119: The Cole Hollow Road Monster
Mystery Category: Cryptids / Regional Mystery
The Story: In 1972, the woods of Illinois weren't just home to wildlife; they were the hunting grounds of a creature that drew thousands of amateur monster hunters. Is it a lost legend of the Midwest, or did something truly strange emerge from the shadows of Cole Hollow Road?
Midwest Bigfoot is back, strangers—this time in Central Illinois, with the nickname of CoHoMo (we don’t pick these), a cryptid romp through the wilderness, and a suspicious number of teenagers allowed to investigate and provide tour-guide services to reporters and visitors alike. The 1970s seemed like a good time.
Written and Hosted by Laurah Norton
Researched by Anna Luria and Laurah Norton
Engineered by Southern Gothic Media/Rachel Boyd
Episode Intel:
In this investigation, we travel to Tazewell County, Illinois, to examine the mid-summer panic of 1972. While Missouri was dealing with its own "Momo" sightings, the residents of East Peoria and Pekin were reporting encounters with a massive, sulfur-smelling entity that became known as Cohomo—the Cole Hollow Monster.
Subjects of Investigation:
The July 1972 Sightings: We trace the initial reports of a large creature swimming in the Illinois River and the subsequent "monster panic" that jammed police switchboards with hundreds of calls.
The UFO Connection: An analysis of the strange vertical lights and vapor trails reported in local parks simultaneously with the creature sightings.
Tazewell County Geography: The role of the abandoned coal mine shafts and the wooded terrain of Cole Hollow Road in the creature's reported movements.
The "Rockford Investigators": A look at the teenage amateur sleuths and the armed citizens who descended on the area with hatchets and search parties.
The 1991 Resurgence: We examine the archival reports of a "hairy beast" returning to the area nearly twenty years later, including a dramatic encounter involving a moving vehicle.
Archival Records: A review of investigative reporting from the Peoria Journal Star, the Register Mail, and the Tazewell Courier.
Sources on our website: https://www.onestrangethingpodcast.com/
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Works Cited
Nancy Willavize, "Cole Hollow Road. . ." The Journal Star, 1972.
DeWayne Bartels, "DeWayne's World. . . " Peoria Journal Star, 2012.
Associated Press, "IRS wants talk. . ." The Journal Star, 1972.
Associated Press, "Monster Tale Takes . . ." The Journal Star, 1972.
"City youths serious . . . " The Register-Republic, 1972.
"Monster afoot, woman says. . ." The State Journal-Register, 1991.
Associated Press, "Did hairy creature stalk. . . " The Register-Mail, 2006.
Phil Luciano, "Illinois has a hair-raising. . . " The State Journal Register, 2023.
"One of the first claimed . . ." Peoria Public Library Facebook Post, 2018.