Wyoming – Jackalopes
After two lists of creepy things to keep you awake at night, we’re ending this on a high note, and my personal very favorite urban legend or cryptid—THE JACKALOPE. (Cryptids are animals thought to be mythical, like Unicorns, the Loch Ness Monster, etc). The Jackalope is an adorable wild hare – with antlers. YES. They’re thought to be vicious when cornered and will defend themselves with their antlers. In addition, they can run up to 90 miles per hour. That’s faster than a cheetah! They’ve most commonly been sighted in Wyoming, and were FIRST sighted in the 1800s in what would eventually become Wyoming, by famous western guide John Colter.
You missed the boat on New Jersey! THE JERSEY DEVIL is most definitely the official haunting creature of the Garden State. Long before NJ was even a state, the legend of the Jersey Devil began. It was the 13th child of Mrs Leeds, who had no desire for another baby. According to legend, she cursed the baby even before it was born. At its birth, the creature assumed otherworldly dimension and flew up the chimney of the home. Since then, the Devil regularly haunts the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, frightening all it encounters. On the eve of a National tragedy, the Devil is said to appear at many varied places in the state to warn of evils to come (most notably in December 1941, just before Pearl Harbor.)