The Beast of Busco
A farmer said a turtle as big as a dining table lived in his pond, and the hunt for it drew thousands of people.
What was reported
In 1948 Gale Harris, a farmer near Churubusco, Indiana, and others said they'd seen a giant turtle, as big as a dining table, in Fulk Lake, a pond on his land. Newspapers picked up the story, and in 1949 Harris tried to catch it, even draining much of the pond, while thousands of people came to watch.
The turtle was glimpsed but never caught. Churubusco, 'Turtle Town USA', still holds an annual Turtle Days festival.
Explanations offered
Common snapping turtles in Indiana can grow large, though nowhere near the size described. Most think the reports were of a big snapping turtle, grown in the telling by excitement and the press.
- When
- 1948–1949
- Where
- Churubusco, Indiana, USA
- Witnesses
- A farmer, then crowds of thousands
- Status
- Mostly explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.