It's so mysterious that most people doubt it's real. Still, the legendary "Bigfoot" has excited imaginations for a long time. Bigfoot has sparked TV shows, movies, and books. People still search for the creature. But how did Bigfoot's story get off the ground in the United States?
It all began with a lighthearted California newspaper article.
Andrew Genzoli wrote a column for The Humboldt Times. In 1958, he included a reader's letter in one of his columns. It was about some huge footprints discovered by a logging crew. The prints were spotted in muddy soil in northern California. The letter claimed the footprints looked human, only they were much larger.
Genzoli had no idea what his article would start.
Readers were hooked, so other articles followed. Betty Allen was the first reporter to print a name for the mysterious footprint maker. The loggers had called it "Bigfoot."
The stories about Bigfoot didn't slow down. Instead, they spread nationwide—and the weird character became a superstar with a loyal following.
It wasn't the first time huge, ape-like creatures were discussed. People had told stories about strange, hairy beasts long before. But the newspaper reports based on the loggers' accounts got a lot of attention, and Bigfoot became…big.
Over the decades that followed, blurry photos, cartoons, and costumes appeared. They suggested what the mythical figure might look like. People announced sightings in several locations.
Then, in 2002, a secret was told by the family of Ray Wallace. He was one of the loggers who discovered the muddy prints.
After Wallace died, his family said he was prankster who liked to clown around. They said Wallace made the footprints himself as a joke. He used a set of carved wooden feet.
The confession didn't spoil the fun, though. It didn't stop the search so many enjoy, either. Some say there have been too many other sightings to let go of the legend.
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QUESTION 1
QUESTION 1 OF 4
1 / 4
This article is mainly about _________.
A.footprints and pawprints of animals found in northern California
B.the mysterious story of a creature that has interested people for years
C.famous pranks that were started by one logger over the years
D.the history of one newspaper that was based in northern California