The Headless Horseman Rides Again

Right out of Washington Irving’s story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” the Headless Horseman — circa 1790 — was resurrected in Libby recently as horseman Pat Stoddard brought the legend back to life in his depiction of the famed horseman. The “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” still is read by school children and is popular around Halloween.

It tells the story of Ichabod Crane who competes with Abraham “Brom Bones” Van Brunt, the town rowdy, for the hand of 18-year-old Katrina Van Tassel. Crane encounters the Horseman one evening and is never seen again.