Are ‘Feral Humans’ Living Deep in the Smokies in East Tennessee?

Are ‘Feral Humans’ Living Deep in the Smokies in East Tennessee?

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I recently re-watched an episode of FX's American Horror Stories from 2021. It's a spinoff of the network's wildly popular American Horror Story,  but it's truer to the traditions of classic horror shows like The X-Files and Night Stalker than the flagship series.

'American Horror Stories' Addresses 'Feral Human' Legend

While borrowing motifs from American Horror Story, American Horror Stories episodes are still largely independent of the original. And most of them seem like they could have been adapted from legends or folklore. I don't know that to be the case, but one, in particular, did ring true. It was an episode called "Feral" in which a family of three goes camping in California's Kern River Canyon National Park. During a fishing trip, the couple's three-year-old son goes missing. Ten years later, the now-divorced couple returns to the area in a last-ditch effort to find their son, only to learn the terrifying truth about his disappearance.

Are 'Feral Humans' Living in the Woods of the Smoky Mountains?

Looper.com asks if the episode is based on a true story when the more appropriate question might be, "Is the true story on which this episode is purportedly based actually true, or is it creepy American folklore?"

In my searches, I have found no connection between the story's supposed inspiration and the Great Smoky Mountains, but the Smokies are why I did that search in the first place.

There is a legend that "feral humans" live in the mountains of East Tennessee and that they are cannibalistic. And since the Smokies/Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area never seems to hurt for tourism dollars, I'm on the side of, "Yeah, this is just a legend." But not EVERYONE agrees with me.

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Some Background on the Smoky Mountain 'Feral Human' Legend

So what IS the basis for this wild and crazy tale? Well, it might trace back to the story of a 6-year-old boy who went missing in 1969 and whose disappearance came to be attributed to a group called the Wild Men--feral humans living deep in the woods of the Smoky Mountains. But attribution and proof aren't the same things, and there are those who even say the Wild Men aren't even that feral.

TheSmokies.com also wonders about the possibility of people being able to live undetected and off the grid for an unusually long period of time before suggesting that maybe a bear had something to do with the boy's disappearance.

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'Feral Human' Folklore Exists Throughout the National Park System

But it isn't just the Smoky Mountains; stories about "feral humans" living deep within our national parks have been shared for years.

I can't remember where I saw this, but there's been the suggestion that sightings of Bigfoot might actually be sightings of human beings that, I guess, could be described as feral.

But since THAT'S also a legend, we may never arrive at the right conclusion...if there IS a right conclusion.

Scariest Ghost Town In KY Has A Truly Terrifying Past And Can’t Be Found On A Map

The month of October fills me with even more passion for abandoned and haunted places and things. I love to research legends, folklore, and stories from all over the world, but especially right here in Kentucky. Some of the stories are pure legend with no real facts to back them up. But, I’m a sucker for a good ghost story.

One such legend involves a small town, a murdering teacher, and mysterious disappearances that went on for decades. This is what I learned about the legend of Elsewhere, KY.

A construction worker and journalist, by the name of Seamus Coffey, was volunteering at a Senior Citizen’s center and he met a man named, Earl. The gentleman was about 80 years old and told him a story of something that happened in Elsewhere. KY.

"When I was a boy, my pa’ and I went to the Elsewhere General Store to get some rock candy and chicken feed. I stood outside while pa’ talked to Mrs. Ellison the shopkeep. Pa’ loaded the feed into the truck and handed me the candy. Right about then, there was this loud scream from the schoolhouse. I don’t know right well what happened ’cause pa” told me to stay in the truck, but after that we never went back to Elsewhere."

"When I was a few years older, I went back there with some friends. We were just dumb kids foolin’ around. My friend Jason went inside the schoolhouse and I never saw him again. We spent the rest of the day looking for him and later the police did a search but found nothing. Shortly after that the county disconnected Elsewhere road from HWY 280. It’s been about 60 years and you’re the first person to mention the place in half a century, son."

After that, Seamus started searching for any information he could find about Elsewhere. He found an article in the Louisville Courier-Journal. The article covered a story about Elsewhere being abandoned for health and safety reasons. It was dated April 2nd, 1953. The article also gave him a piece of the puzzle that was missing, the exact location of Elsewhere. The town was located two miles north of New Concord (KY) just off of HWY 280. So, of course, he had to go there for himself.

This is the terrifying story of what he found in Elsewhere.

The Ultimate Smoky Mountain Vacation

Some of my favorite vacations have been to go spend time in Gatlinburg, and soaking in those Smoky Mountains. Here's the must-see sights and must-do activities so you get the most out of your next Gatlinburg vacation!

Scariest Ghost Town In KY Has A Truly Terrifying Past And Can’t Be Found On A Map

The month of October fills me with even more passion for abandoned and haunted places and things. I love to research legends, folklore, and stories from all over the world, but especially right here in Kentucky. Some of the stories are pure legend with no real facts to back them up. But, I’m a sucker for a good ghost story.

One such legend involves a small town, a murdering teacher, and mysterious disappearances that went on for decades. This is what I learned about the legend of Elsewhere, KY.

A construction worker and journalist, by the name of Seamus Coffey, was volunteering at a Senior Citizen’s center and he met a man named, Earl. The gentleman was about 80 years old and told him a story of something that happened in Elsewhere. KY.

"When I was a boy, my pa’ and I went to the Elsewhere General Store to get some rock candy and chicken feed. I stood outside while pa’ talked to Mrs. Ellison the shopkeep. Pa’ loaded the feed into the truck and handed me the candy. Right about then, there was this loud scream from the schoolhouse. I don’t know right well what happened ’cause pa” told me to stay in the truck, but after that we never went back to Elsewhere."

"When I was a few years older, I went back there with some friends. We were just dumb kids foolin’ around. My friend Jason went inside the schoolhouse and I never saw him again. We spent the rest of the day looking for him and later the police did a search but found nothing. Shortly after that the county disconnected Elsewhere road from HWY 280. It’s been about 60 years and you’re the first person to mention the place in half a century, son."

After that, Seamus started searching for any information he could find about Elsewhere. He found an article in the Louisville Courier-Journal. The article covered a story about Elsewhere being abandoned for health and safety reasons. It was dated April 2nd, 1953. The article also gave him a piece of the puzzle that was missing, the exact location of Elsewhere. The town was located two miles north of New Concord (KY) just off of HWY 280. So, of course, he had to go there for himself.

This is the terrifying story of what he found in Elsewhere.
Filed Under: Creepy, smoky mountains, Tennessee
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