The Spirit at the Stump

Photo by Theresa

On November 1, 1936, the people of the Bluefield and Princeton area weren't quite ready to let go of spooky season! That day, the Bluefield Daily Telegraph ran a ghost story submitted by Mrs. Cecil Smith, a reader from near Princeton. 

Mrs. Smith told the story of a colored man named Foot who was accused of an unknown crime many years before. He was hanged at an old oak tree near Princeton, despite the fact that many believed he was innocent. The tree was eventually chopped down, leaving nothing but a stump. However, the spirit of Foot remained.

People passing the stump any time, day or night, could summon Foot's spirit by saying, "Foot, what were you hanged for?" The spirit would answer, "nothing."

Unfortunately, as of this writing, I haven't found any proof that a man named Foot ever existed, let alone was hung (or lynched?) for a crime he didn't commit. But, whether or not this story is based in fact doesn't change the idea that it's an interesting little ghost tale that at one time was a part of Princeton's folklore. Surely, numerous school children heard the story and dared each other to walk by the haunted stump, trying to summon the spirit of ol' Foot, who just wanted to make his innocence known. 

Theresa's Note: this story is also a part of a series that the Bluefield Daily Telegraph ran in the mid-1930s featuring ghost stories submitted by readers from around the area. There are some really fun little stories that showed up in this series, many of which you'll find here on Theresa's Haunted History!

Bluefield Daily Telegraph
01 November 1936

Louisville's Witches' Tree

Louisville Witches' Tree (Source)

Gnarled, twisted, strangely-shaped trees can be spooky enough on their own.  However, its when they are given a supernatural back story and explanation that they catch my attention!  That's the case with this creepy old tree in Kentucky's Old Louisville District.

You can find the tree at the corner of Sixth Street and Park Avenue, among the breathtaking architecture of the area's Victorian era homes.  Local author, David Domine, who has written extensively about the haunted history of Old Louisville, tells the legend of the Witches' Tree.  According to that legend, there used to be a grand maple tree growing on the spot of today's tree.  In 1889, this tree was a favorite meeting place for a coven of witches in the area. The witches would meet at the mighty maple tree and cast spells, brew potions, and generally do whatever it is that witches would do.

Unfortunately, the city wasn't too fond of this coven of witches.  However, they WERE fond of the maple tree, believing it would make the ideal May Pole for that year's annual May Day celebration.  The witches warned the town that they'd be sorry if they cut down the tree.  But, the warning was ignored, and the tree was cut down and fashioned into a May Pole.  Meanwhile, the witches found a new location on the outskirts of town to practice...and to plot their revenge.

Exactly 11 months after the maple tree was cut down for use as a May Pole, a catastrophic tornado ripped through Louisville.  The storm hit on March 27, 1890 at 8:30 p.m. It only lasted about 5 minutes, but left a path of death and destruction through Old Louisville.  During the chaos, lightning struck the tree stump---the only thing remaining of the old maple.

As the town struggled to clean up and put the pieces back together after the tornado, something began happening with the tree stump.  From its remains grew a new tree, a tree twisted and gnarled and full of knots.  Locals believed that the witches had conjured the tornado to get revenge on the town for cutting down the maple tree.  The strange and unusual tree that grew in its place was a reminder that the town chose poorly for their May Pole that year.

Today, visitors flock to the area to get a glimpse of the tree for themselves.  They also leave offerings at the tree, possibly for a small blessing of good fortune, and possibly as a reminder of what happens when you cross a coven of witches!

Further Reading and Info
The Witches' Tree Facebook Page
Legend of the Witches' Tree by Katie Molck (October 26, 2015)
1890 Louisville Cyclone--The Filson Historical Society

Storm damage of Union Depot (Source)

The Donkey Tree of Kentucky

Kentucky has a lot of weird trees! Last month, I posted about a tree near Paducah that kept trying to tell passersby that there was treasure buried at its roots. Today, however, is dedicated to the Donkey Tree, a cursed tree near Springfield.

Source

Like all urban legends, the story behind the Donkey Tree changes slightly depending on who is telling it. Along with the background, the consequences of visiting the cursed tree also change from person to person. But, here's the gist:

There was once a farmer who was especially cruel to his donkey, and would often beat the animal severely. One day, the farmer took it too far and beat the animal to death. Atop the site where the donkey died (or was buried) grew what is today known as The Donkey Tree.

Visitors to the spooky tree, which does closely resemble a donkey, believe that the tree is cursed. It is said that anyone who touches the tree will have bad luck. Some believe that touching the tree will result in the person being in an accident, and some even say that its a death sentence. On the flip side, putting an apple in the 'donkey's' mouth is considered good luck. If you do put an apple in its mouth and then leave, you'll find that the apple has mysteriously disappeared by the time you get back.

According to the Donkey Tree Facebook page, in October 2014, people began contacting the admins of the site to report that they were hearing the sounds of a child laughing or crying near the tree between the hours of 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. Even stranger, the Facebook page mentions that an abandoned car was found in front of the Donkey Tree in September of 2015. The car allegedly belonged to a YouTuber from Indiana who was visiting the area to shoot a documentary for his channel. No updates were ever posted, and I couldn't find any additional information on this case.

Having said that, if you're still brave enough to visit the Donkey Tree yourself, it's located on Valley Hill Road in Springfield, KY. Roadside America gives the following directions:

Directions:  From Springfield drive north on Hwy 55/Bloomfield Rd. Just past the nursery on the left, turn left onto Valley Hill Rd. The tree is on the left, just past the little one lane bridge.

*Kentucky has donkey trees...West Virginia has men's faces in rocks.  It's all thanks to the wonders of Pareidolia!  Learn more about pareidolia at the link provided!*