Ten miles south of Siler City in western Chatham County, North Carolina, is a 40-foot clearing that forms a perfect circle. Why? Nobody knows. But inside this circle, life refuses to grow, leaving nothing but what appears to be evidence of a bonfire that went bad.
The spot sits ironically on a road named after it, Devil’s Tramping Ground Road. Many rumors circulate of what trampled the earth bare. Some believe a dark supernatural energy is at play, especially when items are left in place in the circle at night and mysteriously moved or gone in the morning.
Some say the devil is responsible for the circle – that he stomps the grounds at night, contemplating what evil action to perform next. And if not Satan, perhaps witches? After all, the legend dates to the 1600s.
For a more scientific explanation, studies have been conducted on the landmark by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, which has shown an unusually high salt content, indicating that the tramping ground is sterile.
Stories of Native American tribes that once occupied the land continue to resonate. One theory is that the natives who owned the land had a sacred space where they would hold ceremonial dances, forming the perfect circle we see today. Another theory is that the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island is tied to the land because their tribal chief is buried there.
While we may never know who named the circle or why it continues to grab our imaginations, the Devil’s Tramping Ground is one spot that will forever live on in the pages of North Carolina folklore.
Written By: Israel Petty
