Category: Paranormal/Supernatural

Cryptids of the USA

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I admit it, I like things that are odd, spooky, creepy, weird, etc, etc, etc., and the United States is a goldmine for “cryptids”—fit nicely on this list.  Cryptids, for those who are unaware, are mysterious creatures that inhabit our folklore and campfire stories, even if they’ve never been caught on camera by a scientist. From the towering, ape-like Bigfoot to elusive lake monsters, winged terrors, and shape-shifting anomalies, these beings are woven into the fabric of our landscapes. Whether rooted in ancient Indigenous traditions, pioneer tall tales, or modern urban legends, these creatures seem to claim the wildest corners of our country, from deep swamps and dark forests to mist-covered mountains.

While icons like Bigfoot or the Mothman are famous nationwide, most cryptids are local celebrities, tied closely to a single state or region. I’ve put together a guide to the most well-known cryptid in every state, drawing from cryptozoology books, folklore anthologies, and popular enthusiast databases like Brilliant Maps. For every state, you’ll find one or two standout creatures, along with a quick look at what they are and the legends that keep them alive.

I’ve organized it alphabetically by state for easy reference.

  • Alabama — White Thang-A large, white-furred, ape-like creature (sometimes described as an albino Bigfoot or lion-like beast) with glowing red eyes. Sightings date back decades, often in rural wooded areas; it’s tied to eerie howls and livestock attacks.
  • Alaska — Tizheruk (or Iliamna Lake Monster)- A massive, serpentine or whale-like aquatic creature in Iliamna Lake and coastal waters. Inuit legends describe it as a giant eel- or crocodile-like beast that can snatch people or boats.
  • Arizona — Mogollon Monster-A tall, hairy, ape-like being with red eyes and a foul odor, said to roam the Mogollon Rim’s dense forests. Reports include screams and rock-throwing behavior similar to Bigfoot.
  • Arkansas — Fouke Monster (or White River Monster in some lists). A hairy, bipedal humanoid from the swamps near Fouke (inspired the film The Legend of Boggy Creek). The White River version is more serpentine/aquatic in eastern Arkansas.
  • California — Tahoe Tessie (or Dark Watchers / Fresno Nightcrawlers in other contexts)
    A large lake serpent in Lake Tahoe. The Dark Watchers are tall, shadowy humanoid figures seen in the Santa Lucia Mountains, while Fresno Nightcrawlers are bizarre, leg-only entities caught on video.
  • Colorado — Slide-Rock Bolter-A gigantic, whale-like creature in the Rockies that uses hooks on its split tail to cling to mountainsides and ambush prey by sliding down slopes at high speed.  It is said to have slits for eyes, a mouth that runs all the way behind its ears and loves to eat tourists. You have been warned!  :)
  • Connecticut — Melon Heads. Small, humanoids  with large heads  said to be escaped asylum patients or inbred mutants living in woods; aggressive toward intruders. Said to be mostly associated with Fairfield county area.
  • Delaware — Zwaanendael Merman (or Pukwudgie in some regional overlaps). A merman-like sea creature reported off the coast; Pukwudgie (a troll-like trickster from nearby Algonquian lore) sometimes extends here. Also the Selbyville Swamp Monster
  • Florida — Skunk Ape. Florida’s Bigfoot equivalent: a foul-smelling, hairy humanoid in the Everglades and swamps, often linked to misidentified bears or escaped primates.
  • Georgia — Altamaha-ha (Altie) A serpentine river monster in the Altamaha River, described as 20-30 feet long with flippers or a crocodile-like head.
  • Hawaii — Menehune. Small, dwarf-like builders from Hawaiian mythology (not always “cryptid” in the modern sense but often treated as such); nocturnal workers who construct structures overnight.
  • Idaho — Sharlie (or Lake Payette Monster). A serpentine lake creature in Payette Lake, similar to Nessie, with hump sightings dating back over a century.
  • Illinois — Enfield Horror. A three-legged, gray, kangaroo-like creature with glowing pink eyes that attacked people in 1973; one of the stranger “hopping” cryptids.  Though, stories of the  Horror date back to the early to 1940s.
  • Indiana — Meshekenabek (or other local beasts like the Pope Lick Monster in nearby areas). A water-based or reptilian creature in folklore; some lists tie Indiana to werewolf-like or frogman variants.
  • Iowa — Various lesser-known (e.g., Van Meter Monster in nearby contexts). Often overlaps with Midwest dogmen or thunderbirds.
  • Kansas — Often linked to Spook Lights or variations of Bigfoot-like beings.
  • Kentucky — Pope Lick Monster (or Goatman) A half-man, half-goat hybrid under a trestle bridge who lures victims to their death (tied to urban legends and train accidents).
  • Louisiana — Rougarou (or Honey Island Swamp Monster). A werewolf-like creature from Cajun folklore, often a cursed human; Honey Island version is more Bigfoot-like in swamps.
  • Maine — Variations of Bigfoot or lake monsters. Also Specter Moose first reported in the late 1890s in Allagash and Millinocket woods. Hunters reported encounters with a ghostly white colored moose that stood as high as 15 feet.
  • Maryland — Snallygaster. A dragon-like or bird-reptile hybrid with tentacles, iron beak, and one eye; 19th-20th century hoax/newspaper tales in Frederick area.
  • Massachusetts — Variations of Thunderbird or sea serpents.
  • Michigan — Michigan Dogman. A 7-foot-tall, wolf-headed humanoid with aggressive behavior; sightings spike in the north woods, often tied to Native lore.
  • Minnesota — Often Bigfoot or lake monsters. Wendigos
  • Mississippi — Variations of swamp creatures.  Mississippi River Monster
  • Missouri — Momo (Missouri Monster) A tall, hairy, foul-smelling ape-man similar to Bigfoot, with 1970s sightings near Louisiana, MO.
  • Montana — Often Bigfoot or Thunderbird. Also Shunka Warakin – Strange wolf-hyena creature.
  • Nebraska — Often variations of Bigfoot or local beasts.  Alma Vampire legend.
  • Nevada — Often desert variants or skinwalker overlaps. Tessie a Lake Tahoe serpent.
  • New Hampshire — Often lake monsters or Bigfoot.  Also Wood Devils hairy wild men from the colonial era.
  • New Jersey — Jersey Devil. A winged, hoofed, goat-headed creature born from a cursed 13th child in the Pine Barrens; one of America’s most iconic cryptids with centuries of lore.
  • New Mexico — Thunderbird (or variations like skinwalkers in Navajo areas). A massive, storm-controlling bird from Indigenous lore.
  • New York — Champ (Champy). Lake Champlain’s plesiosaur-like serpent; long-necked aquatic monster with hundreds of sightings.
  • North Carolina — Beast of Bladenboro or variations.
  • North Dakota — Often Wendigo influences or lake creatures. Also Beast of Bladenboro associated with the killing of livestock in the 1950s.
  • Ohio — Loveland Frogmen. Bipedal, frog-like humanoids seen along roadsides, carrying wands or bags; 1955 and 1972 sightings.
  • Oklahoma — Oklahoma Octopus. A giant freshwater octopus in lakes, said to drown swimmers (debated due to biology).
  • Oregon — Bigfoot hotspots (or variations like Batsquatch in nearby Pacific Northwest).
  • Pennsylvania — Squonk (or Jersey Devil overlaps). A tearful, shy creature that dissolves into tears when captured; from lumberjack folklore.  Also Raystown Ray, a large creature that inhabits Raystown Lake.
  • Rhode Island — Often sea serpents or vampire lore (e.g., Mercy Brown). Also the Glocester Ghoul.
  • South Carolina — Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp. A 7-foot reptilian humanoid with red eyes; 1988 attack reports.
  • South Dakota — Walgren Lake Monster (or Alkali Lake variants).A horned serpent or lake beast.
  • Tennessee — Tennessee Wildman. A hairy, screaming humanoid similar to Bigfoot.
  • Texas — Lake Worth Monster (or Goatman variants). A goat-horned, scale-covered humanoid that threw tires at cars in 1969.
  • Utah — Skinwalkers (Yee Naaldlooshii) Navajo shape-shifters (often wolf-like) tied to witchcraft; taboo and feared.
  • Vermont — Champ overlaps (Lake Champlain). Also the Bennington Monster, a Bigfoot like creature associated with Glastenbury Mountain.
  • Virginia — Snallygaster or Bigfoot variants. Also Bunny Man an axe-welding man associated with Fairfax County.
  • Washington — Bigfoot (Sasquatch). The definitive U.S. cryptid: tall, hairy, bipedal ape-man; thousands of sightings, especially in the Pacific Northwest.  Also a Batsquatch that began appearing after volcano erruption of 1980.
    West Virginia — Mothman. A winged, red-eyed humanoid with prophetic associations (linked to 1960s sightings and the Silver Bridge collapse).
  • Wisconsin — Beast of Bray Road. A werewolf-like or dogman creature seen on rural roads near Elkhorn; inspired books and films.
  • Wyoming — Jackalope. A rabbit with antelope horns; more hoax/folklore than scary, but iconic in tourism and tall tales.

Many states share cryptids (e.g., Bigfoot in dozens, Thunderbird in Western/Indigenous areas, or dogman/werewolf types in the Midwest). Some are more “popular” based on search interest or media (e.g., Mothman or Jersey Devil dominate their states culturally). Edge cases include creatures that blur folklore vs. cryptid (like Menehune or Skinwalkers) or modern “evidence” (e.g., photos/videos of Nightcrawlers).

A Forgotten Haunted Church Story Hidden in an 1865 Newspaper

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I admit that to me, one of life’s most simple pleasures, is having access to old newspapers thanks to newspapers.com.  I am not affiliated or sponsored by that website. I pay for my own yearly subscription out of my own pocket, just to be transparent.

Anyway, as I was saying, as someone with a fondness for old newspapers and the paranormal and supernatural, I sometimes stumble upon reports of haunted locations that pique my curiosity. A particularly intriguing account from 1865 caught my attention, detailing a supposedly haunted church in Jersey City, New Jersey.

According to the news report, this church was plagued by inexplicable occurrences, starting in roughly September of 1865 and lasting for a few weeks.   Police as well as various interested parties investigated and found no clue as to what was causing the ghostly commotion. After a period of time, the police finally found the answer; a small dog  with its chain still attached to its collar had found its way into the church as was making horrific noises in its distress.  Of course, to me, this doesn’t explain why the noises seemed to only occur at night, but, I digress.

A second explanation was that it was a stray cat had been imprisoned accidentally in the church by workers and was making the ghostly noises in protest of its treatment.

And thirdly, a more interesting and reasonable explanation suggested that a group of local boys had gotten into the building, hiding beneath the floorboards to create the eerie wailing sounds that unnerved the townspeople. Despite their suspected mischief, however, these pranksters remained at large.

Of the proposed explanations, as mentioned, the story of the mischievous boys seems the most plausible—yet it remains unverified, as no one was ever held accountable for the disturbances.  Is it likely that, in the absence of concrete evidence, the authorities and townsfolk simply needed a rational explanation for the unsettling events and settled on the most acceptable narrative of the time.  No more newspaper accounts of further haunting activity so one of those must have been the answer, right?   Or, could it be that the haunting still continued, but newspapers were prevented from printing any more stories?

Anyone have any additional information about this?  I do realize the newspaper articles are from over 100 years ago, but a story like that might be something that locals in the area like to keep alive as part of their local folklore or history.

Oh, and the one article that mentions Bob Acres-well, I admit I had to do some research on that and discovered he is a fictional character from Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s classic 1775 comedy of manners, The Rivals.  The character was popular in 19th-century theatre, and was often described as being comic, naive and cowardly.

He was  played by American actor Joseph Jefferson (left), and there was a Louisiana train station after him — which eventually morphed into the  unincorporated community Bob Acres, Louisiana.

The Hidden Hand (1942): A Delightfully Campy Old Dark House Mystery

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The Hidden Hand is a 1942 American comedy-horror mystery about greed, inheritance plots, and a very unusual scheme involving an escaped mental patient.

The film was based on the 1934 stage play Invitation to a Murder, which starred Gale Sondergaard as Lorina Channing and Humphrey Bogart as Horatio Channing. In 1936, Warner Bros. announced plans to produce a screen adaptation and even intended to have Sondergaard reprise her stage role. However, that project ultimately fell through and was never brought to the screen.

Plot Overview:
Eccentric wealthy matriarch Lorinda Channing is surrounded by greedy relatives eager to get their hands on her fortune. To manipulate events and keep her money away from them, she secretly helps her unstable brother John Channing escape from an insane asylum. Lorinda disguises John as the household butler, and under her direction he begins to terrorize and dispose of relatives in mysterious and often grisly ways.

Meanwhile, young attorney Peter Thorne and Lorinda’s secretary Mary Winfield who are romantically involved, grow suspicious as the body count rises. They work to uncover the truth, stop John’s rampage, and prevent further deaths — all while trying to unravel Lorinda’s strange scheme.

The story mixes elements of old-dark-house mystery with dark humor, secret passages, and suspense as the characters navigate hidden motives, shifting alliances, and the chaos surrounding the inheritance plot.

CAST

  • Craig Stevens as Peter Thorne — the young attorney and romantic lead (Stevens was known for roles in noir and adventure films, later starring in the TV series Peter Gunn).
  • Elisabeth Fraser as Mary Winfield— the spirited female lead, often involved in investigating the goings-on.
  • Julie Bishop in a supporting role (she appeared in many Warner Bros. pictures of the period).  Julie is the mother of character actress Pamela (Sue) Shoop who some might recall as portraying Karen in Halloween II.
  • Cecil Cunningham as Lorinda Channing — the scheming matriarch.
  • Milton Parsons as John Channing — the creepy, asylum-escaped brother; Parsons was a character actor frequently cast in eerie, sinister roles.
  • Willie Best in a supporting part (Best was a prominent African American comedian/actor in 1930s–1940s films, though his role here reflects the era’s stereotypical portrayals, which modern viewers often criticize as racially insensitive or “institutionalized racism”).
  • Other notables include Frank Wilcox, Ruth Ford, and Roland Drew in smaller roles.

You might be able to find this on YouTube as it supposedly is a public domain film.

The Licking River Ghost: An 1898 Newspaper Ghost Story

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This story appeared in the Friday, December 9, 1898 edition of the Portsmouth Daily Chronicle in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  The clipping (which I saved as an image file) was difficult to read, so I had some help from a website that converted it from image to text which I share below.   I believe the article was reporting on an event that happened in Ohio.

An Old Phenomenon Whose Existence Was Explained by a Bride

The Licking River ghost has been out more during the summer of 1898 than for many years. While the terror it once caused has been largely explained away, yet there are many people who are still uncomfortable when it comes out, and newcomers here often spend anxious nights when the phenomenon makes itself manifest.

Away back in the sixties the part of Zanesville known as the Terrace, between the Muskingum and the Licking, was perturbed by ghostly occurrences. Unusual noises were heard. Latches rattled at the touch of unseen hands. Windows shook uncannily. The first and most natural theory was that a colony of ghosts had invaded Zanesville. But while this theory was acceptable to many, others doubted. For ghosts do not haunt in droves, and the Terrace had never done anything worthy of so general a visitation. supposed ghost flock came and went. It by no means confined itself to nocturnal visits. It also came by day. Servants declared they would not live in the haunted houses. Many actually left. Often there would be a period of immunity lasting for several months. Then the latches would rattle, the doors and windows shiver, and the general state of ghost activity would resume.

The people came from the other side of the river and spent nights in the afflicted houses. They always told the same story. They always heard a very persistent and creepy rattle which seemed to affect every loose window latch or ornament. The ghost colony began to affect the price of real estate. Houses which, could not be warranted against unearthly noises seemed about to enter on a career of vacancy.

It was all explained by the return of a bride and bridegroom from their honeymoon. Of course, they had been to Niagara Falls. The bridegroom took his bride to live in one of the haunted houses. A few nights later the house, in common with some twenty-five more, was visited by the ghost. The strange rattle began. It never seemed to stop. A window which shook as if it were in fear itself would be stilled by the pressure of a palm, but the noise began again when the pressure was removed.

“Why,” said the bride suddenly, her face lighting, “that window acts just like the one in our hotel at Niagara Falls.’

“What of that? There are no falls here, none to speak of,” said her husband.

“But if you’ll think the thing over, you’ll remember these ghosts appeared right after the Dillons put in their new dam,” she said.

Then he saw it, too. The theory was eagerly grasped. Investigation showed it to be the real explanation. A geologist confirmed it. The cause was known, and the phenomenon to this day is known as the Licking River ghost.

The dam in the Licking River is just at its confluence with the Muskingum. The famous old “Y” bridge which spans both rivers is located there. A dam had been built and the water fell upon a ledge of limestone which ran through the Terrace. When the water reaches a certain height it sets the ledge in vibration, which accounts for the ghosts.

This summer the Licking River ghost was often out, on account of the wet weather. But in spite of the excellent explanation many people still feel the gooseflesh rise when the windows and doors begin their uncanny rattle.