The Disappearance of Paula Jean Welden in the Bennington Triangle

The Disappearance of Paula Jean Welden

• 💡 Paula Jean Welden, an 18-year-old Bennington College student, vanished on December 1, 1946, after embarking on a hike in Vermont.
• 🚶‍♀️ She left her dorm at 2:45 p.m. in a red parka, blue jeans, and sneakers, an outfit deemed unsuitable for the rapidly dropping night temperatures.
• 🚗 Paula hitchhiked part of the way, being dropped off 2.5 miles short of the Long Trail entrance.
• 🕰️ The last confirmed sighting was around 4:00 p.m. by Ernie Wittman, who warned her about the impending cold, just 15 minutes before sunset.

Initial Search and Investigation

• 🚨 Her disappearance was reported the following morning, prompting an extensive search involving Bennington College students and staff.
• 👨‍👧 Paula's father, William Archbald Weldon, leveraged his connections to involve police from New York and Connecticut in the search.
• ⚠️ The investigation was reportedly unorganized and under-resourced due to Vermont's lack of a statewide police force at the time, with some reports indicating no records were kept for the first 10 days.
• 💰 A substantial $5,000 reward (approximately $81,000 today) was offered for information, but no traces of Paula were ever found.

Suspects and Early Theories

• 👨‍👧‍👦 Paula's father became a suspect after disappearing for 36 hours following a tip and contradicting her roommate's account of Paula's recent depression and friction over Thanksgiving.
• 💔 Speculation arose about an unidentified boyfriend or relationship troubles contributing to Paula's reported depression, but no evidence supported this theory.
• 🌲 A lumberjack named Fred Goddet claimed to know where Paula was buried, later recanting it as a joke, and provided inconsistent alibis for the night of her disappearance.
• 🗺️ Goddet's alibi suggested Paula might have taken Old Harbor Road (Long Trail Road), which leads to a path connecting to the main Long Trail, adding confusion to her intended route.

The Bennington Triangle Phenomenon

• 🔺 Author Joe Citro coined the term "Bennington Triangle" to describe five disappearances, including Paula's, that occurred in the area between 1945 and 1950.
• ⛰️ The alleged center of this mysterious area is Glastenbury Mountain, with only one body ever recovered from the five disappearances.
• 👻 Theories for the disappearances include an Algonquian legend of a "stone that swallows" and the presence of a Bigfootesque creature.
• 🔪 Another theory posits a serial killer operating in the wilderness, targeting vulnerable individuals like an 8-year-old boy, a 74-year-old man, and Paula.

Lingering Questions and Legacy

• 🕵️‍♀️ Paula's case remains cold, with no concrete evidence ever found regarding her fate.
• 🏛️ Her disappearance ultimately led to the establishment of a statewide police force in Vermont, highlighting the initial investigative shortcomings.
• ❓ The case exemplifies the challenges of missing person cases in vast wilderness areas, where limited clues and uncoordinated efforts can hinder resolution.