The Devil Spiders of the Catskills

In the section titled, “Every Holler Has A Creature,” Muncy and Schultz explore Appalachia’s “holler life” through several stories they have collected over their research. In its most narrow definition, a holler is a “small, sheltered valley that usually but not necessarily has a watercourse.”

But, as the authors point out: 

“[I]f you are from a holler, you know there is a lot more to a holler than that simple definition … Most homes in the holler will have a front porch that people actually use. They will sit on it and shell peas and green beans. Other people will come by and sit on the porch with you. There will be discussions about crooked politicians and the latest community gossip. In the evenings, someone will bring out a fiddle, guitar or banjo and will make the sweetest, most amazing music you have ever heard. Sometimes you can hear the music miles down the holler.” 

In this first of three excerpts from Eerie Appalachia, the authors recount a short tale about the dangers of letting barns fall into disrepair.

The Devil Spider

Hudson Valley, New York

In the early 1920s, a family in New York State tells a tale of exploring their inherited farmland from the early 1800s. They found a forgotten barn that had been nearly reclaimed by nature. There was no record of this barn on their property, so it had to predate the family ownership. As they approached it, they noticed a large number of skeletal remains of animals nearby. Fearing that poachers were using the barn for a base of activity, they approached with caution.

Once in the barn, the family could not believe the sheer number of cobwebs strewn through the nearly collapsed barn. It was obvious that no one had been in here for years. One of the younger boys mentioned that the spider webs were as strong as steel; they were unable to cut through some of them.

As they disturbed the webbing, dozens of dog-sized spiders came pouring out of the seemingly endless tunnels of cobwebs. The youngest boy noted that one of them was as tall as he was. A great creaking of the wooden frame of the barn was then heard by all. The family had already begun to run back to the entrance.

The father then turned and saw a giant spider leg as tall as a horse come out of the webbing as he slammed the door to the old barn shut. Fearing for his family’s life, he ran to the car and got a can of gas. He lit the barn on fire in the hopes of killing all the “Devil Spiders.”

After the fire finished consuming the barn, the family went to town to report what they had discovered. Many in town realized that they had been losing livestock for years and always thought it was coyotes or a thief.

They went to the remains of the burned barn and found an old private mine entrance in the basement. They followed it down, and still more webs were everywhere. Within they found a giant spider as big as the mine tunnel blocking further access. Again, killing the creature with fire seemed to be the only solution.

The curious after effect of this story is that families in the area will never let a barn fall into disrepair, unlike many other barns in other parts of the state.

Mark Muncy

Mark Muncy is the creator of Hellview Cemetery, a charity haunted house in Central Florida that was so infamous it was banned by the City of St. Petersburg. An author of horror and science fiction, Mark has spent more than three decades collecting ghostly tales and reports of legendary beasts. He is also the author of Eerie Florida and Freaky Florida. He lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, on the remains of an ancient midden with his wife, Kari Schultz. Occasionally, he is visited by his daughters when they remember he is still there.

Kari Schultz

Kari Schultz is a varied illustrator at Fox Dream Studio who enjoys fantasy and horror. She has been working on art as long as she can remember and reading folklore and horror almost as long. She is the author of Eerie Appalachia, Eerie Alabama, Eerie Florida and others.