Catawba Publishing

Ever since I was a small child, I have treasured the stories told by my grandmother, Effie Kelly Harding, especially about the ghost that inhabited the village of Huntsville. I vowed one day to publish those stories, and this book is the result.

Many events have occurred in the Yadkin River Valley, including murder, suicide, and other violent deaths, which seem to be necessary elements for a haunted site. The whole area seems to have a large number of haunted houses and unexplained events. Thus, the book was expanded to include all the counties that border the Yadkin River: Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes, Surry, Stokes, Forsyth, Yadkin, Davie, Davidson, Iredell, Rowan, Cabarrus, Montgomery, and Mecklenburg. Photographs of some of the sites where the stories took place have been included.

While my previous books have all been documented works of non-fiction, I believe that folklore and legends should be treasured for the cultural elements and the facts from which the stories evolved. Over time the facts of an actual event become so distorted that skeptics view the story as entirely fiction, fantasy or delusion. Thus, a story that was based on an actual happening perhaps 200 years ago passes into the realm of folklore and legend, and a bit of history is lost because even the most bizarre story often contains a grain of truth. Whenever possible, facts about persons and places have been included to authenticate, substantiate, or disprove these oral traditions and legends. A bibliography of books from the Yadkin Valley area has been included for further reading or research.

Some stories were included because they merit sharing with every generation, and I wanted my grandchildren to have the opportunity to enjoy them.