We’ve all heard of Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, but how many of you have heard of the Oklahoma Octopus or the Skunk Ape? America’s cryptid (beasts which have not been proven to exist by science) folklore is as creative as it is creepy, and you just might discover a new legend near you.

Northeast

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Jersey Devil – Winged and hoofed devil occupying New Jersey’s Pine Barrens. One of America’s most famous cryptids.

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Champ – New York/Vermont’s Lake Champlain’s sea creature that was reported in modern and Native American sightings.

Chessie – Chesapeake Bay’s spin-off of Nessie, a sea-serpent.

 

Northwest

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Sasquatch – This giant ape man (AKA Bigfoot) is America’s most famous monster.

Sharlie – Idaho’s very own sea (lake) serpent.

Tessie – Lake Tahoe’s version of Nessie (the Loch Ness Monster).

Jackalope – A jackrabbit with antelope-like horns. Tales of these creatures exist in other parts of the world, but the American version originated in Wyoming.

Midwest

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Loveland Frogman – A four-foot-tall humanoid frog hailing from Ohio.

Beast of Bray Road – Wisconsin’s very own werewolf.

Oklahoma Octopus – This huge octopus inhabits Oklahoma’s lakes, attacking swimmers.

Hodag – A strange frog-faced elephant/dinosaur beast originating in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, which embraced the cryptid as its mascot.

Southwest

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Mogollon Monster – Arizona’s Bigfoot that lives near the Mogollon Rim.

Ozark Howler – Stocky, bear-sized beast with a distinctive cry.

Skincrawler – Shape-shifting witch originating in Navajo tradition.

Lake Worth Monster – Mean-spirited Texas Goatman, with fur and fish scales.

Southeast

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Mothman – West Virginia’s human-sized flying beast, first spotted in 1966. One of America’s most famous monsters.

Altamaha-ha – This 30-foot green monster swims freely in the mouth of the Altamaha River.

Skunk Ape – Florida’s stinky version of Bigfoot, sometimes called the Swamp Ape.

Scape Ore Swamp Lizard Man – South Carolina’s bipedal reptilian beast.

What’s your favorite American cryptid? Do you have any other interesting local legends to share?

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