From Folklore to Fame: Bigfoot’s Place in Pop Culture and North Carolina
Bigfoot, Sasquatch, Yeti, Skunk Ape, or whatever you refer to as the “cryptid” is a widely known and beloved creature that has become an immediately recognizable figure in pop culture. Bigfoot’s iconic image can be found on clothing items, advertisements, and multiple Bigfoot festivals throughout the United States! Bigfoot has become such a universally known phenomenon that references to the creature can be found anywhere from fashion columns (pg. A8 The East Carolinian, January 13, 2014 – ECU Digital Collections ) to The Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle (pg. A6 The East Carolinian, March 1, 2016 – ECU Digital Collections)
However, the bigfoot craze is nothing new. The popularization of bigfoot stories started in the late 1950s when a journalist from the Humboldt Times, Andrew Genzoli, responded to a reader’s comment about finding strange footprints by saying “Maybe we have a relative of the Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas”. This seemed to spark an interest in the public, and soon, more reports of sightings were published in newspapers across the country.
Supporting the case for a new cryptid is one the most well-known sightings caught on film, the Patterson Gimlin film. The iconic film from 1967 only fed into this craze and acted as future evidence for bigfoot believers. However, this added ample fuel for bigfoot deniers as well. Among those deniers were a local Yakima man and his lawyer who claimed that the local man was wearing a monkey suit in the video. The man and his lawyer state that a belt buckle is visible in the video and the Yakima man even passed a lie detector test when being questioned about his involvement with the film. This news clipping can be found on page 8 of The East Carolinian, February 2, 1999, housed in University Archives at Joyner Libraries. The East Carolinian, February 2, 1999 – ECU Digital Collections
These sightings are not exclusive to the west coast. North Carolina is one of the highest-ranking states for bigfoot sightings according to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO). Firsthand reports of these sightings can be found in multiple newspapers in the University Archives!
On pages 9 and 12 of The East Carolinian, September 16, 1986, there are reports of a Bigfoot Lurking in N.C. Woods. The journalist speaks factually about bigfoot and brings up the origin of the word Sasquatch, which comes from the Native Americans and means “hairy giant”. This article also describes the dimensions and characteristics of a bigfoot. The East Carolinian, September 16, 1986 – ECU Digital Collections
A mean description is as follows:
Height: 8-10 feet, standing
Weight: 890-1200 pounds
Arms: 72 inches each
Chest: 190-240 inches
Feet: 17-23 inches
On pages 7 and 8 of The East Carolinian, September 23, 1986, there are accounts from two North Carolina residents detailing their encounters with the elusive creature. In addition to the reported sightings, there was evidence of footprints left on the property. The reports were ultimately deemed a hoax, but the Deputy Sheriff at the time believed the claim to be genuine. The East Carolinian, September 23, 1986 – ECU Digital Collections
North Carolina is not only home to those who have had sightings but those who are actively on the hunt for evidence. In Fountainhead, March 2, 1978, an ECU professor Dr. Richard T. Keenan is interviewed about his belief in bigfoot and his hunt to find evidence of bigfoots’ existence. During his interview, Keenan gives insight into the bigfoot community that had begun to form in the early years of the bigfoot craze. He received most of his information from the Bigfoot information center created and run by Peter Byrne out of Dallas Oregon. Fountainhead, March 2, 1978 – ECU Digital Collections
Whether you are a believer in Bigfoot or simply enjoy the lore, we have plenty of resources for your exploration!
A full list of Bigfoot reports/references within our collection include:
Fountainhead, March 2, 1978 – ECU Digital Collections
The East Carolinian, January 13, 2014 – ECU Digital Collections
The East Carolinian, March 1, 2016 – ECU Digital Collections
The Hook, Spring 2023 – ECU Digital Collections
The East Carolinian, February 2, 1999 – ECU Digital Collections
The East Carolinian, September 23, 1986 – ECU Digital Collections
The East Carolinian, September 16, 1986 – ECU Digital Collections
Fountainhead, February 24, 1976 – ECU Digital Collections
The East Carolinian, October 6, 1998 – ECU Digital Collections
The East Carolinian, January 10, 2007 – ECU Digital Collections
Fountainhead, February 12, 1976 – ECU Digital Collections
The East Carolinian, September 26, 1995 – ECU Digital Collections
The East Carolinian, April 6, 1995 – ECU Digital Collections
The East Carolinian, March 15, 1990 – ECU Digital Collections