Truth or Legend: Faceless Specter Haunts Pennsylvania Highway

Legend has it a faceless specter roams State Route 351 in western Pennsylvania. Is there any truth to this disturbing tale or is it nothing more than a scary story?

The Legend

The tale of the faceless figure goes something like this. Long ago, a man was disfigured in a horrible accident. Some say lightning melted his face, some say it was a fire, still others claim it was acid or an explosion. Whatever the cause, the accident obliterated the man’s face and caused his skin to glow a ghastly green.

Now, the hideous figure roams Route 351 late at night. Locals call him the Green Man, or Charlie No-Face, and they say he chases broken-down motorists or those who dare park on the side of the road.

The Truth

Unlike many ghostly legends, the tale of Charlie No-Face is rooted in fact. In 1919, eight-year-old Ray Robinson was horrifically injured after he accidentally touched a power line carrying 22,000 volts of electricity. The voltage destroyed Ray’s eyes, nose, and right arm, leaving him blind and crippled, but miraculously alive.

Ray spent the rest of his life in seclusion, living with relatives and selling handmade items. He rarely ventured outside during the day, but at night, he took regular walks along Route 351 near Koppel, Pennsylvania. His appearance attracted a lot of attention, and locals often stopped to talk to Ray or take his photo in exchange for beer or cigarettes.

It’s these nocturnal walks that spawned the Charlie No-Face legend that was most prevalent in the 1950s and ’60s. Ray died in a nursing home in 1985. However, the eerie legend lives on. Even today, parents scare their children with tales of Charlie No-Face, and teens cruise Route 351 hoping for a look at the tragic figure.