Daddy ran home quick when he saw Booger Jim. I don't much blame him.
There are all kinds of stories floating around about Booger Jim. I've heard a few about Booger Jim living under the Cherokee Falls bridge, but I've never really known that to be true. I did hear a truthful sounding tale of Booger Jim when I was small though. That is the tale I will tell you now. The woman who told me swears it is true.
First off, for those of you not fortunate enough to have been born in the Upstate of South Carolina, I'll tell you about Cherokee Falls.
No. There is not an actual waterfall there that I've ever known, but the Broad River flows through Cherokee Falls, so there may have been a little falls thereabouts probably before they built the cotton mill.
Cherokee Falls was a mill town that grew around the Cherokee Manufacturing Company that was built there on the Broad River. The people who worked in that mill for the most part lived in mill housing on the "Mill Hill" above the mill. Poverty was rampant there, as the cotton mill did not pay very much money even though the hours were long. The men, women, and children of that little community oftentimes were working in the mill from dawn to dusk. Yes, they used child labor in that mill until it was outlawed, but that is another story.
The woman who told me today's story lived on that Mill Hill in the early days of the 20th century. This story haunted her even as she spoke it, wide eyed and horrified decades after it happened. Here's what she said:
I just got supper on the table when my ol' man come running up the hill a'yellin', "OPEN THE DOOR!!! FOR GOD'S SAKE, WOMAN, OPEN THE DOOR!!!"
I told the children to sit on down for supper, as I hurried to open the front door.
He was around the bend in the road down the hill when I first went to the porch, but soon I could see him comin'. He come runnin' faster'n I'd a'thought possible. He never slowed a bit coming up those porch steps and through that door pushing me inside as he slammed it, bolted it, and pushed a chair under the knob a'fore running for the shotgun.
That thing a'chasin him hit that door so hard the door groaned under the weight, 'bout the time my ol' man got the shotgun loaded. He shot both barrels point blank at that door. Blowed a hole in it big enough for me to push my fist through, if I'd been so a'mind.
Whatever that was on our porch screamed like a Banshee. High like. Made my blood run cold, that scream. We heard that thing bolt off the porch and leave, but we never went outside that night, and I didn't sleep much at all. Took forever to get the children settled.
The next morning we went out and there were claw marks a inch deep on our front door, and a dark trail going into the wood. We followed that trail a'ways, but it trickled and ended like the thing was healin' quick as it run. Darnedest think I ever did see. Didn't leave narry'a footprint. Like it was a ghost or somethin' worse.
After that we'd hear it now and then a'screamin' out in the wood. Always at night. High pitched like a woman screamin'. Give you cold chills to hear it.
My ol' man said it was Booger Jim chased him. He said that thing was near eight feet tall and black as soot. It could put its hands on the ground and run like a beast or walk on two legs like a man.
They give him an awful hard time about it at work. They said it were a bear or a panther, but if my ol' man said it was Booger Jim, then it was Booger Jim. That's all I got to say about it. That shotgun would'a killed a bear or a panther.
That's the best of my Booger Jim stories. It was told to me as true. You decide.
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| Cherokee Falls, South Carolina |
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| Cherokee Falls, South Carolina |
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| Cherokee Falls, South Carolina |
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| Broad River in Cherokee Falls, South Carolina |
I was born in Cherokee falls. Lived on several million hills. Mainly on do little street. I played as a child all over the hills and all in the words. Alone at times. Never saw or heard anything anywhere. I did hear stories but that is all.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Cherokee Falls. My grandparents owned a house on Cherokee Ford Rd, and now reside on Bachelor Dr. My great grandma lived on Bear Creek Rd. I've only heard the stories. Been in and out of the woods and curves of Cherokee Falls and never seen or heard anything. My grandpa went hunting once and was pretty shaken by a black panther he saw. No one believed him, because, well, panthers aren't supposed to be around these parts. Could've been booger Jim! Who knows? Still, very good story!
ReplyDeleteyeah me too when we was kids that way moma and Daddy's Way of making us come in the house at night haha lol
DeleteMy family lived in Cherokee falls when I was little we heard different stories but if we were bad they would always say booger Jim gonna get you ��
ReplyDeleteSo....what is the story with Booger Jim ? Who is he ? where did he live ? How did he originate ? Is he a native of Cherokee Falls....whats the story on him ?
ReplyDeleteThat is a very good question. Stories about Booger Jim go back at least more than 100 years, so the true answer to that question may never be known. Booger Jim has been used to scare children in and around Cherokee County, SC for generations, but the adults generally try to rationalize him as a bear or a panther. In more recent years some have added Bigfoot to their musings, but no one really knows. There are many Booger Jim stories. Some have him living under a bridge. Others say he lives in "Booger Jim Hole" which is a cave. I'm sure all the stories have a grain of truth in them. Some are more true than others. This lady's experience I'd say is at least mostly true. What was his original story? Who was he? Your guess is as good as mine.
DeleteGood stuff here. The house is that dude lived in supposed to be standing still. It would be cool to walk in there probably lots of energy in there...spooky
ReplyDeleteWe need some paranormal invest investigaters to come and do some investigating
DeleteI think they do have a haunted trail named Booger Jim going on now. It would be cool if we could go in the house
ReplyDeleteMy Mom & her family grew up in Cherokee Falls. I spent my childhood playing on the many hills there. Heard stories of Booger Jim from my Mom & others there. She said he lived in the woods around the curves. From the depot curve to the dolittle creek bridge. Needless to say I still keep my windows up and doors locked at night when I drive through those curves. Spooky! LOL
ReplyDeleteSo many misinterpretations over the years, from Booger Jim haunting Broad River Bridge to his being alive in 1975.
ReplyDeleteThe story goes way back before my father lived there in 1940s. Have heard of him all my life. Only as a teenager did I venture to the Falls w/friends to find him. We went by the rules - cross over the old railway, go around the curve, till you come to nothing but wooded hills on both sides of the road. No lights. Call his name 3 times and wait.
Well. Didn't work but I don't blame Booger Jim because there were 6 girls screaming at every little noise. Yes, there were sounds coming thru the woods but we were too scared it was him to stay and see!
Legend says he was a middle-aged man who lived in Cherokee Falls when he died too soon and in some unnatural way....so his spirit still roams the hills to this day.
There were panthers many years ago, another legend of lil Sally Whitaker being attacked by one and therefore the namesake for Whitaker Mountain.
Its a true story I was told that u can see booger Jim after midnight I've seen my self cause I didn't believe it at first I grew up in Cherokee falls
ReplyDeleteI lived on Cobb rd in Cherokee falls n me n my ex husband was on our way home from work at 1am and right pass the mill houses the street we turn on the was a tall figure solid black just standing there look like it eyes glowed but it scared me to death so I never to that way again I finally moved and don't in Cherokee falls no more but if I ever have to go I will go the long way around I will never go the other way its been 7yrs n it stills scared me
ReplyDeleteThey say his wife hung him off that bridge with bungee cables, and that he is horrifcally disfigured, and that his vocal cords can only scream
ReplyDeleteI lived right across from the old mill for many years. I've seen him up on the dirt rd at the old cemetery when I was a child. All I can say is that there is a darkness in Cherokee falls that is darker than the dark. It literally took my breath. As far as booger Jim. He's a tall man in trench coat and brimmed hat. Just a shadowy figure as dark as sin. He is definitely an old evil.
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