Dover Demon

Overview

A small, large-headed humanoid cryptid reportedly seen by three teenage witnesses in Dover, Massachusetts, on the nights of 21–22 April 1977; no further sightings have been recorded.

Details

Origin:

Three reported sightings in the town of Dover, Massachusetts, on Farm Street, Miller Hill Road, and Springdale Avenue, on the nights of 21–22 April 1977.

Regions:

New England, Massachusetts, Norfolk County

First Reported:

1977-04-21

Full Account

The Dover Demon is the name given to a creature reportedly seen by three teenage witnesses in the town of Dover, Massachusetts, on the nights of 21 and 22 April 1977. Witnesses described a creature roughly four feet tall, with a disproportionately large, watermelon-shaped head, glowing orange eyes, no nose or mouth, long thin fingers, and rough peach-colored skin. The three sighting locations — on Farm Street, Miller Hill Road, and Springdale Avenue — lie roughly in a straight line over a span of more than two miles. Cryptozoologist Loren Coleman publicized and named the creature shortly after the sightings, and the case has since become a staple of New England cryptid lore. No further sightings have been reported. Skeptical explanations have ranged from a misidentified snowy owl (proposed by Joe Nickell) to influence from contemporary popular culture (notably Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, both released in 1977; argued by Benjamin Radford), as well as suggestions of a foal or moose calf.

Etymology

Origin:

Modern English; coined to associate the creature with the town of Dover, Massachusetts

Meaning:

'Demon' is used here in the loose folkloric sense rather than a religious one

First Use:

1977 — name popularized by cryptozoologist Loren Coleman

Timeline

• 1977-04-21 — Bill Bartlett (17), driving on Farm Street, Dover, Massachusetts, reports seeing a small creature on a low stone wall (First reported sighting)
• 1977-04-21 — Later that same night, John Baxter (15) reports seeing a similar creature on Miller Hill Road in Dover (Second sighting)
• 1977-04-22 — Abby Brabham (15) reports seeing the creature on Springdale Avenue in Dover (Third and final sighting)
• 1977-05-01 — Sightings publicized in May 1977; cryptozoologist Loren Coleman investigates and the name 'Dover Demon' is coined (Establishment of the case in cryptid literature)

Sightings & Evidence

Cultural Significance

The Dover Demon remains a recognized landmark of late-20th-century American cryptozoology despite the absence of any subsequent encounters.

Related Phenomena

• Hopkinsville Goblins — Single-event small-humanoid cryptid case (Kentucky, 1955)
• Flatwoods Monster — Single-event humanoid cryptid case (West Virginia, 1952)
• Fresno Nightcrawlers — Modern small humanoid cryptid reports (California)
• Loveland Frog — Small humanoid cryptid case (Ohio)

Tags

Sources

• Dover Demon — Wikipedia
• Encyclopedia of Cryptozoology: A Global Guide to Hidden Animals and Their Pursuers — McFarland