Alabama Lore: The Choccolocco Monster, Huggin' Molly, the Lost Town of Cottonport and Other Mysterious Tales

by Wil Elrick

Join author Wil Elrick as he explores the history behind some of the Cotton State's weird and legendary tales.
Mysterious 1989 UFO sightings brought more than 4,000 visitors to the tiny town of Fyffe, population 1,300. Legends of the Alabama White Thang - an elusive, hairy creature with a shrill shriek - persisted in the state for a century. Just outside Huntsville's historic Maple Hill Cemetery lies an eerie playground where the ghosts of departed children are rumored to play in the dead of night. After hundreds of unexplained sightings, the town of Evergreen declared itself the Bigfoot Capital of Alabama. Alabama is a weird and wonderful place with a colorful history steeped in folk tales passed from generation to generation.

128 pages, Paperback

Published July 23, 2018

Reviews

[Eddy Gilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not know what to expect from this book; it was the first of the author's books I purchased. I suspected it might be a standard "ghost story" book complete with rote retelling of stories. Additionally, I have read most of the books written by the author's wife, Kelly Kazak. I love her writing style and was hoping her writing prowess would impact the quality of the book. My hope was realized.
 
Within moments of receiving my copy, which was hand delivered to my doorstep by the author, I knew this book was different. The book is less than 125 pages with average chapter length of 5 pages. The paper is coated and "slick" making it comfortable to read while feeling heavier than its thickness. The paper quality also provides the black and white pictures the perfect medium for clear viewing.
 
The book is an enjoyable and enlightening read. Recounting stories of "Huggin' Molly", "Cry Baby Hollow", and "The Choccolocco Monster", Elrick pairs the right amount of historical facts juxtaposed against lore and fable. The pairing makes for an engaging journey to the strange and unexplained locations in Alabama told by a master storyteller. Imagine sitting around a campfire on a chilly, late Fall evening. A full Moon playing hide-n-seek behind clouds blown by a stiff, North wind. A Sasquatch sized storyteller standing 6'7" with a large hat pulled low over his brow, clears his throat. All eyes turn towards him; the dancing flames from the fire casting eerie shadows on his bearded face. Soon his stories send a shiver up your spine, goose bumps appear on your skin. The wind feels much cooler.
 
At the conclusion of each "ghost story" Elrick assumes the persona of Jonathan Frakes providing possible explanations much like Frakes did on Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction. Some of the explanations make sense and it is easy to dismiss, others, well you just need to read the book and make up your mind

[Suzanne LaPierre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky stories of myths, legends, and mysteries set in Alabama, abundantly illustrated. Although some involve mythic beasts such the Alabama White Thang and Huggin' Molly, my favorites are the ones that reveal some of the history of the state, such as those set in cemeteries. The Dead Children's Playground resides next to a cemetery where many of the children who died during the Spanish Flu epidemic are buried. The Spirits of Old Georgia Cemetery reveals how some citizens are treated unequally even in death. There are few stories set in Civil War times, too. Some of the tales are similar to others around the US and even in other countries, proving our attachment to certain symbolic stories that are cautionary or just plain spooky. The author does a good job of trying to separate the myth from the history, but I think he left a few holes around Bigfoot- like why don't they just do a DNA sample on that supposed Bigfoot scat and hair?! Fun reading, though.

[Talea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this little book. It was cool reading about new legends and rereading some old classics for one of my favorite states. There was White Thang, Bigfoot, and the ghosts of the USS Alabama mentioned among others. The writing style was like sitting on the back porch with the one family member that tries to be diplomatic about all the stories you hear about growing up southern (or anywhere else for that matter). ‘I am not saying it’s real or not, but the story goes...’ which keeps it fun. I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves Alabama, folk-lore, and if you’re both, well that’s the cherry on top.

[Leslie Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enlightening and almost as enjoyable as hearing this author tell these stories in person:)

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable introduction to some of the legends and other strange tales found in Alabama.

[Catie Merchant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading about mysterious stories of alabama. The last story about Cahawba, I love hearing about it, brings back special memories of childhood.

[Rebecca Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy, fun reading. Good for telling ghost stories around a campfire.