where did hungry mother state park get its name
A legend states that when the Native Americans destroyed several settlements on the New River south of the park , Molly Marley and her small child were among the survivors taken to the raiders ' base north of the park . They eventually escaped , wandering through the wilderness eating berries . Molly finally collapsed , and her child wandered down a creek . Upon finding help , the only words the child could utter were `` Hungry Mother . '' When the search party arrived at the foot of the mountain where Molly had collapsed , they found the child 's mother dead . Today , that mountain is Molly 's Knob ( 3,270 feet ) , and the stream is Hungry Mother Creek .