Tennessee’s Werewolf Springs: Something Lurks in the Woods
Werewolf Springs is an area in Tennessee with a terrifying origin story. Did two wolfmen really stalk the hills and creeks in this Tennessee folklore story? Or is it all just smoke?
Montgomery Bell Park
In the heart of Tennessee lies Montgomery Bell Park, a state park that spans over 3,700 acres. It’s named after manufacturing magnate Montgomery Bell. Originally from Pennsylvania, Bell is largely credited with building and expanding the iron-smelting industry in Tennessee. The park was established in the 1940s; the land it encompasses was the center of the Tennessee iron industry. The ruins of Laurel Furnace, the main iron furnace in the area, can be seen at the park today.
The park’s diverse landscape of dense oak forests, lakes, and rolling hills is just an example of what makes Tennessee so scenic. It’s in these bucolic surroundings that a tale of roaming werewolves has been passed down for generations in the area known as Werewolf Springs.
The Werewolves of Werewolf Springs
An area nearby bears the name Werewolf Springs. The story behind the name is swirled into local lore. In the aftermath of the Civil War, as the tale goes, two men, who either worked for the railroad or were a local landowner and his hired hand, were walking near Hall Springs, which is now within the bounds of Montgomery Bell Park. The two men were attacked, with only one surviving to tell the tale. What he had to say terrified locals. He reported that a towering, wolf-like creature—covered in fur and walking upright—stalked the men as they walked through the woods.
The two men tried to outrun the creature, but it closed the distance fast. Panicking, they split up and fled into the forest. Somewhat bizarrely, the creature pursued the hired man, and the landowner was able to get away. Though a posse was raised to capture the beast near Werewolf Springs, it proved fruitless. Two members disappeared without a trace, along with the goat left to tempt the monster.
Tennessee Folklore: A Variation
Another version of the story goes a bit differently. While traveling through the same area, a train carrying circus employees and animals crashed. Several animals escaped, but all were recovered except for two creatures known as the “Wolfmen of Borneo.” They were supposedly half-human, half-wolf. While circus employees tried to find the “wolfmen,” their searches were fruitless, and they continued on their way, abandoning the two to their own devices.
A few days later, men were walking through the same woods when they were attacked. One man was dragged off into the woods by the creature, while the other was able to get away. Only one werewolf was featured in this variation.
The legend speaks of a hunter who later tracked down one of the wolfmen in Werewolf Springs. He confronted the beast, firing upon it to no avail, only to be saved by the rising sun as the creature vanished into the woods. It is unknown if the hunter was using silver bullets or otherwise.
Locals Speak
The area referred to as Werewolf Springs is actually Hall Springs, which can now only be accessed through an 11-mile hiking trail in Montgomery Bell Park. Hall Springs was named after the Hall family, who had a homestead in the area. Frances Allen, whose mother Minnie was a Hall, spoke to reporter Josh Arntz in 2011. Allen grew up in the area, and while she remembers the cool, clear water of the springs, she does not remember a wolfman stalking the area. “She was quick to let me know she had never heard of, nor encountered, a werewolf during her childhood near Hall Springs.” 1Arntz, John. Hall Springs Resident Debunks Werewolf Myth
In the park bounds lies Creech Hollow Lake. It was formed by a man-made dam on the western side. At the bottom of the park’s Creech Hollow Lake are the Creech Hollow caves, where the wolfmen were rumored to have lived. A little girl was said to have disappeared after fetching water from Hall Springs. Her body was never found, but both human and animal bones were supposedly recovered from the caves at Werewolf Springs.
Sam Brown, a local teacher and historian, grew up in the area in the 1960s. He told Arntz that while several mule and horse bones have been found in the area near Werewolf Springs, the area “served as a common dumping ground for the animals by pre-park residents.” 2Arntz, Josh. The half-wolf, half-man of Werewolf Springs
War’s Aftermath
For years afterward, the wolfman legend continued to be told across Werewolf Springs. No conclusive evidence was ever reported, either way. A search of historical newspapers does not show any results for the “Wolfmen of Borneo,” but that doesn’t necessarily mean they didn’t ever exist.
The Civil War had ravaged this area of Tennessee. The war not only brought the end of many newspapers but also crippled the distribution networks that once supported them. Hundreds of people and livestock were dead. Homes, farms, mills, and newly constructed railroads had been destroyed. Tennessee was deeply divided during the war, and those divisions didn’t vanish with the Confederacy’s surrender. Infighting among families, divided by a difference of loyalties, was very common, both before, during, and after the war. Rural, poor communities were hit hard, such as the ones in what would come to be called Werewolf Springs.
Considering this, it makes sense that a tale of wandering “boogeymen” would gain traction during this time. War survivors were looking for someone, besides their fellow countrymen, to be afraid and wary of. It is much easier to listen for the bump in the night than to deal with the grief, horror, and pain caused by a sharp and splintering war.
Sources:
Arntz, Josh. The half-wolf, half-man of Werewolf Springs. Dickson Herald. 28 October 2011.
Arntz, Josh. Hall Springs resident debunks werewolf myth. Dickson Herald. 28 December 2011.
- 1Arntz, John. Hall Springs Resident Debunks Werewolf Myth
- 2Arntz, Josh. The half-wolf, half-man of Werewolf Springs
