The Nunnery Legend Of History

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Its one thing to hear an urban legend but it’s another to actually put you in the place the legend happened. Realizing the truth for you is one of the biggest reasons behind the many different stories told of myths and legends. But one of the problems with these stories being passed down is the lack of historical evidence. Anyone can come up with their own personal experience of something that may or may not have actually happened, but the solid background information is key in making it actually believable. This is why I’m lead to believe that story of The Nunnery, based in Logan Canyon, has too many fictitious angles surrounding the legend.
Built in 1910 by Hezekiah Eastman Hatch, Hatch’s Camp (later named St Ann’s Retreat, but most commonly known as The Nunnery) has had plenty of time to surface mysterious tragedy information. Many of these stories are told by local teens/young adults to visitors, many of which attend Utah State and are intrigued by the information given. The variations of the story ranges anywhere from Nuns bearing devil children, to Ghost Dogs chasing you if you trespass or even the children born to the Nuns being killed or scarified in the pool or fireplace. Though they make great ghost stories while camping up in the canyon, the facts behind Hatch’s Camp will make this story seem less spooky.
Chad Godfrey is the current owner of the retreat and I had the opportunity to speak with his sister, one of the caretakers, Lynette Godfrey. One of her stories tells of her family spending most of the summer of 2009 fixing up the retreat. Having so many kids break into the many buildings on the lot, destroying and vandalizing including but not limited to breaking doors and windows and stealing/burning the belongings...

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...ng on less than 3 acres, the Nunnery has many false claims which it has grown over the years. These claims have led me to believe that this supposed haunted area is nothing but ghost stories.
Originally plotted in 1910, the spacious lodge and cabins were designed by Hezekiah Eastman Hatch who was one of the first to place a cabin in the canyon. Hatch’s Camp was later owned by L. Boyd Hatch and Floyd B. Odlum who expanded the retreat during 1920-30’s. Floyd B. Odlum was one of the ten wealthiest men during that time and he and L. Boyd Hatch helped grow the summer camp to a retreat that would host many friends and family. Some of the visitors included celebrities with ties to the Hatch/Odlum duo. Following the duo the Catholic Church used it as a retreat for Nuns, but only for short periods of time, which leads me to believe it shouldn’t really be called a nunnery.

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