Deep in the river valleys of Taylor County, West Virginia, a strange legend has lingered for more than sixty years — a hulking, pale-skinned creature so massive and so silent that early witnesses didn’t know whether they’d encountered an animal or something entirely unknown. Known today as The Grafton Monster or The Beast of Grafton, this headless-looking giant first appeared in the summer of 1964 and quickly became one of Appalachia’s most unnerving mysteries. Here are five fast facts about the creature that left a permanent mark on the hills around Grafton.

Tony Merkel was recently featured on the TV show Living East Tennessee, where he shared his passion for the unexplained and explored some mysterious legends of Appalachia, including the Moon-Eyed People and portals at Moravian Falls.

We love living in the Appalachia region, an area full of history, legends, strange creatures! Explore one of these such legendary creatures with Donnie Laws, a native Appalachian, as he recounts the history and sightings of the Booger of Fonde Mountain, a strange and mysterious ape-like creature who may be hiding out in the mountains of southeast Kentucky.