The Pope Lick Monster

[GeauxHomeLittleD]

Today a couple of us old Rogues decided to take a short field trip to the infamous Pope Lick Trestle, home of the Pope Lick Monster- aka Goatman.

In most accounts, the Pope Lick Monster (named after the Pope Lick Creek below the Pope Lick Train Trestle) appears as a human-goat hybrid with a grotesquely deformed body of a man. It has powerful, fur-covered goat legs, an alabaster-skinned face with an aquiline nose and wide set eyes. Short, sharp horns protrude from the forehead, nestled in long greasy hair that matched the color of the fur on the legs.


Numerous urban legends exist about the creature's origins and the methods it employs to claim its victims. According to some accounts, the creature uses either hypnosis or voice mimicry to lure trespassers to the tressle to meet their death before an oncoming train. Other stories claim the monster jumps down from the trestle onto the roofs of cars passing beneath it. Yet other legends tell that it attacks its victims with a blood-stained ax. It has also been said that the very sight of the creature is so unsettling that those who see it while walking across the high trestle are driven to leap off.

Since I moved to Louisville over 8 years ago there have been several deaths due to people falling from the trestle or jumping from it due to oncoming trains so access is fenced off, however the gate is bent where those with more bravery than brains have squeezed through to try their luck. Such sad occurrences are usually chalked up to poor judgement and alcohol especially since the train tracks are still very active. There is a makeshift memorial set up by those who have lost loved ones who tested the urban legend and lost.

We drove and walked under it but were not accosted by Goatman but judging by the amount of coon berries and fresh water running in the crystal clear creek I'm certain a lot of wildlife is attracted to the area at night which might account for stories of movement and sounds coming from the trees and bushes that line the road. The only voices we heard were those of friendly bicyclists- and they were abundant.

A link for those interested in reading more about the Goatman:
Pope Lick Monster/ Cryptid Wiki

And now some pics!










Planning our next field trip already to the Louisville Witch Tree- if I can wrangle Kdog out of the house again anytime soon! lol!