Sharlie, Water Dragon of Payette Lake

-

The town of McCall, Idaho is one of the primary tourist destinations in the state for skiing, boating, and outdoor recreation, seated on the edge of beautiful Payette Lake.  But few realize the lakeside resort holds a strange secret; Sharlie, the dragon of Payette Lake.


McCall started it's time as a logging town, pulling trees from the abundant forests of the area to process in the sawmill, but it was during this time of it's history that Sharlie first made her appearance.  Loggers were working on the bank during the 1920s when they thought they saw a log surface and begin to float on the water, which was hardly unusual, until the log began to move with a life of it's own and resubmerged into the lake.

The strange creature reappeared in 1944, when several distinct groups of people began making reports of a large animal, 30-35 feet in length, with a brontosaurus like head, pronounced jaw, camel humps along it's back and a hard, shiny, shell like skin rising from the lake, swimming, and basking.



The monster was sighted again in 1946, appearing to a large group of 20 people.  They saw a large animal, 30-40 feet long, swimming along the surface and repeatedly diving, like a duck.  It cut the water and left a wide wake.

In 1954 the Star News held a contest to name the elusive monster.  The winning entry was "Sharlie", in reference to the Jack Pearl radio show.  Sharlie has appeared dozens of times since then, with the last reported sighting in 2002. 


Crptozoologists have pointed out the similarities between Sharlie, Champ, and Nessie, but there is not enough evidence to do proper comparisons. It is suspected Sharlie conceals herself in the extensive volcanic vents beneath the lake, making it impossible to thoroughly search the waters.


If you visit McCall, the towns only acknowledgement of the legendary dragon is a statue of her on the lake shore.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Spectral Stallion of Owyhee County

-
Image
Those traveling through Owyhee County can take comfort in knowing they are not alone.  Owyhee County, which consists of the southwest corner of the state, is home to many unique legends, not the least of which are the spectral horses said to appear in times of need. Acording to legend, if you ever find yourself lost and alone in the wilds of Owyhee you should look to the sky.  There it is said a white stallion, with a mane of wispy clouds and hooves like thunder, will part the clouds and descend to the horizon, followed by a surging herd of ghostly pale horses.  The stallion will lead the herd across the sky, and the traveler need only follow to be led back to safety.
Read more

The Snake River Killer

-
Image
The Asotin County Fair comes to the town of Lewiston every spring, bringing with it the Hells Canyon Rodeo and the start of the planting season.  But some residents still remember the spring of 1979, when a 12 year old girl named Christina White disappeared and the Snake River Killer began his reign of terror. On the day of the fair Christina visited a friends house complaining of a headache, and was offered a cool cloth and use of the telephone to call her mother for a ride.  The home belonged to Patricia Brennen, who asked Christina to wait for her ride out on the porch.  They had thought her already picked up and home when her mother arrived over an hour later to retrieve her, and she could not be located.  At the time, Patrica was dating a man named Lance Voss, who would soon enough become her husband, and a suspect in the case. For two years parents locked their doors and children were kept inside, but as the fear began to ease tragedy struck again.  In the summer
Read more

Little People of the Owyhee Mountain Caves

-
Image
In the beautiful Owyhee Mountains of southern Idaho are rumored to live the Nirumbees, a terrifying race of tiny people who inhabit the mountain caves and eat human flesh.  First reported by the Crow and Shoshone tribes, the Nirumbee are eighteen inches tall with long pointed tails they curl around themselves for protection.  They are reported to be extremely strong and to shoot poison tipped arrows so fine they cannot be seen.  The Nrumbee possess many fairy like traits, and are thought to kidnap and eat children, replacing the missing child with one of their own, who will slowly drain the mother of life as it nurses.  They are thought to eat the hearts of wild stallions.  Generally assumed to be an native american legend, Nirumbees have nontheless been sighted within this century, and have been implicated in animal mutilations.
Read more