Authors of 'Unnatural Ohio' share legends, tales from the state
FREMONT ― The shelves of many Ohio libraries are lined with campfire-worthy books filled tales of the state’s otherworldly creatures and unexplained mysteries. Stories of Big Foot, South Bay Bessie and the Dogman of Defiance are written to entice curiosity and fuel fear with little regard to accuracy. In their book, “Unnatural Ohio: A History of Buckeye Cryptids, Legends and Other Mysteries,” authors M. Kristina Smith and Kevin Moore tackle Ohio’s urban legends from a different angle.
They want to dissect the fallacies from the facts.
“That was our approach. We wanted to find the truth,” Smith said.
Authors were searching for the truth
Smith and Moore work together at Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museums, where Smith, a former investigative reporter, serves as communications and marketing manager. Moore is the museums’ curator of artifacts. They combined their investigative skills and historical knowledge as they researched some of Ohio’s most famous legends. Did two young couples really see Mothman, a “man with wings,” near the Ohio-West Virginia border in 1966? Did a Loveland police officer truly encounter a 3-foot-tall frog, dubbed the Loveland Frog, in 1972?
“We did research all over the place,” Smith said. “I read a lot of newspaper archives and microfilm. I looked through different libraries, including the Alpena Library in Michigan and the Bowling Green State University library. I read books from the Center for UFO Studies in Illinois and did a lot of public records work.”
Smith interviewed experts from reputable organizations such as the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, Ohio Sea Grant and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Unlike many urban legend books, “Unnatural Ohio” contains a full bibliography.
“When we read books, we couldn’t always determine where they got their information. We wanted to leave a paper trail,” Moore said.
Authors read paranormal literature
The authors read paranormal literature with an investigative eye.
“We looked at how they told paranormal stories in books and how they retold paranormal stories in books. We looked at how primary documents, archives and government records compared to these stories,” Moore said. “We saw the changes over time and the details that were added.”
Through research, they were able to debunk some urban legends, like the oft-told stories of Gore Orphanage, but in the process, they discovered fascinating, true history that inspired the false tales.
Tale of Gore Orphanage examined
“I think the true story about Gore Orphanage is way more interesting than the urban legend,” Smith said.
Some of the eyewitnesses behind the legends are buoyed not by their own credentials but by the sacrifices they made to tell their stories. As Moore researched the Portage County UFO Chase, he was struck by the tenacity of the witnesses in the aftermath of their experiences.
“Whether they saw a UFO or not, it wrecked their lives,” he said.
Smith and Moore don’t draw conclusions to their research in the book. They leave that to their readers.
“We’re on the fence about these things. There’s a lot of evidence that’s not very good, but there are also stories from credible people you trust, and you want to respect that,” Moore said.
“Unnatural Ohio” can be purchased in the Hayes Museum book store or by calling the museum at 419-332-2081 and asking for Kristina Smith. It is available through large markets such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble and at independent stores including Bassett’s Market in Port Clinton and Gathering Volumes in Perrysburg.
Find information on the “Unnatural Ohio” Facebook page or by emailing unnaturalohio@gmail.com.
Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: 'Unnatural Ohio' includes stories of creatures, Gore Orphanage, more
