Living recluse, the North Pond Hermit secluded himself from society for an astonishing 27 years
In the dense, boulder-choked forest of Maine, a man named Christopher Knight lived alone for 27 years. Known as the "North Pond Hermit", Knight was a Houdini-esque burglar who never broke a pane of glass or smashed a door, and always set the latch on the door behind him.
Born into a private, intelligent, and resourceful family, Knight left the world at the age of 20, seeking solitude and contentment in the woods. He was extremely bright but did not fit in, and when he disappeared, his family did not report him missing. Knight's story raises the question of why the rest of us don't leave society, rather than why Chris left.
Knight's campsite, known as "The Jarsey", was extremely remote and naturally protected. He used used cars magazines to create a flat floor in his campsite by binding them together and burying them under the soil. Knight was not an angelic hero, as he stole from people's cabins, but some who were robbed by him felt he was no more trouble than a seasonal housefly.
To survive in the backwoods, Knight employed extraordinary strategies. He grew food in a greenhouse and used the principles of thermodynamics. Knight took hundreds, perhaps thousands, of books from the properties he burgled, filling his solitary existence with literature.
Game warden Terry Hughes used high tech surveillance items from Homeland Security to catch Knight. In 1986, Knight was investigated and caught, but the search results do not specify who exactly conducted the investigation and arrest.
After living alone for nearly three decades, Knight did not have a conversation with another human being. However, he was not completely isolated. Some people suggested giving him a little bit of land and a few bags of groceries to let him live peacefully.
Knight found a place where he was not only content but filled with a sense of joy and fulfillment, despite suffering mightily in winter. He moved silently and with agility through the forest, leaving no trace of his presence.
Simon Worrall, the interviewer, believes that Knight's story raises important questions about our relationship with society. Knight left because he was not happy being around other people and believed he would find contentment in the woods. His story serves as a reminder that sometimes, we all yearn for a simpler life, far from the hustle and bustle of modern society.
