Grafton monster


In West Virginia folklore, the Grafton Monster is a boulder-like creature spotted around Grafton, West Virginia in 1964.

History

On June 16, 1964, around 11 p.m., Grafton Sentinel reporter Robert Cockrell spotted a mysterious creature in Grafton while he was on Riverside Drive outside of Grafton near the Tygart Valley River. This creature was large, standing around 7-9 feet tall, white, hairy, and without a noticeable head. After witnessing this encounter, Cockrell was eager to write an article about the monster, but the editors of the paper initially rejected his report, finding it unbelievable. However, after more sources began to witness similar encounters, the news outlet allowed Cockrell to publish the report. Following Cockrell’s report, numerous individuals claimed to have seen the creature, leading to widespread interest and local investigations.

Legacy

In 2024, Grafton, West Virginia hosted the inaugural Grafton Monster festival, a two-day event in June to celebrate the Grafton monster and West Virginia folklore. Festival organizer Kit Ford deemed the festival to be a good economic opportunity for the town. This also included the soft launch of the Grafton Monster Museum, located on Main Street.

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