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BARROW JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2008
Happy Halloween: Barrow’s most haunted
PLACE OF TORMENT
Nodoroc was described as a ‘place of torment’ by
Native Americans.
BY KRISTI REED
B arrow County has
several locations
rumored to be haunt
ed. Many are private residenc
es, but some are public loca
tions. Investigators from the
Barrow County Paranormal
Society weigh in on three of
the more well known haunt
ing:
NODOROC
Located approximately
three miles east of Winder,
Nodoroc bears little resem
blance to the “place of tor
ment” once described by
Native Americans.
Two hundred years ago,
Nodoroc was the site of a
geophysical phenomenon.
Referred to by early Indians
as “hell,” Nodoroc was once
the site of an active mud vol
cano.
Early settlers described the
five acre site as a boiling pit
of mud.
In “The Early History of
Jackson County, Georgia” by
Gustavus James Nash Wilson
and William Ellis White,
Nodoroc is referred to as a
forsaken place avoided by
the earliest inhabitants of the
county.
During the first known
Anglo-Saxon expedition to
the area, explorers found evi
dence of an ancient settlement
at the site.
A triangular stone temple,
with sides 12 feet long and
eight feet high, stood at the
western edge of the volcano.
In the wall facing the lake,
was an opening approximate
ly five feet high and just over
two feet wide. It is believed
the temple was used for sac
rificial rites by prehistoric
races.
Inside the temple was a
stone altar with three steps,
each marked with images of
fire. The altar was later pur
chased by Georgia Governor
George Gilmer and relocated
to his residence in Lexington.
According to legend,
Nodoroc was considered by
the Creek Indians to be a
gateway to hell guarded by a
creature now known as “the
Wog of Winder.”
The Creeks believed all bad
spirits were sent to Nodoroc.
The mud volcano was also
used to execute prisoners.
In 1810, years after the
early settlers had purchased
Nodoroc and the area around
it from the Creeks for fourteen
pounds of beads, the volcano
exploded and became silent.
Even after the volcano
became dormant, rumors of
the mythical devil dog, the
Wog, persisted.
In Beadland to Barrow by
C. Fred Ingram, the Wog is
described as “jet black, long
haired, the size of a small
horse with very short legs.
He had repulsive red eyes
and a forked tongue. His bear
shaped head held a set of big
teeth which were always in
evidence.”
Ingram wrote that the Wog's
only mission appeared to be
frightening people and ani
mals.
“The early settlers learned
from the Indians that if they
left him alone he would go
away without doing any
harm,” Ingram wrote.
William Colley of the
Barrow County Paranormal
Society said paranormal activ
ity at Nodoroc is possible due
to the traumatic incidents that
reportedly occurred at the
location.
To his knowledge, no para
normal investigation has been
conducted at the site.
BARROW COUNTY
ANNEX BUILDING
Once the home of the
Winder-Barrow Hospital, the
Barrow County Annex build
ing is believed by some to be
haunted by the ghost of a for
mer hospital orderly known as
“Old Snake.”
Despite his sinister sound
ing name. Old Snake was
reportedly a good orderly
who enjoyed his work at the
hospital.
According to legend, Old
Snake liked the hospital so
much, he did not retire - even
after he died.
The most frequently told
tale involving Old Snake con
cerns his favorite chair.
When not working, Old
Snake would spend his time
sitting in his chair in the hos
pital basement.
After Snake died, the chair
was thrown out with the gar
bage.
The next day, the chair had
reappeared in the spot where
Old Snake had left it.
Each time someone attempt
ed to get rid of the chair,
it would show up again in
its original spot. After sev
eral attempts to get rid of the
chair, it was left in the base
ment where Snake apparently
wanted it.
People who have worked
at the annex building have
reported hearing strange nois
es late at night or sensing an
unearthly presence.
Others have reported seeing
an apparition in a red shirt
which they believe to be Old
Snake.
It is not known if Old Snake's
chair is still in the basement at
the annex building or if there
have been any recent reports
of ghostly activities.
Rodney Bennett of the
BCPS said this rumored haunt
ing may be residual energy
from the man known as Old
Snake. Bennett said Snake
may have felt a bond with the
place and may feel he is still
doing his job. According to
Bennett, spirits who feel they
have unfinished business may
remain to haunt a location and
not even be aware that they
are dead.
BARROW COUNTY
MUSEUM
Built in 1915, the Barrow
County Museum building was
originally used as the county's
jail.
Not only were prisoners
housed in the building, but
several sheriffs and their fami
lies lived on site.
Several of the original
jail cells, including a win
dowless, un-lighted solitary
confinement cell, have been
preserved and the museum is
full of artifacts connected to
hundreds, if not thousands, of
Barrow citizens.
see Haunted on page 11A
SNAKE CHAIR
This chair, legend has it, belonged to a former hospital
orderly known as “Old Snake.” Photos by Kristi Reed
HANG ‘EM HIGH
The Barrow County Museum was not officially used for
hanging when it was built almost 100 years ago, but
rumors abound a few may have taken place.
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