In a largely unremarkable region of Maine, along the banks of Toluca Lake, there lies
a small, unassuming town.
For much of its history it was a simple mining settlement, but now has become a scenic resort.
Each year, a small collection of tourists and nature lovers travel to this place to
take in the beauty of the surrounding forests, mountains, rivers, and hills.
For some however, the town is more than just an idyllic summer retreat.
From Toluca Lake there rises a thick fog that perpetually enshrouds the area, and if the
rumors can be believed, makes vague the reality and dreams of those who visit.
According to those who claim to have seen them, there are also times when “things”
that should not naturally exist appear in the town of Silent Hill.
Even before the arrival of European settlers, the area that would become known as Silent
Hill had earned something of a dark reputation.
To certain native american tribes, the region was known as the “Nest of the Raven” or
“The Place of Silenced Spirits”.
It was believed to be a site of holy significance and home to a mysterious power.
Many rituals and ceremonies were conducted here, until the indigenous peoples were forced
from their homes, or in some cases, massacred by encroaching European colonists who soon
came to inhabit the area.
Accusations of witchcraft tarnished the early settlements here and in the 18th century,
the area surrounding Toluca Lake was abandoned following the outbreak of a devastating plague.
After nearly a century, resettlement began with the establishment of Silent Hill Prison
and later, Brookhaven Hospital.
The discovery of raw resources in the area revitalized Silent Hill.
In 1816, the Gillespie Coal & Iron Company established the Devil's Pit Mine, followed
in 1850 by the Wiltse Coal Mine.
These industries caused a great resurgence of interest in the area and led to enormous
improvements in the local economy.
The outbreak of the American Civil War further influenced the development of the area, leading
to the establishment of Toluca Prison, built to house Confederate prisoners of war.
By 1911, declining profits, a series of accidents, and reports of strange disturbances and wildlife
had led to the suspension of mining operations.
The town reinvented itself as a tourist destination, but the disappearance of the steamship “Little
Baroness” in 1918 cast a sour reputation on Silent Hill.
Despite this, Silent Hill lingered in a puzzling state of constant decay, yet paradoxically
expanding at the same time.
Today it is seemingly like any other New England tourist town, home to roughly 30,000 people
and harboring the same social issues present in nearly every comparable rural area.
Narcotics are rampant in Silent Hill, in particular PTV, purported to be made from an indigenous
plant, White Claudia.
Silent Hill’s three districts feature the typical amenities present in a town of its
size; a modest shopping mall, police station, general hospital, and theater.
Apartment complexes dot the town’s central core, before giving way to scattered houses
and cottages.
In this, its a rural mountain town like any other.
But some who have come to this place have arrived in a different Silent Hill.
A place where the fog never clears and snow falls lazily without explanation.
Here strange creatures are seen moving among dilapidated buildings and roads collapse into
a deep abyss, preventing any means of escape.
Those who travel deeper might find themselves in a far more disturbing world, where Silent
Hill now reflects the twisted fears and vices of its visitor.
A personal nightmare of bloodstained metal floors and rusted barbed wire.
In each case, the transition is marked by a wailing siren that pierces the air and betrays
the name… Silent Hill.
In Atlas, the Templin Institute investigates the most storied places from across alternate
worlds.
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