I really missed the TV show Finding Bigfoot last week. The show’s sponsors probably didn’t want to compete with the Super Bowl.
Speaking of Finding Bigfoot, I’ve been contacted twice now by the staff of this show, asking me about information that has appeared in this column and my online writings. The latest question was about Zane Grey and a magazine article he wrote in the Oregon Trail Magazine, 1925.
I believe the information contained in this article originated the winks, sly smiles and fun-making, promoted even, this reaction when one mentions bigfoot.
I’ll briefly relate what this article was about. You will quickly see why I believe this. Grey’s article tells about a mining company that suspected it had lost, had miners killed, by ape-like creatures. The Almeda Mine, 1922, hushed up the incident, thinking they’d lose miners in “droves” because of the threat of the wild ape-like men.
According to Grey’s article, the mine owners, threatened the men that knew of the deaths, with job loss. Now here is where my idea kicks in. I believe when the miners that knew the story moved on to other jobs, they felt free to talk about it. As these men’s stories got back to the Almeda Mine owners, they probably laughed about it, calling the men insane and who knows what else, laughing at them, at even the whole idea of ape-like beings in the forest.
Remember, this is just my idea, when laughing at this animal’s existence began. (If you have an idea about when it started, then share it by commenting on Bigfoot Ballyhoo. www.bigfootballyhoo.blogspot.com.)
If you would like to read Zane Grey’s article, you can find it on Ballyhoo (use the search tool and type in Oregon Trail Magazine, 1925). Grey lived on the Rogue River for a time. Following is a comment to Bigfoot Ballyhoo about Grey’s article, you may enjoy:
“William wrote: I remember this story way back. It was written by Zane Grey. Zane Grey had cabins at Galice and Agness, in fact they’re still there to this day. To see the Almeda Mine, you simply drive south on Interstate 5 to the Merlin exit and then drive the 25 miles from Merlin to Galice. Just past the tiny town of Galice drive another 4 miles on down the river and you'll find the Almeda Mine on the right next to the Rogue River.”
Until next week, “Keep Talking Bigfoot.” Linda Newton-Perry
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