From Myth to Marker: USU Folklore Program Brings Bear Lake Monster to Life

GARDEN CITY, UT — Nestled on the corner of Bear Lake Boulevard and Hodges Canyon Road in Garden City, Utah, a new roadside marker now immortalizes a creature that has haunted —and delighted — the imaginations of locals and tourists alike for over a century. The Bear Lake Monster, a legendary lake-dwelling creature whose tale dates back to Indigenous storytelling and 19th-century newspaper columns, is now the subject of Utah’s first “Legends & Lore” sign thanks to the efforts of Utah State University graduate students and faculty.

The project was spearheaded by USU Folklore master’s student Melissa Anderson Asay under the mentorship of English Professor Jeannie Thomas. With funding from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, the marker was officially unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 25, 2025. It stands as a tribute not only to the enduring appeal of the Bear Lake Monster myth but also to the dynamic role universities can play in preserving and elevating community heritage.

“As a student, this project really solidified … my love for research and for grant writing and for searching and finding things and talking to people,” said Asay, who navigated city approvals, property negotiations, and historical archives to bring the marker to life.

“I didn't even know [folklore] was a thing until I took a class. And I just loved it so much that I wanted to share it with others. And I think a roadside marker is a really easy way to do that,” she said.

The legend traces its modern popularity to 1868, when Joseph C. Rich, a local leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, revived the tale — likely adapted from Shoshone oral traditions — in a now-infamous letter to the Deseret News. Though Rich later admitted the story was a fabrication, the myth endured, capturing the collective imagination of the Bear Lake region. The last reported sighting? According to Wikipedia, it was in 2002.

Long-time residents Brad Davis and Jayne Hodges partnered with the USU team to secure a public location for the marker, which now sits adjacent to their property along Garden City’s community bike path, making it an ideal vantage point for curious passersby.

“I think for folks who've been coming here for a long time, the Bear Lake Monster is just kind of one of those things that everybody talks about,” said Davis, who helped Asay make connections with the Garden City Mayor’s office. Davis said he and Hodges “love having it here.”

The project is the first of several that Thomas and her students are developing as part of a broader effort to celebrate Utah’s cultural history through the Pomeroy Foundation’s “Legends & Lore” program. Upcoming proposals include sites related to the Cache Valley Mountain Man Rendezvous, Richmond’s Dr. Pierce barn, Mendon’s May Day celebration, and Logan’s “Peepstone Lady” — a project Asay has been working on this spring.

Thomas, who co-authored the Bear Lake Marker grant, emphasized the academic and civic value of these installations.

"One of [the Pomeroy Foundation’s] main initiatives is to help people celebrate their community's history. And they do this by offering grants for markers and plaques across the nation,” Thomas said. "In all my folklore classes, I’m a big advocate for the value of applied academic learning — that is, how can the ideas and principles students learn make the world outside the classroom better? Partnering with the Pomeroy Foundation is a great example. The community gets a boost, and the students learn durable skills they can take with them into their future careers."

For prospective students, the project showcases how humanities disciplines like folklore are far from abstract. They’re deeply embedded in real-world experience, offering opportunities for storytelling, civic engagement, and career development.

“The Pomeroy Foundation produces the sign, pays for everything. It's just our job to make sure that it's legal and accurate,” Asay said. “They do have … folklorists and other people who can verify, but our main job is making sure that it's good to go.”

Projects like this reflect how students at Utah State University aren’t just studying culture — they’re actively shaping how it is remembered and shared for generations to come. And for those with a soft spot for a good yarn, the Bear Lake Monster marker is proof that even tall tales can have an authentic legacy.

A cornerstone of Utah State University, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences brings together faculty members engaged in original research and creative activities to teach and mentor students who aspire to be leaders in their professions and communities. Degrees in humanities and social sciences cultivate highly adaptable professional skills in students through teaching effective communication, research, data analysis, and creative problem-solving.