(Hoax) Great Cypress Swamp Swamp Creature

Over 40 years ago Ralph Grapperhaus, editor of the Delmarva News admitted to creating the hoax, he fakes a story of a monster that was seen Great Cypress Swamp. He had a friend dress up and play the role of the creature. The costume was made by the actor, Fred Stevens, using his Aunt Dorothy’s old raccoon hat, a scary mask, and club. Stevens would hide in the shallows of the woods then jump out at passing cars on Route 54. A local legend soon unfolded. Here’s the original

“Does Selbyville have its Swamp Creature? Stories are running rampant in this area to the effect that there is a large, hairy thing back in the swamp which resembles a man. Listening to the story one is apt to think that it is an apparition with no physical essence. However, there are those who will swear that they saw the Swamp Creature, and they are not all teenagers. Some include adults and housewives. The Swamp Creature was supposed to have first been seen last week. The magnitude and description of the Swamp Creature varies with each story teller. Nevertheless, they all look and speak seriously, some even telling of bumping it with their car, another even going so far as to say the Swamp Creature tried to grab the flashlight from his hand, as he was riding with friends In a car and spotted the "thing." Monday night, from all reports, the Cedar Swamp, or the Burnt Swamp off the Gumbo ro-Selby-ville Road, must have looked like a Friday night at a metropolitan shopping center. It seems everybody and their cats and dogs were riding out thru the swamp in cars hoping to catch a glimpse of the Swamp Creature. This newspaper cannot attest to the authenticity of the existence of the Swamp Creature, but is hoping that someone who has seen it, and knows which dirt roads to travel in order to see it, either takes along a camera with a flash attachment, or asks this newspaper to make the trip with its camera and flash. A picture of the "thing would definitely establish Its entity. Until such time as an authentic picture is In evidence, this newspaper would suggest to the curious of this area that they place a report with Delaware State Police and see if the police can authenticate Selbyville's Swamp Creature.”

Selbyville's Swamp Creature. Delmarva News 1964…