THE DUNWICH HORROR was published in 1929 by Weird Tales. Three years earlier HP Lovecraft had stayed in Wilbraham east of Springfield, Mass. The lost farmhouses scattered on the low mountains exuded a foreboding gloom inspired this tale, especially the 18th Century Whateley Farmhouse on Beebe Road.
THE DUNWICH HORROR recounts the fictional life of Wilbur Whateley, son of a deformed albino mother and an unknown father, who matures to manhood in less than ten years.
The town’s secrets remain secrets, until a college professor and his co-ed aide visit at the Miskatonic University’S Library, where they meet a young man checking out the dreaded NECROMICON, a time-worn book of arcane rituals.
THE DUNWICH HORROR has long been considered one of the core stories of HP Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos, in which Wilbur Whateley, son of a deformed albino mother and an unknown father reputed to be named Yog-Sothoth, and the strange events surrounding his birth and precocious development.
THE DUNWICH HORROR was a short story written in 1928 and first published in the April 1929 issue of Weird Tales. The tale takes place in Dunwich, a fictional town in Massachusetts, where the heroes successfully defeat the antagonistic entity or monster of the story.
This past October my comrade in arms and I headed to Boston. The battle with my disease had sapped my strength and I was in no condition to drive north. My comrade Brigette had the wheel and I sat a prisoner in the passenger seat. The traffic on I95 jockeyed for position on the interstates like demo derby drivers on crank. The two-and-half-hour trip took five hours and were more than happy to complete our journey to the Mariciano residence south of Nine Mile Pond.
My good friend Eric Marciano passed away in the summer and I wanted to see his wife. The film director was a true New Englander. When I mentioned to his son Zach that I was visiting several HP Lovecraft sites in New England he mentioned that the house on Beebe Road inspired THE DUNWICH HORROR. Brigette and I immediately said we had to go the dreaded house the next morning.
Meredith said that the Wilbraham Drive-In showed horror and bike films.
“Young couples loved horror films. The terror forced young girls into teenage boys’ arms.”
Watching THE DUNWICH HORROR’s trailer it was easy to see how.
Zach easily found he house on Beebe Road. He had long been a fan of the horrors of HP Lovecraft and its setting amongst the stunted trees of Wilbraham Mountains epitomized the gothic horror the arcane world lost to humanity.
Even on a sunny day thee was something about the house that betrayed Lovecrafts’s inspiration for THE DUNWICH HORROR
The two-story house surrounded by trees had added steps to the entrance, a side access and electricity, but little else had changed in ninety years.
We set up our signs.
Free Poetry.
We didn’t believe in social media.
If someone stopped, someone stopped.
Meridith went first.
Robert Frost’s THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED.
One of Eric’s favorites, which the poet read at JFK’s inaugeration in 1961.
Brigette Lundy Paine followed with one of our favorite poets.
Ranier Maria Rilke.
We hate rich people.
Zach Marciano is a true fan of HP Lovecraft.
He read from THE DUNWICH HORROR. He like I love the terror.
Gorgons and hydras.
My reading was inspired by THE TERROR AT INNSMOUTH
A Cthulhu legend of haunted New England.
Only a Volkwagen passed us during the FREE POETRY reading.
A dog ran from the house.
It did not bark.
The dog did not scare Brigette.
We sat on the wall.
In love with THE DUNWICH HORROR.
It must been great at the drive-in.
