A staff report
Photo shared by Boost the Boro, Inc. Facebook page
The chilling tale of the Vampire Beast began in the nearby town of Bladenboro, North Carolina, on December 29, 1953. A local woman was alarmed by the barking and whimpering of her neighbors’ dogs. Stepping outside to investigate, she caught a glimpse of a large, cat-like creature disappearing into the night. This marked the first sighting of what would become known as the Beast of Bladenboro. Just two days later, the creature would strike again.
On New Year’s Eve, Bladenboro Police Chief Roy Fores received a disturbing call from Woody Storm, a local farmer. Two of Storm’s dogs had been viciously killed by an unknown animal. Their bodies were found completely drained of blood, a detail that sent a wave of fear through the community.
Reports of similar attacks started pouring in from all over the county. One witness, D.G. Pait, recounted seeing a large creature attack and drag a dog into the woods near his service station. Descriptions of the beast were eerily consistent—an animal “like a bear or a panther,” about three feet long, twenty inches high, with a long tail and a face resembling a cat. Some locals also reported hearing an unnerving scream from the swamps, described as sounding “like a woman being stabbed.”
On January 1, two more dogs were found dead, their bodies also drained of blood. Alarmed by the growing number of attacks, Chief Fores decided to take action. He called in a team of professional hunters from Wilmington to track down the mysterious creature. As they scoured the area, Chief Fores claimed to have seen large footprints, “the size of a silver dollar.”
Then, on January 5, the beast reportedly attacked a human. Mrs. C.E. Kinslaw was startled by the sound of whimpering dogs outside her home. When she went to investigate, she saw a large, cat-like creature rushing toward her. Her screams brought her husband running, scaring off the beast, which fled into the woods.
The local and regional media quickly picked up the story, and soon hunters from as far away as Tennessee flocked to Bladenboro, eager to capture the beast. Over 600 hunters, including a group of armed fraternity brothers from UNC Chapel Hill, converged on the small town, hoping to claim the creature as a trophy.
Speculation about the beast’s true identity ran rampant. Some believed it was a Carolina Panther, a large cat thought to have gone extinct in the region. Others suspected a coyote or feral dog was to blame. Most, however, were determined to kill whatever it was in order to solve the mystery.
As fear spread, the town’s nighttime streets emptied. Ev Butler, a local resident at the time, recalled, “Night was when the terror began. As soon as the sun set, everyone in the west part of town went indoors and stayed there unless it was absolutely necessary to go out.” Butler’s family, like many others, relied heavily on “thunder jugs,” large containers used indoors to avoid venturing outside to the outdoor privies during the scare.
With tensions mounting, Bladenboro Mayor Bob Fussell and Chief Fores decided to bring the hunt to an end. On January 13, they displayed a large bobcat that had been trapped by a local farmer, hoisting it up a flagpole in the town center. A sign beneath it read, “This is the Beast of Bladenboro.”
As the hunters left town and the panic subsided, the attacks ceased. Whatever the Beast of Bladenboro had been, it disappeared as quickly as it had come, vanishing back into the swamps from where it had first emerged. Yet, the legend lives on.
Bladenboro hasn’t forgotten its infamous visitor. Each year, Boost the Boro, Inc., a local non-profit commemorates the with its annual Beast Fest. Although the beast has not been sighted in over 50 years, it grows in popularity.
This year, the organizers of the event joined Dan Sellers, host and producer of The Carolina Haints Podcast in downtown Bladenboro to unveil a new historical marker dedicated to the “Vampire Beast.” The sign, part of the Legends & Lore series, commemorates the terrifying events of 1953 and was sponsored by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation and the North Carolina Folklife Institute.
The sign reads:
“LEGENDS & LORE
17th Annual Beast Fest
VAMPIRE BEAST
October 25th-26th
IN 1953, THE SMALL TOWN OF BLADENBORO WAS TERRORIZED BY A MYSTERIOUS CAT-LIKE CREATURE THAT ATTACKED LOCAL ANIMALS, DRAINING THEIR BLOOD.”
Boost the Boro, Inc., posted their excitement about the new marker last week on social media, thanking Dan Sellers and the team behind the Carolina Haints podcast for helping to honor the town’s dark folklore. “Make sure you stop and take a picture with our new sign when you are at Beast Fest next weekend!” the post encouraged.
Sellers, and researcher Jeffrey Cochran, are both passionate about folklore and have explored the Beast of Bladenboro story in depth. Sellers, also a filmmaker, said in an interview, “I created Carolina Haints as a way to share the folklore I love. It’s as simple as that.”
Their work culminated in the release of Carolina Haints: Ghosts, Folklore, and Mysteries of the Old North State, a book expanding on the legends explored in the podcast. With personal narratives, interviews, and on-site investigations, the book delves into the state’s haunted past, including tales of the Boojum, the Moon-Eyed People, and the Devil’s Tramping Ground. For more about Carolina Haints, visit carolinahaints.com.
Bladenboro’s Vampire Beast may have disappeared, but the story still fascinates locals and visitors alike. Whether you’re a believer or a skeptic, one thing is certain—the Beast of Bladenboro has become an enduring part of North Carolina’s folklore. The event you have been waiting for is happening this Friday and Saturday, October 25 and 26, 2024 in downtown Bladenboro, NC. The Beast Fest offers live music from local artists to favorite bands, amusement rides, trunk or treat, a large variety of food and craft vendors, contests, and more. Mark your calendar and enjoy the local festivities.
Reference links:
Listen to the podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-carolina-haints-podcast/id1279069799
Find out more at https://schifferbooks.com/products/carolina-haints?srsltid=AfmBOor7CWdvSg8j2xovWw7swNNlRM4aze8n2A44_vZuQjmziLgIB3i_
https://northcarolinaghosts.com/piedmont/beast-bladenboro/
https://youtu.be/TymoBc7dCwE?si=fLX14gR1JN_UPQJj
http://www.boosttheboro.org/legend-of-the-beast.html