Unearth the Legends

1818 Long-Island Star Report

Location: Near Ellisburgh, New York (close to the Canadian border).

Date of Sighting: August 30, 1818.

Witness: A “gentleman of unquestionable veracity,” whose name was not disclosed in the article.

Description of the Creature:

Described as an animal resembling a man, covered in hair.

The creature was referred to as a “Wild Man of the Woods” or a “Yo-ho”—a term possibly borrowed from local or Indigenous folklore.

It walked upright, like a human.

It came within a few rods (a rod is about 16.5 feet or 5 meters) of the witness.

The creature paused and stared at the man before fleeing.

Its flight path allowed the witness to observe it clearly for some time.

Tone of the Report:

The article was written with a mix of curiosity and seriousness, suggesting the editors found the account credible or at least intriguing enough to publish.

It reflects early 19th-century fascination with the mysteries of the American wilderness, where tales of wild men, forest spirits, and unknown beasts were common.

This sighting is considered one of the earliest documented Bigfoot-like encounters in American print media and helped lay the foundation for the modern legend of Bigfoot.