Thomas Bay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thomas Bay |
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A kayak route passing through Thomas Bay, Alaska
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 Thomas Bay
Location in Alaska
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| Coordinates | 57°01′53″N 132°51′13″W / 57.03139°N 132.85361°W |
| Type | Bay |
Thomas Bay is a large bay located in Southeast Alaska. It is found northeast of Petersburg, Alaska. The Baird Glacier flows into the bay. Thomas Bay is sometimes called "The Bay of Death." This name comes from a huge landslide that happened there in 1750. It also earned the name "Devil's Country" because some people claimed to see strange creatures in the area around 1900.
The bay was named after Charles M. Thomas, an officer in the U.S. Navy.
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Nature and Resources
Thomas Bay is known for having a lot of gold and quartz. The area is home to many animals. You can find moose, brown bears, black bears, squirrels, wolves, and rabbits here. People have also used the land in this area for logging, which means cutting down trees.
The Bay of Death Story
In 1750, a village of Tlingit people was located on Thomas Bay. A very large landslide completely buried this village. More than 500 Alaska Native people died in this natural disaster. After that day, the bay was called "The Bay of Death." In the Tlingit language, this name is "Geey Nana."
The Devil's Country Legend
Around 1900, stories began to spread about strange "devil creatures" in the Thomas Bay area. The first written account was by Harry D. Colp. Colp and three friends were staying in Wrangell, Alaska. One of his friends, Charlie, heard a story from an Alaska Native. The native man told Charlie where to find gold in Thomas Bay.
Charlie was told to camp on the right side of the Patterson River. He was to travel upriver for about 8 miles (13 km). Then he should turn towards the high mountains. After going about 1.5 miles (2.4 km), he would find a lake shaped like a half-moon.
Charlie went to look for this gold in May 1900. When he returned in June 1900, he was missing his coat and hat. His canoe was empty except for a large piece of quartz.
Moon Lake and Strange Creatures
Charlie said he arrived in Thomas Bay but could not find the half-moon shaped lake at first. Instead, he spent some time near an S-shaped lake, which is actually called Ess Lake. He noticed that the area around the lake seemed strangely empty of life. There were no squirrels or birds.
After finding the large piece of quartz, he climbed to the top of a ridge to get his bearings. From there, he could see Frederick Sound and other landmarks. Behind the ridge, Charlie finally saw the half-moon shaped lake. This is where the Patterson Glacier ends, and the lake drains into the Patterson River.
It was at this point that Charlie claimed a group of "devil creatures" started coming up the ridge from the half-moon shaped lake. Charlie said he barely managed to escape them. He claimed they scratched his back. He never went back to that area.
Descriptions of the Creatures
People who have reported seeing these creatures often become very upset. The creatures are described as looking like neither humans nor monkeys. They are said to be covered with rough hair and have oozing sores. They also have a bad smell. They are about 4 feet (1.2 m) tall and have claw-like fingers.
In 1925, a trapper reported losing his dog in the hills near Thomas Bay. He found strange tracks that looked like a mix of bear and human footprints. The trapper returned later to find his traps. Some were sprung, some were not, and some were destroyed. He went to look for his dog but was never seen again.
In 1974, Harry Colp's daughter, Virginia, was interviewed. She knew her father's story very well. She believed her father truly experienced what he described. She could not say if the story was true or false. However, she trusted her father's honesty. She also mentioned that a lot of arsenic was thought to be in the water around Thomas Bay. This might or might not help explain the strange events reported by visitors.
Images for kids
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A kayak route passing through Thomas Bay, Alaska
