The Bluff Creek Bigfoot Footprints

In August 1958, bulldozer operator Jerry Crew discovered giant humanoid footprints at a construction site near Bluff Creek, California. His plaster casts made national news, and journalist Andrew Genzoli’s coverage popularized the term “Bigfoot” for the first time in mainstream media.

The Discovery

Jerry Crew found:

• Large footprints around his bulldozer
• 16 inches long
• Appearing overnight
• Multiple tracks
• No conventional explanation

The Location

Bluff Creek area:

• Remote northern California
• Roadway construction underway
• Dense forest
• Klamath River region
• Already had strange reports

The Witnesses

Multiple workers reported:

• Seeing large footprints
• Equipment disturbed overnight
• Strange sounds
• Feeling watched
• Unexplained activity

Jerry Crew’s Casts

Crew made:

• Plaster casts of prints
• Took them to newspaper
• Displayed for reporters
• Photo widely published
• Evidence preserved

The Name “Bigfoot”

Andrew Genzoli:

• Wrote for Humboldt Times
• Used term “Bigfoot” in headline
• August 1958 article
• Name stuck nationally
• Replaced older terms

The Casts

The footprints showed:

• Large humanoid foot shape
• Evidence of weight
• Stride length extraordinary
• Apparent toe impressions
• No known match

Construction Crew Reports

Workers experienced:

• Heavy barrels moved
• Tracks appearing nightly
• Equipment relocated
• Something large nearby
• Ongoing activity

Investigation

The tracks were examined by:

• Local authorities
• Curious researchers
• No identification made
• Various theories proposed
• Mystery persisted

The Hoax Question

Decades later:

• Ray Wallace’s family claimed he faked some tracks
• Wooden feet were shown
• However, not all tracks matched those feet
• Debate continues
• Wallace’s claims disputed by some researchers

The Legacy Begins

The 1958 coverage:

• Made Bigfoot a household name
• Sparked serious interest
• Led to future expeditions
• Patterson-Gimlin film came nine years later
• Created an industry

Significance

The Bluff Creek footprints are significant for:

• Introducing “Bigfoot” term
• National media attention
• Physical evidence claimed
• Starting modern Bigfoot era
• Ongoing debate about authenticity

Legacy

The 1958 Bluff Creek discovery marked the beginning of modern Bigfoot mania. Whether some or all of the tracks were hoaxed, the incident ignited public fascination that continues to this day.