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Devil's Tramping Ground - 11 March 2003 . 13:16 Well, there will be no "On This Day In North Carolina" today. I am at my Mom's and forgot to bring along the book. I'll just have to double up on those delicious little history nuggets tomorrow. However, I do have another book ("Amazing North Carolina" by T. Jensen Lacey) that I brought along. This one is filled with historical facts and interesting stories all about, yep, you guessed it, North Carolina. This one seemed interesting so I'm going to post it now... The "Devil's Tramping Ground" Ten miles from Siler City in western Chatham County off NC 902 is a strange, uninhabited spot surrounded by trees. It's almost a perfect circle, about forty-four feet in diameter, and barren of vegetation. Siler City residents say that even the birds won't make nests in the trees near the strange circle. It's been like this for more than two hundred years, long enough to become a place of legend. Locals know this privately owned land as the Devil's Tramping Ground. Some say that nothing grows in this area because Old Beelzebub paces here, night after night, as he plans his mischief for the souls he desires. Others say the place remains bare because it is a sacred place: Native American people are said to have celebrated victories in war or hunting here. A related Native American story holds that two warring tribes battled here and Chief Croatan, the leader of one of the tribes, was killed in the fray. The legend says he was buried in this circle before his people fled to the coast. There they met with the surviving members of the Lost Colony, and agreed to join forces with them, explaining why the word "Croatan" was carved on that famous tree in Roanoke. A more scientific explanation is that the high salt content of the area has rendered the soil sterile, and a number of soil samples have borne this out. This doesn't explain, however, why sticks placed within the circle are found moved the next day or why hunters' hounds on nighttime forays refuse to go near the area. Whatever the reason, the circle remains bare, and the cause of this bizzare barrennes remains open to speculation. Spooky, isn't it? I first heard about this place from a co-worker who said he and his old drinking buddies visited the site one evening after a heavy session of alcohol. He related to me they had the "fear of God" scared into them that night but he couldn't recall the exact events. I'm about to begin preparations for Mom's birthday "party." I have to go assess the kitchen situation to see what ingredients I lack for baking and decorating a cake. Mom used to decorate cakes for all sorts of ocassions so I know all the necessary tools are here but the ingredients are another story...If I don't have what I need I'll have to brave the rain to make a run to Winn-Dixie. Speaking of Winn-Dixie, I was there a few weeks ago buying various cat-related sundries and while perusing the kitty treats I wondered, "Why are there no mouse flavored cat treats?" Or mouse flavored cat food for that matter? I guess you just can't capture the exhilirating essence of live prey and insert it into a crunchy nugget... OH! I almost forgot! I have been added as a favorite to two more diaries! Yay me! Um, okay. The first is lilkrissy6 who said I was a talented writer (thanx for the ego boost!) and then there's aspiring actress and fellow North Carolinian sunnibear. And to silvrmouse that entry cracked me UP!!!! (Please reveal your identity so you can be properly worshipped...)
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