Columbus’ Cryptid Legend: The Mill Race Monster & Fall Frights Await

Mill Race Park in Columbus, Indiana, is best known today for its scenic river views and family-friendly trails.

But in November 1974, it became the center of one of the most bizarre and chilling events in local history: multiple reports of a hairy green-faced monster lurking in the woods.

What followed was panic, a massive search effort, and one of the largest monster hunts in U.S. history, a legend that still echoes through Columbus folklore today.

We thought we were going to die.

– Tyra Cataline, eyewitness

Quick summary of the November 1974 sightings and events

Nov. 1: Two separate groups of women report sightings; one group claims the creature jumped on their car and clawed the hood.
Nov. 5: Two men see a hairy figure near the park’s covered bridge; UFO sightings reported in the region.
Nov. 8: Dogcatcher Rick Duckworth spots a tall figure wrapped in green blankets; frightened cats bolt from the scene.
Nov. 12: The Republic runs editorial “Enough’s Enough,” calling for calm.
Mid-November: Park closed from dusk to dawn; monster hunters continue searches; footprints reported.
Nov. 20: “Monster Roast” humorously placed on city agenda; sightings taper off.

November 1, 1974 – The First Sightings

The first call to the Columbus Police Department came around 3:00 p.m. when two women driving near the boat ramp to the White River reported seeing “a monster.” They described it as six or seven foot tall, upright, with dark fur and a pale green face. Police rushed to the scene but found nothing.

That same evening, a second group of women had a terrifying encounter. A hairy figure with long claws reportedly jumped onto the hood of their car, pounding on the windshield before fleeing into the woods where the Driftwood and Flatrock rivers meet. Their car bore deep scratches, lending credibility to their story.

November 5, 1974 – UFOs and More Sightings

Two men claimed to see the creature near the park’s covered bridge, first in daylight and later at night when they returned with binoculars. One speculated it might have been left behind by extraterrestrials, pointing to simultaneous UFO sightings reported throughout the Midwest.

This theory only fueled the public imagination, with some insisting it was Bigfoot and others suggesting a prankster or even a publicity stunt by a political candidate.

November 8, 1974 – The Dogcatcher’s Report

City dogcatcher Rick Duckworth and colleague John Brown were dispatched to rescue two cats stuck in a tree. What they saw instead startled them: a tall figure wrapped in green blankets with long reddish hair, which bolted into the woods “as fast as a deer.”

Even the rescued cats ran off “like bolts of lightning,” Duckworth later recalled. That same day, a local woman called police after hearing noises in her garage; her son claimed he saw the creature there.

Mid-November – And the Hunt Begins

Within days, Mill Race Park was overrun, not by monsters, but by monster hunters. Dozens of people, some carrying flashlights and others armed with clubs, knives, or guns, combed the woods each night.

Authorities feared the situation more than the creature itself. The park was soon barricaded and closed from dusk to dawn, and Police Officer Kenneth St. John was humorously named “Monster Control Officer” to handle a flood of media inquiries.

The Republic, Columbus’ daily newspaper, published an editorial titled “Enough’s Enough,” criticizing the hysteria and calling for calm. A letter to the editor soon followed, mocking the hunt and urging people to stay home.

Pictured: Image from the Indy Star’s article on the Mill Race Monster

Late November – The End?

By mid-November, the park committee jokingly placed a “Monster Roast” on its agenda, signaling the end of the hysteria. While police suspected a prank, no one ever admitted responsibility. Despite skepticism, reports of strange footprints and lingering fear kept the legend alive.

Decades later, local newspaper editor and county historian, Harry McCawley recalled the incident for the TV show Monsters and Mysteries in America, calling it “the largest monster hunt in U.S. history.”

Some eyewitnesses, like Tyra Cataline, never wavered in their testimony:

We thought we were going to die. All three of us thought we were going to die.

It was something. I don’t know what it was, but it wasn’t somebody wearing a costume.

But the Mill Race Monster isn’t the only scary tale in Columbus

Columbus is home to several haunted sites. The historic Crump Theatre, once a vaudeville and opera house, is said to be the most haunted, with reports of “The Lady in Black,” ghostly children, mysterious touches, and eerie music. Columbus’ own celebrity ghost hunter, Matthew Jackson, has explored the mysteries of The Crump, sharing his findings on his website, Paraholics.com. The historic venue has also drawn national attention, appearing on the TV show Paranormal Encounters, and even catching the interest of The Ghost Brothers who made a guest apperance at the 2024 ParaCon at The Crump, and joined with countless amateur ghost hunters eager to experience its paranormal allure.

Other spooky spots include the Bartholomew County Historical Society Museum, where doors open on their own, and Viewpoint Books, where books fly off shelves and phantom footsteps echo after dark.

Whether you believe the Mill Race Monster was a prank, a cryptid, or something out of this world, the legend still lingers in the quiet corners of the park.

Why not come see for yourself?

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