The Strange & Curious Tale of the Last True Hermit

I came across this very engaging article about the man known as the 'North Pond Hermit' Christopher Thomas Knight who spent 27 years surviving alone in the woods while committing more than 1,000 burglaries.



Most people have heard of him and there was previous threads about him back when he was first arrested but this is the first story I've found that actually gives a good insight into the man, Knight has declined numerous interview requests by journalists and news outlets but journalist Michael Finkel writes that he first connected with Knight through hand-written letters to the Kennebec County jail before he agreed to talk to him.

you can read his article here hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have.

a reply to: Lady_Tuatha

This was an interesting read so far, my computer is being stupid and page 4 won't load but so far it is so well written and the story of Chris is very interesting I don't know if I should feel sorry for him not because he went to jail but rather because he is away from his camp. Thank you for posting this, I will return to edit this post after page 4 loads up and I can finish reading. SnF

I just finished, what an amazing story, it seems he really don't want to be around anyone kind of reminds me of what I call tech hermits in a way you know those that hide in the basement buried under styrofoam coffee cups at there computer desk never leaving for anything. I did thoroughly enjoy this read I highly recommend it!

a reply to: Lady_Tuatha

That was a fantastic read. Thank you for posting this.
Its strange, I found my self envious of the lifestyle he had. Not the thieving and loneliness, but the natural element .
I understand its not all sunshine and rainbows having his lifestyle, but that man knows more about him self than most can ever hope to uncover.

Either way fascinating stuff S&F.

that was a very interesting read. i was previously unaware of this story.

surely there's a movie here? i'm thinking bruce willis as ' the hermit'. obviously we'd need to embroider the facts a tad. couple of car chases, some explosions in the forest. little things.

a reply to: CitizenJack

Yes I found myself envying certain aspects of his life also, the height of summer night swims in the lake, the free canoe rides, drinking weird alcohol on your own in the woods with nothing but rabbits and mushrooms for company lol, the winter would have been mind numbingly awful tho.

a reply to: RoScoLaz4

yeah would be nice to see it as movie, would kinda have the solitude of Tom Hanks castaway but in the midst of civilization.

I'd rather Christian bale lol

Very interesting read. 1000 burglaries huh?? This guy knew what he was doing. lol

a reply to: Lady_Tuatha

Its a shame he didn't keep a diary, I would purchase a copy of it, lol if he did have one I bet lots of others would too he couldve amassed a small fortune and returned to the woods without worry of anything.

I had never heard of him before this. What an amazing story, thanks for sharing.

I find it amazing that he managed to survive for so long undetected. I also respect him deeply, for not giving in, and keeping his insights to himself.

I hope the world doesn't corrupt him.

The link doesn't work for me. If he was a local legend, I'm wondering why he had to steal.

Generally a true hermit doesn't have to steal from houses to support themselves. Don't know any of the reasons why he went into the woods but if it was to escape society it's ironic he chose to steal from that very same society he chose to distance himself from. I read the hermitage.org that has articles on these really awesome people from around the world and they do seem to interact with others on many occasions and are well-known, respected people in their areas.

Just seems ironic to me. Many hermits either buy their own stuff on regular supply trips or they get it from the land.

(Experienced hermit who lived for four years in almost near seclusion in a small town. I was quite happy actually, I love the land and the space. But I'm back now and interacting with people and nobody knows the difference

Very interesting. I'd say his plan was flawed, since he wasn't able to survive on his own, but it doesn't seem like there was a plan to begin with.

Still, even though he depended on others to live, he managed to keep himself alive under some very difficult weather conditions.

Truly a fascinating story to read. Thanks for posting this.

a reply to: Lady_Tuatha


He lived an almost ascetic life. He was honest about his dishonesty and thievery. In the end, though, he said it best: He's a thief.

But what to learn from this man about humanity? What lesson can we garner from the few words he shared?

That was nice. But still, I pressed on, there must have been some grand insight revealed to him in the wild.

He returned to silence. Whether he was thinking or fuming or both, I couldn't tell. Though he did arrive at an answer. I felt like some great mystic was about to reveal the Meaning of Life.

"Get enough sleep."

-OR-

"What I miss most," he eventually continued, "is somewhere between quiet and solitude. What I miss most is stillness." He said he'd watched for years as a shelf mushroom grew on the trunk of a Douglas fir in his camp. I'd noticed the mushroom when I visited—it was enormous—and he asked me with evident concern if anyone had knocked it down. I assured him it was still there. In the height of summer, he said, he'd sometimes sneak down to the lake at night. "I'd stretch out in the water, float on my back, and look at the stars."

I think the stillness is what I would miss.

What a interesting story.

He could have attempted to carve a living by trapping or fishing, but maybe the trespassing and his paranoia prevented him.

Next to no human contact straight to jail I bet was a major shock to him.

This guy was a hermit so that he could steal his means of living. Maybe he will ask for solitary confinement, his meals will be brought to him, he has found paradise.

a reply to: Lady_Tuatha

he looks ok,
but that's because feds gave him shower and clean clothing

I think now that he is out of jail and that the judge has ordered him to get a job, I think he would make a great night security man, nice and solitary job, he's used to being up all night, knows flaws in security systems, he would be perfect for it.