Creatures, Cryptids, and Legends of the States (Pt. 3)

Despite the states varying from size and population, some just don't have many urban legends or known cryptids, but each one still has their own version that locals talk about and visitors question.

Arizona

The Mogollon Monster

This is a type of Bigfoot creature that resides in Central and Eastern Arizona along the Mogollon Rim. It sits at seven feet tall with inhuman strength and large eyes. It is reported to have an omnivorous appetite, being nocturnal, and very violent. It walks with wide strides, their footprints measuring 22 inches. There have been plenty of sightings through the years, some even current, and footprints, shaky video footage, and hair samples have been documented but no clear photo or video evidence has been captured.

The earliest documented sighting was in 1903, published in The Arizona Republican. I.W. Stevens saw a creature near the Grand Canyon that fit the description of the monster. As he followed it and stalked it, he discovered it drinking the blood of two cougars and ran off to tell his story to all. In 1940, cryptozoologist Dan Davis was on a boy scout trip near Payson when he was young. As he was hiking through the woods, he saw the creature from afar wandering through the woods.

The Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine

One of the more popular urban legends of the state; a legend that a rich gold mine is hidden in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction, east of Phoenix. It was named after a German immigrant, Jacob Waltz, who discovered it in the 19th century and kept the location secret from all, even on his deathbed. 'Dutchman' was a common American term for "German" at the time. It is the most famous lost gold mine with the legend circulating since 1892, and an estimated 8000 people annually made an effort to locate it, yet none have been successful.

Arkansas

The Fouke Monster

The Fouke Monster, also known as The Beast of Boggy Creek, is yet another Sasquatch-like creature said to haunt the network of creeks of Sulphur River Bottoms. It has been sighted by countless people, including experienced hunters, famous musicians, and police officers. This specific creature has also been the inspiration for countless movies. It is said to be seven feet tall, 300 to 500 pounds, dark brown/black hair covering most of its body, and dark skin with an ape-like face.

The first sighting of the creature was in 1908, where it was also accused of attacking a local family and the main cause for the destruction of livestock. It was named by a journalist named Jim Powell who claimed to come face-to-face with the creature, yet ran from it without any evidence other than his story.

The Dog Boy

What could be more terrifying than an urban legend that proves to be fact? This is the case of the Dog Boy of Quitman. You may be imagining a boy with the face or head of a dog, but the truth is much more disturbing. Gerard Bettis was the only son of Floyd and Alline Bettis, born in 1954. He was described as a cruel and vicious boy by the people in the neighborhood, and all knew of his sick hobby. He often collected cats and, mainly, dogs, where he would torture them until they died, and kept their bodies stored around and in his house, earning him the nickname of Dog Boy. Many remember hearing howling dogs in pain by Gerard's hand. As he got older, he built add-ons to the house, so he could store more dogs—dead or alive—and continue his hobby with no interruptions.

As he grew older and stronger than his elder parents, he turned his torture from animals to his parents. He kept them imprisoned in their room upstairs, feeding them only when he wanted to, beating and torturing them as if they were animals, and causing lasting physical and mental trauma. His father died and while the final cause was said to be a sickness, many believed Gerard shoved him down the stairs and broke his neck, but it was never proven. The treatment continued with his mother until her hip broke, and she was taken to the hospital for treatment. During her stay in the hospital, her treatment was revealed to a nurse and she was put under protection and removed from the home and from Gerard. He didn't seem to care and turned his attention back on dogs before he was finally arrested for drug possession and the testimony from his mother for his abusive treatment. He was sent to prison where he died of a drug overdose.

A terrifying tale that goes to show while many legends could be seen as funny, cliche, or entertaining, some might be based on true events even harder to grasp than the legend.