This is the transcript for the above video. The interview is of Richard Mason of Colchester, Illinois in 2021. It was conducted by Dr. Michael Lorenzen, University Archivist at Western Illinois University with the assistance of Bruce Ackers.
Transcript:
I haven’t spoken to any of the neighbors to see if they’ve experienced anything unusual, but I’ve often wondered. Once you pass the cemetery and head down into the bottomland, the Lemoyne River runs through there, surrounded by a lot of timber and open ground. We’ve always figured that if something like that is out there, it probably travels along the river. I’ve also wondered whether, in general, these creatures prefer areas near natural springs or larger tracts of older timber—places with reliable water sources and cover.
You had mentioned earlier that I hadn’t shared my California experience on the Riverlands podcast. A few years ago—around 2016 or 2017—I traveled out west to visit my sister. Her youngest son was graduating from high school, and since my wife couldn’t get time off work, they flew me out. One day, my sister asked if I’d ever seen the Redwoods. I told her I might have when I was very young but didn’t remember. So we took an all-day drive into Northern California to see them. I don’t recall the exact location, but we drove deep into Redwood country—huge trees, a small shop, a creek with a bridge, and a campground along the way.
We eventually stopped at a parking area where visitors could get out and walk a trail to view the trees. My niece went back to the store to get water, and my sister and I walked about a quarter mile down the trail. On our way back, with my sister slightly ahead and to my left, I happened to look up into one of the massive trees. About 25 feet up, sitting on a large, flat branch, I saw what appeared to be a Sasquatch. From the chest up, I could clearly see a large, black-haired figure. It looked like it was sitting comfortably, almost as if in a nest. It had black hair, dark leathery-looking skin, and large black eyes. I didn’t say anything to my sister because I didn’t want to alarm her, and we didn’t have cameras with us. I watched it for about thirty seconds. When I finally started walking to catch up with her, I couldn’t find it again. We passed close to that tree on our way back to the parking lot just before my niece returned.
Another account came to me secondhand. Years ago, CIPS operated a power station in Meredosia, Illinois. When it shut down, many longtime employees retired. One of those retirees—someone connected through my dad and his coworkers—bought property south of Meredosia along the Illinois River. A few years back, during a flood, strange activity reportedly began happening on that land. Rocks and sticks were thrown at them while they were outside, and they initially thought someone was trespassing. They set up trail cameras and, according to what I was told, captured some of the best photos the witness had ever seen—over 200 images, including a large gray one believed to be a dominant male and a black one as well.
I had copies of two of those photos at one point, but I lost them when I changed phones. I tried reaching out to the landowner to investigate further, but I never got a response. From what I understand, they’ve since refused to go back onto that property because they were too frightened. They had originally bought it for hunting but no longer use it for that purpose.
I know someone named Rich Mueller, a longtime car salesman, who knows the landowner’s son. I’ve tried to reconnect through him but haven’t had success yet. If I’m able to track him down, I’d really like to see those photos again. As for the exact location of the property, I only know that it’s south of Meredosia and borders the Illinois River.
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