From Sunday, July 21 through Friday, July 26, Sweetums and I drove 2,150 miles from Huntsville, Alabama, to Fort Worth, Texas, and back again. I am posting the stops in order of the trip. Most sites will be included in my upcoming Guide to Southern Oddities.
Road Trip Stop No. 16: The Fouke Monster and ‘The Legend of Boggy Creek’
Not many folks have heard of Fouke, Ark., population 850, give or take. If they have, it’s likely because they are Bigfoot aficionados who have seen the 1972 film set in the town, “The Legend of Boggy Creek.”
Sweetums and I, of course, fall into the second group. Although I am a Bigfoot buff only through marriage, I actually saw the film when I was 7 years old when it came to the Rama Theatre in Warner Robins, Ga. I recall being terrified by the ending of the film and, as an adult, I wondered what my parents were thinking. But it was rated G, as you can see in the trailer linked below, so I’m sure they didn’t think it would be quite as frightening as it was.
Those who are familiar with “Boggy Creek” know that it is a low-budget affair, filmed in a documentary style, and based on some Bigfoot sightings that occurred in Fouke in the early 1970s. The creature, known as the Fouke Monster, was described by witnesses as being about 7 feet tall with ape-like arms, red eyes and long, dark hair. It supposedly smelled like a skunk or wet dog and ran with a swift gait.
Interestingly, the man who made the film, Charles B. Pierce, also made “The Town That Dreaded Sundown,” another a documentary-style film based on a true story in nearby Texarkana.
Check out this blog post to learn more on ‘The Town That Dreaded Sundown’
But back to Fouke. Sweetums and I had to stop there – obvi –although there really isn’t a lot to see in the small town.
Our two stops were the Monster Mart, a convenience store that serves as the local museum, and the actual Boggy Creek itself. Half of Monster Mart is a typical small-town store and the other half is filled with Bigfoot statues, drawings, posters, movies and other memorabilia. One the most fascinating things is a display of casts of alleged Sasquatch footprints. We bought a souvenir Fouke Monster refrigerator magnet and took lots of fun photos.
If you’re feeling nostalgic for the 1970s and in need of some belly laughs, be sure to re-watch “Boggy Creek.” It didn’t age particularly well. It’s supposed to be a movie about a scary creature but it features an unintentionally hilarious song about a solitary creature living in the swamp. I call it “The Lonely Bigfoot” but its real title is “This Is Where the Creature Goes.”
You can hear it below. See our photos below that.
And check out this original trailer.
Fouke now celebrates its only claim to fame by hosting a Boggy Creek Festival each June.
KellyKazek.com 