The Missouri Bigfoot

In July 1972, the small town of Louisiana, Missouri was gripped by fear when multiple witnesses reported encounters with a large, foul-smelling creature they named “Momo” - the Missouri Monster. Armed posses searched the hills while the nation watched.

The Location

Louisiana, Missouri:

• Pike County
• Mississippi River town
• Small population
• Wooded hills
• Summer 1972

The Harrison Sighting

July 11, 1972:

• Harrison children
• Saw creature in yard
• Carrying dead dog
• Seven feet tall
• Terrifying encounter

Physical Description

Witnesses reported:

• Seven feet tall
• Covered in black hair
• Pumpkin-shaped head
• Terrible odor
• Powerful build

The Smell

Distinctive feature:

• Overwhelming stench
• Preceded sightings
• Compared to rotting flesh
• Made witnesses gag
• Identification marker

The Dead Dog

Chilling detail:

• Creature carried dog
• Under its arm
• Walking upright
• Seemingly unconcerned
• Most disturbing element

Community Response

Town reaction:

• Fear spread quickly
• Armed patrols formed
• Hunts organized
• Children kept inside
• High alert

The Hunts

Search efforts:

• Multiple groups
• Armed volunteers
• Searched hills
• Found tracks
• Never caught

Physical Evidence

What was found:

• Large footprints
• Three-toed tracks
• Pressed vegetation
• Possible hair
• No specimen

Multiple Sightings

Other witnesses:

• Various locations
• Consistent descriptions
• Same time period
• Independent reports
• Corroborating accounts

Media Attention

Coverage included:

• National news
• Researchers arrived
• Town overwhelmed
• Brief sensation
• Bigfoot interest

Investigation

Researchers found:

• Credible witnesses
• Physical traces
• Consistent pattern
• No hoax evidence
• Active case

Duration

The flap:

• July-August 1972
• Intense activity
• Then diminished
• Occasional later reports
• Peak was brief

Possible Explanations

Theories included:

• Unknown primate
• Escaped animal
• Mass hysteria
• Hoax
• Black bear

Significance

Multiple witnesses, physical evidence, organized hunts, and lasting community impact from brief but intense activity.

Legacy

Momo represents the intensity of localized cryptid flaps—a creature that appeared, terrorized, and vanished, leaving a small town forever changed.