THURMONT – On Sunday Oct. 19, the Thurmont Historical Society sponsored an event at the Thurmont Regional Library that was sure to get your heart racing and the hair on the back of your neck to stand on end. It was called “Monsters and Myths: Legendary Tales of Northern Frederick County.”
While the event was held in Northern County, many of these myths were not contained within county lines. The cryptid beings that were talked about were legends in both Washington and Franklin counties as well.
The event was hosted by Makala Harrison who works at the historical society as an assistant curator and is a graduate of Mount Saint Mary’s University where she studied environmental science and philosophy. She had some firsthand experiences to share about the haunted history of the historic school.
The first cryptid story she shared was of the “snallygaster.” This unique beast which is described as being a “dragon-like bird, with tentacles like an octopus and very large eyes.” The legend of the snallygaster dates back to the early 1700’s when German settlers would spin yarns about the beast to frighten children. This wasn’t done out of malus, but rather to keep children from wandering in the dangerous woods at night. The legend was born, and tales continued all the way up to the mid 1950’s when the dreaded beast was said to have perished in a vat of moonshine on South Mountain in Washington County.
The next dreaded creature that Makala shared was that of the wolf-like beast, the “Dwayyo.” Like the snallygaster, the Dwayyo was created to keep young citizens from running around after dark and to answer mysterious tragedies on local farms. When livestock disappeared or were found dead, there were whispered accusations that the Dwayyo was responsible.
In addition to tales of monsters, Makala also shared stories of hauntings around the area, particularly at the above-mentioned Mount Saint Mary’s University where a particular room in Sheridan Hall was said to have a very active guest from beyond. Makala herself bears witness to these strange happenings when she lived in Sheridan Hall during her tenure at the college. The mischief includes strange knocking on the windows on the second floor, lights going on and off on their own, and coming home to find items had been moved about the room when no one was home.
There was also the tale of “the hand.” Legend has it that one of the men who worked the ground of the college in the mid-1800’s had lost his hand after being caught stealing. The hand was buried on the grounds of the campus and can be seen crawling up the walls at night.
All fun stories to be told, especially around this time of year with Halloween only a week away, but to many of the men, women and children who lived in the area during those early years of our county’s founding they weren’t just mere tales to be told at night. They were real fears and dangers. They believed in these bizarre incidents so much that they found ways of warding off evil spirits and monsters. They used symbols and rituals which are also known as “Apotropaic Lore.”
They would put five-pointed stars on the outside of their houses or barns, many of these can still be seen on older homes and farms today. It is said that the star would ward off any spirits that try to enter the home or to frighten off the Dwayyo or snallygaster and keep them from your livestock.
The event, which ran for about 45 minutes was a fun look back to the past at the imaginations and beliefs of our ancestors here in the region. The Thurmont Historical Society is located at 11 North Church St. To learn more about these legends and others, readers may visit their website at: www.thurmonthistoricalsociety.org.
