Legends And Myths. Where to begin? Creature Art. Only in 2005 when I was watching a show on National Geographic did I hear of Bigfoot sightings in Oklahoma. As for other strange things in north east Oklahoma. There had been so few deer on our land that year. Missouri, the Ozarks in particular is a historically rich and beautiful place. Sunday, April 25, 2021 Jenks River Walk We are only two days away from race day and we couldn't be more excited to be hosting an in person event! Most people avoid the woods in Missouri through the Spring and Summer due to ticks, chiggers, and snakes. These mythical creatures, described as skinny, tall, and covered in gray hair, became known as Wood Devils. a cannibalistic creature of Algonquian mythology believed to have been a lost hunter forced by hunger to eat human flesh and thereafter to have become a crazed man-eating ogre roaming the forest. I kept running until I felt I was clear and then turned. The basement is supposedly still intact under a paved parking lot, and the story lives on as the inspiration for Tulsas Hex House haunted attraction. The hill you're talking about is Gravity Hill. By the time I caught up to where I last saw him there was nothing. A local Half man half cat. This was in Oregon County, MO., "A ranger on duty at a remote Arkansas station told a reporter recently that she believed Ozark Howlers were real. For example, the Little Theatre in Tulsa is a local legend because of its ghosts. The hounds of death went by other names, such as Bean Sidhe (Irish), C Sdhe (Irish), and Cn Annwn (Welsh). Many explanations are given for this fun mystery. 7. Many people have reported a young boy, about 12 years-old, trying to catch a ride on Highway 20 in the Pryor area. After some research, the body was identified as Elmer McCurdy and finally buried in the Boot Hill section of Summit View Cemetery in Guthrie on April 22, 1977 after more than 60 years on the road. -Buddha. And I do believe I know where they are. It also has evil siblings, including Lernaean Hydra and Cerberus. Origin: Greek and Roman mythology A faun, also known as a goat-man, is a half-human half-goat creature that symbolizes peace and fertility. My church was on a retreat in Indiana, in a forest. But supposedly, there's more spread around the state, but not anywhere around where I live. A family living north of Van Buren in the Boston Mountains of Crawford County set out trail cams after spotting what they believed was a cougar. The creature slithered through the grass like a snake, yet climbed a tree like a cat. But nothing has left me in the terror I had when I encountered something in the woods of my home state Missouri. First reported in 1951 by a woman named Mrs. Laub, the Wolf Deer is described as standing roughly the size of a grey wolf and weighing between 50-60lbs. It signifies ambitious energy, conflict, opposition, and the irrational. Golems Famous in Jewish folklore, golems are most often depicted as beings created from inanimate matter such as clay or mud, which have been brought to life to serve. Still, its a great thing to experience. Sightings What is the Ozark Howler? After they reported the sighting to the police, the local sheriff investigated the area. It's pretty obvious that even the standard, ocean-bound octopus is a . The owls roam the countryside, ripping out human hearts, which it must eat. Before daybreak, the stikini returns to its organs and swallows them to return to human form. "Wise men talk because they have something to say. No one was ever brought to justice, even though people reported two suspicious men in the area on the night of the murders. Every Halloween, the memory lives on when a haunted house exhibition is held. Or is it more goat-like with horns and shaggy fur? -- Plato, "Can't deny you're implacted, in the mayhem in my mind. Lurking in remote areas of Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas, this creature is said to be about the size of a bear. I've heard of the same thing, but in Ochelata (sp?) A large creek that would flood in the spring but run quietly the rest of the year bisected it. I trusted my senses then and now here I was on home ground feeling like ten lions were around me. If you put your car in neutral at the bottom of the hill, a "mysterious force" will pull your vehicle up the hill. Beautiful too. In fact, from 2005-2006, the deaths of more than 120 Montana livestock were attributed to an animal dubbed the "Creature of McCone County." On November 2, 2006, its rampage was brought to an end by Wildlife Services. He had heard the scream. A fierce storm had broken out and the woman was trying to hurry home the only other passenger: her newborn baby, which rested in the seat beside her. It's believed that the cellar belonged to an old, torn-down church, and the "purple" in the name comes from the purple "satanic" markings on the entrance of the cellar. The only thing I could liken it to was when I doing mountain treks in Wyoming. When I did there was the tail of a mountain lion slinking into the bushes. He said what he saw looked like a big, black panther. I've heard of two: Bigfoot and Goatman. There are also numerous hauntings in the area such as Wheelock Church that has reports of children haunting the place. Had long arms and muscular legs. A truck driver who had pulled off the side of the road for the night saw what he described as a black cat-like creature with a long tail, shaggy fur, a stocky build, a beard, and red eyes.. Built in 1903, this Victorian mansion belonged to Henry Overholser, who many call the Father of Oklahoma City. It was once a center of social life and parties of Oklahoma elite. There are some related to Native American Folklore. Ozark Howlers supposed to live up near the Mountains somewhere. I think I've caught sight of it once or twice. Of course its just a local legend or is it? One, to the north of us, reported a wounded horse and a mutilated goat. While dragons are technically mythical creatures, the Komodo dragon, known as the world's heaviest lizard, is without a doubt the most similar-looking living creature. Legend has it that the rose grew out where the tears of the women fell onto the ground. I still remember that Summer, it was rainier than most. I never knew what it was until recently doing research. 1.. It is said that if you go out to old Boggy Creek Bridge on Friday the 13th, you can still hear the baby crying. 20 Mythical Creatures List. But that thing was not all natural. Scholars have noted that the cryptozoology subculture rejected mainstream approaches from an early date, and that adherents often express hostility to mainstream science. Never you understand? The subject of Boy Scout campfire tales for generations, this monstrous grizzly bear was 100 percent real. According to local legend, a Catoosa woman raced across old Boggy Creek Bridge on Friday June 13, 1924. Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp This scaly scoundrel hangs around South. The series of monsters continues with a look at a few strange stories from North America. Also, as far as cougars are concerned, I think it is very common for legends or mythology to be drawn from what people are most familiar with. They point to the screams and howls of animals like the Red Fox, Fisher Cat, and even fighting raccoons. I know the Ozark Howler was pronounced fake. But still I had the feeling of being watched. Please provide the name of the artist, the teacger/parent name, and school/class name. The most famous of monster legends in The Natural State is that of the Fouke Monster. Charon. The cedar thicket has always set me on nerve, but since that day Ive avoided it altogether. Some claim that the sounds are made by animals commonly found in the region. Some of the most infamous hauntings in Oklahoma include those of numerous haunted hotels and motels, like the legendary Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City, and a bed and breakfast known as The Stone Lion Inn in Guthrie is said to be heavily haunted by occupants of the past. I didnt see a whole lot, but the one thing I did notice was that it had a big, long, thick tail. Love Oklahoma? Supposedly some guys were strung up there and push your car up a hill. The physical appearance of this monstrous beast differs between legends. The local medical examiner ordered that two cubic yards of concrete be poured on top of Elmers grave, ensuring that his remains will never be disturbed again. It is a strange being called La Carretanagua - described as an ox-cart which is driven by a skeleton and pulled by phantom bulls. 1. They are known to offer guidance to travelers in. One day after starting at the Northern end, which was a large thicket of cedar trees, and then working my way south to the pickup truck I began getting the hunters instinct of being watched. Carol Ann Smith lived at 10 E. 21st St. in Tulsa in the 1940s. The face was something like that of a man, the body covered in scales, and the tail so long that it passed entirely . Sandro Botticelli (Italian, 1444/45-1510). What is the weirdest food combination you've ever tried? Some say ghosts, some think its an optical illusion and others believe its a magnetic force. In fact, shed recently seen one. Many have their basis in Mythology and some have emerged from cultural folklore. No. The house was a popular spooky site visited by teenagers until it was torn down in 1975. Located in Beaver Sands, this "portal" is known as Oklahoma's Bermuda Triangle. But that's all I knownever seen any of it, except the duck. All mutilated and chewed up. Its fur is shaggy, and usually cited as being dark green though sometimes white. After all, its fun to think about, right? Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster may be the best known mythological creatures in the world, but they are far from the scariest-with apologies to the 14% of Americans who believe Bigfoot is real and the one in five Scots who have complete faith in the existence of Nessie. Although not an actual church, this concrete foundation has steps leading to an underground cellar. It was there where he described seeing the "Green Hill Monster." This beautiful state deserves much exploration as you exit the Interstate and explore its many hidden treasures.Mile-for-mile, Oklahoma has the most diverse geography of any in the nation, with pine-covered mountains, alabaster caverns, cypress swamps, and tallgrass prairies. Located near the Missouri border in the northeastern part of the state, the small town of Peoria is home to a big legend. We have quite a few bigfoot sightings in the Osage National Park. I've heard of a few weredeer stories, though none from Oklahoma. Other creepy, supposedly spooky places include a few museums, like Fort Washita and the Cherokee Strip Museum, where many people met their end. I know there must be others that may have relations with Native American legend/mythology/history, but I don't know of any recent sightings. I never knew it was until I did the research, it is very elk like, almost like a horn, but definitely a howl. Its said that when you go into the opening, the walls of the church are covered in Satanic verses written in purple ink. The Ozark Howler is a mysterious creature living deep in the woods of the Ozarks. The woods felt different because of the extra rain. One such story was of the C Sth, a mythological hound that is feared as a harbinger of death. When I got back my Dad was sitting at the kitchen table waiting for me. But that season it seemed to rain every day. I ran then and if it happened again today I would run. Chupacabra. Some are real, and others are just tales that are told to explain different experiences. Theyd find me later, or part of me. Your browser does not support the audio element. Skeptics claim that its an eastern cougar, a black bear, or some kind of wolf or feral hound. Underwater Panther (in Potawatomi, Nambi-Za, Nampe'shiu, Nampeshi'kw, Nambzhew and other ways): A powerful mythological creature something like a cross between a cougar and a dragon. They say devil worship and strange happenings went on there; for example, if you stepped foot onto the property, eerie feelings would overwhelm the trespasser, and many felt disoriented and would even faint. The mother and child were never seen again. There are varying versions of what a Chimera. probably some hicks drunken drug induced hallucination.) Yes I've heard of that one too. Share your favorites in the comments below! but I'm not saying that there isn't a possibility that the story isn't true. When fall hit I turned 16 and things just got worse. Natives told stories of saber tooth tigers that used the roam the land, though they have been gone for thousands of years. Entities that may be considered cryptids by cryptozoologists include Bigfoot, Yeti, the chupacabra, the Jersey Devil, the Loch Ness Monster, and the Mokele-mbembe. I've seen tons of shows and whatnot of expeditions down there. My friends and I have actually checked into that and we heard strange things like children playing. Chupacabra means goat sucker. Here are some of the mythical half-human, half-animal creatures from stories told in past ages. ). (PDF), Click here to download or view the drawing guide.) It was a shocker. Last year, around New Years, I was driving home after a party, and I was going around this curve which is really tight, especially at night after a party, if you know what I mean, and I saw this big thing run across the road right in front of me, caught in the headlights. The Horned Serpent (known as Uktena to the Cherokee people) is a mythological monster that recurs throughout several Native American oral histories, especially in the Great Lakes and Southeastern Woodlands regions. Creature Design. 'cus for some reason, man-eating octopus supporters always forget to put those in the story. I should preface with two things. . 2023 Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department, Unique and Quirky Places to Stay in Oklahoma, Introducing Oklahoma State Parks' New Restaurant Partner, The Smoky Sixteen: Oklahoma's Barbecue Hotspots. World Mythology. Eerie. The other G in our entries, Gogmagog was a muscular humanoid giant from the island of Albion (the ancient name for Britain). He quickly changed his mind when he began walking down to his field and saw the thing running along his fence line. May 25, 2006 in Cryptozoology, Myths and Legends. Oklahoma octopus- North American cryptid: a giant freshwater octopus inhabiting lake Thunderbird. If anyone is brave enough I can show you where exactly to go to hear this, and where I made visual contact.. The Chimera, born from the father and mother of monsters, and siblings to many other mythical creatures such as the Sphinx, Cerberus, and Orthrus, is a ferocious being. So you have to bend at the waist and walk through crouched. It was so big I dont know if I would have done any damage. I felt the hair on my neck stand on end while I was going around a glacial lake and my mind said there it is, turn around. He found several dead deer in the vicinity and immediately forbid anyone from going into the woods at night for fear of an attack. I ducked behind the truck slowly to avoid spooking what I had hoped was a nice buck. Law enforcement dismissed it. It supposedly drowns swinmers. I love the woods. They are about 3 feet tall, human shaped but covered in fur from head to toe. I slowly moved my rifle from the sling to my shoulder so I could pull up quick and shoot if I needed to. There is no reason for him to make up such a story, and he was very shaken up after the sighting. Lake Thunderbird State Park offers a variety of water activities and recreation. When he walked back to the truck to refill the chainsaw he heard the same scream. I continued South to get into clear space. The towns near the more forested and wild parts might have some local legends. They pulled over and one of the teenage boys wandered away from the group and into the edge of the surrounding forest. Whether it was in my mind or actually happening I felt like hot breath was hitting my back, and then when i broke the edge of the woods the most unearthly scream sounded out from behind me. Visitors report apparitions that pull hair or push the visitors around. Jormungand, the Viking sea serpent. There have been reports of Catman. Oklahoma's Green Hill Monster In the thick forest of Oklahoma lives a Big Foot-like creature . One of the only mythical creatures to have a shade of eye shadow named after it. Hmph, I guess the story itn't true, unless some other ghosts think it's fun too. Here are a few you should know about; whether they happened or not is up to you. It had a long tail like a cat, but looked like a mix between a cat and a dog. Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images. Photo: Tory Novikova "A zombie is supposed to be the living dead: people who die and are resurrected, but without their souls. We connect people with our worlds vanishing wildlife and wild places to inspire conservation action. He had been out chopping wood that morning while I was running from the Howler. Sounds like a pretty good roundup of mountain stories, actually, though the armadillo man and the robotic dogs are new on me. From circus mummies and mysterious energy portals to ghostly apparitions and tales of magnetic forces, Oklahoma is ready to grab hold of your imagination and take you on a spine-tingling ride. Tracks started showing up on our neighbors land that representatives from Fish and Game swore were grizzly bear. Its frightening sound and eerie appearance has been seen in the more remote parts of the Missourian and Arkansan Ozarks and even farther west in Oklahoma and south in Texas. Half human almost. Here are just five of them. It's probably not a real cryptid for being very obscure and poorly documented, but it is interesting. Police investigated the area and found many dead animals in the vicinity. Houghton lost one of his children to whooping cough when she was given the wrong medicine by mistake. The snallygaster may have its . Mountains in the south east give way to river valleys in the south west where I lived. Oklahoma has its fair share of creepy stories and urban legends, thats for sure. According to Scottish folklore, the C-Sth is said to be the size of a young bull with the appearance of a wolf. And they can . When I saw it I couldnt believe my eyes, I had never seen anything like it, what shocked me the most and what was most memorable was the horns coming out of its forehead, very much cat like, but it was its face with its horns that really shocked me. I stayed put until I felt there was nothing there and then chalked it up to jitters. Here is a list of mythical creature by state: Alabama - White Thang Alaska - Tizheruk Arizona - Mogollon Monster Arkansas - Fouke Monster California - Tahoe Tessie Colorado - Slide-Rock Bolter Connecticut - Melon Heads Delaware - Zwaanendael Merman Florida - Skunk Ape Georgia - Altamaha-ha Hawaii - Menehune Idaho - Sharlie Indiana - Beast of Busco The Chimera is a creature with unbridled strength and courage. As local legend has it during the race riots of the mid 20's there where a group of men hung up along the Hill as a display. Hesperides - these Greek nymphs are associated with the light of sunset, and they guard a sacred tree of golden apples. It didnt move though. I made for the house as quickly as I could. In Norse mythology, few stories are as dramatic as that of Jormungand, the . Frontier City is Oklahoma's oldest and largest theme park offering over 40 acres of fun for the entire family! On June 13, 1924, a young mother was crossing the bridge with her baby when a storm came. It often travels on all fours and has glowing eyes. In the Howler's case, this may be a combination of traits from the cougar (large cat, terrifying scream very unique and characteristic of the species) and things that got added on over time (glowing red eyes not found in any cat species, scary black color and horns, ect.). Many folkloric creatures are a construction of features of local wildlife and things added to make them scarier or more interesting. Click here to download or view the drawing guide. Back to Native American mythological figures Back to Native American mythology Photo Credit: Carolyn Fletcher Continue reading below A special thanks to our advertisers Ive never seen its like since. There is also a haunted Steel Mill said to be in Dewey. He charged visitors a nickel to see the mummy for several years before a circus man, claiming he was McCurdys relative, swindled the funeral home into selling him McCurdys corpse. I turned immediately and sprinted as hard as I could. Lake Iliamna is the largest in Alaska, one that's well known for its trout and salmon fishing. Get more stories delivered right to your email. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. This is the hill country so its not hard to believe. With each of my steps a guttural purr came from it. Mythological Monsters. There have been reports of Catman. Trapped at the center of a labyrinth built by cruel King Minos of Crete (who lends his name to the creature), the legendary Minotaur was finally slain by the Athenian Theseus. A cryptid, depending on who you talk to, is either an animal that has not been biologically confirmed to exist, or a mythological creature that exists only in tall tales and local folklore. I went to see the neighbor with the horse. Bigfoot stories have been a staple of southeast Oklahoma for decades. Absolutely nothing paranormal ever happened and I lived there for 6 freakin years. Chupacabras are mythical beasts that come from Puerto Rico. The house has been torn down since, but rumor has it that the basement is still under the pavement and still incredibly scary. During the chaos, the mother lost hold of her infant. He had some binoculars, so he took a look in the direction from which they had run. At first I though it was a bear, but then I thought, do bears have big tails? Anyone know of anything? I first heard reasonable eyewitnesses talk about the Arkansas Howler in 2004 when I was living in Fort Smith, Arkansas.