OUR PLACE
Will the Beast of Bray Road make an appearance this Halloween season?
That’s the question being asked after Bray Road was named one of the scariest roads in the U.S. The Beast of Bray Road is a famous American cryptid and wolf-like creature reported in rural areas around Elkhorn and Walworth County. While most of us worry about a deer jumping in front of our car this time of year, apparently, we should be watching for werewolves, too.
Witnesses say the Beast has scratched cars, and others say they just see it lurking in the shadows. People have also said they see it running on two legs. Standing roughly 6 to 7 feet tall, it features a heavily muscled, fur-covered humanoid body. It possesses the head of a large wolf with a long snout, pointed ears, sharp teeth, and glowing yellow, orange, or red eyes.
The earliest documented encounter occurred near Jefferson, Wisconsin. A night watchman named Mark Shackleman reported seeing a muscular, 6-foot-tall, bipedal canine figure digging with its hands into a Native American burial mound. It returned the following evening, growling at him before fleeing. The legend lay dormant for decades until a cluster of intense encounters shifted the focus directly to rural Bray Road.
Driving late at night in 1989 near Bray Road, Endrizzi spotted what she initially mistook for a person hunched over on the roadside. As she drew closer, she witnessed a 6- to 7-foot-tall, hairy, gray-brown creature with fangs and glowing eyes crouched by the edge of the road, manipulating roadkill with its paws. While driving along Bray Road, also in 1989, Gipson felt her car strike something. Upon exiting to investigate, she spotted a massive, hairy beast rushing toward her. She fled back into her car as the creature jumped onto her trunk, leaving deep scratch marks on the vehicle before slipping away.
In 1992, Brichta witnessed the massive wolf-like creature sprinting through a local cornfield, moving effortlessly on its hind legs. Recognizing the high volume of community chatter, The Weekly newspaper staff writer Linda Godfrey began investigating the reports. What began as a localized human-interest story quickly generated an influx of secondary witnesses coming forward with matching accounts. Sporadic reports continued out of southeastern Wisconsin into the late 2010s, including neighboring towns like Spring Prairie and Lyons.
The Beast of Bray Road has become so popular that it’s inspired books, documentaries, and even a horror movie. Will this Halloween bring another sighting?
Daylight Saving Time comes to an end this Sunday, November 1st.
Millions of people will turn back their clocks. This adjustment of springing forward and falling back and hour many dread. The later part, which we are coming upon, is the easier of the two for some, as we gain an hour of sleep. Others dread the falling back due to days being shorter this time of year and daylight ending very early in the day.
Dozens of states consider adopting proposals every year to make daylight saving permanent, doing away with the turning back of the clocks; however, without new movement at the federal level, Americans can expect the clock changes to continue. Sleep disturbances are apparent during the time changes, and some take a little longer to adjust. Waking and going to sleep close to the same time every day makes the transition easier and shorter. A good attitude also helps, and enjoying the changes each season brings is a great attitude to have and helps many get through on a positive note.
