Something is lurking in the forests of Louisville. Kentucky is ripe for all sorts of cryptids + creepy tales, from sightings of the 15-ft pig-headed Herrington Lake Monster to the extraterrestrial Hopkinsville Goblins that tried to invade a family home in 1955.
But we like to be haunted a little closer to home, so allow us to dim the lights as we introduce you to these three local legends.
👻 Demon Leaper
Said to frequent the Gothic spires of the Walnut Street Baptist Church, this “living gargoyle” has frightened the city for more than a century. It’s described as a large bat-like creature with leathery skin, wings, and talons. Thanks to its wings, the Demon Leaper has been seen on rooftops throughout Old Louisville and even made headlines as “An Aerial Mystery” in the Sept. 12, 1880 edition of “The New York Times.”
Read: “Haunts of Old Louisville” by David Dominé for more Demon Leaper lore.
👻 Bullitt County Beast
Not to be confused with a Sasquatch, this dark-furred, 7-ft-tall Kentucky cryptid is described as having the head of a German shepherd and the torso of a muscular man — check out this eyewitness sketch for a visualizer. You’ll know the beast is near when you begin finding large footprints, hearing unidentified growling, smelling a foul stench + experiencing the skin-crawling feeling of being watched.
Listen: to this account of a Bullitt County woman’s encounter with the “Dogman.”
👻 The Goatman
What’s horned, greasy, and a strange mix of human and goat? The Pope Lick Monster, of course. This popular local legend needs no introduction — but allow us to do so anyway. The Pope Lick Monster, or Goatman, is named after the creek in which he resides. There are various tales about how the monster inflicts fear, ranging from attacking with an axe to luring people onto the old trestle bridge crossing Pope Lick Creek (which is still part of an active train line).
Attend: the next Goatman Festival in honor of the legend.
