Belvidere, Illinois Dubbed One of America’s Creepiest Towns

Belvidere, Illinois just made a national list that made me shudder. That's because I had no idea what made that town so creepy.

Why is Belvidere called one of the most creepy towns in America?

Buzzfeed compiled a list and called it 57 "Creepy" US Towns People Think You Should Avoid.

They did preface the list by saying "apologies if your hometown is on this list....but everyone's experience is personal, and who knows, maybe you agree with what these people experienced."

That said, it should go without saying that this list is curated by BuzzFeed Community members sharing their thoughts.

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Either way, I was stunned to find out why Belvidere was called "creepy."

Here's why Belvidere is one of the creepiest towns in America.

A BuzzFeed Community member says "A single highway completely encircles this north-central Illinois city. The Grange, a formerly secret society, runs the city behind the scenes. In 1967, a tornado ripped through their high school at dismissal killing 24. No one will speak of this event."

I have so many questions.

What is The Grange in Belvidere, Illinois?

A quick Google search revealed The Grange as a fraternal organization with a "rich history and highly visible community presence in the United States."

Did the 1967 Belvidere tornado happen?

For as long as I have been in the area, 25 years, that tornado in Belvidere hasn't been brought up. I ran across a news story discussing its 54th anniversary from a few years ago, but that's it.

Besides the news story, the most I found on the Belvidere tornado was on YouTube.

Do you think Belvidere deserves the "creepy" moniker BuzzFeed gave them or is it earned?