History
The earliest known occurrence of this phenomenon was 1976 in Portland, Maine. The first Valentine's Phantom struck in 1976 in Portland, which garnered reports in the newspapers the Evening Express and the Maine Sunday Telegram. Every year since, red hearts have appeared throughout the city on Valentine's Day morning.
Beginning in the early 2000s, red hearts drawn on white sheets of paper have been attached to the doors of businesses along the Pearl Street business district in Boulder, Colorado each Valentine's Day, according to reports in the Daily Camera newspaper. In Boulder, the mysterious Valentine's messenger has been dubbed the "kissing bandit." In 2002, the city of Montpelier, Vermont became a part of the yearly tradition, with the added twist of each heart including a poem signed "The Valentine Phantom".
On Valentine's Day 2010, pink hearts appeared up and down St. Johnsbury, Vermont's Railroad & Main Street, even finding their way to the local police and fire department buildings.
On Valentine's Day 2012, this phenomenon spread to Bangor, Maine when Bangorians woke up to a flurry of red and white hearts throughout downtown Bangor and the tradition continues into 2013 with the addition of cute messages and candy.
Read more about this topic: Valentine Phantom
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