“The lake was very calm. Above, a bright summer moon provided unlimited visibility. Suddenly, just a few feet offshore, the surface parted with a swelling roar of angry water as a serpentine head reared high, swaying from side to side and leering with great red eyes” (Moffet 3). Since Bear Lake Valley was developed, stories of the Bear Lake Monster have circulated campfires, fishing boats, and cabin living rooms. These stories bring communities together. The people of Bear Lake bond over stories of the monster because everyone has heard stories and everyone has stories to add. Another reason these stories are told is to attract tourists. The Bear Lake Monster is printed on t-shirts, dramatized by tour guides, and used as a name on orders at
…show more content…
In their account, the men say that the monster is a huge reptile with a horse head. The monster was said to move quickly through the water and only go a short distance onto land before the men escaped and the monster retreated. The next morning, the men returned to the lake and there were large footprints where the monster had been the night before (Mead). An article published by Deseret News contains many accounts of sightings of the Bear Lake Monster. Each account varies but all accounts hold that the monster has legs and can walk short distances on land, has reptilian characteristics, and can move faster in water than horses and cars can on land. This article also claims that until around 1868, most accounts of the Bear Lake Monster had been from people who were alone when they saw it. The Bear Lake Monster became more legitimate when groups of people, some of whom were well known in the community, began reporting sightings (Paris). These stories drew people into Bear Lake. More recently, reported sightings have been consistently …show more content…
People share old stories, experience new stories, and new information is continuously emerging about the possibility of a strange creature dwelling in the bottom of Bear Lake. Regardless of whether or not these stories are true, the Bear Lake Monster will always play an important role in the Bear Lake Valley. It has played a large role in what Bear Lake has become. The legend of the Bear Lake Monster unites the community through common knowledge and experiences, bringing in tourists with the excitement of something unknown and frightening, and helps explain weird phenomena such as Native Americans never returning from a swim and farm animals dying in the night. Although sighting reports are dying off, the legend never
In their account, the men say that the monster is a huge reptile with a horse head. The monster was said to move quickly through the water and only go a short distance onto land before the men escaped and the monster retreated. The next morning, the men returned to the lake and there were large footprints where the monster had been the night before (Mead). An article published by Deseret News contains many accounts of sightings of the Bear Lake Monster. Each account varies but all accounts hold that the monster has legs and can walk short distances on land, has reptilian characteristics, and can move faster in water than horses and cars can on land. This article also claims that until around 1868, most accounts of the Bear Lake Monster had been from people who were alone when they saw it. The Bear Lake Monster became more legitimate when groups of people, some of whom were well known in the community, began reporting sightings (Paris). These stories drew people into Bear Lake. More recently, reported sightings have been consistently …show more content…
People share old stories, experience new stories, and new information is continuously emerging about the possibility of a strange creature dwelling in the bottom of Bear Lake. Regardless of whether or not these stories are true, the Bear Lake Monster will always play an important role in the Bear Lake Valley. It has played a large role in what Bear Lake has become. The legend of the Bear Lake Monster unites the community through common knowledge and experiences, bringing in tourists with the excitement of something unknown and frightening, and helps explain weird phenomena such as Native Americans never returning from a swim and farm animals dying in the night. Although sighting reports are dying off, the legend never