Eyewitness accounts of Momo – a nickname for "Missouri monster" – have been occurring as far back as the late 1800s.
Tales of encounters with the hairy creatures date back to 1846 when a "monsterous beast" was discovered in the swamplands near the Arkansas-Missouri border and in 1881, when a creature covered in hair surprised a hunter nearby Ironton, Missouri
Since then, sightings of a large, bipedal, hairy creature have surfaced in numerous counties in Missouri and continue until present day. Many of the sightings describe a creature similar to Bigfoot, but with some varying differences.
This has many wondering just who, and what is Momo?
The Missouri Monster Scare
The Missouri monster scare of "Momo," as named by the press, began in 1972 in Pike county near the small Missouri town of Louisana.
First seen by two boys playing at the base of Marzoff Hill, the creature was described as six or seven feet tall with black hair covering it's face and body. It was also seen by several other Louisana residents in the following days and a media frenzy ensued.
Description of the Monster
Many eye witnesses described the creature as having three toes on each foot, three claw-like fingers, and a pumpkin shaped head with big, glowing orange eyes. It was reported to steal and eat dogs and seemed to enjoy terrorizing people.
This creature had no fear of humans, often walking toward them aggressively instead of fleeing. It was also said to have a terrible stench often described as rotting flesh and garbage or sulfur and feces.
After two weeks, the sightings stopped as suddenly as they started. But is was not the end of Momo's popularity; in fact, it was just the beginning.
Possible Explanations for Momo
Momo was later sighted near the Missouri towns of O'Fallon and St. Charles that same year and many wondered if the sightings were the same creature that appeared in Pike county or if they were connected with numerous UFO reports occurring in the area.
Experts later dismissed the UFO idea but many people thought it more than just coincidence that the creature suddenly appeared the same time the UFO sightings began. Mysterious balls of fire dropping from the sky and strange lights were seen around Marzoff Hill and in fields near Louisana, Mo. as well as the O'Fallon area during the time period.
While Momo's presence could not be explained, it was generally thought Momo was the legendary Sasquatch, or Bigfoot.
Eye witness reports varied widely in it's description, although the fact that it was covered in hair, walked upright on two legs and was not a bear remained consistent. It was even suggested by some that Momo may be a demonic spirit.
Resembling a werewolf, howling, and having a certain disdain for religious services, Momo interrupted prayer meetings in Pike county by loud, strange noises or rock throwing. Still others have suggested he may be a shapeshifter able to disappear suddenly or materialize to certain individuals in select locales along the Mississippi River, an area rich in Native American history.
Momo Remains a Mystery
Whether Momo is the legendary Bigfoot or a subspecies of the creature, an extraterrestrial, demonic spirit, or shapeshifter, he has made himself known in the "Show Me State" and remains to this day a mystery.
Sources:
- BFro.com
- BigfootEncounters.com
- Cryptozoology A to Z, Loren Coleman and Clark, Jerome, (New York,1999).
