Encounter Atlas
The snallygaster comes from the folklore of German immigrants who settled around Frederick, Maryland in the 18th century. Their schneller Geist, or 'quick ghost', was half bird and half reptile, with a metal-like beak full of teeth, and in some versions octopus-like tentacles. It swooped from the sky to carry off people and livestock. Seven-pointed stars painted on barns were said to keep it away.
In February and March 1909 the Middletown Valley Register ran reports of a winged beast with a long beak, hooked claws and one eye in the middle of its forehead, screeching like a train whistle. The story spread nationwide, and the Smithsonian was said to have offered a reward for its hide. It was later revealed as a circulation stunt by the paper's editor and a reporter. A 1932 wave had it dying in a vat of moonshine.
What witnesses report
- Huge wings and a long hooked beak
- A single eye in the forehead
- A scream like a locomotive whistle
- Seven-pointed hex stars on barns
Famous cases
- 1909Newspaper sightings wave
Middletown Valley, Maryland - 1932Second wave of reports
Frederick County, Maryland
Seen the Snallygaster?
Tell us what happened. Every report is read by a person before it goes on the map, and you can stay anonymous.
