Cryptid Profile: A Lake Superior Cave Monster
If you already have an interest in the weird world of cryptozoology, or if you are perhaps someone who enjoys a wide variety of Fortean subjects on a larger spectrum than you are more than likely already familiar with the monster said to dwell within Lake Superior, the largest of North America’s Great Lakes. But if you are someone who is new to the subject and enjoys just casually learning about these things whenever you come across an interesting article which talks about them, then you have come to the right place. So, regardless of where you stand in terms of knowledge, let us bring you up to speed and give you some super quick background info on what is thought to live within the gigantic lake known as Superior.
Believed (but not verified) to have been sighted as far back as the early 17th century (1600-1701) by explorers sent to the Superior area by Samuel de Champlain, the governor of New France at the time, the creature is most often described as looking like an absolutely massive aquatic snake. Prior to the arrival of the Europeans though, the Ojibwe people (an Algonkian speaking tribe) spoke of the lake creature in both respected and feared tones and often depicted it as a Mishipeshu, or Great Lynx, a dragon/cat mix with long horns, palmed paws, large scales, and amphibian qualities. This creature, also known as an Underwater Panther, is one of the most important and powerful beings to the indigenous peoples around the Great Lakes region and was believed to be master of all water creatures, as well as having additional power over snakes. The Mishipeshu was said to be able to create storms, whirlpools, shapeshift, and provide protection to those who willingly gave offerings of tobacco and made small game sacrifices.
Now, as we’ve come to learn, over the course of many years of European influence and after countless eyewitness reports, the monster eventually modernized and adopted the name of “Pressie” due to a few sightings that took place around the Presque Isle River in Michigan’s U.P. It also took on this name because apparently, it’s super difficult for some people to give a lake monster a name that isn’t similar to “Nessie”. Along with this name change, depictions of the creature also got updated and now depending on who you ask, the monster can look like anything from a giant eel or fish to the forever classic living dinosaur. The Lake Superior monster is now more in line with modern lake monsters than how it was originally depicted over 400 years ago.
That isn’t all there is to learn about Pressie though, not by a long shot. There is a lot more information and a ton of stories that we didn’t even make the slightest mention of here, and we urge you to take some time and look into this subject more if you are interested. This may cause you to ask yourself though, why would we suggest you take the time to do it yourself rather than us just keep going with it? Well, the reason is that this article isn’t about Pressie. Contrary to popular belief, there is thought to be another monster that dwells within the dangerous waters of Lake Superior. And that strange beast is the sole reason we are here today.
On Thursday, August 26th, 1886, the Manitowoc Pilot published an article titled, “A Lake Superior Monster”. The article itself wasn’t very long, no more than a few hundred words and the tightly packed column was void of all drawings for reference. Within its margins, the article described an encounter between an unlucky man and a monster that has, as far as we can tell, only been described once. The creature, which differs greatly from all recognized depictions of Mishipeshu, seems to be something entirely unique. And it is this uniqueness that we will touch on as soon as we give some more background information!
As mentioned above, Lake Superior is the largest of all the Great Lakes in North America. In terms of size, the order goes Lake Superior - 31,700 square miles, Lake Huron - 23,007 square miles, Lake Michigan - 22,404 square miles, Lake Erie - 9,910 square miles, and last but not least, Lake Ontario - 7,340 square miles. If you want to go by average depth, it goes Superior - 489 ft average & 1,333 ft maximum, Ontario - 283 ft average & 802 ft max, Michigan - 279 ft average & 923 ft max, Huron - 195 ft average & 750 ft max, and last but not least, Erie - 62 ft average & 210 ft max. These numbers alone are amazing to learn, but did you know that while also taking the titles for “worlds largest freshwater lake by surface area” and “the lake that is approximately the size of South Carolina”, it also gets to claim the wild title of “the only Great Lake to contain within it large deposits of copper”? It’s true.
While many wouldn’t guess that copper, one of the few native metals which occurs naturally in a usable metallic form, would be found within Lake Superior, archeological evidence from the Superior region suggests that the metal has been mined by ancient peoples within the area from as far back as 3000 BC. Some historians will even argue that copper mining around Superior took place nearly 2,000 years before the European Bronze Age. But what makes these claims even crazier is that while the evidence does suggest that mining was taking place, nobody knows exactly who was doing the mining. The Ojibwe people who took up residence around the Great Lakes migrated to the area, according to legend, over 500 years ago in the 1500s, and when they arrived, worked copper mines were discovered already abandoned. It is believed that nearly 5,000 mining pits, some around 20ft deep, were created by these unknown ancient miners with nothing but primitive stone hammers and hatchets. Even though nobody knows who these ancient people were or where they went, what we do know is that copper left behind took on great significance for the arriving Ojibwe people.
As referenced earlier, a Mishipeshu (Great Lynx) is often described as having prominent horns and large scales, but what we didn’t mention was that these horns and scales were said to be made out of pure copper. The reason for this was that a Mishipeshu was said to be a guardian of copper itself and would do all it could to protect its precious metal. There is even a legend around Lake Superior which talks about an Ojibwe youth which unfortunately found himself locked in battle with a Mishipeshu close to shore. During their fight, the boy was able to break off a piece of the Great Lynx’s tail after striking it with a broken canoe paddle. Understandably this caused the creature to flee back into the depths of the lake, but it also benefited the boy in more ways than he could imagine. It is said that the piece of the broken tail was made entirely of solid copper, and since the boy knew about the magic a Mishipeshu was said to possess, he kept the tail for himself as good luck. Well, the magic must have been real, as the legend goes on to say that as long as the boy kept the tail on his person, he was granted with nothing but good luck while both hunting and fishing.
As you can see, the Lake Superior area has a deeply rich history with not only a legendary water monster but also with copper itself. This history goes back centuries and, for some, helps give credence to the monster stories which originate around it. So when the Manitowoc Pilot ran their story on August 26, 1886, it only made sense that the few short paragraphs would feature both a strange monster and the highly revered metal itself. So, with all the necessary background information given and everybody now brought up to speed on why all of this is important, we can finally get into the story of the monster itself. Let us begin.
The story begins with a group of copper mine prospectors landing on one of the islands within Lake Superior. The article does not state which one nor does it make clear if it is close to Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, or Canada. Because of the history of mining in Superior though, we are going to say it is more than likely Michigan or Canada. Anyway, the miners landed on the unknown island and started searching for signs of copper. When they found none on the surface, the got their equipment together to begin looking for underwater rock formations which would indicate the presence of copper. Believing they may have found something of interest, the men decided to set up camp and remain on the island so they could have a full uninterrupted day of searching within the lake itself. That night though, something arrived at the island that caused the men to wonder if they should even be there at all.
While the men camped close to the water’s edge, the damp wind of the lake made it its business to try and extinguish the fire. Constantly on the verge of going out, the main source of heat and light needed to be fed constantly or else darkness would yet again creep back onto the island. Seeing that the ever-hungry flames could use another log, one of the men rose to toss one in, but when he stood up, he caught sight of something strange moving through the water. There within the darkness of the lake was a bright green light, moving slowly and spreading out nearly thirty feet in diameter. While the sight was both beautiful and mesmerizing to most of the men, it causing them to rise and move as close to the water as possible, one of the members in the group remembered stories he had heard which had been told by the tribes living around the lake. The ones about a powerful creature living within the water, a creature that could easily snatch unsuspecting men right from the shore and drag them down to the bottom in order to consume them, terrible stories about Mishipeshu.
With his fear now approaching its limit, the lone miner urged his fellow cohorts to step back from the edge and quickly informed them of what he now believed to be living within the water. The men listened with great interest as the light slowly came closer. With all members of the group now aware of the dangers that dwelled just below the surface, one of the men grabbed a rifle and fired a shot into the water directly at the light. Without hesitation, the lake went dark and the unknown source was gone. The remaining group members at once grabbed their firearms and for the rest of the night, a watch was kept just in case whatever made the light decided to come back. Lucky for them though, whatever it was decided to stay away and let the men enjoy the rest of the night in peace. Because apparently, it too was waiting for the dawn of a new day to make its presence known yet again.
When the sun rose the next day, the men woke with a renewed sense of purpose. The events that took place during the night were no longer forefront in their minds, the strange green light had been replaced by images of copper and the possibility of striking it big. The group cleaned up the camp, gathered their things, and made their way back out to the small barge which had brought them there. Once all on board, the men began the process of getting one of their own ready to get into the water and search for what they were sure was down there, copper.
Now fully dressed in the 200lb waterproofed canvas suit and bulky copper and brass helmet, the lucky chosen one slowly made his way towards the side of the barge and prepared to venture in. Two members of the group manned the air supply pump and another gave instruction through the diver’s telephone system (a sealed connecting tube which attached like the air hose and allowed the diver and the surface to somewhat communicate). With everything in working order, the diver took a deep breath to calm his nerves, picked up a bucket and a crowbar, attached a knife to his belt, and then lept forward into the great lake. With his heavy suit and weighted boots pulling him downward, the diver sank to a depth of around 30 feet before making contact with the targeted area. With both feet now planted firmly on the bottom, the diver began his search for the copper.
After being under the surface for only a short while, the diver was able to confirm that the assumptions he and his cohorts made about copper being in the area were correct. There ahead of him were the tell-tale signs of a submerged vein of copper, a path of green flecked rocks that snaked along the bottom like a painted stream. The diver, knowing that this vein would certainly lead towards a large deposit, followed the vein towards an overhanging rock and into what appeared to be an underwater cavern. As he progressed inside, the hoses attached to his helmet and leading up towards the surface pressed tight against the rock hanging overhead. Knowing he wasn’t able to advance much further less he break the hose, the diver turned around and headed back towards the open lake. But just as he was about to reach the cave’s entrance, everything went black.
Confused by what was occurring, the diver slowly approached the area of his escape with arms outstretched. Expecting to be greeted by the hard surface of the large rock which once hung overheard and may have fallen thus blocking his path, the diver was instead shocked to find himself pressed up against a living, fleshy thing. That shock was then exacerbated when the living thing, which up until that point was kept hidden by the blackness around it, began to glow green. The diver, now fully aware of what he was looking at, tried to back away as quickly as possible, but the slack of the hoses was made limited by not only the pressure of the rock but now also by the creature pressing against them. Unsure of what he could do, the diver began yelling into his helmet in hopes the sound would carry through the telephone system and alert his team back up on the barge. While the yelling was a last resort, it did actually prove successful in a way and was ultimately heard. Sadly though, it was the creature that had heard it.
With his yelling now at maximum volume, the diver watched with wide eyes through the holes of his helmet as the green glowing beast began to move towards him. Fearing what may happen next, the diver turned and tried to move forward but was unable to do so as the hoses were stretched to their limit. Beginning to panic, the diver turned yet again to view the creature, only this time when he spun around, he made direct eye contact with a giant eye staring back at him. The diver reacted out of instinct and grabbed the knife from his belt, shoving it forward into the eye of the creature. Like an explosion, the dull green light grew brighter and drove away the darkness inside the cave. And at that moment, the terrified diver was able to see the creature in all its glory.
There before him, blocking his only exit, was a giant beast with large eyes and more than a dozen tentacles flailing wildly through the water. The diver, with the knife still in hand, slashed at the mass of tentacles moving around him. Every time the sharp blade made contact with the thick writhing arms, the creature grew more upset, grabbing at anything and everything it could wrap its arms around. While the diver was able to force back every tentacled attempt to grab him, the hoses extending from the top of his helmet to the surface weren't so lucky. The creature wrapped one of its arms around the man’s life support system and began to pull violently back and forth. The diver, now lifted off the ground and at the mercy of the flailing beast, continued to slash wildly with his knife in hopes of striking a vital part of the monster. But with every second that passed by, his actions proved to become more difficult and more life-threatening.
The hoses, now twisted within the arms of the creature, were no longer able to do their job and supply oxygen to the exhausted diver. Along with this, the connections were beginning to detach from the top of the helmet and a slow trickle of water began to fill the copper headpiece. Recognizing that the next few minutes literally meant life or death, the diver focused all his attention on the tentacle that had begun wrapping itself around his body. With his arm still free, the diver gathered every ounce of strength he had left and plunged the knife into the thick tentacle around him. As soon as the blade pierced the flesh of the beast, the diver pulled the knife sideways through the thickest part of the arm and successfully managed to sever it from the creature.
Dark blood spilled out of the stump in the water surrounding them and the beast pulled back in both shock and pain. Every arm released what it was gripping tightly and green light began to flash at varying intensities across its body. The monster then packed its remaining arms tightly together and shot forward into the depths of the dark cave. The only indication that it was there was the faint glow of green light, but this too was quickly consumed by the darkness. Now the verge of losing consciousness, the diver made a feeble attempt to exit the cave, but lack of oxygen and overwhelming exhaustion stopped the diver as quickly as he started. Fully accepting that his fate was sealed, the diver was understandably shocked when he felt himself beginning to move not only out of the cave but also up into the open water around him. And after only a few minutes, the diver was hauled to the surface and back onto the barge with the rest of his group.
After the diver had regained his composure and was checked for injuries, the men on the barge related to him how their boat been thrust violently back and forth, as well as pulled across the lake surface completely out of their control. On more than one occasion, the diving hoses were nearly ripped from the boat but thankfully remained attached due to the heavy pumping equipment bolted to the barge. It wasn’t until the hoses went limp only a few minutes prior that the men were able to finally pull the diver to the surface. After they were finished telling their side of the story, the diver related his harrowing tale to the shocked group, and when all was said and done, he made a vow to never get into the water of Lake Superior again. With all in agreeance, the men raised the anchor and headed for shore. Upon their arrival back on dry land, the men disbanded and left the area never to return again.
At least, that’s what the story says.
So there you have it, a captivating tale about a tentacled beast dwelling below the surface of North America’s largest lake. A worthy addition to the collected works of all things strange in and around the Great Lakes Region, but is there any truth to the tale? While the description of this strange creature differs greatly from the stories and legends regarding both Mishipeshu and Pressie, could this glowing octopus-like monster actually have more in common with the former than the latter? Remember, Ojibwe legends claim the Great Lynx was a shapeshifter and was fiercely protective of the copper that resided in the lake. Could this tentacled monstrosity have been just another form of the Mishipeshu of Lake Superior? It did glow with the same color of the metal in the water, and also appeared to take up residence where a large deposit was thought to be found. Do these parts of the story help prove that a Mishipeshu, a Great Lynx of the lake, really does prowl through the vast depths of Superior? The answer, as much as we hate to be the ones to break it to you, is no. What it does help prove though is that Yellow Journalism was alive and well in the Great Lakes region back in the late 1800s.
For those who are unaware, Yellow Journalism is a term that was officially coined in the 1890s by Erwin Wardman, to help describe and inform readers of the many sensationalist stories that they may come across within their papers back during that time. Even though the term wasn’t made official until the late 19th century, the act of over-exaggeration within newspaper stories was alive and well long before anyone officially categorized it. Stories that were considered Yellow were all those that generally contained little to no legitimate research of the topic they were showcasing and instead focused more on the eye-catching headline in order to drive up sales. Topics that were used frequently in these sensationalist articles included made-up political scandals, fictional crimes or unsolved mysteries, phony experts speaking about pseudoscientific topics, snake oil sales, and of course, monsters. These sensationalist stories were often the products of traveling writers (those who were not affiliated or tied to any specific newspaper) who had been hired by the newspaper in order to help drive up sales during a slump or help steal away the customers of a competing paper in the area. The modern term for this practice is, as we’ve all heard and experienced on a daily basis, the forever frustrating clickbait.
Even though the story of the tentacled beast of Lake Superior is (more than likely) entirely phony, that does not take away from the fact that it is genuinely a good and fun story to read and later retell to others. If the story was originally featured within a book of legends and folklore from around the Great Lakes region, rather than trying to be passed off as legit within a newspaper, we feel it would have gotten more love and attention over the course of the last 130+ years. But instead, it was doomed to get lost amongst the thousands of other sensationalist stories that continued to fill the pages of America's main sources of information.
At the end of the day and after everything we’ve learned, we are left with one simple question; could a monstrous creature actually be lurking within the depths of Lake Superior? While we don’t think you need to fear coming face to face with a giant octopus, serpent, or Mishipeshu the next time you find yourself on North America’s largest lake, we also don’t think you should blindly believe everything you read. Could something be out there? Maybe, maybe not, we don’t really know to be honest. What do know though is that the only way to truly find out is to jump in feet first and have a look for yourself.
-The Pine Barrens Institute
Image Credit: Google Images
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“…many people were in their homes enjoying what they thought was just a normal evening. But when they ran outside to see what was the matter, and heard the ever-growing roar steadily moving closer towards them, they also caught sight of a strange object both rotating and moving through the sky above the trees.”