Today I share three more Midwest monsters from the newspaper archives. As we saw in the last post, old newspapers have an interesting and witty way of investigating the supernatural. It always makes for some fun reading, especially when the current news is stressful. Enjoy the following stories and say safe, my friends!
Michigan’s Bigfoot is Good for Business (Michigan)
During the summer of 1964, the “Sister Lakes Monster” (or “Monster of the Sister Lakes”), also called “The Dewey Monster,” terrorized Michigan. The 10-foot monster weighed more than 500 pounds with long black/brown hair (the description of the monster changed article to article). He ran on his hind legs and was notably aggressive. These sightings occurred near Dewey Lake in Dowagiac, Michigan and close neighbor Sister Lakes, Michigan.
The monster made national news and soon the region was a hot spot for curiosity seekers and monster hunters. Local business capitalized on the busy summer. Drugstores sold “monster kits” for $7.95. Items included: “a wooden mallet, a net, a baseball bat, an arrow, a squirt gun and a flashlight.” Gas stations sold “getaway gas,” which helped cars easily escape the monster or possibly reach to the nearest drive-in quickly for a Monster Burger.
Source: “‘Monster’ Drawing Tourists.” The Star Press, Muncie, Indiana, 14 Jun 1964, p. 1.
Is Michigan’s Bigfoot at it Again? (Monroe, Michigan)
The “Monster of Sister Lakes,” which caused a flurry in this area last summer, has apparently packed his bags (or whatever monsters pack) and headed to Monroe, Mich.
– The News-Palladium (August 1965)
Mrs. George Owens (age 38) and daughter Christine Van Acker (age 17) were attacked by a monster, believed to be “The Monster of The Sister Lakes” of the summer prior, on August 13th, 1965. According to my calculations this was Friday the 13th!
A 7-foot, 400-pound monster with hair “like quills,” jumped onto the side of the car and grabbed Christine’s head through the open window. The monster slammed Christine’s head onto the door until she was unconscious. Christine luckily survived but suffered a black eye. This was not the first sighting of the monster, there were 16 other sightings that summer. Search parties were created to track down this monster.
The mother and daughter took two lie detector tests. They passed the first test, taken for a radio show, but failed the polygraph test given to them by the police department. The police deemed it a hoax, but the mother and daughter stood firmly behind their story.
Sources: The News-Palladium, Benton Harbor, Michigan, 17 Aug 1965, Tue, p. 9 // The South Bend Tribune, South Bend, Indiana, 24 Aug 1965, Tue, p. 3.
Momo, the Shapeshifting Speedy Monster (Illinois & Beyond)
Two days ago Momo the mysterious monster was black, hairy, orange-eyed, pumpkin-headed, reeking of sulphur and skulking around the hills of Missouri. Now, he has grown several feet, acquired extra toes, learned to swim fast and cavorts about Illinois.
When a 1972 article from The Indianapolis News starts like this, you keep reading. You had me at pumpkin-head!
The Momo monster, according to the article, was first sighted by an 11-year-old boy in Louisiana on July 11th. Then the article, which was published on a Friday (July 28th), stated the monster was spotted on Wednesday night in Louisiana by an elderly women. At this point, the monster was 7 feet tall with black hair and an awful smell. Minutes later, the monster was spotted in Creve Couer, Illinois, now gray and with 3 more feet added to his height. Instead of thinking that maybe this monster was two separate monsters, the article put forth the theory that the monster swam 120 miles up the Mississippi River in mere minutes.
On July 27th, the monster was spotted in East Peoria by “two reliable citizens.” The monster had “gray U-shaped ears, a red mouth with sharp teeth, thumbs with long second joints, and ‘looked like a cross between an ape and a cave man’.” So, this monster was fast and a shapeshifter.
Those who report seeing the Momo monster have to take a breathalyzer test, the article stated.
Source: The Indianapolis News, Indianapolis, Indiana, 28 Jul 1972, p. 4.
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Notebook of Ghosts 