Moon-eyed People: Mysterious Beings or Welsh Settlers?

The moon-eyed people of Cherokee lore may have simply been blue-eyed settlers. Natalia Crespo / Getty Images

The moon-eyed people legend describes a mysterious race of pale-skinned, blue-eyed people who supposedly lived in the Appalachian region before the Cherokee arrived. According to Cherokee legend, these people could not see well in daylight, forcing them to live in caves and only come out at night.

For centuries, these moon-eyed people stories have intrigued historians, cryptid enthusiasts and researchers. Some claim they were an Indigenous group with unique traits, while others suggest they were Welsh settlers who arrived long before Christopher Columbus.

But what’s the truth behind this strange tale?

Contents

Cherokee Legend of War Against the Moon-eyed People of North America
Could the Mysterious Moon-eyed People Be Welsh Explorers?
Influence in the Appalachian Mountains

Cherokee Legend of War Against the Moon-eyed People of North America

According to Cherokee lore, the mysterious moon-eyed people were a race of small, white-skinned people who lived in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee.

The Cherokee people claimed that they encountered these beings upon their arrival in the region and eventually drove them out. Some versions of the story suggest the moon-eyed people were a rare Native American subgroup forced to be nocturnal due to their sensitivity to sunlight.

One of the most famous connections to this legend is Fort Mountain in Georgia, where a mysterious stone structure stands. Some believe the moon-eyed people built these stone forts to protect against other native peoples before disappearing.

The Cherokee County Historical Museum contains references to this legend, helping to keep the story alive in regional folklore.

Could the Mysterious Moon-eyed People Be Welsh Explorers?

A popular theory suggests that the moon-eyed people were descendants of Welsh settlers. Some historians link the legend to tales of the Welsh Prince Madoc (Ab Owain Gwynedd) — who, according to legend, sailed to the "New World" of North America in the 12th century.

These so-called "Welsh Indians" may have established settlements long before other early European settlers and white people officially documented the land.

Certain "moon-eyed people" characteristics — such as pale skin and blue eyes — fuel speculation that they were of European descent. However, there is no concrete evidence to prove that Welsh explorers crossed the Atlantic Ocean and reached the Americas centuries before Columbus.

Influence in the Appalachian Mountains

The name "moon-eyed" suggests these people had an unusual connection to the full-moon night. Some believe their sensitivity to light was due to a genetic condition, while others think it was a way to explain the presence of a mysterious race that seemed different from other Indigenous groups.

The Forsyth County News and other local publications have referenced this legend, keeping the mystery alive in Appalachian folklore. Whether fact or fiction, the legend of the moon-eyed people continues to spark debate among historians and cryptid enthusiasts alike.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.