A burglar who stole offerings from the famed Witches’ Tree in Old Louisville may have more than just bad karma to contend with. The tree’s official Facebook page replied to the theft not with fury but with a scary poetic curse.
From The Witches’ Tree Facebook Page:
“You stole our offerings, took our charms,
Plucked from the tree with gnarled arms,
Now fate shall weave its wicked thread.
Our totems lost, our gifts defiled,
The sacred burls no longer smiled,
Eternal doom shall claim your stead.
Rattling winds through branches call,
Whispering speed upon your fall,
Shadows follow where ‘er you tread.
Old Louisville shall mark your name,
Forever cursed in endless shame,
Until our treasures return, widespread.”
The Witches’ Tree, located near the northwest corner of Central Park, is a famous Louisville landmark with a sinister reputation. According to local mythology, witches used a maple tree at the corner of Sixth Street and Park Avenue as a sacred gathering place. However, in 1889, city officials opted to cut it down for the annual May Day event, rejecting the witches’ deadly warnings.
The witches purportedly laid a curse over the city, warning, “Beware, Louisville, beware the 11th month!” Exactly eleven months later, on March 27, 1890, an F4 tornado—after dubbed the “Storm Demon”—tore through the city. It left a path of ruin, collapsing mansions, churches, Bourbon warehouses, and even the railroad station. Over 100 individuals were killed, including members of the planning committee responsible for cutting down the tree.
As the tornado fled the city, a bolt of lightning struck the tree stump, and from it rose the gnarled, knotted tree that stands today—a memorial to the city’s brush with supernatural vengeance.
Since then, the tree has become a destination for those seeking good fortune, with visitors leaving behind charms and trinkets as peace offerings. It’s thought that the higher an offering is placed in the branches, the more luck the giver will receive. But the recent theft of these presents has stirred up ancient concerns, and the poetic curse issued in response serves as a disturbing reminder of the tree’s gloomy past.
Visitors can still discover the Witches’ Tree as part of the Louisville Historic Tours, but locals warn: respect the tree, or face its wrath. After all, no one wants another Storm Demon rushing through the city.
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This article appears in Mar 14-27, 2025.