Rehmeyer's Hollow

Rehmeyer's Hollow, also known as Hex Hollow, is located in Central Pennsylvania (York County) near the Maryland border. The area was brought to national attention by a murder that occurred there in 1928. The name of the hollow was later changed to Spring Valley County Park.

Murder of Nelson Rehmeyer

In 1928, under the malicious advice of a local witch named Nellie Noll (known as the River Witch of Marietta), John Blymire believed that he had been cursed by Nelson Rehmeyer. Blymire and his accomplices broke into Rehmeyer's home to find his copy of the braucherei 'spell book', the Long Lost Friend. Blymire and his fellow conspirators John Curry and Wilbert Hess (who likewise felt victimized by Rehmeyer) were unable to find the book, but did find Rehmeyer himself, whom they killed and mutilated in hopes that this would lift the curse. The resulting trial drew substantial media attention.^[1][2][3]

Rehmeyer's house where he was murdered still stands on Rehmeyer's Hollow Road. Many locals believe it to be haunted. Teenagers can usually be found down in the hollow legend tripping.

Cultural references

Filmmaker Shane Free from Los Angeles, CA began filming in 2013 the Hex Hollow movie; a documentary chronicling the events leading up to and following the murder of Nelson Rehmeyer. Free explores the history of the crime through interviews of surviving relatives of all involved; as well as interviewing folklore expert Thomas White and Powwow experts Robert Phoenix and Chris Bilardi.

Central Pennsylvania-based novelist Brian Keene wrote four novels in a series loosely based on Rehmeyer's Hollow and the region's powwow magic: Dark Hollow (2007), Ghost Walk (2008), A Gathering of Crows (2010), and The Last of the Albatwitches (2014).

HEX "Hex Hollow EP" (2003) (music)

References

Witches of Pennsylvania by Thomas White

Pennsylvania Dutch Powwow website of author Robert Phoenix

Further reading

• Lewis, Arthur (1969). Hex. 
• McGinnis, J. Ross (2000). Trials of Hex. 

Municipalities and communities of York County, Pennsylvania, United States County seat: York City York Boroughs Cross Roads Dallastown Delta Dillsburg Dover East Prospect Fawn Grove Felton Franklintown Glen Rock Goldsboro Hallam Hanover Jacobus Jefferson Lewisberry Loganville Manchester Mount Wolf New Freedom New Salem North York Railroad Red Lion Seven Valleys Shrewsbury Spring Grove Stewartstown Wellsville West York Windsor Winterstown Wrightsville Yoe York Haven Yorkana Townships Carroll Chanceford Codorus Conewago Dover East Hopewell East Manchester Fairview Fawn Franklin Heidelberg Hellam Hopewell Jackson Lower Chanceford Lower Windsor Manchester Manheim Monaghan Newberry North Codorus North Hopewell Paradise Peach Bottom Penn Shrewsbury Spring Garden Springettsbury Springfield Warrington Washington West Manchester West Manheim Windsor York CDPs East York Emigsville Grantley New Market Parkville Pennville Queens Gate Shiloh Spry Stonybrook Susquehanna Trails Tyler Run Valley Green Valley View Weigelstown Yorklyn Unincorporated communities Accomac Admire Airville Ambau Bandanna Bermudian‡ Big Mountain Blackrock Brogue Bryansville Cly Craley Davidsburg Detters Mill Fayfield Foustown Fuhrmans Mill Gatchellville Glades Glenville Gnatstown Hametown Hanover Junction Hopewell Center Kralltown Leaders Heights Mackey Ford Mount Royal New Bridgeville New Park Nauvoo Porters Sideling Rossville Siddonsburg Stoverstown Strinestown Sunnyburn Tolna Thomasville Valley Forge Violet Hill Woodbine

Pennsylvania Dutch Powwow website of author Robert Phoenix