Silent Hill, Maine
Talk15this wiki
Redirected from Silent Hill (town)
- The name Silent Hill may refer to multiple subjects. Please see Silent Hill for other uses of the term.
- For the town of Silent Hill in the film canon, see Silent Hill, West Virginia.



Added by AlexShepherdFirst introduced in Konami's 1999 Silent Hill, the mysterious fictional rural town of Silent Hill, Maine has physically appeared and been traversed in 7 of the 8 mainline game titles released, as well as being the inspiration for the film and comics' setting.
Portrayed as what could be considered an archetypal New England tourist town, Silent Hill is shown throughout the course of the series to be anything but ordinary. Its chief industries are tourism and, to a lesser extent, agriculture. It is a small town with a population below 30,000 and its key industry – tourism – is in a state of steady decline.
Some of the town's conservative residents oppose modernization and the transformation of the town into a tourist attraction, and although Silent Hill appears at a glance to be an innocuous rural town, this has brought about an unexpected darkness of drug distribution. A religious doomsday cult of a considerable scale known as the Order exists behind the scenes. [1]
| “ | The name of that town is Silent Hill.
Although it is known as a scenic resort area, it is a cursed place where the town's former inhabitants were once driven away, brutal executions were once carried out, and a mysterious plague was once prevalent. The town is centered around Toluca Lake, from which a thick fog perpetually enshrouds the area and makes vague the reality and dreams of those who visit the town. And according to those who have seen them, there are also times when "things" that should not naturally exist appear. A few incidents that have occurred in this town up to this point have gone unaddressed, leaving behind a great number of mysteries. Here and now, looking back on it all, let's elucidate these mysteries one by one. —Book of Lost Memories | ” |
Contents |
Geography
- For more information on the locations of Silent Hill, see the locations category.



Added by TheGoodmanBuilt along the shores of Toluca Lake, Silent Hill appears to be a mid-sized town. Surrounded by wooded hills and rivers, it has become a destination for fisherman and boaters. Silent Hill is bisected horizontally by the lake. Because of this, one can find the district of Paleville in the northern area and South Vale on the opposing lake shore. As one approaches Silent Hill from the east along Nathan Avenue, also known as County Road 73, an Observation Deck can be accessed, affording a fine panoramic view of Toluca Lake and the surrounding woodland. A prominent welcome sign is also on display near one of the entrances, serving to welcome newcomers upon their arrival.
Paleville and South Vale



Added by TheGoodmanSilent Hill is divided up into two distinct districts, each catering to varying demographics of the population. With each new game that explores the Silent Hill area, its layout typically changes, be it in the form of new streets, new buildings replacing old ones, or entire sections being added to it. This is seen in Silent Hill: Homecoming and Silent Hill: Downpour.
- Paleville - The northern section of town. It includes Old Silent Hill, as well as Central Silent Hill and the Resort Area.
- South Vale - The southern section of town, first introduced in Silent Hill 2 and revisited in Silent Hill 3.
Location



Added by AlexShepherdSilent Hill is located in Maine, New England; Maine is the most north-eastern state of the United States of America. Although its precise location was ambiguous for a long time, several hints implied Silent Hill to be in Maine throughout the series.
- The Japanese publication Book of Lost Memories, as well as the instruction manuals for Silent Hill, Silent Hill: Origins and Silent Hill: Homecoming, all have stated that the town is located in New England.
- In Silent Hill: Homecoming, there is a book shelf which contains information about mining towns of New England in Shepherd's Glen Town Hall.
- Inside of the liner notes for the Japanese release of Silent Hill 4: The Room's soundtrack, an address is given for Heaven's Night that would have placed it in Maine. The state abbreviation for Maine is "ME". [2]
- Further information can be found in Silent Hill 3; after Harry Mason left Silent Hill, he and Heather Mason moved to Portland, also sharing its name with Portland, Maine.
- In addition, Portland is Stephen King's hometown. The series has many homages to Stephen King such as "Bachman Road", as well as Carrie and Pet Sematary posters.
- In Hiroyuki Owaku's (scenario writer of the first games in the series) Double Under Dusk, Silent Hill is placed in Maine. The two protagonists, Brian and Lindsay, are from Augusta and Orono, respectively.
- The Book of Lost Memories' timeline specifically notes "Maine becomes a state." [3]
- In the trailer of Silent Hill: Downpour, a bus is seen bearing a Maine license plate. [4]
- Additionally, a road sign bears the Interstate 95 logo, a highway that runs through and ends in Maine.
- In Downpour, when Murphy Pendleton is about to get on the transfer bus, Anne Cunningham stops him. Her clipboard shows "Maine State Board of Corrections" on it. Interestingly, Stephen King's The Shawshank Redemption is cited as an inspiration for Downpour, and its story is also set in Maine.
- The Gillespie House is based on the real life Olson House, which is located in Cushing, Maine.
- In Silent Hill: The Novel, Harry feels he should have been enjoying the "Maine wilderness" with his daughter, rather than searching for her.
History
- For a timeline of Silent Hill, see Timeline.



Added by SilentResiGoing back well before European explorers arrived in the Americas, Silent Hill's history is plentiful. A great deal of its past involves the various religious/occult rituals that had been conducted in the area in the past, and continue to be conducted in the present, usually, but not always, by members of the Order.
While Toluca Lake and the area around it has always seemed to be a place of strange activity, it seems that this activity can be separated into two distinct phases. The first is the series of events prior to the 20th century, such as it being under control of natives and the arrival of European settlers, leading to the founding of Silent Hill.
The second phase is a series of events beginning in the latter half of the 20th century, seeming to culminate, at present, with the events seen in Silent Hill: Homecoming.
Pre-colonization
The area in and around Silent Hill has a history going back over four centuries, before the time of England’s proper colonization of America. To the local tribes of Native Americans, the Toluca Lake area had been known as "The Place of Silenced Spirits", and was long considered to have a kind of spiritual significance and an air of mysterious power. It was considered to be a holy place, where many rituals were conducted in accordance with the indigenous beliefs. A particular tribe who worshiped a deity known as Kwekwasawe referred to the area as Kwekwasawe Kanesda, meaning "Nest of the Raven" in their native language.
17th century
With the first permanent British Colony instituted at Jamestown, it was only a matter of time before colonists would make their way to this "Place of Silenced Spirits." The late 1600s saw the arrival of settlers who would force the indigenous people from their sacred lands. These settlers would remain in the area until the turn of the century.
18th century
At the start of the 1700s, nearly a century after British colonization of America began, an epidemic swept through the area surrounding Toluca Lake, including the burgeoning settlement that would, in time, become known as Silent Hill. With a large portion of the populace dead, the settlement was abandoned. It was not until after the start of the 19th century that resettlement began.
19th century



Added by AlexShepherdAfter a century or so, a penal colony was established near Toluca Lake. Named "Silent Hill" for the first time under its occupation by non-natives, it is unknown if the name was based on the original designation for the area. As a penal colony, both a prison and hospital were established. This led to the establishments of Silent Hill Prison and Brookhaven Hospital.
At this time, a second epidemic threatened the town. Brookhaven Hospital was put to great use during those dark times. Weakened by the newest bout of plague, Silent Hill Prison was closed around 1840, further diminishing the town. With the arrival of the 1850s, however, came the discovery of a coal field beneath Silent Hill. This caused a great resurgence of interest in the area and improvements in economy, leading to the revitalization of the town. During the later years of the 19th century, four families left Silent Hill, going on to found the neighboring settlement of Shepherd's Glen.
In 1861, the American Civil War broke out, influencing the development of Silent Hill for the duration of the conflict. During 1862, Toluca Prison was constructed as a camp for POWs, and was later converted into a formal correctional facility with the conclusion of the war. Tragedy struck again when, around 1890, people began to mysteriously vanish from Silent Hill. At the turn of the century, Toluca Prison was closed, and Silent Hill was re-imaged as a tourist destination.
20th century
The final century before the new millennium seemed to bring with it the largest spike of strange activity yet to befall Silent Hill and the surrounding area. It was during this period that the Order, a cult that seems to have incorporated a combination of beliefs (including those of the natives), reached its influential peak, as well as what seemed to be the strengthening (and corruption) of the power that had long existed in the area.
Toluca Prison was closed down, and the Silent Hill Historical Society was built on its former site. During this time, the Wiltse Coal Mine was mined dry as well. With the prison no longer functioning and the coal mines closed, a new source of revenue was needed, and Silent Hill was reinvented as a tourist town. During 1918, one of the first tourist accidents occurred on Toluca Lake; a ship known as the Little Baroness went missing and its fate was unknown. Strange happenings were fated to occur on the lake for the remainder of the century.
The first marked event of the latter half of the 20th century was speculation surrounding a series of consecutive deaths.
Occurring twenty years prior to the events of Silent Hill, staff members of a company responsible for promoting Silent Hill as a family-friendly tourist destination were found dead. Ruled as accidents, it’s currently unknown how close together the deaths were, though they most likely would have been days apart, given the sensationalism that surrounded them. Shortly after occurring, rumors began to circulate that the town’s religious cult may have been involved, though nothing was proven.
Six years would pass before any other noteworthy events occurred, and even then their significance wouldn’t be realized until the events of Silent Hill: Origins. The event in question was the birth of Alessa Gillespie. The young girl would come to affect a great many things and people in the area. With her strong connection to the paranormal, the area of Silent Hill would be stricken with what many consider a curse, seeming to attract those who hold darkness close to their hearts. Two years after Alessa's birth, a young girl named Claudia Wolf was born. Both girls would find camaraderie in their shared faith. This relationship would play heavily into each of their respective fates.
Shortly after the fire that lead to Alessa’s injuries, a drug known as PTV began to circulate through the town. Derived from a local plant known as White Claudia, the drug was a source of income for all parties involved, chief among them being the Order. The largest customer base for the drug could be found among those touring to the area, and with cooperation from Silent Hill’s Alchemilla Hospital, large-scale production of the drug was implemented.
In an effort to combat its distribution, a formal criminal investigation began, with personal involvement of the mayor’s office following soon after. Both the investigator responsible for drawing attention to the matter and the mayor at that time would soon be found dead.
Appearances in the games
- Listed in what is assumed to be in chronological order.
Silent Hill: Origins
Seven years prior to the events of Silent Hill, Dahlia Gillespie attempts to sacrifice Alessa to the Order's dark God, using a ritual meant to bring about the reincarnation of this deity. Unfortunately for the fanatical Dahlia, trucker Travis Grady happens upon the scene, and the events of Silent Hill: Origins unfold. With Travis staving off the Order's plans, Alessa is able to afford herself some time and fractures her soul. Given form, the other half of her soul is found as a newborn baby by writer Harry Mason and his wife Jodie. The infant, a girl, is named Cheryl, and the couple take it upon themselves to raise her as their own daughter.
Silent Hill
Seven years after Origins, Harry and Cheryl are headed to Silent Hill for vacation. An accident, however, brings a swift end to the trip. When Harry comes to, Cheryl is gone. Thus begins Harry’s attempt to rescue his daughter, and stop the fanatical mission of Dahlia Gillespie.
Silent Hill 2
Following Harry’s ordeal, the Order seems to go into a type of remission, until a priest known as Vincent Smith begins to pump a large amount of funds into the weakened organization. Adherents increase dramatically, and the group gains tremendous support. In an unrelated event, a group of seemingly unconnected individuals find themselves drawn to the once-quiet resort town. Key among them is a fellow by the name of James Sunderland. Having received a mysterious letter, appearing to be from his deceased wife, James has come to Silent Hill in search of her.
Silent Hill 3
Seventeen years after Silent Hill, Heather Mason, once two halves made whole, is running an errand for her adoptive father, Harry Mason. While visiting a fast food restaurant in a mall, she falls asleep, and begins to dream of Silent Hill. Upon waking, she checks in with her father, and prepares to head home. Before she can leave, however, she encounters a private detective named Douglas Cartland. Revealing he was hired by the Order to locate her, Heather thinks him a stalker and flees. While wandering the depths of the mall, Heather comes across Claudia Wolf, a priestess of the Order.
Silent Hill 4: The Room
At a point prior to the events in Silent Hill 2, Walter Sullivan, once raised at the Wish House Orphanage, goes on a killing spree, murdering ten people, before killing himself. Four years after his death, a victim, killed in a style mimicking Walter's, is found. At least seven others would follow.
Henry Townshend, living in Room 302 of the South Ashfield Heights apartments in the town of Ashfield, finds that his apartment door has been chained shut from the inside, and he cannot escape. Five days later, a hole appears in Henry’s bathroom.
Silent Hill: Homecoming
In the 24 years since Silent Hill, Central Silent Hill has undergone much change. The shoreline of Toluca Lake has significantly receded inland. The Silent Hill Town Center has been replaced by Dargento Cemetery. Sagan Street has been divided in half by buildings so that the western half is now a cul-de-sac. Koontz Street is significantly shorter and ends perpendicular with Canyon Street. The Artaud Theater, Acadia Road, the Greenfield Apartments and the Public Records Office no longer exist, as the land on which they were on is now underwater. In place of the Cafe Sun and Green Pharmacy are Toluca Lake Water and Power and a boiler room. The northern-most half of Wein Street was integrated into east Sagan Street while the southern half is completely absent along with the buildings east of it, including the Artaud Theater. Romantic Journey, The Mirage, Grand Master Book Store, Tea Room and DYNA were demolished to make way for the Overlook Penitentiary.
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories



Added by AlexShepherdThe town of Silent Hill was re-imagined in Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. Geographically, it appears relatively similar to Paleville from the original Silent Hill and it most likely also has a South Vale counterpart, though it is unseen in the game. Many areas and streets such as Bachman Road, Levin Street, Midwich Elementary School and Alchemilla Hospital were carried over and re-imagined as well. The western area is primarily residential and the eastern area is primarily business; a single bridge known as the Dixon Bridge connects the two districts. At the very north-west area located next to the Caldecotte Pond is a vacation spot with woods and lodges used for picnicking and camping.
Because of the present day setting of the game, buildings and locations seen throughout the game are more modern than in the original Silent Hill. The town also has its own train railway system, known as the Freight Railway.
The exact location of this Silent Hill is unknown, however, there are subtle hints and clues that suggest where it may be located. At the very beginning of the game in the junkyard, there is a sign with New York cities written on it, indicating that it may be somewhere near New York. There is evidence of Silent Hill being in Michigan; in Diner 52, there are license plates and posters with "Michigan - Great Lake state". Further evidence suggesting the town is in Michigan is Cheryl Mason's ZIP Code, which is also located in Michigan, specifically Grand Rapids, Michigan. [5] "Route 66" is also shown on flags and throughout the cafe, suggesting that it may be in Illinois (also beside Lake Michigan), however, a phone call indicates Silent Hill is in Eastern Standard Time, while Illinois is in Central Standard Time. It may also be in Maine, like the main canon, as Cheryl holds a sign from Portland and John is staying in Massachusetts, also a New England state.
Silent Hill: Downpour



Added by Dale Sunderland


Added by THE10of13Murphy Pendleton, a prisoner being transferred from Ryall State Prison to Wayside Maximum Security Prison, awakens in the woods outside of Silent Hill after the bus he is on crashes. He enters the town, hoping to avoid being caught near the crash. He explores Silent Hill, trying to find a way to escape, however he must first confront his past before the town releases him.
In Downpour, Silent Hill is a large town, or maybe even a city (it even has a skyscraper). The game takes place in an easterly part of the town, where there is a mix between forests and great ravines, and buildings and subways. A great portion of the game is spent exploring the vast world of Silent Hill. Murphy runs quite slowly (except when confronted by a monster) and as such, a sidequest is available, which allows Murphy to travel quickly through town by utilizing subway tunnels under the city.
There are five main suburbs (Hillside, Pearl Creek, Chastain Heights, Pleasant River and the Port District) in Downpour and Murphy will not be able to initially access them all. The first encountered is Hillside, which is primarily a residential area.
Murphy can also complete sidequests hidden throughout the town, which unlock clues revealing some of the past of Silent Hill.
Silent Hill: Downpour is the only Silent Hill game to not have a hospital; however, St. Maria's Monastery resembles the hospitals from one of the previous Silent Hill games.
The power of Silent Hill



Added by AlexShepherdHaving always been thought of as a place with unexplained powers, it was for this reason that the Native American tribes came to the area to begin with. With the arrival of colonists and the plague that followed them, this strange presence was seemingly warped and strengthened. This warping and strengthening would occur again and again over the next four centuries, until the immolation of Alessa Gillespie, which acted as a catalyst for the town's power, causing Silent Hill to begin attracting people with darkness in their hearts. It's uncertain if the town is truly sentient or if it merely acts as a mirror for people's delusions to take shape.
Silent Hill is known to manifest itself into three different planes of reality; The Real World, the Fog World, and the Otherworld.
Real World
- Main article: Real World
The least explored world, ironically, is the real world of everyday life. It seems safe to assume that this is where the original, uncorrupted town of Silent Hill truly exists in a state of normality. It may be the version of the town experienced by Laura in Silent Hill 2. While largely ignored in the games, the Real World figures rather prominently into the Silent Hill film. While Rose Da Silva, Cybil Bennett and Sharon Da Silva are all trapped within that film’s representation of the Fog World and Otherworld, Christopher Da Silva and Thomas Gucci are searching for them in the Real World. In Silent Hill 4: The Room, it's possible to see the real world from the windows and the front door peephole of Henry's apartment, as the player can see a large, busy avenue from the bedroom window, and neighbors passing by.
Fog World
- Main article: Fog World
The most frequented of Silent Hill's worlds is the Fog World. With an unnatural fog rolling into town off of Toluca Lake, the streets of Silent Hill appear abandoned. Cars may lie wrecked along the side of the road, while buildings stand vacant and dilapidated. The most abundant form of life around are monsters, who roam about unhindered. Many doors found throughout Silent Hill are broken, preventing access to a great many of the buildings there. This may be a result of the town, leading those who come here to their fate, whatever it may be. In some instances, snow seems to fall from the sky (or ash, as in the film and Homecoming). It has been demonstrated that the Fog World is, more or less, uniform between character perceptions. It should be noted that Michael Kaufmann in Silent Hill makes reference to the snow being an oddity, given the time of year.
Another peculiarity lies within how many streets come to abrupt, unnatural endings. During the course of Harry Mason's visit, the roads fall away, replaced by bottomless chasms. However, during James Sunderland's visits, most of the streets are instead boarded up in an almost man-made way, with high walls covered in tarp, and in many cases, actual road blocks and wooden boards.
Otherworld
- Main article: Otherworld
The final and most dramatic world of Silent Hill is the Otherworld. Appearing different to each individual, the Otherworld can be seen as a symbolic manifestation of a person’s psyche. For example, as generated by the mind of the badly injured Alessa Gillespie, Silent Hill has become incredibly dark and industrialized, with structures being composed of fencing, metal plates, fans, and piping. Smokestacks, windmills, and corpses also lend to the appearance of this world. Blood covers most things, if not everything, in this twisted world. This is considered the iconic appearance of the Otherworld.
Contrastingly, for Harry Mason in Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, the Otherworld is encased in ice and snow, frozen over and glacial. For James Sunderland in Silent Hill 2, the town is merely a damp, dilapidated place, seemingly mired in a depressive state representative of his gloomy mentality.
The symbolism behind a particular representation of the Otherworld differs from character to character, with Alessa's injuries and fear of the Order lending greatly to her vision of the Otherworld, and Angela Orosco's hatred of her father and abusive childhood experiences creating hers (walls appear to be made of flesh with pistons thrusting in and out of them and it is "hot as hell", implying fire). Walter Sullivan had also created many Otherworlds through the Assumption ritual.
Silent Hill isn't the only area afflicted with this strange presence. On at least three separate occasions, locations outside of Silent Hill have become victims of this darkness. Shepherd’s Glen falls to this dark influence due to the breaking of a pact held between its founders and the old God, while Ashfield and Heather Masons's town both have areas overlapping with the strange phenomena identical to those of Silent Hill. This is most likely due to the influence of those with strong connections to the town.
The ambiguity of the Otherworld's existence has led to many theories, such as the characters affected by the Otherworld being transported to a parallel world, or the Otherworld being a hallucination projected by the power of Silent Hill in order to put the victim in their own personal hell, with the creators calling the Otherworld a "dream world".
Trivia
- For a more detailed look at the inspirations behind Silent Hill, please see Inspirational works of Silent Hill.
- Many works have served to inspire the town of Silent Hill, as well as being inspirations for the series as a whole.
- Though the town of Silent Hill is presented as an American town, many of the maps and city layouts were borrowed from Japanese locales [6].
- Many of the streets in the town are named for people who have had a large impact on the horror/suspense genre of movies and literature. Such homages include "Koontz Street" being named for author Dean Koontz, "Bradbury Street" being named for author Ray Bradbury, "Crichton Street" after Michael Crichton, and Bachman Road, which is named after Richard Bachman, a pseudonym used by author Stephen King.
Gallery
| v · e · d |
|---|
| Characters |
| Major Characters |
| Harry Mason - Cheryl Mason - Dahlia Mason - Dr. Kaufmann - Cybil Bennett - Michelle Valdez |
| Other Characters |
| Bar Maid - The Stewarts - Mr. Gordon - Lisa Garland - John - James Sunderland - Mira - Greys |
| Monsters |
| Raw Shock - Larval Stalker |
| Locations |
| Alchemilla Hospital - Annie's Bar - Diner 52 - Good Ol' Days - Green Lion Pawn Shop - Lakeside Amusement Park - Levin Street - Lighthouse Clinic - Midwich High School - The Balkan - Toluca Mall - Nightingale Apartments |
| Terms |
| Echo Photos - Flare - Flashlight - Harry's Phone - Real World - Ice World - Memento - Phone Numbers - Psych Profile - Tookie the Toucan - Manifestation - UFO Ending - Sexuality |
| Archives |
| Keys - Puzzles - Secrets and Unlockables - Soundtrack |
| v · e · d |
|---|
| Characters |
| Eric Lake - Tina - Bill - Jessie - Ryan - George - Emilie Anderson - Frank Anderson - Michelle Anderson Hanna - Lorraine - Captain Lake - Scott Fairbanks - Greys |
| Monsters |
| Creeper - Double Head - Greedy Worm - Gum Head - Insane Cancer - Mama - Mothbat - Numb Body - Nurse - Phantom - Pyramid Head - Robbie the Rabbit - Scraper - Split Worm - Tremer - Tuberculosis |
| Locations |
| Brookhaven Hospital - Central Square Shopping Center - Hazel Street Station - Jacks Inn - Labyrinth - Lakeside Amusement Park - Silent Hill Historical Society - Spiral Staircase - Toluca Lake - Toluca Prison |
| Terms |
| Flashlight - Fog World - Little Baroness - Monster - Otherworld - Radio - Real World - Siren - Welcome Sign |

