femur and I,only had a fractured forearm. When you get to this tree…the sadness is so profound it seems to,permeate your soul.Whether the rumors are true or not,some type of travesty has occured at this location. Please always show respect.
This tree is on a normal unpaved road like many around here and no problem to drive on at all. Part of the road I live on is just like it. Myself and a friend went out there on the Eve of Beltane , May 1st @ 11pm or so. What we have here is either a Tree Sprite or a Water Sprite. These Sprites can only be seen on a Pagan Sabbat or a full moon. The next night was full moon. Sprites are spirits of people who once lived. This one is the spirit of an old and powerful witch who once lived in the area. Tree sprites enter at the base of an old and gnarled tree and water sprites live in freshwater swamps, or near freshwater streams or ponds. When I saw the location, an old gnarled tree in a freshwater swamp with rushing water running thru the stream at it’s base I knew it was a perfect location for a tree or water sprite. My friend who had been there many times said he could hear rushing water very clearly and wondered where the rocks came from the water was gurgling over since it’s a sandy location with no native rocks. Chunks of concrete I think were there. He said he’d not heard that sound before. I took pictures trying to see a glowing orb in the branches or around the trunk but, I did not get a picture of one. Just for a second did I think I saw a pair of eyes looking back from the tree. Sprites are impish or even hostile beings that cause mischevious interference in people’s lives. They are easily angered and dangerous when angered. I angered it by taking those pictures I guess, some with flash and some not. This sprite has a problem with transportation. The first commentator had a car problem, a flat tire. The second found it hard to drive even during the day. I shut the car off and I half expected a dead battery but, my car restarted just fine. My friend is in a wheelchair. When we got back to his place he was transferring from car seat to chair and somehow the transfer board slipped and he ended up sitting on the ground. We have traveled many places together and that never happened before. Later as I was driving home I saw a deer by the side of the road in an area where I usually do not see deer. I slowed right down to 40 and right when I was one car length away the doe walked briskly right out in front of me. stopped in the middle of the lane then turned to stare at me with the most devilish look on it’s face. eyes wide open just staring at me. I could not stop in time and hit the poor deer. It had a look of possession on it’s face at impact. I believe the Tree Sprite or water sprite made the deer do that. I’ve been traveling the same road for years and never had that problem before. Even the next day everything I tried to do went wrong. That next night I asked the Goddess Bastet for protection from this evil sprite and only after that did things begin to go right again. My buddy in the wheelchair who had been out at the tree drinking years ago and when leaving there he had a accident on a smooth easy curve on a paved road just a mile or so from there. He just ran into a bush in someone’s driveway with his Harley doing about 40mph. The paramedics said he had to hit just right to break his back, a freak accident. He hasn’t walked since. The sprite was probably angered that people were out there drinking and caused him to wreck. the sprite probably remembered him from years back and caused his fall and me to hit the deer. It smashed out my lights on the driver’s side and my grill was in pieces. It’s fixed now and I plan to avoid this evil Sprite in the future. If you are brave enough or foolish enough I suggest going out there late at night on Samhain or Beltaine or on a full moon and see how it works out for you. You may want to rent or borrow a car. Good luck and Blessed Be.
Your story sounds like a load of bull
I agree….also, if ur friend was DRINKING, I bet THAT’S why he got into an accident. It sucks and I’m very sorry for his misfortune, but who drives a motorcycle after drinking?!?
First, it is a chestnut oak, not a cypress. Even though I am gifted, I did not sense anything different about this tree. I will say it is a good “hangin’ tree” and perhaps was used for that purpose at some time its history. It is definitely much older than the forest around it, so it did serve some purpose in the past. I hope to revisit it at night in the future, especially on the full moon. I will do some more research on its history and post it when I have more information to share.
I grew up in whaleyville, growing up my friends and I have always had experiences.. On shavox church rd where I grew up every year around the beginning of autumn u would hear a woman screaming for help in the wood directly across the street from us. There are many abandoned cemeteries deep in the woods there. Indian burial grounds and growing up experiences alot of paranormal activity. My friends an I played with a ouija board quite frequently and never had any instances where we wouldn’t be able to speak with spirits. The witches tree is absolutely beautiful and I never had any negative experiences at that location, I felt more at peace in the swamp growing up. We would always meet up with friends at the t in the road right next to the tree there was always a feeling of something being there but never any negative experiences. My friends house (now torn down) was said to be built right on top of an old Indian burial ground when staying there you always saw balls of fire and slamming doors. I remember going outside and always feeling like someone or something was watching me.
There is also an Indian burial grounds not to far from the tree
Where is “not too far”? If I’m going out there I’d like to be able to see everything there is to see while I’m there.
Never had any real bad experiences but I don’t try to mess with the tree
Unfortunately the tree has fallen now as of last week. No credit can be given to myself for the photo, merely a Facebook friend due to me being So close to the site.
The stump is all that’s left of the tree now. I’m glad I was able to see it before it fell last year. Lots of energy there and connected with a Spirit that was in this location. I’ll be adding that info to my blog as an update soon.
We were out there at 3 AM. We do paranormal investigation. We were using the Pendulum. I sware I felt someone standing next to me. Leaning in to watch what was happening with the pendulum. That same night we herd someone walking through the water, but no one was there.