Amy SchwabeMilwaukee Journal Sentinel
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In his book "Lake Monsters of Wisconsin," researcher, lecturer and writer of "all things Wisconsin weird" Chad Lewis documents the stories of dozens of creatures who have been sighted in Wisconsin lakes over the years. Most of those creatures have origin stories that date back to Indigenous tribes, and many sightings were documented in newspapers in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Here are some of Wisconsin's notable lake creature stories.
Pepie in Lake Pepin
According to Lewis' book, stories of a creature in Lake Pepin on the border between Wisconsin and Minnesota stretch back to before either was a state when people in the Dakota tribe reported their canoes being attacked by a water beast. Then, in the 1870s, there were several sightings recorded in newspapers of a large creature rising out of the water. And unlike several lake creature stories, these sightings have occurred in more recent history as well, leading to the $50,000 award offered by a local business owner in 2008 for proof of Pepie's existence.
Jenny in Lake Geneva
Newspaper reports in the 1890s described sightings of a creature in Geneva Lake that would cause the water to boil and toss people off their boats. Jenny — as the creature affectionately became known — was thought to look like a giant sea snake and was described as anywhere from 25 to 80 feet long. Sightings died down in the early 1900s.
Lake Winnebago water monster
A 2020 story in the Oshkosh Northwestern explains that the Lake Winnebago creature sightings originated with stories from Ho-Chunk people of a creature that attacked the area's wildlife. There were also several reported sightings in the late 1800s of a sea serpent who would splash and make a lot of noise. Interestingly, Lewis notes in his book that there was a possible explanation for the creature with the 1889 capture of a large sea lion who had escaped four years earlier from a touring menagerie of exotic animals.
Fowler Lake stories in Oconomowoc
Fowler Lake's stories from the late 1800s and early 1900s of "Old Lop-Jaw" — a giant fish creature said to have been nearly caught by several fishermen — are enhanced by other supernatural stories from the La Belle Cemetery on the lake's shore. According to a 2014 Appleton Post-Crescent story, Oconomowoc residents believe the lakeside cemetery is haunted by the ghost of a young woman who is thought to have drowned in the lake. The statue near her grave is said to cry "tears of blood and will cause blindness if you steal the pennies others leave in her hand."
Bozho in Lake Mendota
In the 1890s, there were several sightings of Bozho in Madison's Lake Mendota. According to Lewis' book, a fisherman and his wife said they encountered the large, snake-like creature that was white and covered in green spots; after grabbing the couple's oar, the monster finally swam away after being dealt several blows by the fisherman with a hatchet. Over the years, people reported seeing Bozho as they swam, boated and fished; at various times, he was said to have horns, a large square-shaped head and "blazing eyes."
Lake Monona sea serpent
The other major lake in Madison has its own stories of creatures. According to Lewis' book, around the time Lake Mendota was experiencing a rash of Bozho sightings in the 1890s, a fisherman on Lake Monona encountered a serpent "as large as a telephone pole." Many others would see the sea serpent over the next few years, although reported sightings died down by the turn of the century.
Creatures of Devil's Lake
There are many purported creatures in Devil's Lake, some of which originate from Indigenous legends, including one of an octopus creature that drowned hunters. There's also the story of a creature that resembles Loch Ness' Nessie and the sighting of a pair of monsters that didn't seem to care about humans but fought each other.
The Long Neck of Long Lake
The Long Lake creature sightings are notable because they're so recent compared to most lake creature appearances. According to Lewis' book, in 1989 two campers saw a 25-foot black and yellow creature. There were more sightings in the 1990s, including that of a 3-foot-long salamander-type creature crossing Highway 67. Some people thought that fellow was perhaps a baby lake monster.
Lake Michigan Leviathan
In his book, Lewis notes there are several stories of different creatures in Lake Michigan, which makes sense because it is, after all, a great lake. Descriptions include 150-foot-long monsters that caused shipwrecks by wrapping their tentacles around ships, plenty of sea serpents with giant heads and long tails, and one story from 1903 of a group of men who saw a creature with a series of wings, a head like an elephant and horns.
Rocky in Rock Lake
In the late 1800s, a creature that was often mistaken for a log was sighted in Rock Lake just outside Lake Mills. After seemingly lying dormant for decades, Rocky — as he came to be known — made another appearance in the 1940s when he frightened a 15-year-old boater.
Have we missed your favorite lake creature legend? Email amy.schwabe@jrn.com to let us know.
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