Grafton monster
| Creature information | |
|---|---|
| Other name(s) | Grafton monster |
| Grouping | West Virginia cryptid |
| Origin | |
| Region | Grafton, West Virginia |
| Part of a series on the |
| Paranormal |
|---|
In West Virginia folklore, the Grafton Monster, is a boulder-like creature that has been spotted around Grafton, West Virginia in 1964.[1][2][3][4]
History
[edit]On June 15, 1964, around 11 p.m., Grafton Sentinel reporter Robert Cockrell spotted a mysterious creature in Grafton while he was on the road near the Tygart Valley River. This creature was large, standing around 7-9 feet tall, white, hairy, and without a noticeable head. After witnessing this encounter, Cockrell was eager to write an article about the monster, but the editors of the paper initially rejected his report, finding it unbelievable. However, after more sources began to witness similar encounters, the news outlet allowed Cockrell to publish the report. Following Cockrell’s report, numerous individuals claimed to have seen the creature, leading to widespread interest and local investigations.[5][6]
Legacy
[edit]In 2024, Grafton, West Virginia hosted the inaugural Grafton Monster festival, a two-day event in June to celebrate the Grafton monster and West Virginia folklore.[7][8] This also included the soft launch of the Grafton Monster Museum, located on Main Street.[9][10]
Popular culture
[edit]- From 2014-2022, the Grafton monster was the main focus of five different episodes of the television show Mountain Monsters
- In 2018, the Grafton Monster was featured in the video game Fallout 76[11][12][13]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "The Grafton Monster". West Virginia Encyclopedia. 2024-07-02. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
- ^ Ballou, Bill. "Grafton's Hugh Bradley first over Green Monster". The Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ Murphy, Elias (2024-03-06). "Cryptids of the South: the Grafton Monster". Eastern Tennessee Online. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ Peel, Jeremy (2018-06-13). "We dug through West Virginian folklore to find Fallout 76 monsters". PCGamesN. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ Tarley, Cavan (2024-06-11). "Grafton celebrates the 60th anniversary of the first Grafton Monster sighting". Dominion Post. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
- ^ Coleman, Loren (2001-12-01). Mothman and Other Curious Encounters. Cosimo, Inc. ISBN 9781616406110. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
- ^ Gorski, Sam (February 22, 2024). "Every West Virginia monster festival in 2024". Retrieved July 1, 2025.
- ^ Skinner, Nicki (2025-06-03). "Grafton Monster Festival returns to celebrate West Virginia's legendary cryptid with movies, music and Mountain Monsters". WV News. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ "9 Of The Most Eccentric Towns In West Virginia". WorldAtlas. 2025-06-30. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ Pittman, Caine (2024-06-15). "Grafton Monster Festival delights visitors". WDTV. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ Johnson, Joe (2021-07-10). "How to Find & Kill Grafton Monster in Fallout 76". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ "Fallout 76 Cryptid Monster Locations". Turtle Beach. June 20, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
- ^ Mitchell, Matthew Kevin (2024-05-18). "All Grafton Monster Locations in Fallout 76". Game Rant. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
 | This folklore-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This West Virginia-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |