Harrill settled in an abandoned World War II bunker set in a salt marsh beside the Cape Fear River in the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area.

He and his bunker became a tourist attraction and visitors would listen to him talk about his "School of Common Sense", leaving donations in a frying pan.

[1] The eldest son committed suicide and the family later fell apart in the 1930s due in part to Harrill's mental health problems.

[6] He then squatted in an abandoned World War II era bunker set in a salt marsh beside the Cape Fear River.

[8] Harrill learned many of his survival skills from Empie Hewett, a true hermit, who also lived in the salt marshes of the Fort Fisher area.

[6] Harrill loved to talk to visitors (who left donations in a frying pan) and his guestbook recorded thousands of entries.

[6] Visitors to Carolina Beach would routinely take time to call on the hermit, and he would talk about his philosophy, which he termed the "School of Common Sense".

[7] Alongside the curious, Harrill met drunk youths and developers who wanted to evict him; two men even kidnapped and robbed him.

[3] The bunker where Harrill lived is still standing and can be reached by following the Basin Trail at the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area.