Thurmond River Monster
Long ago, when steam locomotives thundered through the New River Gorge, there was an engineer in Thurmond known as a mean and miserable drunk.
One bitter winter night, after a heavy snow began to melt in the mountains, the New River rose high and swift. Somewhere along the gorge, the engineer's locomotive left the tracks and plunged into the freezing water below. There was nothing anyone could do to save him.
And the locomotive was never recovered.
For years, the people of Thurmond argued over what became of it. Some said the powerful current smashed the engine apart against the rocks and carried the pieces downstream.
Others told a stranger story.
They swore an enormous catfish had swallowed the locomotive whole.
Years passed. Then came the sightings.
People along the New River began whispering about something enormous moving beneath the dark water—a monstrous catfish with steel teeth and eyes that burned like glowing coal. A great gaping hole opened from the top of its head, releasing enormous bubbles of steam that boiled to the river's surface.
It crawled along the river bottom on long, clawed fins, rarely surfacing enough to reveal itself completely.
Just enough for someone to catch a glimpse.
As the once-bustling railroad town of Thurmond slowly faded away, so did stories of the creature lurking beneath the New River. Eventually, the Thurmond River Monster became little more than a forgotten tale.
Perhaps it disappeared with the town.
Perhaps it is still down there.
Waiting beneath the New River for an unsuspecting visitor to wander just a little too close to the water's edge...
Appalachian Storyteller
I am an Appalachian artist, author, and storyteller with family roots reaching deep into the New River Gorge. My father was born in Thurmond, West Virginia, and generations of my family lived among the mountains, railroad towns, and communities surrounding the gorge.
Although I grew up farther south in the Appalachian foothills of North Georgia, these mountains have always been part of my family's story—and increasingly, they have become part of my own storytelling.
I am drawn to the places where history, nature, and folklore begin to blur: old railroad towns, dark rivers, deep forests, native wildlife, and the strange creatures that might be hiding just beyond what we can see.
Through my art and storytelling, I create tales inspired by these mountains—or perhaps I simply uncover them. Stories whispered through the trees, carried along dark rivers, and tucked into forgotten places, waiting for someone to listen closely enough to find them.
The town of thurmond
A Railroad Town
A Town Built Along the Tracks
A Town Built Along the Tracks
Thurmond grew around the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway and became one of the most important railroad centers in the New River Gorge. Coal from mines throughout the region passed through its busy rail yards, steam locomotives stopped for passengers and supplies, and the depot became the center of life in town.
At its height, Thurmond was anythi
Thurmond grew around the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway and became one of the most important railroad centers in the New River Gorge. Coal from mines throughout the region passed through its busy rail yards, steam locomotives stopped for passengers and supplies, and the depot became the center of life in town.
At its height, Thurmond was anything but sleepy. In 1910, approximately 75,000 passengers traveled through the town, and its railroad operations handled more freight tonnage than Cincinnati and Richmond combined.
Today, the restored Thurmond Depot serves as a visitor center for New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
A Town Built Along the Tracks
A Town Built Along the Tracks
A Town Built Along the Tracks
Thurmond didn't grow around a traditional Main Street. Wedged between the steep mountainside and the New River, there simply wasn't much room.
Instead, the railroad tracks ran straight through the heart of town.
Banks, hotels, stores and other businesses stood alongside the tracks as trains and townspeople moved through the same narrow corr
Thurmond didn't grow around a traditional Main Street. Wedged between the steep mountainside and the New River, there simply wasn't much room.
Instead, the railroad tracks ran straight through the heart of town.
Banks, hotels, stores and other businesses stood alongside the tracks as trains and townspeople moved through the same narrow corridor. The historic commercial buildings that remain—including the old bank—offer a glimpse of the bustling town that once stood here.
As coal declined and railroads transitioned away from steam locomotives, Thurmond's population and businesses gradually disappeared. What remains today feels almost frozen in time.
Across the New River
A Town Built Along the Tracks
Across the New River
For decades, Thurmond's location deep within the New River Gorge helped keep it remarkably isolated. In its early years, the town could only be reached by train.
The New River flows directly alongside Thurmond, surrounded by the steep, forested mountains of the gorge. Today, a narrow road and bridge carry visitors across the river and into
For decades, Thurmond's location deep within the New River Gorge helped keep it remarkably isolated. In its early years, the town could only be reached by train.
The New River flows directly alongside Thurmond, surrounded by the steep, forested mountains of the gorge. Today, a narrow road and bridge carry visitors across the river and into the historic town, where active railroad tracks still pass the old depot and commercial buildings.
It is a beautiful place—but also an atmospheric one. Standing beside the river, surrounded by mountains, old railroad buildings and the sound of passing trains, it isn't difficult to imagine how a story about something strange lurking beneath that water might begin.
Hear the Stories in Person
October
The best way to experience an Appalachian tale is to hear it told aloud.
This October, join me for evenings of strange creatures, restless spirits, dark mountain legends, and stories from deep within Appalachia.
I'll be sharing Appalachian Ghost Stories at Blackshear Library in Gainesville, and heading into the mountains at Tallulah Gorge State Park for a ranger-led night hike filled with ghost stories along the way.
Will the Thurmond River Monster make an appearance?
You'll have to come listen to find out.
View my event calendar below for dates, times, and upcoming storytelling events.