Skunk Ape in Alabama: The Russell County Wild Man

"He has been seen a number of times."

by Dale Cox

Beautiful old Uchee Chapel United Methodist Church has
stood in the Uchee Community of Russell County, Alabama
since before the wild man sightings. It was built in 1859 and
is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The skunk ape, a smaller version of what many people call Bigfoot or Sasquatch, is usually associated with Florida. Many who believe in them, however, say they also live in areas of Alabama and Georgia.

Skunk apes are said to be bipedal creatures or apes. They stand 5-6 feet tall, are covered with hair, and live in the swamps and wetlands where humans rarely go. One of the most famous of these was the Ocheesee Pond Wild Man, a creature captured in 1884 at Ocheesee Pond in Jackson County, Florida. You can learn more about him by watching the short video at the bottom of this page.

Seven years earlier, a similar (or the same?) creature was spotted in the swamps along Uchee Creek in Russell County, Alabama:

Today's Uchee Road follows the approximate trace of the
Old Federal Road through the area of the wild man sightings
in Russell County, Alabama.

The people in the Hichtie [Hitchiti] country on the Uchee tell us of a wild man up there. He is about five feet high, covered all over with gray hairs, and is stark naked. He keeps concealed generally in the Uchee swamp, though he has been seen a number of times passing about and near the swamp. - Russell Register, July 1877.

The area along Uchee Creek was one of those where the Muscogee (Creek) Indians made their last stands in Alabama during the Creek Wars of 1813-1814 and 1836. These lands were coveted by white speculators and settlers because they were prime for growing cotton. The Old Federal Road wound along the ridge overlooking the Uchee swamp and its trace is followed - more or less - by Sandfort and Uchee Roads today.

Uchee Good Hope Cemetery, along the ridge overlooking
Uchee swamp, was already 40 years old when the wild man
made his appearance in the summer of 1877.

The 1877 report continued:

...About two weeks ago Johnnie, a little son of Mr. F.A. Boykin, saw him standing in a horse lot on the creek used for feeding stock when working that part of the plantation. As soon as he saw Johnnie he ran to the fence, jumped it, (ten rails) and made his escape to the swamp. His track upon being examined looked like that of a ten year old boy. - Russell Register, July 1877.

Several other eyewitnesses reported seeing the creature, but he grew with each telling until at least one said that it was over ten feet tall! Efforts were made to capture it throughout the summer of 1877, but each one failed. Whether the creature actually lived in the area or was just passing through was never determined.

Editor's Note: Learn more about the actual capture of another "wild man" in this fun story from Two Egg TV:

The Alabama Monster of 1877

"A Living Monster or Serpent"

by Dale Cox

The Coosa River in the Alabama mountain country, where the
rash of monster sightings was reported in 1877.

Long before the Loch Ness Monster of Scotland entered the popular consciousness, eyewitnesses claimed that a similar creature roamed the waters of Alabama's Coosa River.

The most significant recorded wave of sightings of the Alabama monster took place in the late spring and summer of 1877. The first eyewitness to come forward - to his own later regret - was Mr. Marens L. Foster of Etowah County. He saw an object in the Coosa River that he first thought was a person:

...As he approached sufficiently near to see it distinctly, to his horror it proved to be a living monster or serpent, with head and neck erect, extending out of the water some three or four feet, its head resembling a horses head, large glaring eyes, and a mouth distended, showing a tongue of fiery red. The monster or serpent exhibited no signs of fear, but glared directly at him as it passed, and unprepared as he was, he thought discretion the better part of valor, and beat a hasty retreat to the opposite bank from which he watched it moving along like a man in a boat, showing now and then portions of its back until it reached a point opposite Thornton’s log yard, where it gave a plunge and disappeared from sight. Mr. Foster is an entirely trustworthy and reliable gentleman, well known in his community, and intelligent, and his statements may be relied upon. That he saw some monster there is no doubt in his own mind, but the improbability of the story has caused him to be very reticent about any statement he made on the subject. [1]

Coosa River at the Ten Islands near Ohatchee, Alabama. One
of the reported monster sightings took place near here.

The Muscogee (Creek) and Cherokee Indians, who lived along the Coosa before they were driven west on the Trail of Tears, often told of seeing monstrous serpents and other creatures in the river. The events of 1877 created many new believers in the old stories:

The monster was seen Tuesday of last week by a party of raftsmen about two miles above town [i.e., Gadsden, Alabama]. It approached the raft and was thrown at with sticks, &c., by the persons on the raft, but it didn’t seem to care. The men said it had a white belly and large knots on its back. A young man on the raft became so frightened that it became necessary to hold him to keep him aboard. [2]

Other sightings were reported up and down the river that summer, and eyewitnesses came forward with stories of similar monsters from as far back as the winter of 1817-1818. So many people claimed to see it, that the monster remains one of Alabama's most intriguing mysteries.

Editor's note: Love great monster stories? Here are a couple of others that we think you will enjoy:

The Altamaha-ha: Legend of Georgia's "Loch Ness Monster"

Bigfoot attack in the Okefenokee Swamp?

References

[1] Gadsden Times, June 8, 1877.

[2] Montgomery Advertiser, quoting the Gadsden Times, July 3, 1877.

Legend of Georgia's "Loch Ness Monster"

The Sea Serpent of the Georgia Coast!

by Dale Cox

The marshes near the mouth of the Altamaha River are the
home of a monster dubbed the Altamaha-ha by locals!

Darien - A mysterious river or sea monster has been a fixture of Georgia's Atlantic coast for more than 200 years!

It is called the "Altamaha-ha" ("Altie" for short) after the Altamaha River and is usually seen around Darien and Butler Island. It also appears to roam as far north as Sapelo Sound and as far south as St. Simons and Jekyll Islands. It is undoubtedly one of the most-sighted monsters in North America.

The community Darien, built on the site of earlier Native American, Spanish, and English settlements, was founded by Scot Highlanders. They were recruited in 1735 at Inverness, Scotland, and came as part of Gov. James Oglethorpe's effort to establish the colony of Georgia. Their American settlement was first called New Inverness, a tribute to their birthplace across the ocean.

The original Inverness borders Loch Ness, a massive lake that is famed for its legendary monster. Perhaps it is appropriate that the New World home of the Scot immigrants soon developed a similar reputation!

Darien is a charming coastal community that was founded by
Scot Highlanders in the 1730s. It is rich in history and legend.

The estuary or delta of the Altamaha River is beautiful and mysterious. Vast marshes, multiple river channels, and abandoned 18th and 19th-century rice fields and canals create a stunning coastal landscape. This is the domain of the Altamaha-ha, a 30-foot long monster with flippers like a seal.

The creature made its splash on the national scene in 1981 when former newspaper publisher Larry Gwin saw it while fishing with a friend named Steven Wilson. They said it had two big humps about five feet apart and made a wake like a speedboat.

Newspapers across the United States ran articles about the sighting, and other witnesses started coming forward. Harvey Blackman of Brunswick reported seeing the monster in the 1970s. He said it had a snake-like head and was 15-20 feet long. Frank Culpepper saw a massive wake in the area of Blackman's sighting. A friend ran for a rifle, but whatever caused the disturbance was gone before he could get off a shot.

Fort King George State Historic Site features a beautifully
restored English fort. Several sightings of the Altamaha-ha
have been made nearby.

The 1981 reports followed a rash of publicity about the Loch Ness Monster, and the skeptical were inclined to believe that locals around Darien were trying to cash in on a few tourist dollars. The late 20th century, however, was not the first time that a sea monster was seen in the vicinity.

The Savannah Georgian newspaper first reported a sighting of the Altamaha-ha by Capt. Delano of the schooner Eagle in an article datelined Darien on April 18, 1830. The captain was sailing off St. Simons Island when he saw the monster:

...He repeated the...particulars precisely, describing the animal he saw as being about 70 feet long, and its circumference about that of a sugar hogshead, moving with its head (shaped like an Alligator's) about 8 feet out of the water. - Savannah Georgian, April 22, 1830.

A hogshead is a large barrel or cask.

The cannon of Fort King George aim out over the marshes
of the Altamaha River estuary.

Five other men on the schooner also saw the creature, and their account was verified by several planters from St. Simons Island who reported seeing something similar. In fact, they said that the beast was viewed from shore using telescopes on many occasions.

Disbelievers were quick to point out that North Atlantic Right Whales are often seen in the waters off St. Simons Island, but Capt. Delano was an experienced sailor who told the newspaper that he knew a whale when he saw one:

...Capt. D. also states, that he is acquainted with all kinds of whale, and that he never saw but once before, (about 4 years since, off Doboy bar,) a monster similar to the one above described.  - Charleston Mercury, March 29, 1830.

Doboy Sound, where Delano saw the monster four years before in 1826, separates Sapelo Island from the Georgia mainland and connects to the Altamaha River.

The channels and marshes around Butler Island are the
home of Georgia's "Loch Ness Monster," the Altamaha-ha.

Curiously, a sloop that sailed from the Darien wharves that same year was named the Sea Serpent! Was it coincidence, or did she reflect a legend that was already well-established by that time? Either way, the 1826 and 1830 sightings confirm that people have seen something strange in the waters around the mouth of the Altamaha for a long, long time.

As is usually the case with such stories, legend claims that Native Americans were the first to tell of the creature. The Tama Indians were living on the Darien River, a tributary of the Altamaha when Spanish missionaries built a mission at the site of today's Fort King George. No documentation survives to corroborate such claims, but the Muscogee (Creek) Indians definitely told stories of giant snakes in Georgia's rivers.

Many people have offered theories about the Altamaha-ha, but no one has conclusively solved the mystery. In fact, eyewitnesses continue to come forward. A troop of Boy Scouts, timber workers, fishermen, hunters, and others all say that they have seen something strange in the water. An amateur photographer even captured video of something odd swimming in the channel off Fort King George Historic Site in 2010:

Interested in learning more or visiting beautiful Darien, Georgia? These links will help you out:

Points of Interest in Darien, Georgia

Butler Island Plantation

Fort King George State Historic Site

Fort Darien Marker

Union Raid on Darien, Georgia

City of Darien Official Website

www.visitdarien.com

GHOSTS, MONSTERS, & MYSTERIES OF THE SOUTH!

Reservoir Dogs star leads cast of new Marianna filmed monster movie!

Michael Madsen has appeared
in more than 170 fims.

Noted actor Michael Madsen, perhaps best known for his role as Mr. Blonde in Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs", is on location in Marianna, Florida, for the filming of the new action and monster movie Cobragator.

Now being filmed at various scenic locations in and around Marianna, Cobragator tells the story of a battle against a hideous and deadly creature that is part cobra, part alligator. Film crews have already been at work at Florida Caverns State Park and Merritt's Mill Pond.

Madsen has appeared in more than 170 films including Kill Bill, Sin City, Die Another Day, Donnie Prasco, The Getaway, The Doors, Thelma & Louise, Wyatt Earp and Free Willy. It was Reservoir Dogs, however, that catapulted him to top status as an actor. He is expected to star in another Tarantino film - The Hateful Eight - later this year.

Madsen was "Mr. Blonde" in Reservoir Dogs

The brother of actress Virginia Madsen, he is the son of a retired firefighter. He grew up admiring actors Humphrey Bogart and Robert Mitchum and once laughed that he was loved by children for his role in Free Willy while their parents were terrified of him due to his role in Reservoir Dogs.

Cobragator is the second movie to film in Marianna and Jackson County this year. Coming on the heels of Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre which filmed during the winter, it is a sign of the increasing popularity of the area's caves, crystal clear spring water and spectacular natural settings with filmmakers. While they obtain pristine natural settings and clear water in which to film underwater scenes, they are bringing a significant economic impact to the community.

Conservative estimates indicate that the two films have brought hundreds of thousands of dollars in new money to the local economy. Filmmakers have rented blocks of hotel rooms for weeks at a time, while also contracting with local businesses for everything from spa treatment for actors to help from Cave Adventurers in filming underwater scenes. Local restaurants have benefited from catering contracts as well as daily visits from cast and crew.

Sources familiar with negotiations for future projects indicate that as many as six more movies are in the works for Marianna and Jackson County.

Here are links to DVD's of some of Madsen's other films:

Reservoir Dogs

Free Willy (Keepcase)

Donnie Brasco (Extended Cut) [Blu-ray]

Thelma & Louise (20th Anniversary Edition) [Blu-ray]

Wyatt Earp [Blu-ray]

Monster Sightings: The Two Egg Stump Jumper is Back!

Parramore Landing Park east of Two Egg

Florida's famed Two Egg Stump Jumper has returned after a two year silence!

The legendary monster has been reported for many decades in the woods and swamps a few miles east of the quaint little community of Two Egg, Florida. It is said to be a "mini-Bigfoot" type creature that frequents swampy areas around the historic ghost town of Old Parramore.

One of the new incidents is particularly unique because it involved six eyewitnesses at one time. None of them actually saw the creature, but they heard something large shadowing them as they returned to Parramore Landing Park after dark from a hike into the swamps. The noise was accompanied by a loud "growl" or "roar" that they all heard multiple times, a sound that was different from anything they had ever heard in the area.

Other eyewitnesses have confirmed the strange sounds coming from the swamps around Parramore Landing Park.

Yet another eyewitness actually saw the creature as it ran through the headlights of her car a short distance west of Circle Hill Baptist Church on Circle Hill Road. The sighting took place a few miles northwest of Parramore Landing.

To read the full story on the new sightings, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/monster4.

Two Egg - Parramore Monster makes an appearance!

The "Stump Jumper," the mysterious Two Egg - Parramore Monster, has been sighted again in its traditional haunts about one mile north of Parramore crossroads and 7 miles northeast of Two Egg.

The creature has been seen in the same vicinity off and on for at least thirty years and, as yet, no one has been able to come up with a reasonable identity for it. The latest sighting is is a bit different, however, in that it left some actual evidence of the monster.

An investigation in the vicinity following a sighting of the monster during the first week of June revealed a trail of unusual footprints leading from the swampy area where it was spotted by the eyewitness across a plowed fire lane and into an overgrown area of planted pines. Curiously, the tracks appear to have only three toes, one large or "big" toe and two smaller ones.

The Two Egg - Parramore Monster is usually described as a hairy "mini-Bigfoot" like creature that stands upright, is brown or gray in color and runs with remarkable speed. It is usually said to be around 5 or 6 feet tall. At least one eyewitness described it as having a long "raccoon-like" tail, while others - including the latest person to see it - have not noticed a tail.

To see photos of the footprints from the new sighting and to learn more about the monster, please visit www.twoeggfla.com/monster2.

A Monster in Two Egg??? Parramore area sightings raise questions!

It appears that Florida's famed "skunk ape" may be ranging north.

Several eyewitnesses have come forward to report sightings of a strange, upright, hairy creature roaming the ponds and swamps about seven miles northeast of the downtown Two Egg crossroads. Locals are calling it the "Two Egg Stump Jumper."

Available descriptions describe the mysterious creature as being smaller in size than a human, but covered in hair. It walks or runs on two legs and seems to frequent swampy and wooded areas. At least two of the sightings have taken place at night, indicating the monster may be nocturnal.

According to eyewitnesses, one of which described the creature as "pale" in color, it seemed as startled to see them as they were to see it. Both described it as upright, but only saw it as it was running away on two legs. It is said to look something like a "hobbit" or "mini" Bigfoot.

Such stories are fairly common in Central and South Florida, where residents have been reporting encounters with what they call the Skunk Ape for years. They are much more rare in Jackson County, but are not entirely unknown.

If you would like to read the full story of the Two Egg Stump Jumper sightings, please visit www.twoeggfla.com/monster.