However, the Wildlife Management area, established in 1960, offers more than just local flora and fauna...it offers the ghostly apparition of a woman known as "The Beech Bottom Lady."
The Beech Bottom Lady is seen roaming the area around the Beech Bottom campground section of the WMA. It is believed that this lady, dubbed Isabelle, is searching for her husband who drowned in the lake. When this story first hit the internet, the date given for the death of the husband was 1936, which didn't mesh with the fact that the lake was not in existence prior to 1962. However, since there hasn't been any incidents in the lake's 47 year history that support the story, it IS possible that the legend stems from when Plum Orchard Creek was the main body of water in the area.
Working at a local hospital, I met a woman who grew up in a house where the lake is now. This would have been the early-90's and she would have been in her mid to late 50's. She told me of seeing the woman when she lived there and connected the apparition to a small cemetery just down lake from Beech Bottom. Though she did not say it, I believe this cemetery was moved to keep it above the water line. It is easier to find from a boat than from the road. There is also a cemetery documented on a hillside on the south side of the lake, though I've never been there.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing that information. That does make a lot more sense than the version of the story that hit the internet. With that added bit of info, it might be possible to look into this legend a little further, and see if there was an Isabelle buried in one of the cemeteries. Thanks again!
DeleteAnonymous - I would be very interested in knowing anything you could tell me about the woman you met who grew up in a house where the lake is now. That was my family's homestead and the state came in and "condemned" it back in the late 50's or very early 60's - at which point there were three sisters left and one, Loraine, still residing at the cabin. The family that lived there was Sam Seattle, Edith Seattle and their three daughters, Barbara, Madeline and Loraine. My great grandfather had the orchard and did some moonshine on the side (or so I am told). Loraine had a few children that did not make it past infancy and one stillborn daughter - I do not believe any of them held the name Isabelle. Loraine, the oldest daughter and the last one to pass, died a few years ago and would always go up to the cemetery and visit almost yearly. There would not have been a woman in her 50's that would have known about anything regarding Plum Orchard except for my Aunt Glenna - which nothing in the post has ever been told to me by her and we discuss PO quite a bit. The cemetery was never moved - or not that I've been told. That is the original family plot. Loraine had two daughters, Janice and Eddie Kay, but they do not live anywhere near there, but they did live at Plum Orchard as a child - prior to the orchard being flooded that is. If you have any information please email me at amethyst_omen@yahoo.com - I am actually a ghost hunter as well, but this is more for family investigation. Not to say it couldn't be haunted - I'm sure there is residual energy at least as my family lost their home and young family members - i don't know if Edith ever lost any babies or not. Any info you have on this place would be very appreciated!!! Thanks Danielle
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your information! Every little tidbit helps in research, and I hope someone out there can help answer your questions! As a side note: don't get too hung up over the name Isabelle. I'm pretty sure I know where that name "came from," and it came from an alleged psychic who I don't necessarily is as gifted as believed, lol.
DeleteThere used to be a one room school house where the lake is now.L.N. Darlington was the teacher.i attended this school, also lived on plum orchard road He was a great teacher.
ReplyDeleteWere their any cemeteries which were covered by water due to this project? I am told that a Bud Tyree Cemetery is covered by water.
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