Lake Worth Monster: The True Story of the Greer Island Goatman

by Lyle Blackburn

On the night of July 10, 1969, a woman was attacked by something monstrous while parked on the shores of Lake Worth, several miles north of Fort Worth, Texas. Described as a huge, bipedal beast with white hair and horns, it was seen by nearly 40 people the following night. For months thereafter, the alleged monster was sighted numerous times as a series of frightening encounters made headlines and were investigated by police.

To this day, the case of the Lake Worth Monster remains an unsolved mystery awash in wild claims, hazy photos, and reports by eyewitnesses who were convinced they encountered an unknown creature. What was it that stalked the shady shores of Lake Worth in the Summer of Love? Find out as Blackburn explores this hair-raising, Texas-sized legend, offering insight, startling facts, and never-before published accounts and photos.

Genres: Paranormal, Bigfoot

178 pages, Paperback

Published August 28, 2024

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

An examination of the Lake Worth Monster, which may be a species of goatman, or a bigfoot of some sort.

Very in-depth, with plenty of stories about sightings.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

The nation was getting ready to watch man land on the moon, but for a week in July 1969 for one community in northern Texas what was important was the creature roaming the local lake. Lake Worth Monster: The True Story of the Greer Island Goatman by Lyle Blackburn examines the well-told two-night incidents surrounding a mysterious creature that was witnessed by nearly 50 people as well as the sightings and incidents before and after the famous two-night appearances.

In 110 pages, Blackburn goes over famous July 10 and 11, 1969 incidents around Greer Island in Lake Worth just northwest of Fort Worth. Then he goes into the rest of the story from the research and interviews by Sallie Ann Clarke who wrote a book about the incidents a few months later but started a decade-long hunt to find out the truth, especially after she saw it five times over the years. Blackburn then goes the history of various creature sightings around the area, usually matching descriptions of a sasquatch especially with the tale tell big footprints including later sightings around Greer Island and the wider Lake Worth area. However, original reports called the creature a bipedal goat shaped man with horns and cloven feet which leads Blackburn to various locations where a “goatman” is said to haunt or roam from around Old Alton Bridge near Denton, Texas and Prince George County in Maryland. Blackburn also covers every base by going through the rumors who the July 1969 incidents being pranks and hoaxes done by a group of teenagers or multiple groups of teenagers independent of one another over a span of months or just spur of the moment hijinks in front of a large crowd. The major issue I have with the book is that there is a total of 164 pages which meant 50 pages were dedicated to appendices—maps, news and photo archives, an transcript of an interview of Sallie Ann Clarke, and a brief memoir by Bobby Brooks about his connected with the Lake Worth Monster story—which me seemed like the book was formatted incorrectly as the maps, news articles, and photos could have been dispersed throughout the text or between chapters while saving the Sallie Ann Clarke interview and Bobby Brooks’ short memoir as welcome additions at the end of the book. Besides the personal annoyance of the book’s structure, Blackburn’s writing is great as I finished this book in one day due to how interesting and readable he presented everything.

Lake Worth Monster covers one of the most interesting and maybe the best attested cryptid incidents on record, Lyle Blackburn covers the famous two day in July 1969 and then reveals what happened before and long after.

[Ursula Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Look at a Little Known Cryptid

If you see Lyle Blackburn's name on a book, just buy it. Mr. Blackburn writes great books about cryptids that are fair and balanced, yet have great encounter tales in them. He does extensive research and has cultivated many friendships with cryptid lovers and seekers and it shows in many accounts you won't see anywhere else. This book continues that tradition. It covers a cryptid I hadn't heard of and gives a lot of great sighting information, other cryptids close by, interviews and more. The appendix includes copies of newspaper articles, exclusive interviews and more. Its a!ways sad to reach the end. A great look at a little known monster.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always happy to read a book by this author, and the trend continues with this. As usual for Blackburn, the book is well written and does a good job telling the story without pushing too hard for any one "answer" as to what really happened.

The reason for just 3 stars is that I think he stretched to make this a book, instead of an article or a contribution to a larger work. And even then, the book minus appendices is only 110 pages, and that includes sections that cover sightings near Lake Worth but not directly tied to the monster (though I did appreciate those bits; it helped to ground the monster in a larger folklore). While I did like the book, if you have to stretch to get to 110 pages you might be stretching too far.

[Chet · Rating 3 out of 5]

A review of the Lake Worth Monster

A lot of this book is from the 1960's and 70's. It is a product of research of an old monster sighting. The good thing is now a lot more of the interviews on the monster is in print and this book can be a reference for future research.

[jj Grilliette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe

[Shawn Small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved to read about a monster whose story originated a mile from my home. (Old Alton Bridge Goatman)

[Bruce LeMaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it!

[Arty A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good. Not as good as Blackburns previous books but still worth a read.