Bigfoot Attack in the Okefenokee in 1829?

Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia

It is a little known fact that one of the earliest written accounts of the creature we now call Bigfoot or Sasquatch actually originated from Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, not from the Pacific Northwest.

The 1829 newspaper report tells of how giant footprints were found in the swamp, where Indian legend held a race of giants lived. After explorers found the footprints, a party of hunters worked its way into the Okefenokee hoping to find the man or animal responsible for the tracks. They got more than they bargained for, when the 13-foot tall creature charged their camp. A fierce battle ensued in which both men and the monster were killed.

Thick Growth in the Okefenokee Swamp

Is the story true?

That's an interesting question and one that is impossible to answer. The tale was widely reported in U.S. newspapers in February of 1829 and the correspondent emphasized that people living on the margins of the swamp in Ware County, Georgia, swore to its truth.

I've just added a new page on the 1829 incident to the main site at www.exploresouthernhistory.com. It includes numerous quotes from the original report on the Okefenokee Bigfoot Attack as well as detail on the legends of mysterious creatures in the swamp.

Please click here to access the story page: www.exploresouthernhistory.com/okefenokeebigfoot.