Investigated report Logged and followed up by an investigating group.On the record In a newspaper, police, government or court record, or from a named public witness.Told story Folklore, oral tradition or a story passed along.Proven hoax Proven or confessed hoax.
Winged · Van Meter, Dallas County · first reported late Sept-early Oct 1903
Over several nights in autumn 1903, respected Van Meter townsfolk reported a bat-winged creature with a glowing horn that shot out light and left a sulfur stench. An armed posse is said to have chased it, and a second smaller one, into an old coal mine. See the main Van Meter Visitor dossier for the full story.
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Water monster · East Okoboji Lake, Iowa Great Lakes, Dickinson County · first reported 1903 · also called Lake Okoboji Monster
The Iowa Great Lakes around Okoboji are a busy summer resort area, and East Okoboji Lake has its own monster, nicknamed Obojoki. Stories describe a dark greenish-brown animal with a head the size of a bowling ball. In 1903 a couple said huge waves nearly tipped their boat, and the husband guessed it was a lake serpent or a fish as big as a skiff. In June 2001 a woman and two children at a resort dock described a five-foot creature with snake-like scales and a head like a cross between a lizard and a horse that struck the dock. Some writers connect it to Meskwaki traditions of an underwater panther, though that is a separate cultural belief.
Visiting: Public beaches and boat ramps around East and West Okoboji lakes; Arnolds Park amusement park is nearby.
Ape-like · Lockridge, Jefferson County · first reported Oct 3, 1975
In October 1975, according to a cryptid publisher, a turkey farmer near the small town of Lockridge in southeast Iowa reported a hairy, upright, ape-like animal about five feet tall with a face that looked like a monkey's. Dead turkeys were said to be found partly eaten, along with three-toed footprints nearly ten inches long. The story is little known outside cryptid circles. Three-toed tracks also show up in other 1970s Midwest monster cases, which some researchers find intriguing and skeptics see as a sign of hoaxing. Jefferson County shows several entries in the BFRO's Iowa database, though those are separate reports.
Other · Oakland Cemetery, Iowa City, Johnson County · first reported statue erected 1912-1913; legend later · also called Black Angel
Not a creature, but one of Iowa's best-known local legends. The Black Angel is an 8.5-foot bronze statue in Iowa City's Oakland Cemetery, designed by artist Mario Korbel as a memorial for the Feldevert family. Its bronze has darkened to a deep greenish-black over the years, which is a normal result of weathering. Local lore, though, says the angel turned black because of a curse, and that anyone who touches or kisses it will die or meet misfortune. Students and ghost hunters have visited for generations. Cemetery security now watches the statue closely to prevent vandalism, so visitors should look without touching.
Visiting: Oakland Cemetery, 1020 Ronalds Street, Iowa City; open to the public during daylight.
Ape-like · Statewide; most reports in Humboldt, Dubuque and Dallas counties · first reported 1970s (BFRO database) · also called Skunk River wildmen
The BFRO lists close to 80 Iowa reports, led by Humboldt, Dubuque and Dallas counties. Cryptid writers also tell of wild men in the Skunk River valley. See the main Bigfoot dossier for the wider picture.
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