122: The Ozark Monster
In 1897, a Little Rock businessman claimed he tracked down and killed a 20-foot dragon-like creature with tusks, webbed feet, and a taste for human flesh in the caves of Searcy County, Arkansas. He even had a photograph. The tale of the Ozark Gowrow didn't end in 1897 — this cryptid legend took on a life of its own in mountain folklore and monster sightings across Arkansas.
One Strange Thing: True Paranormal Mysteries explores the archives of the unexplained, blending rigorous historical research with a wry, skeptical wit to investigate true supernatural stories and baffling mysteries that made headlines.
Dive into our Episode Mystery Archive — a curated, topic-organized source for documented hauntings, UFO sightings, cryptids, folklore, and bizarre true mysteries. Check it out here! https://www.onestrangethingpodcast.com/episodes-by-topic-mystery-archive
Hosted and Written by Laurah Norton
Researched by Anna Luria and Laurah Norton
Engineered and Produced by Southern Gothic Media/Rachel Boyd
Sources on our website: https://www.onestrangethingpodcast.com/
Join us on Patreon for early release and ad-free episodes, exclusive stories, and bonus
episodes: https://www.patreon.com/OneStrangeThing
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onestrangethingpod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/One-Strange-Thing-114307627035607
Subscribe to our Substack: https://substack.com/@onestrangething
We work with Amplitude Media Partners (AMP) to power our advertising and grow with the right sponsors. Contact AMP with any ad inquiries; sales@amplitudemediapartners.com.
All Rights Reserved The Fall Line® Podcast LLC/One Strange Thing 2026
Works Cited
Vance Randolph. "Fabulous Monsters in the Ozarks." Arkansas Historical Quarterly, vol. 9, no. 2, Summer 1950.
William M. Clements, "Gowrow." Encyclopedia of Arkansas, 2023.
N/A (William Miller), "Green Gowrow, Killed in Searcy County." Daily Arkansas Gazette, 1897.
Otto Rayburn, "Ozarks Tale: Hissing . . ." Southwest American, 1958.
N/A, "Mr. William Miller's Report." Daily Arkansas Gazette, 1897.
"Hard Shell." Letter to the Editor. Daily Arkansas Gazette, 1897.
"The Gowrow." Saline County Times, quoted in Daily Arkansas Gazette, 1897.
N/A. “Six Creatures of. . .” Northwest Arkansas Daily, 30 Oct. 2024.
Sean Patrick Fay. "The Ozark Howler." Vox Magazine, 2021.
AFS, “What is Folklore?” How Do Folklorists Define Folklore: quoting Martha C. Sims and Martine Stephens. Living Folklore: An Introduction to the Study of People and their Traditions. American Folklore Society, 2026.
Craig Ogilvie. "Legendary Arkansas Monsters Have. . ." Arkansas Tourism, 2002.