Being a national park, Sockjaw has a lot of history as a park, but also as a closed off area of Horne County. This page gives a brief overview of our history starting from before it was a park in the 19th century.

   1886—1946   

In the same year Coca-Cola was invented, people started to settle the land that would be known today as Sockjaw. It had been covered in forest but Horne County, which was still in its earlier years, wanted to use it to develop land and build a community. Sockjaw was small at first because of its nature, but over the years it would become a very beautiful community.

In the early 20th century, and particularly during the 1920's, more development would come to Sockjaw. The Civilian Conservation Corps, or the CCC, provided workers to assist the development of projects in what would later be Sockjaw National Park. CCC workers built the first trails, a majority of the original campgrounds, and prevented fires in the park.

People also recognized its scenic landscapes. One of the more notable artists from our area, Phillip Miller, would paint a picture of what Sockjaw was like in his infancy. His landscape work came to a halt in 1903, however, he continued to take photography of the land until his death in 1959. His work can be seen in the Sockjaw museum near the park. The land that we now know as Sockjaw National Park wouldn't become an official park until 1946, when Congress officially established the land as Sockjaw National Park. This was a pivotal moment not only for the park but Sockjaw itself.

   1947—1980   

Once the park became officially a national park, changes were made to the land. Though the park was still recovering from World War II, a visitor center was built in the park which was at the heart of most current trails. Over the course of the 1950's, the park would undergo certain changes to reduce fire hazard as well as introducing more white-tailed deer in the park for population control. The park would steadily increase in overall visitorship from 1950 into the 1960's and 1970's.

Sockjaw National Park would get a large boost in visitors during the late 1970's due to the rumor spreading that the cryptid, known as the Cervothrope to many, was responsible for the 1978—1980 missing persons cases. Despite the fact that it was just purely conspiracy, the increase in tourism would cement Sockjaw as the official home to the cryptid. There is more information regarding the history of this creature below.

Because of this boost in popularity, the park was able to renovate the trails, including fixing some of the broken bridges, and start hiring more staff and improving the quality of life at Sockjaw National Park.

   1980—Present   

For the twenty years that followed, more and more people would visit Sockjaw for either the views or for the mysterious so-called creature that lurked in the woods. For whatever the reason may be, the park remains to be an educational place for cultural or historical purposes. People of all kinds have enjoyed walking the trails, photographing the mountains or rivers, and making memories at Sockjaw National Park.

There are many cryptids across the United States, such as the Sasquatch or Mothman, but what are cryptids exactly? Cryptids, as described by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, are animals that have been claimed to exist, but it has never been proven. So, as the descriptor would suggest, the Cervothrope has very little evidence suggesting its existence. However, that doesn't stop a large population from believing it does roam the woods of Sockjaw. It's origins date back to the early 20th century, when rumors from the settlement started to grow that a monster in the woods was abducting people and once they went in to the deepest part of the woods, they were never to be seen again. This speculation was ultimately what lead people in the 1970's and 1980's to believe that the Cervothrope was responsible for the cases of missing people in 1978 to 1980.

These claims would float around periodically. Similar stories from settlements nearby what would later be Sockjaw have occured since the late 17th century. Though there are many different interpretations of the origin of the Cervothrope, the most common belief is that it was manifested as a curse from the witches who were hung during the late 1600's. This curse would manifest after a number of years and, subsequently, cause harm to the people of Sockjaw. There is debate on whether this curse can be lifted, or what exactly it does—is it merely bad luck? Or does it truly bring people in to make them disappear forever? No one is quite sure.

If there is anything conclusive, it is that the Cervothrope is known to be a sort of deer-like monster. It only appears in the dark, so most people aren't able to get a good glimpse. But what you will see are its glowing eyes, visible from far away. This creature walks on its hind legs, its antlers are more like tree branches, making it blend in. You'll never be able to tell you're near the Cervothrope until it is too late.

Of course, this is all hearsay. Though there are many pictures claiming to be real evidence of the Cervothrope existing, they're usually debunked soon thereafter for being doctored. Even so, the Cervothrope remains an iconic staple of Sockjaw.