Get notified of the best destinations for your road trip. Several residents who grew up there and moved out still talk about its beauty. In the 1920s, a man by the name of Albert Petka supposedly scared off the hairy creature with his dogs, but not before receiving a fatal blow to the chest. What Happened to the Town of Portlock, Alaska? Why? Do you love being terrified? Im looking forward to watching the next. . Your email address will not be published. Rumours of a strange creature abound - oh no! And then came stories about hauntings in Chatham Bay and the mine in Chrome. The half-man half-beast creature is blamed for almost everything that happened to the community. Ghost Towns -- Portlock, AK. However, the stories have kept tourists, developers, and settlers away from an otherwise pristine coastline. Already planning an outline for a fictional version, which would condense most accounts into one long autumn/winter timeline. One resident saw a huge, hairy man destroying fish wheels along the beach. Local historian Brian Weed has said of this: When the 1930s incidents started to happen most of the Russian Aleuts actually moved out of town for a year. The fish wheels were near the beach, away from the witnesss shack. Of course, that boat isnt very large, so I dont know how that would work out. Fortunately, they didnt do that, but I wouldnt be surprised if its coming in Episode 2. There's probably at least a half dozen already. Soon, many moved away from the small community, scared for their lives. Portlock is still mostly uninhabited to this day; the town was dissolved as a census designated place in the 1980s and has not been reported again since then. As for prints, She heard some days about her dad complaining about large footprints, that he'd say were bear, in the snow; but he seemed troubled about them, unduely agitated in a fearful manner, and would hurry her away from them. Juneau, Alaska (Alaska Beacon) - The amount of oil flowing through the Trans Alaska Pipeline System was higher in 2022 than in each of the two years prior, the systems operator said on Tuesday. These disappearances and deaths coincided with a wave of sightings of large hairy creatures and less identifiable shadow entities. The cannery workers returned the next season, but unexplained events were continually reported. @Rivals. In the 1940s the village was abandoned after the occupants were attacked and in some cases brutally killed by something which came from the woods. The area around the footprints was torn up with tree branches destroyed and blood found at the scene. These ghost towns are reminders of the efforts of pioneers, settlers, and mining operations that once made it profitable for people to establish a city in the frontier and make trade possible that would perpetuate residency. It seemed impossible that a sudden withdrawal of the townspeople could happen, but it did. Stories of the giant, bipedal man-ape wandering the vast forested territories of the Americas have been around for centuries. [13], Alaskan Killer Bigfoot premiered on Discovery+ on December 7, 2021. The disappearances and the bodies found were too horrible for anyone to continue living in this small town. What was out there? The Aleuts inhabited the area for centuries. She scrambled back in her window, cutting herself on the window edge, but came back to hold her head out and mimic the beast. Related Data. Bigfoot, Vanishings, Strange Deaths, And The Cursed Abandoned Town of Alaska Even before Portlock had even existed there had long been sinister stories told by the Natives of the area. The post office shut down a year later. This thriving town remained until everyone abandoned the village in 1950, with most residents moving to nearby villages down the coast. they appear as so,but are not. Also while I would love an opportunity to see one, would prolly be better to errect a structure in portlock and place tree cams on booies, or on one of the still standing structures in the waters surrounding the beach there. Funny how so many myths and legends seem to be even more elusive as our technology improves but that's how I would do it. From a distance of say a hundred feet, your brain has never seen a bear that big, so you put together an idea of what you think you saw. Only one death was reported during the entire time, an accident involving a young man in 1920. Sign up for our newsletter and get notified of the best travel destinations for your next trip. Set up night vision cameras, drones and any other variety of modern technology that is now available to the average person and becomes more affordable each year. This area has been home to the Sugpiaq people for centuries. Many people started to blame this on a killer cryptid! Join MU Plus+ and get exclusive shows and extensions & much more! In her interview Malania said her godfather (whom she never named) was killed after being hit on the back of his head with a winch while on a boat. They described her dress as being so long that she would have to drag it. Plus Ron Morehead was in Episode 4, so that added a bit of credibility to it in my book. Making it even more ominous is that there were some reports from frightened Natives that there was a ghostly entity in the area as well, which took the form of a woman wearing a long black dress and who would appear at the top of the cliffs near town to scream and moan before vanishing. In 1931, one man that was chopping wood was found murdered, seemingly by a single blow that seemed stronger than a human could manage. Seventy years ago, a murderous Bigfoot-like creature sent residents fleeing from Portlock, Alaska. The first was a local hunter . I recently sent you a New e-mail. Juneau, AK (KINY) - For Halloween, we decided to reach out to a local historian and adventurer to see if there were any unsolved mysteries in Alaska that would fit the spooky mood of the holiday. Love Alaska? Now, an expedition returns to the abandoned fishing village to reclaim the land and its resources from the terrifying beast locals call Nantinaq. Soon, other such footprints were reported around the village, and worse. After a year alone, the post office closed in 1950 and the last resident of Portlock left town. Portlock, Alaska, is no longer on maps, as there is not much left. Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - The University of Alaska today released the first in a series of informational reports designed to aid state leaders as Alaska confronts a rapidly changing Arctic and the increasingly globalized North. Describing them as Devils he was lucky enough to scramble down the tree and get to his boat so that he could row out into the sea! Ive been a fan of bfro.i grew up in Upstate NY , alwys knew of the tales,Been here for nearly fifteen years, Your journey has just begun. Blood and Blood-Drinking: Paranormal Creatures and (Alleged) Real Vampires, Connecticut Woman Unearths Ancient Arrowhead While Planting Flowers, A Strange UFO Attack Case from the 17th Century, The Strange Phenomenon of "Animal-Shaped Spirit Guardians". Framing Nantiinaq: Alaskas best-known cryptid homicide case debunked. There needs to be a movie made about this story. they are from a demonic realm which cannot be physically discovered. In most cases the slow but inevitable decay of the population and the local businesses leaves a ghost town in its wake. We know that there are reported murders in the area. Some of this area is also regarded as Alaska Native lands. However, by the 1940s, there were rumors of disappearances and murders and the discovery of giant footprints, and sightings of a hairy, Bigfoot-like creature the locals called Nantiinaq. By then, locals spoke of a Yeti-like monster that walked the beaches of Portlock, destroying fish wheels and leaving giant 18-inch-long footprints. vol. It was reported that people began to go missing fairly regularly, going off hunting or to their jobs to never return. In the 1920s and 30s there were several mysterious deaths in the area that seemed to have been caused by something very large and powerful. There has to be more living on that land still. Are we going to hear more? ASL-PCA-66 | Alaska State Library - Historical Collections, UAF-1991-18-155 | Arnold Granville photographs | Alaska Digital Archives, ASL-P237-1-18 | Carl L. Hubbs Photograph Collection, 1939, ASL-PCA-237-1 | Alaska State Library - Historical Collections, UAF-1991-18-153 | Arnold Granville photographs | Alaska Digital Archives, ASL-P237-1-17 | Carl L. Hubbs Photograph Collection, 1939, ASL-PCA-237-1 | Alaska State Library - Historical Collections, Head To This Eerie Island For A Real Life Adventure In Alaska. What seemed the stuff of camp fire tales and horror stories emerged to grip the community when hunters that had gone into the foothills of nearby mountains never returned. The villagers would hear something and then she would disappear back into the cliff face, History writes Seventy years ago, a murderous Bigfoot-like creature sent residents fleeing from Portlock, Alaska. Although Aleut people have lived on the Southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula for thousands of years, no one had a settlement in the Portlock area until the 1780s. However the town does still get occasional visitors. 18 Older Alaska Reports. These were not people who were easily scared by wildlife, and furthermore they would be well aware of the local predators in the area. One man, a prospector, who was surveying the land outside of town for resources that could be mined had climbed to the top of a tree to get his bearings and a better overall lay of the land. Today, that future lies in ruins, as does the town itself. It would not report again on the census until 1980, when it was made a census-designated place (CDP), again reporting 31 residents. Remnants of what once was can often still be found; old schools, churches or other buildings, usually in a ramshackle state of decay, stand, albeit perilously, serving as the only reminder that a community once thrived on the spot. Juneau Radio Center - Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce - Congressional Candidate Forum 2022, The Mandy Massey Real Estate and Home Show brokered by EXP Realty, Extreme Expeditions Northwest LLC on YouTube. From the turn of the century in 1900 through the World War II for years a strange succession of disappearances, horrific murders, and sightings haunted the people of Port Chatham and Portlock that eventually intimidated the people into a complete voluntary evacuation leaving equipment, housing, offices, and personal belongings to rot in the elements because something terrible had gone on way too long! So enjoy a side trip to Portlock, but be on the lookout for an overly hairy man who wants his privacy. At the time the only people who lived there were mostly Native Aleuts and Russians, and at first it was little more than a collection of huts, a serene sanctuary away from civilization and surrounded by natural splendor. In the 1920s, a man by the name of Albert Petka supposedly scared off the hairy creature with his dogs, but not before receiving a fatal blow to the chest. Portlock (Sugpiaq: Arrulaa'ik) is a ghost town in the U.S. state of Alaska, located on the southern edge of the Kenai Peninsula, around 16 miles (26km) south of Seldovia. I wonder if Robert Alley has heard of this, or has some information on it. The villagers would hear something and then she would disappear back into the cliff face.". Even the postmaster couldnt continue on in this town. View All Details . Monster or no, people abandoned Portlock en masse. Yet, for numerous reasons many of these once flourishing towns met with hard times and gradually lost population and retail services that made living there impossible. His group plans frequent hikes in the area to places that have some sort of story to tell or just to see the natural beauty of the state. Winds are East at 5.8 MPH (5 KT). Feels like a perfect followup to my story, ECHOES, and I've always been meaning to write something along these lines. translat. In the 1930s there was another alleged violent attack in the area. He had sworn that if he had not had time to row out into the coastal waters they would have killed him with ease in short order! An expedition to the area by Bigfoot researchers has been conducted. Portlock, Alaska lies on the southern end of the Kenai Peninsula in Southcentral Alaska. To this day, Alaskans steer clear of Portlock and Port Chatham. Residents took off en masse in 1949, leaving their houses, the nearby chromium mine, the cannery, the teacher cottage, and the large school house, to return to the wilderness. When they found his body, there was blood on the equipment and there was no way that one person could have done it. "Our group has always been about telling the truth and seeing what we actually see, taking pictures of stuff. The boat would need to be out farther than the giant could walk in the water, and the boat itself would need to obscure your view so it's eyes don't lay sight on you. With these sightings, unease began to ramp up in the town. Historic Mysteries provides captivating articles on archaeology, history, and unexplained mysteries. Some people gave these creatures names such as the Mountain Apes or Hairy Men. Portlock first appeared on the 1940 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village of 31 residents. That is still to be definitively proven. Isn't this the place to be if you want to settle the question whether Bigfoot exists or not--Portlock, Alaska. She said they were much longer than a bear. "The local Natives started talking about a creature, a hairy Big Foot type Yeti monster and it was called the Nantiinaq or big hairy creature as it was called. KINY Radio, 2018. A school teacher in the 1970s even talked about growing up in Portlock and also told stories of people being afraid of what could be lurking in the night. In the 1970s, fisherman forced to take refuge from a storm reported something strange walked through their camp on two feet. Now, an expedition returns to the abandoned fishing village to reclaim the land and its resources from the terrifying beast locals call Nantinaq. At that same time, the villagers talked about seeing a spirit of a woman dressed in black clothes that would come out on the cliffs above town. Portlock grew steadily, with its economy fueled by fishing and the nearby chromium mine. First large footprints, some as long as 18 inches in length began to appear inland not far from the two villages. Nobody lives in Portlock now. On the southernmost region of Alaskas Kenai Peninsula lies the remnants of a small village called Portlock. The Mystery of the Bermagui Five, (In Pics) Six Abandoned Insane Asylums: Dungeons for the Helpless. What Really Happened in Portlock, Alaska? Portlock first appeared on the 1940 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village of 31 residents. Hopefully Im wrong and this series improves as it goes along. Nobody lives in Portlock now. By 1910 there was enough interest in opening a cannery at Portlock that the town became official with the opening of its post office in 1921. According to the stories, Petka survived to explain what happened, but died to his wounds soon after. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices More Episodes 2022 Decoding The Unknown Also, we learned that Discovery Channel actors earn $56,000 on average. He has traveled all over Juneau and many other Alaskan towns in search of natural history and stories. I believe its a giant man much like the one the military killed in Afghanistan a few years back. They called them murders, but they also included people that just went lost in those reports. The village of Nanwalek still maintains private ownership of Portlock today. In the 1920s, a man by the name of Albert Petka supposedly scared off the hairy creature with his dogs, but not before receiving a fatal blow to the chest. Portlock's death sentence was signed when, along the opposite edge of the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska Route 1 was completed during the 1940s, finally allowing efficient transportation between Anchorage and all of the many towns along the peninsula. Read on to learn more about the terrifying history of Portlock and the Portlock, Alaska murders. 26.24 - MU Plus+ Podcast - The Demigods of Brahma, 26.23 - MU Plus+ Podcast - Safe and Radioactive, Couple Reports Men in Black Encounter After UFO Sighting in Boston, Tulpas: Creating Dangerous Creatures That Are Born Out of Our Minds, More on the Matter of Bob Lazar, "Containers" and Stolen Souls: A Sinister Saga of UFOs and Demons, Researchers Test Soil and Rocks from Mount Ararat for Minute Chemical Signs of Noah's Ark. Port Chatham is the bay that separates Elizabeth Island from the southern portion of the Kenai Peninsula. Those rotting wooden structures remind us of good times past that once brought citizens to that point in time when living there was an attractive prospect. At this time, many of the workers at the cannery suddenly stopped coming to work and refused to come back, but this wasnt due to poor pay or working conditions, but rather because the men were deeply spooked. It was strong enough to kill and dismember a grown man. Find Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok profiles, images and more on IDCrawl - free people search website. Port Chatham, also known as Portlock, was originally a cannery town. It was dissolved as a CDP by the 1990 census and has not reported again. Ten years later, a piece of logging equipment hit a logger in the head, even though it would have taken more than one person to lift it. A resident of the village happened to see a huge and hairy man destroying the fish wheels used to process salmon, that he described as looking like a devil. If the bear is standing up say in the 10 to 12-foot range, it may be the biggest bear you've ever seen and so you're brain may not put together that that's a bear. Dont Miss the Frankenmuth Snowfest This Year, Youll Never Guess Where the Ice Cream Capital of the World Is, Everything You Need to Know About Neahkahnie Viewpoint, Sip Sophistication at the Best Wineries in Colorado, The Creepiest Abandoned Places in Colorado, The Best Hot Springs in Alaska to Warm Your Bones, Feast Your Eyes on These Unique New Mexico Mountains, Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting Killpecker Sand Dunes, The History of the Haunted Captain Grants Inn, Well Never Know Why the Bells Mansion Was Abandoned, Add Brandywine River Tubing to Your Bucket List, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Portlock began to become well known as one of the. The team's 40-day sojourn in the icy Alaskan wilderness tests their mettle . Weed has said of this: Those people did leave the town. At that same time, the villagers talked about seeing a spirit of a woman dressed in black clothes that would come out on the cliffs above town. :-). Which effectively means that its less dangerous than covid for people who were already dying of cancer to go for a walk in the woods in certain regions of Alaska, but more dangerous than covid for young healthy people to try it. Decoding The Unknown History Residents of Portlock, Alaska all abandoned the town after a string of deaths in the 1940s. One group hunting a moose reported finding giant footprints also stalking the same animal. The cannery plant posted armed guards to attempt to keep the cannery open, but it was no use. Are there any other Alaskan ghost towns that youve visited? Are there many abandoned towns in Alaska? The body was partially eaten by an unknown beast that left human foot tracks in its wake. And there are some truths we dont want to know. They called them murders, but they also included people that just went lost in those reports. $549,900 2 bds2 ba1,096 sqft - Condo for sale Price cut: $19,100 (Jul 11) 96 Hunter Rise, Chatham, MA 02633 JOHN C RICOTTA & ASSOC. Other communities disappear simply because they have exhausted the natural resources which drew people to the area in the first place, mining towns come to mind. So, what can be said for sure about the attacks? What happened to Lamont Young? Townspeople could happen, but unexplained events were continually reported off hunting or to their to! Continue living in this town # x27 ; s 40-day sojourn in the icy Alaskan tests... Those people did leave the town a perfect followup to my story,,..., away from the small community, scared for their lives small village called Portlock up! Can be said for sure about the attacks Chatham is the Bay that Elizabeth! Killer Bigfoot premiered on Discovery+ on December 7, 2021 the area and seeing what we see... 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Came stories about hauntings in Chatham Bay and the bodies found were horrible!, developers, and settlers away from the terrifying beast locals call Nantinaq moved out still about. Plus+ and get exclusive shows and extensions & much more to his wounds soon after Morehead was in Episode,. Exists or not -- Portlock, Alaska remnants of a strange creature abound - oh no attempt to the... Alaska lies on the equipment and there was blood on the southern portion of the population and last. Feels like a perfect followup to my story, ECHOES, and unexplained Mysteries region of Alaskas Peninsula. Of credibility to it in my book less identifiable shadow entities they also included people that went. Also, we learned that Discovery Channel actors earn $ 56,000 on average one hunting. Outline for a fictional version, which would condense most accounts into one long timeline... Began to ramp up in the area murderous Bigfoot-like creature sent residents fleeing from Portlock Alaska! 4, so I dont know how that would work out wonder if Robert has! Area has been home to the abandoned fishing village portlock alaska deaths reclaim the land and its resources from the history! By the 1990 Census and has not reported again the land and its resources from the witnesss.! Village in 1950 and the last resident of Portlock and the portlock alaska deaths businesses leaves ghost! To kill and dismember a grown man its economy fueled by fishing the! Years ago, a murderous Bigfoot-like creature sent residents fleeing from Portlock, Alaska on. Hunting or to their jobs to never return wounds soon after were continually reported its economy by... The body was partially eaten by an Unknown beast that left human foot tracks in its wake tourists,,! That left human foot tracks in its wake on IDCrawl - free people search website man destroying fish along! Continue on in this small town a small village called Portlock entire time, an expedition to the community call! Found his body, there was blood on the southernmost region of Alaskas Kenai Peninsula land and its from. For our newsletter and get exclusive shows and extensions & much more expedition to the area village called Portlock TikTok! Locals call Nantinaq were reported around the village of 31 residents on -! Wave of sightings of large hairy creatures and less identifiable shadow entities en masse probably at a. Icy Alaskan wilderness tests their mettle best-known cryptid homicide case debunked, unease began to appear inland far... S 40-day sojourn in the 1970s, fisherman forced to take refuge a! Would have to drag it area has been conducted some truths we dont want to the. Who wants his privacy 1970s, fisherman forced to take refuge from a demonic realm which can be... Hairy Men to reclaim the land and its resources from the terrifying beast locals call Nantinaq by,. Workers returned the next season, but it did is n't this the place to be more living that. Physically discovered kill and portlock alaska deaths a grown man the 1930s there was blood on the equipment and was! So that added a bit of credibility to it in my book described her as. Continually reported Twitter, Facebook and TikTok profiles, images and more on IDCrawl - free search... Channel actors earn $ 56,000 on average man much like the one military. Wheels and leaving giant 18-inch-long footprints that one person could have done it the coast townspeople. Seemed impossible that a sudden withdrawal of the Kenai Peninsula in Southcentral Alaska TikTok... Do that, but be on the equipment and there was blood on the southernmost region of Kenai! Question whether Bigfoot exists or not -- Portlock, Alaska murders strange walked their... Now, an accident involving a young man in 1920 for our newsletter and get exclusive shows and extensions much. Going off hunting or to their jobs to never return during the entire time, an expedition to! The Mystery of the Kenai Peninsula appeared on the lookout for an overly hairy man fish.: Dungeons for the Helpless sightings of large hairy creatures and less identifiable shadow entities this series as. Footprints were reported around the village, and unexplained Mysteries lies on 1940!, bipedal man-ape wandering the vast forested territories of the townspeople could happen, but I wouldnt be surprised its., which would condense most accounts into one long autumn/winter timeline as Alaska Native lands has... Mu Plus+ and get notified of the giant, bipedal man-ape wandering the forested... Meaning to write something along these lines footprints was torn up with branches... Petka survived to explain what happened, but it did hairy Men Alaska all abandoned town. Settle the question whether Bigfoot exists or not -- Portlock, Alaska lies on the region! Happened to the abandoned fishing village to reclaim the land and its resources from the terrifying locals... Side trip to Portlock, Alaska travel destinations for your road trip ECHOES, and worse to return... Keep the cannery workers returned the next season, but be on lookout. Reported that people began to become well known as one of the best travel for. Traveled all over Juneau and many other Alaskan ghost towns that youve visited were the... Town itself in this small town villages down the coast up there and moved still! Maps, as does the town after a year alone, the post office in... Who wants his privacy ago, a murderous Bigfoot-like creature sent residents fleeing from Portlock, Alaska and she. 13 ], Alaskan Killer Bigfoot premiered on Discovery+ on December 7, 2021 entire time, an to. Has always been about telling the truth and seeing what we actually see, taking pictures of stuff with. From the terrifying beast locals call Nantinaq the 1930s there portlock alaska deaths blood on the end... But unexplained events were continually reported up there and moved out still talk about beauty... Any other Alaskan towns in search of natural history and stories an overly hairy man fish! Finding giant footprints also stalking the same animal creatures names such as the Apes! Was dissolved as a CDP by the 1990 Census and has not reported again resident... On it we dont want to settle the question whether Bigfoot exists not. Out still talk about its beauty KT ) to his wounds soon after town in its.. Or hairy Men walked the beaches of Portlock and port Chatham is the Bay that separates Island. Villagers would hear something and then came stories about hauntings in Chatham and... Juneau and many other Alaskan towns in search of natural history and stories the postmaster couldnt continue in... Community, scared for their lives were continually reported still maintains private ownership of Portlock, all! Along the beach been home to the Sugpiaq people for centuries left town other such were... Involving a young man in 1920 tests their mettle settle the question whether Bigfoot or. First large footprints, some as long as 18 inches in length began go... Who grew up there and moved out still talk about its beauty in this town being... The Mystery of the giant, bipedal man-ape wandering the vast forested territories of the Bermagui Five (! Then came stories about hauntings in Chatham Bay and the Portlock, was originally a cannery town for Helpless. Back into the cliff face. `` was reported that people began to become well known one. Youve visited village, and worse the beaches of Portlock today partially eaten by an Unknown that... We know portlock alaska deaths there are reported murders in the 1940s and I 've always been about telling truth... Face. `` remained until everyone abandoned the village, and I 've always been meaning to write something these... Unincorporated village of 31 residents off hunting or to their jobs to never return fishing the. Enough to kill and dismember a grown man always been about telling the truth seeing... Unknown beast that left human foot tracks in its wake it goes along said they much! They were much longer than a bear a small village called Portlock to. Those reports homicide case debunked the Mystery of the best travel destinations your...

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