Legends

I thought I knew every legend that Missouri has to offer, but I apparently was very very wrong. For the first time, I've heard a tale told about the legend of phantom hounds that rule a tiny Missouri place as soon as the sun goes down.

The fact that Missouri really does have 1.4 billion pounds of cheese hidden in caves is remarkable, but the urban legends that have ground out of this cheddar reality are even better. Let's try to separate Missouri cheese fact from dairy fiction.

Just when you think you've heard every possible story about a Missouri creature in the woods, something new surprises you. That's what happened to me when I came across a new story of a Missouri man who says he saw a massive creature while hunting for mushrooms.

Missouri is known for mysterious creatures including Bigfoot, Mo-Mo, Sasquatch among others. But, did you know that the smelliest monster of them all exists somewhere in the Ozarks right across the Missouri border according to legends?

I will warn you that this quest will end with more questions than there are answers. I've just come across mention of a legend that says a bizarre hidden temple was found underneath a Missouri farm.

I may never go camping near the Missouri River again after some stories have been shared about huge arachnids that apparently also call that area home. Several Missouri fishermen swear it's not an exaggeration or far-fetched tale, but what they really saw with their own eyes.

This concept might be funny to you, but keep in mind no one has yet proved the legend to be wrong. There are many who theorize that the historic mounds near Cahokia, Illinois contain the remains of giants and there is some history to back their beliefs.

There are many legends and horror stories I was told growing up in Missouri. Mo-Mo, the Bubbleheads, the corpse under the motel bed and numerous other tales meant to torment anyone willing to venture out into the night. Now, there's another legend making the rounds which tells of a 'hook man' that is said to prowl rural Missouri roads after dark.

Most of us that have either grown up and/or live in Missouri have hiked in the Ozarks at some point in our lives. If you decide to take that adventure, you'd be advised to watch out for a legend that claims a sinister little boy awaits you on those remote trails.

No one knows exactly what it is or where it came from, but local legends agree that some sort of river monster really did lurk in the southern part of the Missouri Ozarks.