Beast of Busco facts for kids
| Sub grouping | Lake monster |
|---|---|
| Similar creatures | alligator snapping turtle |
| Country |  United States |
| Region | Maumee Valley, Northern Indiana |
| Habitat | Water |
The Beast of Busco is a legendary giant snapping turtle from Indiana folklore. People claimed to have seen this enormous creature in 1949. A big hunt for the "Beast of Busco" lasted for a month. It even got national attention, but the turtle was never found.
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Discovering the Beast of Busco
The story of the Beast of Busco began a long time ago.
First Sightings of a Giant Turtle
In 1898, a farmer named Oscar Fulk saw a huge turtle. It lived in a seven-acre lake on his farm. This farm was near Churubusco, Indiana. Oscar told others about the giant turtle. But he later decided to stop talking about it.
The Turtle Becomes Famous
Fifty years later, in July 1948, the turtle was seen again. Two men from Churubusco, Ora Blue and Charley Wilson, saw it. They were fishing on the same lake, now called Fulk Lake. They thought the turtle weighed about 500 pounds.
A farmer named Gale Harris owned the land then. He and others also saw the creature. News about the giant turtle quickly spread.
In early 1949, a reporter from Fort Wayne shared the story. The turtle became famous across the country. Many curious people came to see Harris's farm. State police had to help control the traffic.
Attempts to Catch the Beast
Many people doubted the turtle was real. So, Gale Harris tried to catch it several times.
Draining Fulk Lake
One plan was to drain the lake. Harris pumped water into an area blocked by a dam. Orville Bright and Kenneth Leitch helped him. But the dam broke when the lake was almost empty. The turtle, named "Oscar" after the first farmer, was never caught.
Other Failed Attempts
In March 1949, a deep-sea diver was supposed to go into the pond. But the wrong equipment arrived at the farm. So, this attempt also failed. A photographer from Life Magazine took many pictures. But they could not be used.
The Beast's Cultural Impact
Even though Oscar was never caught, its memory lives on.
Churubusco's Turtle Days Festival
Churubusco holds a "Turtle Days" festival every June. It celebrates the Beast of Busco. The festival includes a parade and a carnival. There are also fun turtle races.
Other Tributes to Oscar
A turtle shell hangs in the Two Brothers Restaurant. It is in Decatur, Indiana. The shell is labeled "Beast of Busco." A small concrete statue of a turtle sits on a sidewalk. It is at the main intersection in Churubusco.
