Cryptid Town

A cryptid town is a colloquial term given to a town which has a close cultural identity with a local cryptid, often with the goal of encouraging tourism. Cryptid towns may have festivals, museums, statues and research organisations dedicated to a given cryptid. Areas called cryptid towns tend to be rural and remote, which correlates with the types of areas cryptids are said to often originate from, which in turn can make them appear economically deprived and reliant on the economy of cryptid tourism. Some places may not necessarily be best known for their folklore or rely on it for tourism, but do still feature it prominently in events and local culture.

Notable examples

Fouke, Arkansas

Fouke, Arkansas, with a population of about 800, is known for the Fouke Monster, a cryptid synonymous with the town and surrounding area. Fouke holds an annual festival dedicated to the monster, is home to the Monster Mart store, and is the setting for the cult classic horror film, ''The Legend of Boggy Creek'' (1972), based around the alleged events within the town.

Willow Creek, California

Willow Creek, California, with a population of about 1,700, is approximately south of where the famous Patterson-Gimlin film was made. Willow Creek calls itself "The Bigfoot Capital of the World", has a and holds an annual "Bigfoot Daze" festival in September.

Remer, Minnesota

Remer, Minnesota, with a population of around 400, has a festival dedicated to Bigfoot.

Point Pleasant, West Virginia

Point Pleasant, West Virginia, with a population of around 4,000, has a festival, museum and statue dedicated to its local cryptid, the Mothman.

Annual Mothman Festival

The Annual Mothman Festival was founded by Jeff Wamsley and Carolin Harris in 2002 as an attempt to drive tourism to the area and is celebrated in the month of September. The festival has been credited with creating an "economic boom" for the local community each year and features merchandise vendors, guest speakers, food, live music and exhibitions. Cosplay is practiced by many attendees and is encouraged by the festival. In 2022, organisers claimed the festival brought in over $2 million in revenue and regularly attracts between 12,000 and 15,000 attendees.

Sutton and Flatwoods, West Virginia

Sutton, West Virginia, with a population of around 859, has a museum dedicated to the Flatwoods monster, featuring life-size replicas of the creature, various interpretations of it in the form of drawings, figurines and artwork, as well as merchandise. A Flatwoods Monster Convention was held in 2023, which drew visitors in from around the country. Locals say that, across Braxton County, people can sometimes be found staking out at campgrounds to try and spot the creature, and children have been known to dress up as the Flatwoods monster for Halloween. Sutton is unique as a cryptid town, as the Flatwoods monster did not originate there, but rather from the nearby town of Flatwoods, West Virginia.

Flatwoods, which comparatively has a much smaller population of around 264, instead features a simple welcome sign that read "Welcome to Flatwoods, Home of the Green Monster". Also in the town is a Flatwoods monster and alien themed restaurant and dairy bar, the Spot, and one of five decorative chairs that depict the cryptid, which are spread around Braxton County.

Drumnadrochit, Scotland

Drumnadrochit, Scotland, with a population of around 1,130, is home to the Loch Ness Centre and Nessieland, which entertain the idea of the Loch Ness Monster. The Loch Ness Centre focuses on the history of the Loch and the monster associated with it, offering an "immersive experience" and showcasing eyewitness accounts, photographs, videos and artifacts. Nessieland, named so after the affectionate term for the cryptid, Nessie, is a family attraction that features a souvenir shop, children's playground and view of the Loch. The village attracts many tourists and so-called "monster hunters".

Drumnadrochit received significant attention in 2023 when the Loch Ness Centre conducted a large-scale search for the monster, with around 300 volunteers assisting in the search.

Rhinelander, Wisconsin

The hodag is the official symbol of Rhinelander, Wisconsin. It is the mascot of Rhinelander High School, and lends its name to numerous Rhinelander area businesses and organizations, including the annual music festival, Hodag Country Festival. The city of Rhinelander's web site calls Rhinelander "The Home of the Hodag". A larger-than-life fiberglass sculpture of a hodag, created by Tracy Goberville, a local artist, resides on the grounds of the Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce where it draws thousands of visitors each year. Rhinelander Ice Arena houses two hodags, one a full body creature just inside the entrance, and the other one an oversized head that blows smoke and has red eyes that light up, located in the corner just off the ice. The head was also created by Goberville.

See also

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References

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Cryptozoology
Cryptids
Types of towns
Folklore
Tourist attractions