The Pope Lick Monster

Some legends are harmless, a simple story passed down from generation to generation, a gentle collaboration of faith and fallacy whose origins are more often conjured from a twisted imagination rather than the fangs of reality. These stories are designed to teach the naïve a message, a subliminal moral where the victim, due to the results of consequence receives another chance and the invaluable gift of enlightenment. However, there are times when the truth pursues a darker path, a gross distortion of myth and actuality whose lessons are undesirable and often permanent.

The water of the Pope Lick Creek trickles its way through the Fisherville area of Louisville, Kentucky, its casual twist and turns are overshadowed by a menacing past. The Norfolk Southern Railway trestle that towers 100 feet over the flowing creek has a boundary of rolling hills and dense forest make the whistle of the oncoming train nearly impossible, a considerable danger that has caused the trestle to become the self-proclaimed territory of a creature whose sole intent is to lure victims ultimately to their demise.

Sightings of the Pope Lick monster began in the late 1940’s, with the creature being described as faun-like in structure. A half human half goat chimera, whose body resembled the grotesque perversion of a man, an alabaster skinned face with an aquiline nose and wide set eyes. Sharp, gnarled horns protrude from the forehead and are nestled in long, greasy hair. The creature’s fur covered legs are powerful and resemble a goat's hind legs in appearance. There are several theories on the origin of the Pope Lick monster, to date, however, none of the hypotheses have been verified.

The monster seems to derive sadistic pleasure terrorizing all of those trespassing along the trestle. The Pope Lick monster has been known to harass individuals by bombarding them with stones and making disturbing noises. The creature’s ability to mimic loved one’s voices contributes the most to trestle’s body count. Voice mimicry combined with the area’s odd acoustics provide the Pope Lick monster with the perfect venue for luring the unfortunate to their deaths. Hearing the frantic plea of a loved one in peril individuals race to the tracks to find themselves facing an oncoming train and a uncertain fate. Forced to outrun the train or chance the 100 foot drop often results in the turmoil of the would be heroes.

Does this human-goat hybrid really exist? A merciless monster who finds delight in the torment of others? Have you experienced recognizable voices without a concrete source beckoning from the night? Have you followed their call? Have you lost a friend or family member to this type of phenomenon? I want to hear your story. Do you know the true origin Pope Lick monster? I want to hear your explanation.

Some of your stories and explanations will appear in my upcoming book on Calling Ghosts and Spirits, the rest will appear on this blog for the world to read.

Please e-mail your stories to tir_firnath@hotmail.com for privacy. Please type the entry into the body of the e-mail (double-space between paragraphs). Don’t send attachments. For all stories, please include contact information in case I have questions.

Tir Firnath Paranormal, the readers, and all those who’ve faced an uncertain fate we thank you.

Ryan Straub