The Legend of Devils Cave

Near the community of Richmond Hill in Yadkin County is a dirt road at the end of which lies an old quarry long since abandoned. Young people in the area use the quarry as a place to swim or party, either unaware or unafraid of what lies on the other side of the mound of rock. Talk to some of the old people in the community and they'll tell you that the cave on the backside of the quarry is home to none other than the Devil himself.

The legend of Devils cave started with the Native Americans who believed that an all powerful spirit dwelled within it. This spread to the settlers where the myth continued to grow. For years eerie sounds and what sounded like groan could be heard from deep within the cave.

Then, in the early part of the last century, four boys decided to investigate the cave to see if the stories were true. Armed with a couple of lanterns, a slingshot and a baseball bat the made their way to the cave. As they got closer, the sounds of the woods ceased. Birds stopped chirping, the water from the Yadkin river was silent as it flowed by.

The air within the cave was cool and smelled of decay. One boy said aloud "What is that smell?". From deep within the cave came the sound "What is that smell?" The boys were shocked and were about to run from the cave screaming when they realized it was an echo. Relieved, the boys began you shout into the cave. This lasted a few minutes until one of the boys shouted "Come on out here Devil! You're no match for all of us." And there was no echo.

The boys stood frozen in terror. One whispered, "You shouldn't have said that." From the bowels of the cave came the raspy echo "You shouldn't have said that". It was at that time that the boys heard a sound coming up from deep below. They would later describe the sound more like hoof steps than footsteps. They didn't stay around long enough to find out. They dropped the lanterns, bat and slingshot they brought with them and ran as fast as they could go back home. Legend has it that the next day one of the boy's hair had turned white from the experience.

As years go by stories told by elders get lost or become myths. But some, like this one, linger on. The young people who party and swim near the cave may no nothing about it or they may not believe the stories. But no one has ever gone back in to challenge the Devil or to retrieve the lanterns or weapons either. And my guess is no one ever will.