It was odd, everyone agreed, that a woman with a baby would choose to live so far from town in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. But what unsettled the villagers most wasn’t Cora’s isolation. Misfortune seemed to follow wherever she went. Cows mysteriously became sick and dried up after she passed by. In hungry…
Murder, a Ballad, and the Ghost of Tom Dula (Dooley)
Long before his name became famous in song, Tom Dula was already a notorious figure in North Carolina’s foothills. Raised in Wilkes County and admired for his charm and fiddle playing, Tom’s life took a dark turn after the Civil War. He rekindled an affair with Ann Melton, now married, while also courting her cousin,…
Legend of The Blowing Rock
The Blowing Rock is North Carolina’s oldest attraction, and visitors who stop to take in the views at 432 The Rock Road in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, are familiar with the legend associated with the premises. In 1933, it was established as “North Carolina’s First Travel Attraction,” dating back almost 250 million years ago when…
The Legend of Boojum and Hootin’ Annie
Sometime around 1900, or even a little before, another piece of western North Carolina folklore emerged. Some believe the legend of Boojum and Hootin’ Annie was used to attract early tourism in the area. The story places a large, Bigfoot-like creature called the Boojum on Eagle Nest Mountain in Haywood County. It’s believed the Boojum…
The Ghostly Rider of Asheville
For years, visitors at Lewis Memorial Park on Beaverdam Road in Asheville have allegedly seen a ghostly figure on horseback around dusk, accompanied by a large, quiet phantom dog in the older parts of the graveyard. No one knows who the silent figure is, but legend has it that it could be the park’s founder,…
The Ghosts of Chimney Rock
Chimney Rock is a magical place, and according to some reports dating back to the early 1800s, it can also be a ghostly area, where many strange things have occurred over the years with no explanation. Reports of paranormal activity date back to 1806, if not earlier, when people observed a crowd of angelic beings…
The Cheeky Ghost of the Old Athens Theatre
Some believe the old Athens Theatre in New Bern, North Carolina, is home to a ghostly woman named Dorothy. The old theatre opened in 1911 as the Athens Theatre, seating fewer than 600. By 1929, the name had been changed to the Show Shop Theatre. Fourteen years later, in 1943, it was renamed the Kehoe…
The Princess of the Mist of Western, North Carolina
The Gentle Woman of the Mist, also known as The Princess of the Mist, is a Western North Carolina legend tied to the Calvary Churchyard in Fletcher. The legend says that many years ago, a young man and woman, who lived on neighboring plantations, fell in love and became engaged. One night, the two had…
The Witches’ Keyhole in Lenoir, North Carolina
During the 19th century, George Powell’s log cabin mysteriously burned to the ground. Mr. Powell blamed the fire on witches and the evil spirits that were said to be trapped inside. When he built his next residence on the grounds, he placed a keyhole near the roof to let the witches and spirits escape. The…
The Phantom Rider of the Confederacy
Calvary Episcopal Churchyard is home to even more legends than the “Headless Horseman of WNC.” The church is located in the town of Fletcher, North Carolina, and the tale dates back to Stoneman’s Raid in 1865, during the Civil War. The Phantom Rider of the Confederacy is a legend that may not be as well-known…