Ghost Children of Iron Hill - Charles City, Iowa

Legend has it that around 1920 on a stretch of track near Charles City, Iowa, a train loaded with passengers was steaming along and there was an accident.  Some of the train cars still being made of wood in those days, as the use of the safer steel cars was just beginning to grow, caught fire and quickly spread through the train.  Many of the passengers became trapped, could not escape the blaze and perished.  A large number of the deaths were centered around a passenger car loaded with orphan children.  Some say they still linger in the woods near Charles City today.

Some rail cars during the early 20th century were still being made of wood which spelled disaster for many victims of railway fires such as the one near Charles City, Iowa in 1920

There is hill at the location of the old 1920 train disaster known as Iron Hill near what is known as the old White farm.  Hikers and other visitors to the site have reported hearing the cries of children in the area.  Some even claim they can get a whiff of the faint smell of burnt wood and smoke.  

An actual photo of Iron Hill where the 1920 rail disaster claimed the lives of many orphan children near Charles City, Iowa

There have been a rare few eye witnesses however, who have claimed to have actually seen the ghostly image of a little girl in a white dress merrily wandering through the woods of Iron Hill.

On one occasion, a visitor interested in the site was investigating the area searching for any evidence of the carnage that had taken place there long ago, looking for some answers when they discovered the remains of a burnt baby doll half buried near the tracks.  Perhaps this is the link that keeps this restless soul halfway bewteen this world and the next.

Charles City, Iowa today

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