Photo byHaunted West Virginia

Although the name sounds like a snickering child named this area, the truth is much more sinister. Tucked away in the peaceful Rush Fork Valley near Ivydale in northern Clay County, West Virginia, lies a place with a name that instantly sparks curiosity—Booger Hole. This small area, now a whisper of the past, earned its eerie moniker in the early 1900s after a string of mysterious disappearances and murders shocked the local community. "Booger" was a regional term for "bogey" or "bogeyman," making the name even more fitting for a place steeped in tales of violence and fear.

The Murders of Booger Hole

While the number of people who perished in Booger Hole is uncertain, accounts generally range between six and eight victims. Some of these chilling deaths have become embedded in local folklore.

Among the first victims was John Henry, a Russian Jewish peddler who is believed to have entered Booger Hole, never to leave again. He was followed by Joe Clark, a clock repairman who lived at the local schoolhouse, and Henry Hargis, a man allegedly killed for an inheritance. Hargis's body remained undiscovered until the day Lacy Ann Boggs, a tough woman known for her pipe-smoking habit, made a chilling statement. She claimed she could "find Hargis's body before her pipe went out," and sure enough, she did. Ironically, Boggs herself became a victim, supposedly shot while knitting in her living room.

Another mysterious death was that of Preston Tanner, a young man whose death was either murder or an unexplained passing in his sleep, depending on the story. His death is said to have marked the end of the violence in Booger Hole, bringing an end to the region’s tragic and bloody chapter.

"Leaving Booger Hole"

While the exact reason the place became known as Booger Hole is shrouded in mystery, one story suggests it was given the name by a stonemason who lived at the mouth of the valley. Tired of the violence and dark history that tainted the area, the man decided to leave. When asked why he was moving, he reportedly said, "I’m leaving Booger Hole."

Despite its haunting past, Booger Hole is now a quiet, almost forgotten area, close to the path of Interstate 79. Travelers passing between Wallback and Big Otter likely have no idea of the dark stories tied to the land nearby, where once the very mention of "Booger Hole" sent shivers down local spines.

The Legacy of Booger Hole

Though over a century has passed since the murders, the legend of Booger Hole continues to intrigue. The stories remind us of the darker chapters of history in small, forgotten communities and how places earn their names through fear and folklore. Today, Booger Hole stands as an eerie reminder of West Virginia’s past, where fact and fiction blend into legend, creating a tale that endures long after the last of the violence ended.

If you’re ever driving through Clay County, you might feel the chill of Booger Hole’s dark legacy—and remember, even in the most peaceful places, history can hide its ghostly secrets.