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| Elk Creek: 2006 Clarksburg Source: Wiki User Tim Kiser |
April 8th, 1959, was a fairly average spring day here in West Virginia, but it was a busy one for two Clarksburg women. Juanite/Juanita Ferguson President of the Goff Plaza Garden Club in Clarksburg, while her married daughter, Mrs. Truman Sayre, belonged to the Briarcliff Garden Club in Beckley.
Mrs. Sayre was hosting a meeting at her home on Daniels Street, at which her mother was to give a presentation. Accompanying Juanite on the trip from Clarksburg to Beckley and back was her friend and fellow garden club member, Virginia Conley. The ladies wrapped up the meeting, and left Beckley at around 5:30pm in Juanite's green 1955 Buick. Juanite was speaking at an event at the Clarksburg City Hall the next day, and Virginia had a whole day of errands planned, so they needed to get back that evening.
The trip between Beckley and Clarksburg was quite a bit longer in 1959 than it is today. Around 9pm, the ladies arrived at the Laurel Court motel near Sutton, where they stopped at the motel's cafe for coffee and a snack. Mrs. Ferguson actually knew the owner, Earl Marple. He chatted with the ladies a bit and confirmed they left around 9:30pm, on schedule to arrive in Clarksburg by 11:30pm. He noted that both were in good spirits and that the conversation was normal.
But 11:30pm came and went and still the women hadn't made it home. It wasn't until 4:30am that Juanite's husband called Mrs. Sayre, asking if her mother and Virginia had decided to spend the night in Beckley. Mrs. Sayre told him that they had left the previous evening and should have been home by midnight. Immediately, she and her husband contacted the WV State Police in Beckley, while Mr. Ferguson contacted the WV State Police in Clarksburg.
By 9:00am on Thursday, the official call went out over the police radio and law enforcement between Beckley and Clarksburg were on the lookout for the missing women. By that afternoon, local media was alerted. It quickly seemed that the two women were truly missing, and not just on an unplanned girls' trip.
Unfortunately, the women remained missing for nearly two months. A massive search had taken place along the two most likely routes between Sutton and Clarksburg. The state and local police, the FBI, the National Guard, and scores of civilian volunteers searched nearly every square inch between the two cities, focusing on the 'Buckhannon Route,' which was the most popular way to enter the east side of Clarksburg where Mrs. Conley lived. Helicopters were sent out, and there was debate as to whether the Buffalo Reservoir should be drained. It was a mystery as to how two housewives in their 50s managed to completely disappear.
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| The Flatwoods Monster aka, Braxxie |
And that's where the conspiracy theories come in. Talk about strange lights in the sky and flying saucers led some to believe that the idea of Juanite and Virginia being abducted by aliens or taken away by flying saucers was as likely an explanation as any other. One unnamed commentator was quick to point out that the women went missing in an area that was known seven years earlier as the site of one of the strangest UFO mysteries in the state. On September 12, 1952, a group of boys playing football observed what they thought may have been a small plane or meteor crash onto a nearby hillside. They, along with the mother of two of the boys, a family dog, and a teenage cousin/National Guard Member, went in search of the wreckage. What they found was a creature that would be forever known since as the Flatwoods Monster.
There were similar encounters reported in the days following the initial encounter, both in Braxton County, and possibly even as far away as in Beckley and Wheeling. Many believed that a monster from outer space (or SEVERAL monsters) had crash-landed in the Mountain State. Could this monster still be lurking around the area, ready to grab unsuspecting motorists?
This wouldn't be the last time that the continued existence of the Flatwoods Monster in WV would be questioned. A few years later, a series of encounters with what we'd call a Bigfoot-type monster now was causing cars to stall, peeping in windows, and being a general menace. Without a proper understanding of the Bigfoot phenomenon, which was largely seen as a Pacific Northwest thing at the time, these sightings all fell under the category of 'The Flatwoods Monster.' You can read more about that in my article: A Braxton County Monster Wrap-Up.
Blaming the Flatwoods Monster on the disappearance of Juanite Ferguson and Virginia Conley was hopefully a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the frustration that despite their efforts, law enforcement was nowhere near finding any answers. And in the end, it wouldn't be law enforcement who found the women. On May 31, two hikers were out and saw part of a green car sticking out of Elk Creek, near Clarksburg. Inside were the badly decomposed bodies of the missing women. The car doors were locked, and the key was still in the ignition. It was theorized that Juanite may have fallen asleep and drove off the road.
But why had it been so difficult to find the vehicle, even after searchers covered this area? According to the state police, this was the least likely area where an accident of this nature could have happened. The women were on WV Rt. 20, only about six miles from Clarksburg. The Elk Creek only ran parallel to the road for around 75 feet in this stretch. When the Buick left the road, it managed to go between trees, leaving little to no damage or disturbance to indicate that a car had passed through. The car was only found when a run of dry weather left the creek's water level lower than normal.
No foul play was suspected, and by all accounts, neither woman seemed like they were planning to take themselves out for any reason. The incident was chalked up to an accident, although there were questions as to whether Juanite dozed off or simply took the turn too wide in the dark. Either way, I think it's safe to assume that we cannot blame this on Braxxie. It was a tragedy that cut short the lives of two beloved members of the community, but due to a one-off remark in a local newspaper, their story will always be linked to central West Virginia's wildest monster tale.
*Quick note: Mrs. Ferguson's death certificate, as well as several other documents, record her first name as Juanite, with an 'e', not Juanita, as many newspaper articles call her.
Sources and Further Reading:
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| Juanite Ferguson's Death Certificate WV State Archives |
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| Virginia Conley's Death Certificate WV State Archives |
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| The Raleigh Register 10 April 1959 |
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| The Raleigh Register 27 April 1959 |
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| Beckley Post-Herald 27 May 1959 |
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| The Raleigh Register 01 June 1959 |
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The Flatwoods Monster is one of those mysterious stories that continues to capture the imagination. Often connected with strange lights, unusual sightings, and the unknown, the legend has become part of the wider world of supernatural folklore.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes stories like this so fascinating is the way people try to explain something they do not immediately understand. A mysterious experience can become a local legend, especially when different interpretations begin to develop around the original story.
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Whether viewed as folklore, a mystery, or simply an intriguing story, the Flatwoods Monster remains an example of how unusual tales can survive through generations. For more interesting articles and topics, visit crystalroll.
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