top of page
Writer's pictureFATE Magazine

Top 10 Cryptids Around New York State




Cryptids Believed to Be Living in New York

New York state is well known for a lot of reasons. But unfortunately, all of these other reasons can remove the attention of some of the more mysterious parts of the state. Because of the large number of lakes in New York, many of the creatures are water-based but that is not to say the list is all aquatic monsters. Another thing that makes New York cryptids different from other states is that most of them do not seem threatening. But don't let that fool you, some of the cryptids listed below will still haunt your dreams if you let them.

10. BigFoot

The more list I make, the more I seem to run across BigFoot. This large ape-like creature is considered by many people to be the missing link of evolution. Others denounce the creature as a hoax, with its very appearance and description going against was they believe to be true. Despite this, BigFoot has been sighted in nearly every US state and even in parts of Canada. With so many sightings of this marvelous creature occurring in all areas of North America, it begs to ask if there is only one?

9. Beamoc

Most people of Roscoe, NY always considered Beamoc to be pure folklore until a newspaper released a story in the year 2000 about a fisherman that nearly hooked it. In the end, the large two-headed fish was able to escape but its appearance invigorated the community and confirmed the stories of many people. Named 'Beamoc' due to its primary location being the junction pool of the Beaverkill River and Willowemoc Creek(Bea-Moc). The legend goes, that years ago a normal trout ended up growing a second head after pulling itself in both directions while trying to make a decision as to which path to take in the merging waters. The Beamoc make not be as scary as other water cryptids on the list but it is still interesting, to say the least.

8. Old Greeny

Old Greeny is a legendarily large serpent that is been dwelling in Cayuga Lake for over 100 years. The first sighting was reported in an 1897 article in the Ithaca Journal. The aquatic beast was described as being around 30 to 35 feet in length. It was suggested that the beast could possibly be a member of the Seneca Lake sea serpent family the made its way to the lake through an underground channel. Others believe it could be a member of a rare species of giant freshwater eel.

The Scary Oggie of Onondaga Lake.

7. Oggie of Onondaga Lake

Oggie is said to be the name of a large creature that calls Onondaga Lake of New York it's home. While still gigantic in its own right, Oggie is usually considered to be a smaller version of Champy, New York's most well-known cryptid. Some of the indigenous peoples of the region have claimed that Oggie has been in Onondaga Lake for centuries. However, most people claim the serpent is a result of the heavy pollution levels in the water. The Environmental Protection Agency has marked Onondaga Lake as one of the most polluted lakes in the United States as a result of the runoff from a nuclear power facility being dumped into its waters. The local community hangs flyers and displays with Oggice's appearance out every Halloween.

The well-known, Chupacabra.

6. Chupacabra

Most stories involving the Chupacabra come from the southern United States and the island of Puerto Rico but it has been sighted as far north as New York. Perhaps due to the large population of immigrants, the mangy creature has managed to migrate to parts of the world it would not normally locate. The name Chupacabra translates to mean "Goat Sucker" and is derived from the way the creature is to say to suck the blood of its prey like a vampire. It is described as average-sized the bipedal creature is said to have spikes down its spine.



5. Beasts of Sherman

Beast of Sherman is a creature only sighted by several people during the latter half of the 1960s but was believed by the famous paranormal investigator John Keel. After receiving a letter from a 15-year-old boy in Sherman, New York, Mr. Keel described the beast as being a pair of colossal, albino sloth-like that appear to be prehistoric in size. The young boy described how the pair of New York cryptids would invade the outlining property of his parent swamp side home.

The Oniate, the hand from hell.

4. Oniate

To be fair, the Oniate seems to be more of a ghost or ghoul than a cryptid but the hub is called 'Top 10 New York Cryptids' so I had to make do. The Oniate is a creature that comes from the Native American "Legend of Dry Hand". It is a dismembered hand that is capable of floating around the northern side of New York state. Anyone that is touched by the decaying fingers is said to either die, go blind, or become infected with a disease.

The freakish, Manhattan Monster.

3. Manhattan Monster

The Manhattan Monster is a horrifying creature that had a strange mutilated face, snarling snout, and five toes on each foot that mysteriously washed up on the shores under the Brooklyn Bridge. Pictures of the carcass were first released in 2013 but theories of its origin have continued to circulate. Many people are still under sure of whether it was the body of a gigantic rodent, the remains of a pig, or perhaps something supernatural in nature.

Alligators in the Sewers, O My!

2. Sewer Alligators

Another one of the most known myths of New York City is the legend of alligators in the sewers. The stories date all the way back to 1932 when the New York Times reported that one was found lurking around the banks of the Bronx River. Since that time there has been a large number of sightings around the large city. Most people believe that the alligators were originally purchased as gifts but were released into the sewers when they got too large. The alligators have survived over the years by feasting on rats and trash found within the tunnels and sometimes venturing out into the local rivers and streams.

Champ, the New York relative of Lock Ness.

1. Champ

Champy, or Champ, is by far the most popular cryptid located in the great state of New York. With sightings dating all the way back to the 17th century, this mysterious aquatic creature has become more than just a local legend. Champy is said to be roaming the depths of Lake Champion with its extremely long snake-like body and a horse-like head. Champy has even been used in the past to provide evidence that the Loch Ness Monster could actually exist. Even though Champy has yet to gain the notoriety of its cousin, it still remains one of the best-kept secrets in New York.



Comments


bottom of page