Sink Hole Sam

Kansas

Aquatic Cryptid / Hoax

A massive, snake-like aquatic anomaly whose origins stem directly from the satirical 'foopengerkle' newspaper columns of a 1950s journalist.

Etymology

Affectionately dubbed 'Sink Hole Sam', it was officially classified as a 'Foopengerkle' or 'Ball-tailed Snickelhoopus' by humorous local journalist Ernest Alva Dewey.

Anatomy

An eel-like or snake-like creature measuring 15 feet in length and twenty-one inches thick. It features a flat head, a long dorsal fin, a distinctively fluted tail, and a wide, Cheshire-like grin.

Ecology

Reported initially in a drought-dried, 100-acre sinkhole near Inman, Kansas. By the 1960s, the legend relocated geographically to the swampy environments of Kingman State Lake.

Behavior

It undulates through the water in a snake-like fashion. Initially described as a harmless, terribly dumb vegetarian by its satirical creator, later adaptations reported it actively tripping horses and dragging calves into the swamp.

Mythology

Though supposedly spotted by two Mennonite fishermen, the legend was aggressively popularized by Ernest Alva Dewey's satirical articles in the 1950s, which facetiously claimed the extinct creature was responsible for UFO sightings. Despite its fictional roots, the creature spurred massive local monster-hunting tourism.