What is a Hodag?

Legends have a way of becoming engrained in the lives of a community's history.  As many of you know, I am a Packers fan and have spent a lot of time in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. But, have a I regaled you with the story of the Hodag of Rhinelander, Wisconsin?

The Hodag is a legendary creature in northern Wisconsin, especially in what was the lumbering camps.  The Hodag is described as a seven-foot long lizard-like beast with a "disproportionately large head, two horns growing from its temples, large fangs and green eyes. Covered with short black hair, the body appeared stout and muscular; its back was covered with spikes which led to a powerful tail. The four legs were short and sturdy with three claws facing forward and one pointing in the opposite direction."  It is also described as emitting a potent odor that smelled like a combination of "buzzard meat and skunk perfume."

The legend of the Hodag was popularized with the detailed description by Eugene Shepherd in 1896-97.  He organized a posse to capture the beast, but could only do so by killing it.  Then, three years later, according to legend, Shepherd and his crew 'captured' a live Hodag.  It was then a large attraction at the county fair where people came from far and wide to see the creature.  The Hodag, then became an icon for Rhinelander.

Of course it was revealed that the Hodag capture and creature was a hoax concocted by Shepherd.  Now, the reason was to stimulate the economy of Rhinelander and the surrounding area.  The lumbering communities were leaving the area because they had depleted much of the pine trees around Rhinelander.  So, Shepherd devised the idea of the Hodag. The 'live' Hodag was actually given life-like qualities at the Oneida County Fair by a series of pulleys and the growling of the creature performed by Shepherd's son.  Even though the Hodag is a legend and an elaborate hoax, it is still widely recognized as a tourist attraction for the city of Rhinelander.  You still don't believe me? Even the Travel Channel's Mysteries at the Museum did a feature on it!

Travel Channel's Mysteries at the Museum
Mysteries at the Museum-Rhinelander Museum

Want to learn more about the Hodag?
http://www.hodagpress.com/about.htm

*And I just found out something interesting. According to my dad, my great-grandmother, who grew up and lived her entire life in Rhinelander, met Shepherd. Just another interesting tidbit of information.*

Jordan's Post #1: Yellow Spring Society of Friends

For whatever reason, my search for a local history topic took me to the Society of Friends. The Society of Friends, better known as the Quakers, is a religious organization and denomination of Christianity. The Quakers are recognized for various practices and doctrine. One such practice is their annual and monthly meetings. At these gatherings, Quakers from smaller meetings congregate at a single location and discuss spiritual and organizational issues. Southwest Ohio has a long history of Quaker settlement. Because of this history, places in Southwest Ohio and Eastern Indiana have often been selected to house these meetings. The annual meetings bring in more Quakers because they draw in Quakers from a larger region. Yet, monthly meetings are still important.

An example of a monthly meeting location was in Yellow Springs. Included in the Yellow Spring’s Society of Friends collection at the WSU archives is a large amount of membership removal forms from the 1950s to the 1970s. Much can be learned or assumed by the examination of the members’ reasons for leaving. The most common reason for dropping membership was death. This reason does not lead to many conclusions, but it does indicate that many Quakers remained Quakers throughout their lifetime. It was also common for members to transfer to another meeting. This could be that another closer meeting had sprung up, but, most likely, it was a result of the member’s move to another residence. This could indicate that many members were leaving the area and could reflect a broader trend. Another common reason listed for leaving the Society of Friends was “lost contact.” Oftentimes, the Quakers would send formal letters to members of the group who had not been involved in Quaker activities. If the member did not respond, he was assumed to have lost interest in the Society of Friends and would be dropped from membership. Another reason for leaving was a transfer to a Unitarian group. Although this reason was not as prevalent as previously mentioned causes, it was not a rare occurrence for Friend members to become a member of a Unitarian group. The Unitarian Church and the Society of Friends both encompass a broad spectrum of beliefs (maybe more so with the Unitarian Church), but they do exhibit some similar doctrines. Some Unitarians and Quakers believe in pacifism. This similarity could have made the transition for these ex-Quakers to be easier than if they had switched to another denomination.

Primary Source Used:

Society of Friends

Indiana-Ohio Valley

Yellow Springs Monthly Meeting

WSU Archives MFM 125