The Monster Next Door: A Tale of Texas Cryptids, NASA Conspiracies, and the Bear King

While doing research into some local urban legends I decided to take a look at the vast mysteries our massive state hides. To no surprise, Texas is host to a variety of cryptids, ghost stories, and even more unusual occurrences. From Dog Men to Haunted Highways, selecting just a few of the thousands of stories spread throughout our state was a difficult task, however, two of these stories caught my eye.

South Texas Birds (Bats? Gargoyles?) of Terror

While researching the Rio Grande Valley bird monsters I accidentally stumbled upon a fun conspiracy I thought was worth sharing. My research led me to NASA conspiracies, “Men in Black”, Gargoyles, and a very strong urge never to visit the Rio Grande Valley or Houston at night. First, let’s start with the story of NASA engineer Frank Shaw. In 1986, Shaw was working at the Johnson Space Center late at night when he spotted a large Gargoyle-like creature. Shaw reported that the creature stared at him until he left the area in a hurry. Shaw’s story was shared with the public in 2004 but Desiree Shaw, Frank’s daughter, reported that men threatened her father into silence, and it was a secret he took to his grave.

Nick Redfern, the author who originally spoke with Desiree, says that he has been unable to track her down for follow-up questions. However, it is worth mentioning, that whenever the incident is questioned many long-time staff members of Johnson Space Center say they have never heard of the story. Jef Rouner of the Houston Press described the ordeal in his 2023 article, “The Legend of the NASA Gargoyle”.

It is also worth noting that a large Man-Bat-like creature was frequently spotted in Houston in the 1950s. This matches a description that is very similar to Frank Shaw’s Gargoyle. The story does not end there, shockingly enough, as I uncovered more interesting stories of Gargoyle-like creatures in South Texas. Since 1970, a humanoid bat-bird-like creature has been spotted in the Rio Grande Valley area of Texas. Sightings have ranged from distance glimpses to reported assaults from the monsters, who bore similar descriptions to the creatures seen in Houston. All stories tell of a winged humanoid with red eyes, an evil presence, and immense size. Horror Stories of Texas is a very well-made blog that gives great detail about each attack and was my primary source of information for the events.

So, what does lurk in the skies of South Texas? Maybe some questions are better left unanswered. One thing is certain, the next time you find yourself in the vast expanse of the Rio Grande Valley, it might be worth keeping an extra eye on the skies, just in case.

The Hill Country Monster Population is Eerily High

The Texas Hill Country is a massive geographic location in parts of Central and South Texas. If you have ever visited the Hill Country, you are aware of how steep and treacherous the terrain can be; a perfect location for locals to become skeptical of what could lurk in the deep hills and springs. To my shock, the Hill Country has an abundance of monster stories, some more unnerving than others. While there are plenty of stories of massive snakes, 20-foot alligators, and every bigfoot clone you could think of, there are two particular stories that have some interesting history. 150 miles west of Austin is Cleo, Texas, a ghost town where even people have become cryptids. However, it is Cleo’s history that is perhaps the most ominous.

Early settlers in the area told stories of a shaman there who was the last of their tribe. In revenge against the settlers, the shaman would turn into a large wolf and hunt settlers and their livestock. While the modern area is devoid of humans, surrounding counties still report strange animal howls at night and missing livestock. Research on this cryptid was very scattered, and stories mostly came from former locals posting on various discussion forums about the history of the area and the monster. “The Beast of Bear Creek” could still haunt Cleo today, however with no human population living in the area, the future of the cryptid remains unknown.

Two hours east in the more populated town of Marble Falls is the tale of the Bear King. In the early 1900s near what is now Marble Falls, Texas, a newspaper tells the story of the Bear King. A young woman was kidnapped near her home by a large beast who howled with a mix of a bear roar and a human voice. The girl returned home stumbling in the night, telling her family that the Bear King had taken her to his lair in the mountains. A group of men traveled to the lair where they reluctantly shot the large beast, who reportedly beat his chest like a gorilla. The story ends there and there has been little to add to the legend, although it is quite an interesting single-sighting cryptid. Daniel Clifton of 101HighlandLakes.com gives a great retelling of the full story and its impact on the community in his article, “Legend of the Bear King of Marble Falls.”