Dark Tales of the Eno River

Mayhem on the Eno River

Visitors to the Eno River don’t expect to encounter haunted houses, train wrecks or fun outings that turn into tragedy, but some of them have experienced just that. In 1771, a few of America’s first rebels were hanged near the river. An accident at a sawmill led to a series of hauntings. A Valentine’s Day dance became the area’s greatest murder mystery. Train-hopping teenagers had harrowing experiences, and a baby abandoned in a suitcase was found by a nearby farmer. Author and former Eno River State Park ranger Dave Cook details the scary side of a beloved tributary.

Dave Cook was a North Carolina state park ranger for thirty years at five different locations. He spent sixteen years as the superintendent of the Eno River State Park. He spent the last three years as a district superintendent, and Eno River was one of nine parks he supported. After retiring from state parks, he spent more than four years as the Eno River Association education and outreach coordinator. His first exposure to the Eno was camping there as a Boy Scout. He still frequents all the Eno River parks. All stories told in first person are from Cook’s personal experiences.