BENNINGTON \u2013 The Headless Horseman, or \u201cThe Hessian\u201d, has been the stuff of nightmares for almost 200 years. But the Sleepy Hollow rider says his ghouling days are long past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having relocated to Bennington area in the 1970\u2019s, the decapitated horseman, who now goes by Bill Hessian, lives in a quaint cabin on the edge of the Green Mountain National Forest. \u201cThere\u2019s just so much more room here for me and my horse, Mr. Bones\u201d Hessian says about the decision to move to Vermont, \u201cPlus the people here love Halloween. I can walk around downtown the whole month of October and get high fives from people because they think it\u2019s just an awesome costume.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While Hessian, or \u201cThe Hess\u201d to his friends, spent the 200 years following the American Revolution looking for his lost head. He says the last 150 of those years were pretty dark \u201cYou know, the first 50 years I was really just looking for my head I mostly left people alone. Then the book about me came out and all the sudden there are Headless Horseman hunting parties and people wielding torches. I got bitter, and yeah, I took a few peoples\u2019 heads but I was in a really dark place. I regret those days\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the move to Vermont Hessian says he feels like he\u2019s been given a new lease on life, again. \u201cA lot of those years I felt like I had lost a piece of myself. When I moved to Bennington area in October of \u201873 everyone was so welcoming and through their warmth I learned to accept that head or not, I was whole.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To give thanks to the city he loves Hessian spends the entire month of October entering Bennington area costume contests, donating all of his winnings to local charities. Unsurprisingly he wins a lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBill! The Hess! That guy has been coming in the same costume for almost\u2026fifty years? That can\u2019t be right. Anyway, no one can come close to the quality he presents,\u201d says Bennington High School principal and Halloween costume contest judge Bob Crane. Mr. Crane confirmed that \u201cThe Hess\u201d has never accepted any prize money and instead directs the contest organizers to donate any winnings to a local children\u2019s charity. \u201cHe\u2019s a class act who really cares about the kids\u201d Crane added, \u201cIt\u2019s nice to know there are still a few people out there with their heads on straight.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"