Bear Lake hosts ribbon cutting for new Bear Lake monster sign
On April 25, skeptics, believers and those in between gathered in front of a Bear Lake home to witness the ribbon cutting of the official Bear Lake Monster sign. Located at 1499 S. Bear Lake Blvd in Garden City, the sign is the first of its kind in Utah.
The sign itself was supplied by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, with which Utah State University has a partnership. The foundation’s mission is to support the preservation and celebration of community history, as explained on wgpfoundation.org. The programs they offer vary from Hometown Heritage, Historic Transportation and Legends & Lore. The Bear Lake sign falls under the Legends & Lore category, and it is currently the only one in the state.
If someone wants something in their community recognized with a sign from the foundation, they must apply and write a grant. The grant that allowed the recognition of the Bear Lake Monster was written by USU graduate instructor Melissa Anderson.
According to its designated Wikipedia page, the first official report of the Bear Lake Monster was published in Deseret News in 1868. The article claims Native Americans living in the area discovered it first but reports from white settlers further pushed the narrative. The monster’s alleged appearance has been compared to the likeness of a cow, walrus or crocodile.
It took Anderson over a year to complete the grant.
“I spent a lot of time in the Fife Folklore Archives. They have the letter that Joseph C. Rich wrote to Deseret News to spread the news about the Bear Lake Monster,” Anderson said. “The hardest part was the location. It’s really difficult to try to get someone to let me put a 3-foot hole in their yard with a permanent 70-pound marker.”
Fortunately for Anderson, she was able to make contact with Brad and Jayne Davis, who own a home near the lake. They consented to the marker being placed in their front yard before it could be considered for approval by the foundation.
“As a kid, I remember coming up here every year for reunions, and it was always a big deal, like, ‘Don’t stay out in the water too long or the Bear Lake Monster will eat you,’” Brad said. “It’s just really cool. We were really honored when Melissa called us, and the city was really accommodating.”
As the owner of the house, Brad was the one to use an oversized pair of scissors to cut the ribbon in front of the sign. About 30 people gathered to witness the occasion, including students, family members and locals.
Another USU student named Drake Hansen is also trying to submit a grant to the foundation to commemorate Mendon’s May Day Celebration. Like the one Anderson submitted, Hansen’s group is required to have a place to put the marker before it can be accepted.
“Unlike Melissa’s experience of having to just call people on the street and be like, ‘Hello, can I put a marker at your personal house?’ We’re like, ‘Hello to the city. Can we put something on city property that says how great the city is?” Hansen said.
Despite believing this would be an easy pitch, Hansen and his fellow classmates have had to attend many town hall meetings. They’re hoping to submit the grant in the fall.
Anderson and Hansen were inspired to write their respective grants as members of the USU folklore program. Jeannie Thomas, USU professor and folklorist, was present to speak at the ribbon cutting.
“We’re all about the importance of story. If you really want people to remember something, research tells us that telling them a story will allow them to remember more than facts,” Thomas said. “The Pomeroy Foundation wants stories to be remembered, commemorated and used as a draw for cultural and heritage tourism.”
Anderson was inspired to recognize the Bear Lake Monster because she is not originally from Cache Valley. She enjoyed learning more about the local history and the influence legends can have on a community. Although she may not believe the monster itself, she does believe in its effect.
“Whether the story of the Bear Lake Monster is true or not, there’s truth in its impact, which is really awesome,” Anderson said. “And I think monsters are fun.”