MOMO: The Missouri Bigfoot

thepitchkc.com

During the summer of 1972, newspapers all across the country picked up the story of “Momo”. Momo is a short abbreviation of Missouri. MO is the abbreviation, and when you say this shortened name twice, you get the word Momo.

This United States monster story happened in a small town that is located in northeast Missouri. During July of 1971 is when the first reported encounter happened with Momo, the Missouri monster. It all started when there were two people out for a picnic when they witnessed a “half ape half man” creature. The creature reportedly had an awful smell to it.

The couple said the monster walked out of an area of thicket, and then started to come towards them. They ran into their car and locked the doors. The couple say the creature ate the peanut butter sandwich they left when they ran into the car. After eating the sandwich, the creature went back into the wooded area.

The two women, who were the two at the picnic, reported this encounter with the police. The police did not reveal this monster encounter with the public. After more reports came in of the Momo monster, police finally released information to the public a year after the first reported sighting.

Another sighting of Momo happened when three kids saw the monster. They reported that Momo was six to seven feet tall and it was black and hairy. It also was covered with blood and was carrying a dead dog. Later after that encounter, a neighbor in the area reported hearing strange growls nearby, then his new dog had vanished.

Dr. Emmett Reary, Salem chiropractor and MOFON investigator, said Bigfoot sightings on Highway 72 all share similar characteristics.

“The stories I hear are usually the same. What’s typical is something crosses the highway in front of a vehicle, often at night, and it’ll be on two legs and massively built. It’ll also appear to be bent or hunched over,” he said. “One guy told me he was driving across one of the creek bridges on 72 toward Salem, and he looked up, and Bigfoot was there on the bridge. He said he drove right by it and could have reached out the window and touched him. His wife later told me the experience really changed his world. He certainly didn’t get a lot of sleep that night.”

What Does Momo Look Like? 

Momo, short for 'Missouri Monster', is reported to have a large, pumpkin-shaped head, with a furry body, and hair covering the eyes, which resembles a shag carpet. It is supposedly a large, 7 ft tall, hairy, black, manlike creature that emits a terrible odor. Some suggest it was a rogue American Indian.

Where Can He/She Be Found?

First reported in 1971, near Louisiana, Missouri by Joan Mills and Mary Ryan, Momo was first reported up and down the Mississippi River with later sightings documented further west by travel of water ways.  Following sightings in 1972 beginning at 3:30 pm July 11, first reported by Terry, Wiley, and Doris Harrison, and lasting for about two weeks, tracks were found and submitted to Lawrence Curtis, director of the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden. He deemed the tracks to be that of an unknown primate species.

Keep a sharp eye out for any strange creatures on the dark, twisting roads at night. You never know what you might see.

See you all tomorrow.

Buh-bye.