Bigfoot gets all the glory, but Connecticut has its own cast of cryptids

By Katie Pellico,

Published May 31, 2024 at 7:03 AM EDT

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Illustrator Valerie Ruby-Omen and author Patrick Scalisi of “Connecticut Cryptids: A Field Guide to the Weird and Wonderful Creatures of the Nutmeg State.”

Courtesy Connecticut Cryptids

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Patrick Scalisi reads to an all-ages audience during a cryptid storytelling event at Splendor Solis Books in Northampton, Mass., Nov. 10, 2023. Scalisi related the story of the Glawackus of Glastonbury, Conn., which has a connection to the greater Springfield area of Massachusetts through the sport of spelunking, or cave diving.

Courtesy Connecticut Cryptids

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Author Patrick Scalisi, left, and illustrator Valerie Ruby-Omen, second from left, stand with representatives from Cheshire, Conn., after Town Historian Diane Calabro arranged to have a cryptid display put up at town hall.

Courtesy Connecticut Cryptids

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The cryptid display at Cheshire Town Hall, with a particular emphasis on the "elves of Cheshire Village."

Courtesy Connecticut Cryptids

You’ve heard of Bigfoot and Nessie, but did you know Connecticut is home to a host of creatures, or "cryptids"?

Cryptozoology is the study of animals whose existence is a matter of debate. While Bigfoot sightings have been reported where we live, sea serpents, the Glastonbury Glawackus, and plenty of others call Connecticut home.

This hour, we hear from Patrick Scalisi and Valerie Ruby-Omen, the author and illustrator of a new field guide to this cast of Connecticut cryptids.

Plus, Stephen Olbrys Gencarella explains how folklore can deepen our understanding of these fantastic creatures, and how the stories about them are shaped over time.

Patrick Scalisi: Author, Connecticut Cryptids: A Field Guide to the Weird and Wonderful Creatures of the Nutmeg State
Valerie Ruby-Omen: Illustrator, Connecticut Cryptids
Stephen Olbrys Gencarella: Professor of Folklore Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst

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Cat Pastor contributed to this show that originally aired on January 18, 2024.