Archives Month Highlight: North Carolina’s Haunted Folklore

University History and Records is celebrating Archives Month and the Society of North Carolina Archivists’ theme “North Carolina’s 250th,” which celebrates the different peoples of North Carolina and their history.  

We are featuring the Karen Baldwin Folklore Archive, which contains research projects and oral histories collected by students for the ENGL 3570 American Folklore course in the English Department at East Carolina University. The collection preserves stories, legends, lore, and folklife practices of North Carolinians.  

In addition, as it is October, and with Halloween approaching, we’d like to specifically highlight stories appropriate for the season. This collection features both local and regional tales of the supernatural that highlight the unique aspects of North Carolina’s folklife and history.    

The Maco Light, near Wilmington, North Carolina, and the Pactolus Light in Pactolus, North Carolina are stories of mysterious lights along railroad tracks seen by travelers in Eastern North Carolina. The Maco Light tales originate in the late 19th century while the Pactolus Light tales are from the early 20th century.   

The Devil’s Horses’ Hoof Prints to the west of Bath, North Carolina is one of the oldest folktales in eastern North Carolina. The stories of the hoofprints have been told for over 200 years. Another mysterious site is known as the Devil’s Tramping Ground in Chatham County, North Carolina. This barren circular path in the forest has inspired numerous legends and lore regarding its origins.  

To learn more about these stories, as well as North Carolina folklore more broadly, see the links below and/or make an appointment to view the Karen Baldwin Folklore Archive. 

https://www.ncpedia.org/maco-light 

https://www.ncpedia.org/devils-horses-hoof-prints 

https://www.ncpedia.org/devils-tramping-ground