Bill Would Make Bigfoot Official California Symbol

SONOMA VALLEY, CA — Bigfoot sightings could soon become a lot more common in California — at least on T-shirts, flags, bumper stickers, and even some official state documents — thanks to a proposed bill hat would make the Sasquatch, the official state cryptid.

A cryptid is an animal that has never been proven to exist, such as Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster. The bill, known as AB 666, was introduced by Assemblymember Chris Rogers, who represents California's 2nd District. What started as an inside joke among California lawmakers, is seriously picking up steam since the bill was introduced in February.

The inside joke among lawmakers was meant to serve as a placeholder while legislators finished up a more serious bill, Rogers told the Press Democrat.

But it quickly became viral, even appearing as a segment on Stephen Colbert's "The Late Night Show."

"The question of 'which mythical creature best represents California' is a hairy one—but we feel like it's time to 'squatch the beef," Rogers said in a statement in April. "It's not Tahoe Tessie or El Chupacabra that generates buzz and interest from outdoor enthusiasts, it is Bigfoot."

Rogers did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Patch.

The Bigfoot name was first coined in the 1950s after a large 16-inch footprint was discovered in Humboldt County. Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, is a mythical creature believed by many to inhabit the Pacific Northwest.

The bipedal creature has been described as a large and hairy hominid. However, its existence has yet to be proven despite thousands of reported sightings.

That hasn't stopped residents in towns like Willow Creek from believing Bigfoot could still be out there.

Willow Creek, which is known as the Bigfoot Capital of the world, is home to a museum with some of the most sought-after Bigfoot casts and photos. It also holds an annual block party known as the Bigfoot Daze.

"We have a pretty dynamic community," said Shannon Hughes, the President of the Willow Creek Chamber. "If Bigfoot were going to be living anywhere, this for sure would be a great place.

Hughes said the possibility of having Bigfoot become the state's official cryptid was "super exciting," as it would solidify the creature's place in "mythical lore and potentially reality."

"When you look at where we live, it's vast wilderness, so of course the question is always lingering: What's out here?" Hughes told Patch. "I think it's just human nature to wonder about cryptids and wonder what's in our backyard."

Eric Nelson, a volunteer and curator at the China Flat Museum and Bigfoot collection in Willow Creek, was first introduced to the legend of Bigfoot while sitting around the campfire on a warm summer night when he was seven years old.

He listened to the "enchanted tales," he said, afraid of breathing in fear that he would miss a single word.

Now, as a volunteer at the museum, he sees visitors come in with a glint in their eye that reminds him of when he first heard of the mythical creature.

Although he doesn't necessarily consider himself a believer, Nelson does believe the dozens of stories from people who have claimed to have seen the elusive Bigfoot.

"Ultimately, it's not about whether I can prove it exists in flesh and blood," Nelson told Patch. "But when people come to the door and tell me these things, it's like a shot of oxygen into my bloodstream."

He recalled a moment in which an elderly man whose health was failing approached him, hoping to get something off his chest.

The elderly man told Nelson about a trip he took with his father more than 50 years ago to a mine cabin about 25 miles from Willow Creek.

At some point during the trip, the elderly man, who was 10 years old at the time, saw a "massive, hair-covered" upright creature grumbling and growling.

It came within 40 feet of him and his father, who grabbed a rifle and told him to get back in the cabin.

After the encounter, his father told him what they had seen was a bear, and they never spoke about it again.

But the elderly man told Nelson he thought about that event every day for the last 53 years. He knew what a bear was at the time, and that creature was no bear.

"Is it crazy? No. But wow, does it give credence to someone's personal experience? I think so," Nelson said. "That's profound, that's what keeps people coming."

As for the bill, Nelson says he'd like to see it come to fruition.

"If we don't do it now, I'm sure another state like Washington or Oregon will do it," Nelson said.