Devil's Hole in Boone County, Arkansas, appears in Ozark folklore about the gowrow, a supposed cave-dwelling creature. The surviving folklore reference does not establish that the cave is a supernatural portal or that the creature existed.
The Cave That Entered Ozark Folklore
The Encyclopedia of Arkansas discusses stories collected by folklorist Vance Randolph, including a spelunker's supposed encounter with a gowrow in Devil's Hole.
This provides an identifiable source for a particular tradition. It does not turn a collected tale into a zoological discovery or an independently documented encounter. The distinction is especially useful for a creature whose descriptions belong to storytelling rather than verified natural history.
The Details the Earlier Account Could Not Prove
The earlier article added a faceless man from the early 1900s, a crying woman encountered in the 1970s and several fatal cave visits. It did not identify contemporary records or named witnesses for those events.
Those additions are not established here. Calling a cave dangerous also does not demonstrate that a specific death occurred there. Each historical incident needs its own evidence.
One Name, Several Places — and Why That Matters
Devil's Hole is a recurring place name. An account of a cave or water-filled opening in another state should not be attached to Boone County merely because the names match.
A precise location, original source and date help separate a regional tradition from details borrowed through repeated retelling. The known folkloric connection here is the gowrow story; broader claims remain unresolved.
This article discusses a tradition, not a mapped expedition route or confirmation of access. Continue with Arkansas stories and the evidence questions surrounding the Crossett Light.
Which details would help you recognize the Boone County gowrow tradition when a story uses the widely shared name Devil’s Hole?