Appalachia Mysteries, Unexplained Stories of Cades Cove in The Great Smoky Mountains

I became friendly with one of the last (quite possibly the last) person allowed to live in Roaring Fork, due to the lifetime lease of the land. She was very old 30 year ago, and unfortunately she is gone now. She had a similar story or a reappearing cabin somewhere deep in the Roaring Fork area as well. Her stories were always so incredible, she never left the area in 90 some years, because she said there was no need to ever leave the area. I learned so much about mountain life from her.

OMG thanks Donnie. I swear I've seen that cabin in the woods. Twice! I've stayed at CC many times. While cycling the loop l distinctly saw a cabin in the woods. I couldn't find it on any of the literature. So l decided to check it out the next day. I never could find it again. A few years later while driving, l saw it again. I made a mental note of where l was at using landmarks. That afternoon l returned. I never could find it again! I had no knowledge of the legend till this very moment.

I'm a 45 Yr old British gal who just loves to, listen to your wealth of real history and voice thank you Donnie xx

Today would have been my daddy’s 90th birthday. I came to hear a story like he told. Thank you for the comfort and the blessing. 💙

I live in N.West Georgia in a rural area. I am a bit of a night owl and my husband was working night shift. I was sitting up in my bed reading a book one night. I had my bedroom window open. All of a sudden I heard the most blood curdling scream that scared me half to death. It sounded like a woman screaming that was so curdling it made the hairs on my arms and the back of my neck stand up. It sounded just like what you had on this video about the panther. I heard it one more time a couple of weeks later. Never heard it again. I will never forget how it sounded!

Love these mountains! I was lucky enough to be born and brought up in em’. I love hearing your stories Donnie, In my town we had a whittle & spit. Where all the old timers would whittle sticks and sit around telling stories to the younger generations. Not many of them are around today, and If it wasn’t for people like you a lot of Appalachia’s history would be lost to time. You can guarantee I’ll be passing these stories onto my grandchildren one day, and this dying breed might survive after all. Thank you Donnie!

Cades Cove will never, ever get old for me. I’ve been going since I was a kid, and now my husband and I take our boys. We live in GA, but the Smoky Mountains have my heart! Thanks for these stories! ❤

Thank you for the stories Donnie! I remember most people called them granny women, they were women who could see spirits. One woman used her flour sifter to see spirits, believe it or not. Another lady could see spirits above their graves in different states of decomposition. This came in handy because a young man was looking for his mother's grave and he couldn't find it. So he asked this lady to help him. She did, but it took a lot of energy out of her and I think it took two full weeks before she recovered from it. She asked the young man what his mother looked like. He told her and she said yes, I see her. She showed him where the grave was and he was able to get a stone for her grave. I know it sounds crazy, but I believe people are born with different gifts of the spirit, that's my belief.

That story about the moonshiner's horse stopping and refusing to go forward is something! Reminds me of the donkey in the bible who did the same thing cause he saw an angel! Good thing the moonshine wised up and didn't beat the horse or the Lord may have spoke through the horse like he did that donkey! Great stories Donnie!!! 😁

Donnie, when I was a little girl in the delta country of Northern California, my grandma, who was from Dustbowl Oklahoma, used to tell me old haint stories. Now, she wasn’t from the Appalachians, but her great grandparents came directly to Oklahoma from Kentucky and western North Carolina, respectively… Grandma’s stories sound so much like yours! It’s uncanny! I would come to visit Grandma and Grandpa some summers. Grandma would have a “sleepover” with me in the living room, and as we would get relaxed on the futon in the living room, the lights would be out, and Grandma would start telling these haint stories. I would look out through the plate glass window at the night and the countryside back behind their house…and the combination of the haint stories and the big scary night sky and country gave me the most delightful “chicken skin” or goose flesh. I’m now having a “sleeepover” in my living room with my 18-year-old daughter, trying to recreate a memory of what it was like with my Grandma for her. Thanks for becoming a part of that memory for us both. Very grateful for your dedication.

Donnie, I thank God for people like you and Jerry Harmon for keeping these stories alive. As far as I know you two are the only story tellers left. Thank you Brother. God bless you.

The combination of your research and story telling expertise make you an expert of passing on history! I'm not from Appalachia, I'm from Indiana, and we have some stories of our own, but sadly we don't have an expert story teller like you keeping our history alive. I have spent time in the Appalachia's hunting, and it's fascinating to hear the history of some of the places I've been, and our church has worked with some churches in Appalachia to help the poor, and they've told some stories (not like you though) I'm more than hooked on the history of Appalachia, they are some of the smartest, hardiest people on the face of the Earth, and you sir are a master storyteller. Thank you for keeping the history of Appalachia alive!

I remember the video you made at Cades Cove you didn't hear anything at the time, but when you started listening later you heard voices and played them for all of us to hear! Love your stories! Patricia Gambino Harrington

Thank you Donnie, I took my girls to a rock quary that had turquoise colored water in it. You could see huge paw prints in the dirt around it. I told my girls we didn't want to stay out there too long because when it starts getting dark a big bobcat or mountain lion might want us for dinner. 😃👍

Was told by a local to go there, and I’m glad I did. Did the loop road and stopped at the cabin and barns, walked through some fields, and seen tons of wildlife. Turkey’s, bears, deer, and some raccoons. Absolutely beautiful place!!! Can’t wait to go back again.

Donnie you are a true Appalachian treasure. What a blessing to listen to you talk about our heritage in those mountains. Thank you for what you do.

Cades cove is truly a spiritual experience. I've been many, many times and it's always been mystical.

My grandpa's died before I was born, but I also remember my uncles telling me strange things that would happen when they were curing tobacco with fire wood

Thanks again for this story. I've never really heard someone talk so in-depth about the Appalachians, and all the stories that go with them.

I love that story about the fella quitting all his bad habits after a relative died. I love all these old stories Donnie. Thank you so much for sharing so much with us!