Somewhere, in the Great North Woods… deep in the valley below the Mystery Pines… sits an old log cabin”. That was part of an old folktale, shared by the locals in the West Virginia foothills near Rock Creek W. Va. for decades. But, was it just a tale?
In the late 1800’s, near the turn of the century, a small town named Rock Creek, sat in one of the roughest parts of West Virginia’s more than 12 million acres of forest. The town surrounded the south end of Promise Lake, with a few houses on the east side and a few more on the west side. At the north end of the lake were the treacherous mountains and dense forests of the “Great North Woods”. Except for a handful of hunters and trappers, few people had ever ventured into those woods. It was simply too easy to become lost! That’s where our story begins.
One summer day, an adventurous teenage boy from the south end of the lake, named Jacob, and a couple of his friends set out to hike a part of the North Woods. They were attempting to find the legendary “Mystery Pines” they had heard so much about! The Mystery Pines were said to be a large area in the North Woods with a hundred perfectly spaced rows of beautifully shaped Christmas trees that covered many acres. Most people didn’t believe they really existed. However, at least one local hunter and a couple of trackers claimed to have seen it themselves! Remarkably, on this particular day, Jacob and his friends would somehow stumble upon the elusive Mystery Pines.
As they stood there in awe, Jacob bravely suggested they try hiking through the thick brush into the valley below to look for the legendary “old log cabin”, a well known part of local folklore. His friends were very apprehensive, but Jacob was insistent and they decided to try! After a while, just as they were becoming unmercifully tired and hopelessly lost, the mystical log cabin appeared right there in front of them! It really did exist! They slowly crept closer to get a better look, when a rather large old man with a long white beard appeared from around the far corner of the cabin, carrying an ax and firewood. He stopped, looked their way and said: “You kids should probably head home soon”. The boys took off running as fast as they could! They ran down an inexplicably clear pathway that seemed to somehow magically appear. The path led them through the corner of the Mystery Pines, and then down an old road that took them directly back home! When they told their story, almost no one believed them.
A couple of years later, two young girls named Katie and Becky, from the east side of the lake, would go on a hike with an older boy from their school. For some reason they trusted this boy and so they followed him. Soon, realizing they were lost, they too found themselves standing right at the edge of the infamous Mystery Pines. Despite their better judgment, they would also venture into the valley to look for the fabled log cabin.
After a while, just like Jacob and the boys a couple of summers before, they would find the mysterious log cabin deep in the valley below. They slowly approached to get a better look, and when perhaps only 20 yards away, they heard the front door open and out stepped a rather large, bearded, old man! He sat down in his rocking chair to drink his coffee. The kids had already ducked behind some bushes and were now forced to hide there for what seemed like an eternity! Finally, when his coffee was gone, the large old man stood up and walked to his front door. As he entered, he turned and looked back their way, and in a calm voice said: “You kids should probably head home soon”. After the door closed, they took off running down an unbelievably clear path to the corner of the Mystery Pines and followed an old road that led them right back home! And as they expected, very few believed their story. Most said it was nothing more than some old folktale.
At the time, all of the young people from Rock Creek attended high school at nearby “North River High” in Stoney Rapids, W. Va. In their senior year, Jacob and Katie, perhaps having so much in common with similar stories of the “Mystery Pines” etc., fell in love. A couple of years later they would be married, and the year after that, their son Mathew was born. Then, just two years later, they had twin girls they named Holly and Sarah.
One afternoon, just two days before Christmas, in the winter of 1912, Mathew, now 13, and the twins Holly and Sarah who were 11, went sled riding on the big hill located at the northeast end of Promise Lake. The year 1912 was a very historic one! New Mexico and Arizona becoming the 47th and 48th States, the sinking of the Titanic happened in April, the Balkan Wars began in October, Woodrow Wilson was elected President, and in March of 1912, the first Oreo cookies were sold at a store in Hoboken, NJ. But to the folks of Rock Creek, what would take place on the big hill, that unforgettable day, would be the most important event of that year.
As the kids were preparing to slide down the hill, a beautiful white dove landed on an old log near Holly’s sled. Doves were rarely seen in that part of the country, especially in winter. The girls called it a Christmas miracle, but Mathew said all that Christmas stuff was just nonsense! That’s not true, said Holly! Soon, Mathew and Sarah slid down the hill. When they returned to the top, however, Holly was nowhere to be found! The other kids told them she had followed a white bird into the trees. They helped Mathew and Sarah call for Holly, but were too afraid to enter the North Woods. But Mathew and Sarah bravely walked among the huge trees and thick brush into the woods. Before too long though, Sarah also became lost! Mathew called and called for his sisters, but didn’t get an answer! He ran home as fast as he could through the heavy snow for help!
Word spread quickly, and every person in Rock Creek took part in the search for those two lost little girls. However when darkness set in, they made the difficult decision to suspend the search until the following day. The next morning on Christmas Eve, it was cold and snowing steadily. But the whole town came out to join in the search again. Experience hunters, trappers and others would search the Great North Woods. As the day ended, however, there was sadly no good news to report.
On Christmas morning, the search was to begin again at noon. Residents of Stoney Rapids would also join in the search, along with a professional tracker and his trained dogs! He told the searchers if they found anything, they should blow their whistles 3 times, pause, then blow them 3 more times and everyone would come running!
Before dawn, however, Mathew was already up, dressed, and ready to search for his sisters… and maybe a Christmas miracle! He was feeling responsible for his sisters being lost. He wanted to search a different part of the Great North Woods, where folks claimed to have seen the log cabin and mythical old man of the woods. He told his parents: “I know he’s not real, but if a cabin does exist, then maybe they’ve found it”! Katie told Mathew that if it exists, it might be impossible to find and may no longer be standing. That’s when both Katie and Jacob realized it had been well over 15 years since their encounters with the old man of the Great North Woods. Jacob’s mind was in doubt. He knew that no one who had seen the cabin, was able to find it again. And he too, had tried and failed! But without taking time for breakfast, they headed out on a long journey to search for their two precious little girls!
Surprisingly however, in what seemed like almost no time at all, when they approached something they believed they would never see again… the illusive Mystery Pines! Mathew stood frozen in amazement! Katie said to Jacob, who was nearly speechless: “I think we know where to go now”! They proceeded into the valley, through the heavy brush and deep snow with cautious anticipation. Then suddenly Mathew yelled: “That’s it, that’s the cabin”! They stopped dead in their tracks! This time, there would be no hiding in the bushes or running away! They walked slowly toward the door with great trepidation! And as Jacob lifted his hand to knock, the door came flying open and to their delight, Holly and Sarah rushed into their arms… hugging them all!
Joyfully, the girls hurried them over to the table to sit down! Sarah said: “Mr. Nicholas told us you would be here soon!” Katie quickly realized that there were five places set at the table! A large old man with a snow white beard sat in the corner by the fire, carving wooden toys. He stood up and walked over to the table with a pan full of something that smelled very good! Then he said: “you must be hungry, you haven’t eaten”! Jacob started to say that he and Katie were the parents, but the large old man interrupted: “I already know who you are, you’ve both been here before”! Then, pulling his coat on, he said we need firewood and started out the door. Mathew asked if he could go, too! When they returned, the old man piled the wood by the fireplace. He then started toward the door once more, and this time he looked back at them and said: “You kids should probably head home soon”! After finishing their breakfast, the kids gather-up the wooden toys that Mr. Nicholas had made for them and headed to the door. Mathew yelled: “Wait”! He ran back to the table and got the whistle Mr. Nicholas had given him!
When they got outside, they couldn’t believe their eyes! The snow had stopped and the sun was shining brightly! The sunlight glistened off the snow covered the branches, making the entire valley look like a giant Christmas card by Currier and Ives! Mr. Nicholas was gone, but on the branch of a perfectly shaped pine tree, was the most beautiful white dove anyone has ever seen. Suddenly, it flew off in the direction of home! Right in front of them was a clear, snow free path that led through the valley and up the side of the ridge to the Mystery Pines. Once through the corner of the Pines, they followed a strangely familiar looking road that would lead them right back home!
As they walked out of the Great North Woods, near the top of the sled riding hill, Mathew stopped and loudly blew his whistle 3 times! Katie asked: “What are you doing, Mathew?” “It’s what Mr. Nicholas told me I must do”! Then he blew it loudly, 3 more times! In no time at all, the people began gathering around them to celebrate! And there on an old log, sat that beautiful white dove… It quickly flew away, never to be seen again!
A great deal happened in 1912, but nothing more memorable for the people of Rock Creek than The Gift From The North Woods, “The day they got their two lost little girls back”. And although no one could ever explain it… a box of Oreo Cookies mysteriously appeared on every door step in Rock Creek on that joyous Christmas Day! □
Merry Christmas To All…
