The Bandage Man of Cannon Beach

[Isis2200]

I just found the information I was looking for regarding the ghost that is seen in people's cars up here in Oregon. It is called "The Bandage Man" and here is how the story goes, according to one researcher:

"A bit of Oregon esoterica for everyone, and it's a ghost story to boot: The Bandage Man of Cannon Beach."

"The Bandage Man is a phantom of a man completely wrapped in bandages that haunts this small community. The bloody figure, who smells of rotting flesh, jumps into vehicles passing on a road outside of town, notably pickup trucks or open-topped cars, but also sedans, station wagons, and even sports cars. Sometimes the mummy breaks windows or leaves behind bits of bloody or foul-smelling bandages. One legend has it that he is the ghost of a dead logger cut to pieces in a sawmill accident."

"The Bandage Man is sometimes said to eat dogs and may have murdered several people. He appears on the short approach road connecting US Highway 101 to Cannon Beach, between the town and where Highway 26 intersects with 101. The phantom always vanishes just before reaching town."

"I first came across the story of Bandage Man in the book Ghosts, Critters & Sacred Places of Washington and Oregon, and it stood out because it's not the typical "sounds and thumps in the night" type of ghost story that fills books like these."

"Not surprisingly, there's not much on the web about Bandage Man; digging around only reveals a handful of sites, with pretty much the same one or two paragraph description. However, I did find this post on the MysteryPlanet MSN Group that sheds light on the origin of the legend:"

"I was googling on the chance that I might find some mention somewhere of the Bandage Man. I have been aware of this story for over forty years. For I was a child in the community where it got it's start. I knew some of the family of the kid that first encountered the Bandage Man. There is an old road, that for all the years I was growing up was known as "Bandage Man Road". It was just an old section of Highway 101 that had been bypassed when a new section put in place, but it was still accessible and wasn't very long-just a short loop off of the highway-the whole thing from end to end could be driven in maybe five minutes or so."

"This loop of road was a popular place for local kids to go park and makeout."

"That is where the story started. One night, two of the local kids were up there doing just what teenaged boys and girls do when they are parked on dark lonely roads. The boy had an old chevy pickup and his girl and he were sitting in the cab. All off a sudden they felt the truck sort of lean, like something was moving around in the bed of the truck. They turned to look out the rear window and there looking back was a bandaged face, with only some wierd looking eyes showing through eyeholes in the bandages. The bandaged figure started beating on the glass, and the top of the cab. The kid started his engine, got it gear and tore out of there-his girlfriend screaming in terror as the man in the back continued his pounding. Any of you who've been to Bandage Man road, or Cannon Beach, know how curvey the roads are and to drive them at highspeed is dangerous. On they went, after what seemed an eternity they made it to downtown Cannon Beach, where the boy's family owned a service station that they lived next door to in green house. Once they got there, they looked in the back and the Bandaged figure was no where to be seen."

"I first heard this story back in 1960-61. And it's the original version. Some of the family of the kid still lives around here too, I know two of his brothers."

I guess you'd better watch out if you're driving around Cannon Beach, if you believe that sort of thing...

http://ashiana.conforums.com/index.cgi

~ Isis

http://www.chuggnutt.com/2005/03/11/bandage_man.html

[TheMeaningOfLife]

What are you on? I couldnt find anything else on te internet about it.

[mr. E]

That's a really cool, creepy story! Is there any more information on the logger killed in the sawmill accident? Like, any history on that at all, or is that just a speculative origin story? I love urban-legend type ghost stories like this. Makes me sad that there aren't really any around where i live.

Oh, and why is it that ghosts and other creepy things are always intent on breaking up makeout sessions? haha Ghost-c***-block!

[Robert1]

Excellent story. a really cool one to tell around the campfire.

[coldethyl]

IT EATS DOGS?????

[RollingThunder06]

Another one that I haven't heard. Are the stories still continuing or have they died off?

Is this piece of the road the only place the Bandage Man has been seen?

[Bella-Angelique]

Here is a real mummy face.

[ALNA70]

What are you on? I couldnt find anything else on te internet about it.

Cannon Beach - On the short approach road from Highway 101 to Cannon Beach - there is a phantom of a mummy known to locals as "Bandage Man." It jumps into the back of vehicles at night. The mummy has even been known to attack at times, leaving bits of his bandages behind. Bandage Man is said to eat dogs and has even murdered several people. Many believe him to be the ghost of a logger cut to pieces in a nearby sawmill. - June 2005 Update – Some believe the haunting is limited to "The short approach". There are stories about possible Bandage Man sightings from Lincoln City all the way to Seaside (about a 90 minute to two hour stretch of road). It has also been said that Bandage Man was once a criminal who was shot multiple times by police. Once he was being transferred from the Hospital to the jail, he escaped, ran into the woods, and hasn't been seen since. This would explain the bandages, as he was still covered in them.

Shadowlands

Bandage Man

Cannon Beach/Hwy 101

An obvious urban legend, that must be noted for it's uniqueness. A phantom form who has been blamed for murdering and eating dogs, appears on the road where Cannon Beach and Hwy 101 connect. He is covered with bloody bandages and rotting, foul smelling flesh, and will jump out attacking the approaching vehicle, and sometimes even into the open bed of trucks. The legend says he is the ghostly descendent of a logger who succumbed to his death; cut to pieces in a nearby sawmill

Ghost Tours

Results of my Google search

Bandage Man Ghost Google search

[Lady Warrior Ravynwynn]

"I'm in Oregon, and that's maybe 2 hours away.

This is the first I've heard of it. I'm going to ask my son about it.

[Isis2200]

Excellent story. a really cool one to tell around the campfire.

Thank you, Robert.

http://ashiana.conforums.com/index.cgi

A Gift for you(See Link Below)

http://www.google.com/search?q=Bandage+man...:en-US:official

~ Isis

[Fluffybunny]

I have been to cannon beach many a time, but have never heard this one before...I wonder if it is something that is just a rumor in the local area that kids keep going generation after generation?

[Isis2200]

Another one that I haven't heard. Are the stories still continuing or have they died off?

Is this piece of the road the only place the Bandage Man has been seen?

There are reports of Bandage Man sightings from Lincoln City all the way to Seaside (about a 90 minute to two hour stretch of road). I haven't heard of any recent sightings, but it could be that they haven't been reported. I'll let you know if I hear of any recent sightings. :-)

http://ashiana.conforums.com/index.cgi

~ Isis

[Isis2200]

Here is a real mummy face.

Yikes, Bella! That's really spooky.

http://ashiana.conforums.com/index.cgi

~ Isis

[Isis2200]

Cannon Beach - On the short approach road from Highway 101 to Cannon Beach - there is a phantom of a mummy known to locals as "Bandage Man." It jumps into the back of vehicles at night. The mummy has even been known to attack at times, leaving bits of his bandages behind. Bandage Man is said to eat dogs and has even murdered several people. Many believe him to be the ghost of a logger cut to pieces in a nearby sawmill. - June 2005 Update – Some believe the haunting is limited to "The short approach". There are stories about possible Bandage Man sightings from Lincoln City all the way to Seaside (about a 90 minute to two hour stretch of road). It has also been said that Bandage Man was once a criminal who was shot multiple times by police. Once he was being transferred from the Hospital to the jail, he escaped, ran into the woods, and hasn't been seen since. This would explain the bandages, as he was still covered in them.

Shadowlands

Bandage Man

Cannon Beach/Hwy 101

An obvious urban legend, that must be noted for it's uniqueness. A phantom form who has been blamed for murdering and eating dogs, appears on the road where Cannon Beach and Hwy 101 connect. He is covered with bloody bandages and rotting, foul smelling flesh, and will jump out attacking the approaching vehicle, and sometimes even into the open bed of trucks. The legend says he is the ghostly descendent of a logger who succumbed to his death; cut to pieces in a nearby sawmill

Ghost Tours

Results of my Google search

Bandage Man Ghost Google search

Thank you, Alna, for providing that interesting information.

http://ashiana.conforums.com/index.cgi

~ Isis

[Isis2200]

I have been to cannon beach many a time, but have never heard this one before...I wonder if it is something that is just a rumor in the local area that kids keep going generation after generation?

Hi Fluffy:

Yeah, could be. I mean I've been on 101 several times in the past couple years since moving up here to Oregon, and I've never seen a ghost on that Highway. I was even there at night. So I don't know. The scary thing is Sylvia Brown believes that more and more ghosts(i.e. loved ones who have passed over) are appearing in people's cars now than ever before. Well, that's if you believe what she says, and not all people do.

So I'm proof that the Bandage Man didn't attack me or eat my dog. LOL

http://ashiana.conforums.com/index.cgi

~ Isis

[GrayTone]

Wow, no more campin' on the beach for me

[Isis2200]

Wow, no more campin' on the beach for me

LOL I know what you mean, Toker. and no more camping for me unless it's around a lot of people in a campground. Hey I might be abducted. And what about hiking up the mountain? Nope, they might find my body floating in the creek or an alien might come out from behind a big rock.

Gee, I need to get some R & R, either that or watch a good comedy movie. Lol

http://ashiana.conforums.com/index.cgi

~ Isis

[GrayTone]

Not to mention a good clubbing from a Bigfoot

Edited October 27, 2006 by 420_toker

[Isis2200]

Not to mention a good clubbing from a Bigfoot

LOL You're so funny, Toker.

It's nice to talk to people with a good sense of humor. You made my day. Now I can finally stop shaking from fear. LOL

http://ashiana.conforums.com/index.cgi

~ Isis

[GrayTone]

Lmao, glad I could help

[Tooth_and_Claw]

errr. his face is weird i said nuthin

[Tejina: Ex Arctic Elfie]

Clubbing with bigfoot... Oh.. Clubbing from.

I should stop reading things when I'm only partially awake.

Interesting story though. Would sort of be fun to go check the place out if I was on the West coast.

Unfortunately, I'm on the wrong side of the country.

And I have a college full of spooks to explore two blocks away.

*Grins* Who needs Bandages when you have a swinging spook?

[Not Telling]

I have a book called ghost stories of Oregon from when i took a trip to Oregon and they say he only appears on a dark, stormy night.

[little_dreamer]

Oh boy, I think I may have seen something like this as a kid. I was about 7 and walking through an apartment complex.

I saw a man standing up, wearing what looked like full bandages, on the other side of the glass patio door. He was inside, I was outside.

I ran away at that point.

I'm hoping this was just my imagination.

Edited March 9, 2009 by little_dreamer

[SienaJackson]

Hello. Bandage man is one of my favorite ghost stories. I have read "Oregon's Ghosts and Monsters" and "Spooky Oregon" both of which are my favorites, but OG&M is my all time fave. I live in Lebanon Oregon, never seen Bandage Man all the times I been to those towns, and I'm glad, I like reading about him but I don't wanna meet him. I LOVE ghost/folklore, specially the true stuff!!!