Fouke — 1971

The encounter

On May 2, 1971, reports from the Ford household near Fouke, Arkansas, became the core of what was soon widely known as the Fouke Monster case. Bobby Ford and companions described a large upright figure around the property, while Elizabeth Ford separately reported a hairy arm at a window and red eyes.

Bobby Ford's description in the early record placed the figure at roughly seven feet tall and about three feet across the chest, moving upright and very quickly. The incident prompted a sheriff's search, and tracks and scratches were reported. Bobby Ford also received hospital treatment after the episode.

The case quickly became a regional media event, so the earliest newspaper and law-enforcement layers are especially important for separating what was reported at the time from details added later. The reported tracks, scratches and official response document the aftermath of the claim, but they do not independently identify the reported figure.