Dewey Lake Monster

In Michigan folklore, the Dewey Lake Monster is a legendary creature first reported in summer 1964 after sightings near Dewey Lake in Dowagiac, Michigan. The creature was described as a hairy animal approximately nine feet tall, with glowing eyes.

History

According to legend, a creature purported to be a combination of gorilla, bear and cat was rumored to dwell in the area between Sister Lakes and Decatur, Michigan. In June 1964, the tale gained national attention after some local residents claimed to have seen a creature "with glowing eyes" approximately 9 feet (2.7 metres) tall and weighing about 500 pounds (230 kilograms). Police searched the area and found nothing, but the reports caused curious thrill-seekers and monster-hunters to besiege the community that summer. Local entrepreneurs sold the tourists "monster 'getaway' gas, monster burgers and monster hunting kits — with a net, flashlight, squirt gun, a mallet and a stake".[1][2]

Several zoologists suggested that people may have misidentified a bear or gorilla. Cass County Sheriff Robert Dool and conservation officer William Rowe dismissed speculations of a monster.[2] Within a week, the hysteria diminished, and the South Bend Tribune reported that "nobody seems frightened anymore".[3]

In a 1983 retrospective, the Tribune suggested that the Dewey Lake monster "came out of a wine bottle" to be created in the imaginations of "well-sauced strawberry pickers".[4] Steve Arseneau of the Dowagiac Area History Museum said, “I view it more as a ‘rural legend’”. According to Arseneau, “perhaps some people saw something, and their imaginations got the better of them.”[1]

  • In 2016, the annual Dewey Lake Boat Parade celebrated the Dewey Lake Monster legend.[5]
  • Local beer brewer Sister Lakes Brewing named a beer after the Dewey Lake Monster.[6]

References
  1. Kuharic, Joe (February 23, 2017). "It came from Dewey Lake". Leader Publications. Doawgiac Daily News. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  2. "Dewey Lake 'Monster Is Nonexistent'". The South Bend Tribune. June 12, 1964. p. 21. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  3. Gard, Ray (June 14, 1964). "'Hairy Monster' Scare Lessens". South Bend Tribune. p. 21. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  4. "Action Line". South Bend Tribune. August 18, 1983. p. 2. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  5. "Dewey Lake boat parade celebrates the Dewey Lake Monster". wwmt.com. WWMT TV. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  6. "Dewey Lake Monster - Sister Lakes Brewing". Beeradvocate.com. Beer Advocate. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
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