The Devil's Punchbowl
Location: Devil's Punchbowl Preserve
Paranormal / Hauntings, Fairies / Fae
by @wisconsinwizard
The area known as the Devil's Punchbowl is a beautiful area of Wisconsin's woodlands, known for a large amount of supernatural activity.
It is an area where ghost lights/will-o'-the-wisps/swamp angels are seen frequently. These lights are often accompanied by disembodied, ghostly voices.
There is also a persistent legend here that states if you collect extremely cold water from the streams here, that it will remain icy cold forever, no matter what you attempt to do to it.
Possibly the most notable legend here, though, is the Devil's Punchbowl gnomes. These gnomes are observed to be around three feet tall, with pointed ears, long white beards, smoking pipes, and pointed red hats.
Of potential interest is an old Wisconsinite lumberjack legend, which claims that will-o'-the-wisp lights that are observed in swampy areas are actually the lanterns of tiny gnomes. These gnomes travel about at night, looking over the slumbering animals.
Given the context of the old lumberjack yarn, it is interesting that in this place both gnomes and will-o'-the-wisp lights have been observed.
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