Its population is yet to breach 1,000 people, but most of the world has heard of Plainfield, Wisconsin, because of one man who used to call it home: Serial killer Ed Gein.
Places have a habit of holding onto the atrocities that happened there, which is precisely why I won’t be caught dead in my local Maccies after I threw up on the floor on my 18th birthday. But for Plainfield, Wisconsin, the associations are much more sinister because it will always be the hometown of Ed Gein.
Though he was born in La Crosse County, Ed moved to Plainfield with his abusive parents, Augusta and George, and his brother Henry. It was there that he performed the horrific crimes laid out in Monster: The Ed Gein Story, and while Ryan Murphy took more than a few creative liberties with the story, the effect it had on the town was a very real thing. Local women Bernice Worden and Mary Hogan were the only confirmed killings, but there was still a range of suspected crimes and the “trauma” it created for the small town’s population.
Now, nearly 70 years later, the town of Plainfield boasts a population just shy of 1,000 people. As you might expect, Ed Gein’s crimes still live on.
Credit: Netflix
Someone from Plainfield has spoken out about Ed Gein’s crimes
In a new interview with TMZ, Plainfield’s Clerk Treasurer, Emily Schaut, said the community had done a lot of work to highlight how it’s not JUST the hometown of Ed Gein.
“Just like so many places, Plainfield has dark moments in its history. We acknowledge this, and we have worked diligently to become more than a single story,” she said.
Such grisly crimes draw people from far and wide, and while Emily didn’t seem opposed to people visiting, she urged people to consider local laws.
“For those interested in visiting Plainfield, please respect the private property laws associated with the Ed Gein case, as trespassing is enforced,” she said, adding that “law enforcement is equipped to handle any public safety issues that may arise.”
Ultimately, though people are bound to be “drawn to the shadows”, she hoped that people could “discover the full picture of our community.”
Credit: Wikipedia/Praiawart
For instance, Plainfield is putting on a Haunts and Harvest event this year, which will have “delicious food, festive drinks, fun games, and an unforgettable outdoor movie night.”
Emily added: “Our town’s identity is rooted in our resilience, not our darkest day. We hope you will join us in celebrating the vibrant community we are today.”
Residents of Plainfield on TikTok have also been posting videos since the show aired, and, shocker, it just looks like a normal town. There are fast-food restaurants and cocktail bars, bus stops and churches. Yes, Ed Gein was also from there, but he was simply one incredibly dark moment in the town’s 177-year history.
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Featured image credit: Netflix and Wikipedia/Praiawart
