When I visited Fouke, Arkansas (the home of the infamous Fouke Monster) I picked up a couple of souvenirs that included a shirt, a coffee mug and Lyle Blackburn's incredible book Boggy Creek Casebook: Fouke Monster Encounters 1908 to Present. I have to tell you that it is such an interesting and informative book that I read it cover to cover and I am actually in the process of reading it through a second time.
Like many people that find the subject of cryptozoology (the study of local legends and unknown animals) interesting, Blackburn became fascinated with the Fouke Monster after seeing Charles Pierce's 1972 film The Legend of Boggy Creek. Since then Blackburn has devoted his life to cataloging and investigating reports about such legendary creatures throughout the American south.
Within the pages of Boggy Creek Casebook the author lays out a detailed timeline of all of the known encounters of the Fouke Monster from the early 1900s to present day. Many of these encounters formed the backbone of Pierce's film, which at the end of the book Blackburn breaks down scene by scene. It is interesting to learn just how many credible sightings of the monster there are in southwest Arkansas over the past 100+ years.
With so many sightings in one area it boggles the mind why more scientists and researchers interested in getting to the bottom of the Bigfoot mystery haven't focused on this one location exclusively?
Here is a blurb from the publisher:
Since 1908, residents in and around the small town of Fouke, Arkansas, have reported sightings of a strange creature in their backwoods and waterways; a huge, ape-like beast that walks upright like a man. Locals call it the Fouke Monster, while others call it the Boggy Creek Monster due to its association with the cult-classic docudrama, The Legend of Boggy Creek. Now, for the first time, all the documented encounters with the famed Boggy Creek Monster have been collected in one source. Researched, compiled, and presented in chilling detail by author and Boggy Creek historian, Lyle Blackburn, these remarkable encounters offer an intriguing story of backwoods mystery that continues today. From startling roadside glimpses to frightening confrontations and mysterious footprints, the Boggy Creek Casebook is ultimate collection of Fouke Monster phenomena featuring over 90 eyewitness accounts. Read it as a standalone book or as a vital supplement to Blackburn’s acclaimed Boggy Creek series.
I only wished that I had read Blackburn's book before my first trip up to Fouke. After reading it I have a better understanding of where the monster has been sighted and I will be able to better explore the area when I return.
Thanks to the book I learned that where I had my strange experience just outside of Fouke (at State Road 9 and Boggy Creek) is actually the area where the Fouke Monster has been seen the most. If you are familiar with the film the location is near the bean field where tracks were discovered and trailer where the three teenage girls were tormented by the creature during their slumber party.
If you are interested in the topic of legendary creatures, local legends or just the history of southwestern Arkansas I can't recommend Lyle Blackburn's Boggy Creek Casebook enough. Trust me, once you pick it up and start reading it you won't be able to put it down.
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