Juniata High School

It’s that time of year again. The leaves are almost gone, and there’s a chill in the air. It’s time to tell old stories and legends around a campfire with good friends. But, what if this year you could tell a different story? Local legends about things you may encounter in your backwoods. It might surprise some of you to hear that Juniata County and the surrounding area are steeped in folklore, but once you take a look at the swirling fog and the deep green forests, it makes more sense. We are a part of the Appalachian Mountain chain, an area known for its rich history, especially regarding folklore and legend. One such legend (centered around the Susquehanna River) is called the Susquehanna Seal, or Kettle Creek Monster, in honor of its place of origin. There have been many reported sightings of this creature from Kettle Creek in Clinton County down the Susquehanna River. It’s said to inhabit the underwater caverns around this area but comes to the surface every once in a while to feed. Sightings of this creature go as far back as the late 1800s. You’ll know you’ve encountered this creature if, when near the Susquehanna or one of its tributaries, you hear a horrible howling in the distance, and a thrashing like something is struggling in the water at night. Eye witness reports say the creature is the size of an ox and is known to tip lumber rafts and boats, so tread carefully next time you go fishing. Another story comes from a very different place altogether. Have you ever seen a strange circle of mushrooms forming in your yard or scattered light in the woods at night? You may have encountered the Faerie Folk. These are small creatures originally from Germanic folklore, and they are not like the fairies you heard about in books. They are often mischievous, and all of the fae in Pennsylvania can be traced back to a German girl named Lotte Rudeshili. While exploring the woods in Germany, she stumbled upon a group of fairies. She soon started spending a lot of time with these creatures, and eventually, (long story short) they made her their queen. Unfortunately, due to circumstances in her home country, she and her family had to immigrate to America. Not wanting to leave her friends behind, she smuggled them to the wilds of PA where her family settled. To this day, sightings of the Faerie Folk have been reported all across Pennsylvania. As legend would have it, every full moon, the Faerie Folk dance around Lottie’s grave in honor of their queen. It’s said she’s buried in the Swissdale Cemetery, but no one has been able to locate the exact site of her grave. Some even say the faeries mask it so it’s not destroyed by people or time. There are many more stories just like these buried in the archives of old dusty attics. You’d be surprised what you can find about the very woods in your backyard.