Rumors Of The 'Hicks Road Colony' Have Kept Drivers Away From The Area For Years
The Colony's Origins May Stem From Other Creepy Local Lore
There are several theories about how this supposed vicious clan came to live near Hicks Road. The legend has been around since the '70s, or possibly earlier, and has persisted well into the modern age. However, the urban legend's origins are up for debate. One thing the stories all have in common, though, is that the people live as part of an organized colony.
One suggestion for where this rumored colony could have come from is that it's related to a Swedish community based at the entrance of Uvas Canyon Park. This group of people don't have albinism, but they can be very fair-skinned. Others say it began with the United Technologies Corporation located on nearby Metcalf Road. This is a scientific research facility where technology is tested. This is the sort of facility that would incite rumors of genetic mutations. Some say a religious community - cult-like and possibly satanic - called The Holy City in the nearby Santa Cruz mountains is where the rumors started.
Whatever the origin, the legend has long been passed around in schoolyards and classrooms around the area.
Legend Has It They Chase Anyone Who Ventures Onto Hicks Road At Night
Supposedly, the clan isn't too friendly to outsiders. Legend has it they will chase visitors out. In some accounts, they use cars and trucks to chase down vehicles and run people off the road. Other times, they will give chase on foot.
In one account, a visitor to Hicks Road recalls what happened when a friend came across a dead deer on the road:
Without warning, Dan's car collided with something, a large dark figure is what blurred before Dan's eyes as he slammed on the brakes. When the car came to a rest the headlights revealed a large buck sprawled across the street, clearly not moving. As all of the occupants of the car realized what had happened, another dark figure appeared from the roadside. Except this figure split into three separate entities. Moving quickly into the road, the headlights now showed 3 humans with pasty white skin and blood[-shot] eyes. Working with haste, the three [people with albinism] dragged the bloodied buck down the hillside and out of sight.
Supposedly, They Attack With Weapons
Although the creepy factor for this legend more has to do with strange, pale figures chasing people in the dark, another spooky aspect is that these mysterious people are apparently also quite aggressive. The stories say that those who have encountered the people with albinism have seen them sporting improvised weapons - even guns in some cases. There are no accounts of them actively taking a life, but they do seem to use these items to threaten people off of their turf.
In yet another personal account, one individual recalls an encounter with one such armed figure:
We pulled off into the first turn off and the truck slammed on its breaks behind us, high beams still shining bright and the driver opened his door and exited carrying a large object which in our retellings of the story has been everything from a shotgun to a fishing pole. The screams from our vehicle could be heard from Quicksilver park to Old Almaden and we hit the gas and raced off of Hicks as quickly as possible.
The Colony Might Actually Be A Satanic Cult
One version of the Hicks Road legend states the individuals afflicted with a genetic disorder but they are also linked to the devil. There are rumors that the colony on Hicks Road is part of a secluded cult that worships Satan. Their attacks on people at night may actually be how they gather human sacrifices, or possibly just how they keep people away from their evil practices.
The Satanic cult rumor goes one step further, claiming visitors to the road can call upon the cult for revenge on enemies. According to the tales, a bridge near Hicks Road has been cursed by the cult. Those who write a person's name on the bridge will be granted the demise of that person. A difficult thing to prove, of course, but an even darker reason to trek down Hicks Road.
Stories Tell Of The Colony's Cannibalistic Tendencies
Possibly the most frightening aspect reported about this evasive colony is that they are supposed cannibals. Stories depict them carrying off deer, trying to bite into humans, and even going after family pets. In particular, one story claims a colony member carried off a poodle in the night. Bones of dogs have been found in the area, further fueling the rumor.
If the rumors that the colony has satanic ties is true, this may also account for their craving for flesh.
Even If You Don't See Them, You May Hear Them Screaming
Adding to an already terrifying prospect, not only might any visitor to Hicks Road come upon the vicious mob, they are apt to hear them as well. As though glowing red eyes and weapons weren't intimidating enough, the individuals on Hicks Road are known to scream out in terrifying, unearthly tones. The shrieking echoes in the darkness, resulting in those who claim to have heard, if not seen, the horde. The prospect of hearing screams in the area is enough to keep many from daring a visit.
Though, of course, the sounds could just be barn owls or coyotes, but who can say for sure?
Some Believe They Are Ghosts
A more supernatural theory suggests that the pale-looking individuals are not humans at all. Given their appearance and tales of their strange screaming and violence, some have suggested that they may not be of this earth. Instead, the terrifying attackers might be ghosts.
Psychics have weighed in with their own opinions on this mysterious phenomena:
It's quite likely that these are echoes of some former territorial band of people, who at one time lived in the region. Why they should present as [people with albinism] seems obvious to me – they're not [people with albinism], they're ghosts, and people see them as ectoplasm.
If ghosts are too supernatural a prospect for you, another researcher posits a more science fiction-y explanation. This person posits that the people with albinism are actually from another dimension, saying:
I wouldn't be surprised at all, if these things exist in that area alone in the world, perhaps the last vestiges of some dying race of creatures from another world, or another dimension. Maybe they're not even that dissimilar to us, except for their basic nature.
They're The Inspiration For A Horror Film
This legend has been so long ingrained in the culture of San Jose that it has even inspired several works of art. One man wrote a novel about the phenomena, and another group created a horror movie based on the colony. The film was a student film project that came out in 2009.
It can be found online and the film is described on IMDb as follows:
The urban legend of Hicks Road has captured the minds and thoughts of many residents in San Jose, California. And especially the imagination of four college students that grew up hearing the story again and again. These four curiosity seekers attempt to find out what is really going on in the shadows of Hicks Road. But little do they know that what lies ahead will haunt and change them for the rest of their lives...
The Legend May Spring From The Homeless Population In The Area
Of course, as with any local legend, there are often real and rational reasons for the stories. For one, there is no record of a group of people with albinism living near San Jose. While such an organized group could theoretically do so to stay off the grid, there would likely be some official trace of them. One pronounced group of people in the San Jose area is the local homeless population.
The Jungle, one such community, was so big that it literally contained over three hundred people during its height. More of these encampments, in smaller sizes, dot the city and its surrounding areas, including the region and parks near Hicks Road. Such a population may currently live near the area of the supposed attacks or lived there at one time. Because there have been homeless encampments in the area for so many decades, this may be part of where the legend came from.
San Jose Lore Places The Colony All Over The City
Although the stories mostly direct people to Hicks Road, there are stories of the possibly murderous colony all over the city of San Jose. They are said to frequent Quicksilver Park, especially as there are supposed mines nearby to hide in. Stories say that people live in these mines, people who may be the same colony from Hicks Road. An abandoned military post at the top of Mount Umunhum has only just opened to the public in recent years. Before it was open, people who ventured up there sometimes reported strange sightings of mysterious figures. Even in the nearby forests and parks that surround the city, the legends of the dastardly colony persist.
However, most people do agree that Hicks Road is where they reside most often, and that's what draws many thrill-seekers out for late night rides.
For Good Reason, Individuals With Albinism Dislike The Continued Telling Of The Legend
Of course, the albino colony of Hicks Road is mere speculation and local lore. There are those who'd like to see the legend finally die out. There are two groups of people who are particularly upset with the continuation of this myth. The first is people with albinism. Albinism is obviously not a supernatural occurrence and is actually a genetic disorder linked to serious health problems. There is already a stigma surrounding those with albinism and this legend of evil, cannibalistic, satanic albinos only furthers to reinforce that stigma.
The other group of people bothered by the legend are those who live around Hicks Road. The stories have attracted daring teens out to the area at night to explore for decades. Sometimes, trespassers leave messes and even damage property. Many residents have put up signs to keep visitors out.
