The Pope Lick Monster

 WARNING! IT IS BOTH ILLEGAL AND VERY DANGEROUS TO TRESPASS ONTO RAILROAD TRACKS. THE POPE LICK TRESTLE IS PRIVATE PROPERTY. IT IS AN ACTIVE RAILROAD BRIDGE. THERE ARE NO PLATFORMS, WALKWAYS, OR EVEN A SECOND RAIL LINE. YOU CANNOT OUTRUN A TRAIN.

Pope Lick Trestle August 2024
Photo by Theresa

On a recent trip to Louisville to investigate Waverly Hills Sanatorium, I took a short side quest on the way home to visit another iconic area legend: The Pope Lick Monster. An unholy mix of human, goat, and perhaps even sheep, the Pope Lick Monster (also known as the Kentucky Goat Man) has been terrorizing local citizens since at least the 1950's. And although many are quick to point out that very few (if any) people actually SEE the Goat Man, the Pope Lick Trestle has a staggering death toll. 

The Pope Lick trestle was completed in 1888 (although I did find an article stating that the current trestle, replacing the older incarnation, was built in 1929) and today is still an active and busy line, owned by Norfolk Southern. From its completion up through the first half of the 20th century, the history of the trestle was largely unremarkable. In 1909, however, there was a minor derailment on the trestle, which luckily resulted in no deaths or major injuries, but did destroy a boxcar's worth of Christmas toys, valued at thousands of dollars. 

Nevertheless, somewhere along the line, a legend emerged. One story I heard was that the first sighting of the Goat Man was by a young man in the 1950's named Robert Hill. Hill and a friend were crossing the trestle when they saw what they initially thought was a man coming toward them. That 'man' would soon come close enough for Hill to see that he had the lower body of a goat, covered in dark hair. His upper half was that of a man, but the skin was scaly, like a reptile. Two large horns sat atop his head. Needless to say, they got the heck out of there in a hurry, and didn't share the tale for many years. But, by the 1960's, most of the local kids had heard of some version of a Goat Man legend that haunted the train trestle. 

Pope Lick Trestle
August 2024

In some versions of the story, the Goat Man was a deformed circus performer who had escaped confinement when the circus train carrying him crashed near or on the Pope Lick trestle. In another version, the Goat Man is a local farmer who made a deal with the Devil, and who was known to sacrifice goats in honor of his Dark Lord. In both versions, Goat Man is vengeful and bloodthirsty. 

According to legends, he has been known to jump down from the trestle onto or in front of cars, wielding a bloody axe. In more popular versions of the tale, Goat Man uses the train trestle itself to take the lives of his victims. He will use his powers of hypnotism and/or his ability to mimic the voices of a victim's friends, or even a baby/animal in distress, to lure victims onto the tracks. Once on the tracks, he can again use his hypnotism to cause the person to want to jump to their death below, or even just show himself, scaring the person into a similar fate. In reality, what has happened time and time again, is that the person finds himself on the narrow trestle as a train approaches. With nowhere to go, and no way to outrun the train, the person's only hope is to hang below the trestle until the train passes. Unfortunately, only a few people have survived that scenario. Many others have been hit by a train or fallen up to 90 feet trying to avoid getting hit. 

Some believe that successfully crossing the railroad trestle is the only way to summon the Pope Lick Monster, which is why few have actually seen the creature. Interestingly, this act of 'bravery' dates back before the legends of Goat Man. According to one elderly citizen in the area, as far back as the 1930's, it was seen as a rite of passage (especially with young men) to cross the long, narrow, towering train bridge. Those brave enough to face this daunting task, even without the added risk/reward of the Goat Man, were given much-craved respect from their peers, and in their minds, ascended into adulthood. 

In an ironic twist, however, it is believed that the legend of the Goat Man sprang up as a way to put a stop to this dangerous practice. Parents would warn their children to stay away from the Pope Lick Trestle or the Goat Man would get them. As an added layer to the legend, there is reason to believe that the Goat Man mythos does stem from an actual 'goat man.' Between the decades of the 1930's through the 1980's, a traveling preacher by the name of Charles 'Chez' McCartney traveled throughout the continental United States spreading his message. He was pulled in a cart by a team of goats, and often wore goatskin clothing. Further, he was known as the 'Goat Man.'

Charles McCartney

McCartney would camp in open fields and on farm land, and it is believed that during a stop near Louisville, he stayed in the area of the Pope Lick trestle. The smell was...not great...and it is reported that wherever McCartney wandered, he was met with an odd combination of fear and interest from local citizens. Of further interest to the Goat Man legend is the fact that McCartney did have a badly mangled arm from an industrial accident. As a young man, he did marry a Spanish knife-thrower and became a living target in her act, traveling with her in her performance group. He also tried his hand at farming. So, its a stretch, but not a big one, that McCartney became a scapegoat (see what I did there?) and basis for the Pope Lick Monster. He was something like a circus performer, a farmer, and had a thing for goats. He was met with suspicion and caution wherever he roamed, and I'm sure plenty of mamas in the area told their curious kiddos to stay away from where he was camping. 

Interest in the Goat Man legend, while always present among the area youth, was significantly revived in 1988 when a short film by Ron Schildknecht called The Legend of the Pope Lick Monster premiered in December. Shot largely on-site, production on the 16 minute film would take two years. During that span, the Pope Lick Trestle would gain two additional victims. The railroad was not happy with the release of the film and made a statement encouraging people to stay off the bridge, which was not only private property, but extremely dangerous. However, it is safe to say that film or no film, the lure of the Pope Lick Monster legend would have prevailed. 

As of this writing, the latest victim of the Pope Lick Trestle was a 15 year old girl in 2019. But, many would come before her, including an incident in 2016 where a young woman was killed when specifically seeking out the Goat Man. Over the years, a battle would ensue with Norfolk Southern, who despite the fences, plenty of warning signs, and even prosecutions, continually comes under pressure for not doing enough to keep curiosity seekers safe. Many believe it was a bad idea to remove the former platform and walkways that once were a part of the trestle, as they would offer protection to anyone caught on the tracks. However, the counter-argument is that such a feature would make trespassing on the tracks, dangerous in any situation, seem more attractive to those wanting to experience the legend. 

If you choose to pay a visit to the Pope Lick Trestle in search of the Goat Man, please stay off the tracks. Luckily, there is a wonderful little park nearby, with a biking/walking path that leads directly under the trestle with some nice photo spots. There is also a road that runs beside the path, so you can drive your car under and see if the legends of the monster jumping down in front of you with an axe are true. It's a beautiful area and one that should be seen...just safely, from below. Experience the legend, but don't become a part of it. 

*This is most likely not a complete list of deaths/injuries/accidents associated with Pope Lick Trestle, but here are a few of the victims associated with this legend. If visiting the area, please remain respectful, and keep these people in mind.*

Savannah Bright: 15 year old Savannah Bright was killed on May 26, 2019 when she and a friend were on the trestle and were hit by a train. The friend, later identified as Kaylee Keeling (16), survived. Today, a memorial for Savannah exists on the walking trail below the trestle. 

Roquel Bain: Roquel Bain (26) was visiting Louisville with her boyfriend, David Knee (41) from Dayton, OH. The two had tickets for a tour of Waverly Hills on April  23, 2016. To pass some time before the tour, they visited the Pope Lick Train Trestle in search of the Pope Lick Monster. As a train approached, David was able to drop down and hang underneath. Roquel was hit and fell 80 feet to the ground, dying instantly. David was later charged with trespassing. 

Nicholas Jewell: Jewell, a 19 year old University of Louisville student, died on November 6, 2000 after falling off the train trestle around 12:30 am. When the train approached, he had tried to support himself by hanging from the supports underneath, but the vibrations caused him to lose his grip. He was with four friends, all of who were uninjured.

October 22, 1994: Fourteen year old Michael Wells miraculously survived, along with his cousin Nathan Wells, also 14, when they were caught by an approaching train. The two were walking home with Michael's 22 year old brother in law, Stephen Britton. The younger boys begged Britton to take them to the trestle, which he reluctantly agreed to. They were both out on the trestle when the train approached. Nathan was able to run to safety, but Michael tripped. Luckily, he was able to drop down and hang below, and the train was able to stop, but not before several cars had already passed over him. All three were arrested for trespassing.

James Ratterman: Ratterman (34) was riding his ATV across the trestle around 11pm on April 18, 1994, when it overturned, trapping him. He was struck and killed by a train about 30 feet out onto the bridge.

December 1993: David Paul Smith (21), Christina Butts (19), Robert Travis Grey (20), and an unnamed juvenile were caught on the tracks when a train approached. All of them miraculously survived by hanging below the tracks. They were rescued by the local firefighters, whose ladder almost wasn't long enough to safely reach them. The train conductor, Kevin Hines, later sued the group for mental distress caused by the incident. 

Kevin Grady: Grady was a 19 year old Miami University student from Oxford, OH. On October 29, 1992 he fell 100 feet off the train trestle at Pope Lick, but miraculously survived with only relatively minor injuries. The accident happened around 1:45am, when a train caught Grady on the tracks. He initially managed to hang on the supports underneath, but lost his grip. 

Charles Jack Bahm II: The 17 year old student was killed on February 18, 1988 when he and two friends, Kevin Schnickel and Christopher Keisker, got bored while driving around and decided to attempt the train trestle. Keisker was unhurt, and Schnickel received a laceration to the chin when he fell, but Bahm unfortunately passed away after being struck by a train. 

David Wayne Bryant: Bryant was walking on the Pope Lick trestle on April 25, 1986 when an on-coming train forced him to jump from the bridge. He fell 110 feet, initially surviving his fall. Unfortunately, he would pass away from his injuries on May 15, 1986. His mother would file a lawsuit against the railroad. 

John Kenneth List: List was killed on June 1, 1985. He and a friend, Randall Graves, were on the trestle shooting crows. Graves was able to hang below the tracks, but List was hit by the train less than 30 feet from the end of the trestle. 

Samuel Fleischman: Fleischman was walking home from a Redbirds game with four other friends, including Scott Cole, on the night of May 13, 1984. 20 year old Fleischman was home from college for the summer, when the group got bored and decided to cross the old trestle. Fleischman fell 70 feet, but luckily, he survived his injuries. 

 

Wayne County's Mystery Animal

Wayne County News
2 January 1936
Source: Wayne County News Archives FB

MYSTERY ANIMAL KILLED AFTER ALL-DAY CHASE

Wayne County's mystery animal is dead!

The animal which has harassed residents of Grant district for more than six years was killed December 24 after an all-day chase by Will Spry of Milum Creek. Mr. Spry shot the animal in the shoulder after it had fallen into the creek when the ice broke in crossing.

More than a dozen men and several dogs chased the animal. It was discovered by Milton Nelson, who chased it with his dog all day. Other men and dogs joined in the chase but the dogs would quit when they got near the animal, except Rouster, Mr. Nelson's dog, which stayed in the chase the entire day.

Early in the chase the animal ran the ridges but in the evening, when the animal became tired, it dropped down to the creek level. 

Other men in the chase where Sammie Nelson, Norman and Boyd Finley, Fletcher Spry, Keither Caldwell, Charley Maynard, Ballard Finley, Max Lester, Noah Nelson, Carlos Nelson and Lindsey H. Perry, Jr.

It was not learned what kind of animal it is, but it was described by those in the chase as being about five feet in length, with the height of a sheep and feet and legs larger than those of a fox hound. Its weight was estimated at 75 pounds. It has a nose sharp and and long like a fox and its tusks are 1 1-2 inch in length. The animal is heavily furred, and tinted brown and gray. 

The animal was fond of pigs and sheep and several farmers have reported loss of their domestic animals during the past year or more. 

Several people saw the animal during recent years and it became almost a legend in that section of the county.

The animal, it was reported, is being mounted and will be on display in Wayne in the near future. 

Theresa's Note: I found this story in the January 2, 1936 edition of the Wayne County News, which was posted to the awesome Facebook page, Wayne County News Archives at the Wayne Public Library. The headline caught my attention immediately, because ya'll know I love me a good mysterious animal story! 

I was further intrigued when I tried to find out some additional information on the story and found the legend of the Booger Cat, posted to Wayne County History Portal website. The article states that during the early 1930's, the residents of southern Wayne County, especially around the area where Cabwaylingo State Park was currently being built, were being harassed by some weird animal that was eating up their livestock. A group of about 20 men finally hunted the creature down and shot it, but still could not figure out exactly what it was---it was black, had a bushy tail, and sported a snout like a dog's, only shorter. They sent the creature off to Charleston to be identified, where experts came to the conclusion that it was a...grey wolf.  The only problem was that grey wolves were allegedly extinct in that area. Could a small population still have been living deep in the dense forests of Wayne County for over a hundred years, mostly undetected? It is said that even after this creature was shot, other sightings of a similar animal continued. Perhaps the Mystery Animal shot on Christmas Eve was one of the last remaining relatives in a small family of wolves living in the area. 

Book Review: Monsters, Cryptids, and Mysterious Wild Beasts

Title: Monsters, Cryptids and Mysterious Wild Beasts: West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, and Beyond

Author: Jannette Quackenbush

Published: 2019 by 21 Crows Dust to Dawn Publishing

Amazon Purchase Information

Author's Website

Any time I get the opportunity to chat with Jannette and purchase one of her books, I jump at the chance! The 2022 Hidden Marietta Paranormal Expo was no different. I was thrilled to see that Jannette was also vending at this event, and so I had to pick up a few of her books that I didn't already own, including Monsters, Cryptids, and Mysterious Wild Beasts!

Y'all know that my personal interests skew towards the ghostly side of the paranormal. I love me some good ghost stories and tales of haunted locations. However, I keep getting more and more into other branches of paranormal study, including cryptozoology. Therefore, I've been trying to fill out my own paranormal library with as many books on the subject as I can find, especially those pertaining specifically to West Virginia. This book has made a wonderful addition to my library, and was a really fun, fast-paced read as well. 

Jannette includes all the West Virginia favorites, from Mothman to the Flatwoods Monster, with a few more obscure mountain monsters, such as Vegetable Man and the Ghillie Beast of Seneca Rocks, thrown in for good measure. The creepy critters of this book aren't just confined to West Virginia, though. There's also a sampling of nearby cryptids from the surrounding states of Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. This makes perfect sense, as many times, these monsters don't necessarily recognize our man-made boundary lines. Certain examples, such as the hellhounds and the Snallygaster, have been known to make their home on both sides of the state line. 

As always, Jannette does a wonderful job in giving some background on these creatures, along with sightings reports, both historical and recent. What makes her books really stand out, however, is that she always includes directions and coordinates to optimal places where YOU can visit and perhaps encounter these creatures for yourself. The places listed are public land and usually fairly accessible, with warnings about when and where to avoid private or unsafe locations. Jannette usually visits these locations for herself, so she is able to share the inside scoop for those wishing to check it out.

Further, there are a lot of really fun pictures for each entry. Many of the photos are actual photos of the beautiful, rural areas where so many of these beasts have been reported...but with an added twist. Digitally added depictions of what these creatures are described as are imposed over the real photos, making it a fun little touch that adds a lot to the unique layout of the book. 

Jannette is a prolific writer of the paranormal, featuring many books from West Virginia and surrounding areas. If you'd like to learn more about Monsters, Cryptids, and Mysterious Beasts, check out her website (linked above), find her on Amazon, or simply look for her at one of the many great paranormal conferences held in and around West Virginia and Ohio! Her books are very reasonably priced and super entertaining whether you're an experienced researcher, or just simply interested in the strange and unusual. Jannette is also the sweetest person you'll ever meet, and a joy to chat with in person. But, whether you get to meet her in person, or simply order from the web, I highly recommend adding a few of her books to YOUR personal paranormal library. Stay spooky! 

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The Flatwoods Monster Postcard

This may look like an ordinary postcard of the original Flatwoods Monster drawing, but it is actually one of my most prized pieces in my paranormal collection.  While it's true that this is a normal postcard that can be purchased at the Flatwoods Monster Museum, if you look closely, you'll see that it is hand-signed by Freddie May!  Freddie May was one of the young boys, who along with his mother, brother, and some other fellas, were the original witnesses to the creature back in 1952!

Awhile back, I received a message from Andrew Smith, who runs the Flatwoods Monster Museum, asking me for my address.  And, a few weeks ago, I received this wonderful gift in the mail with a very nice letter.  I had been chosen to receive one of these autographed postcards for my work in promoting the museum and sharing the legend of the Flatwoods Monster.  I gotta say....I was quite humbled to be given such an honor!  If you follow this blog, or follow me over on Theresa's Haunted History Facebook page, you know that I love the Flatwoods Monster and I am so thrilled to have seen this huge surge in interest in this unique case in recent years.  To anyone with an interest in the paranormal, ufology, or just the weird side of history, the Flatwoods Monster case is just such a cool case to study, and it's awesome to see the museum acting as a localized center for collecting and sharing information. Mr. Smith has done an excellent job in curating a collection of artifacts, connecting with witnesses and researchers, organizing community events, and so much more.  If you're anywhere near the Braxton County area, I highly suggest popping in and checking it out! 

I'd also like to extend a huge thank you to Andrew Smith for sending me this treasured piece! It truly is an honor to have received it.  I'd also like to thank Freddie May for signing these postcards and choosing to talk about his experiences. And, I'd like to thank everyone else out there who is writing about, making videos or podcasts or art about, or is in any other way sharing the legend of the Flatwoods Monster and keeping it alive. West Virginia is lucky to have such a fascinating case in its strange history, and we're even luckier that there are so many people out there dedicated to sharing the story.

Book Review: Strange West Virginia Monsters

Title: Strange West Virginia Monsters
Author: Michael Newton
Copyright 2015 by Schiffer Publishing
Amazon Purchasing Info

This book had been on my radar for a couple of months before I finally received it as a Christmas present this past December. Even though I already owned quite a collection of books dealing with all the strange critters of West Virginia (plus, dozens other on West Virginia ghosts & hauntings, UFOlogy, etc, lol) I was really excited to see how this author would put his own spin on the topic...and what cases would be covered.

Before I even get into the content of this book, though, I have to comment on its appearance. This is a REALLY awesome book, visually. As you can tell from the cover photo, it's set up like a tabloid newspaper. Bright colors, bold text, and full color photographs and illustrations not only grace the cover, but are found throughout the book as well. Broader chapter headings are further broken down into individualized case studies, and the creatures featured range from your more mundane Bigfoots to the REALLY weird and uniquely West Virginia monsters, such as the Braxton County Monster and Sheepsquatch.

It was those chapters on the more unique monsters that really interested me the most. Although I was familiar with the vast majority of the material covered in the book, most of it being stuff I've read in other books, message boards, blogs, and websites, it was really cool to see it all compiled in one place. As an added bonus, the more outrageous and unique animals had pretty short write-ups---interesting and to the point---which served my ADHD well. What I had a little trouble getting through were the chapters on more common sightings, such as the Bigfoot and out of place felines. Since this book focused mainly on reporting sightings and didn't really include much generalized information on these monsters, it led sometimes to huge blocks of text with nothing more than a list of sightings, one after another.

Therefore, while reading, I did a lot of skipping around chapters, trying to balance out the short and easy to read, with the more tedious. In future editions, it might be a little easier if bullet points were used in some places, but overall, the effect wasn't bad and really shouldn't bother most people too much. I'm just sort of a...distracted...reader at times, lol.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. It's a great compilation of a very weird side of West Virginian history and culture. There's a good mix between historical and modern sightings, great photos and illustrations, and a very thorough works cited section. It deserves a place of honor on the shelf of any West Virginia para-enthusiast!

*MORE BOOK REVIEWS*

Book Review for American Monsters

Title: American Monsters: A History of Monster Lore, Legends, and Sightings in America
Author: Linda Godfrey
Published: Tarcher (2014)
Amazon Purchase Information

A lot of my paranormal reading this year has focused on cryptozoology and monster lore, and one of the BEST authors on this subject is Linda Godfrey. After thoroughly enjoying hearing Linda on the radio many times and reading her book, Real Wolfmen, I knew I would not be disappointed with this selection.

I was right!  Coming in at over 300 pages, this book is a little on the chunky side compared to most of the other paranormal-related books I've read recently, but at no point was it ever boring, or felt tedious to get through. Instead, I found myself pretty engrossed at the many different stories, often told from the perspective and in the words of the person(s) reporting the experience.

The book is comprised of three major areas: beasts by air, by sea, and by land, or if you will, monsters that fly, monsters that live in the water, and monsters that walk on land. Linda covers just about every geographical area in the country, combining anecdotes, historical precedence and scientific (and sometimes, not so scientific) theory as to the nature of America's strange creatures. As with Real Wolfmen, there's a huge focus on Wisconsin, which I haven't yet determined means that Wisconsin is the most cryptid-rich state in the nation, or its just because that's where Linda lives!  Either way, I'm not sure I'd want to be hanging out in the woods alone out there.

Obviously, I recommend this title and think it would be a great addition to any paranormal library. It's a wonderful overview of America's monster lore told in an interesting way with appropriate commentary where needed. It's a great collection of little known stories sprinkled with more documented cases and is a great place to begin research into this fascinating genre of paranormal study.