http://cathedral-lonavala.org/ritika-kumar/ I was in upstate New York last week (I gave a concert in Lily Dale, of all places), and took the opportunity to stop off in Perry, where John Keel grew up. Mamie Caton and I had lunch in the Country Kitchen, took a picture of me at the local library (where John was, in his words, “a reading machine”), and admired Silver Lake.
John told the story of A. B. Walker’s Silver Lake Sea Serpent hoax in Chapter 21 of Strange Creatures of Time and Space (Chapter 22 of the revised version, The Complete Guide to Mysterious Beings). I posted an old postcard of it here. The sea serpent is still the town mascot: a trailer park by the lake is called Sea Serpent View, and the Perry Fire Department holds an annual Sea Serpent Softball Tournament. What could be more fitting for John’s hometown?
Thanks for sharing.
Comment by Marsh Cook — August 4, 2017 @ 11:35 am
Thank you for sharing this, Doug. Fascinating.
Of course, this wasn’t a “Sea Serpent,” per se, as this is freshwater and due to the location, technically a “Lake Monster.” But it is wonderful to see how they have embraced it or them, nevertheless.
Loren
Comment by Loren Coleman — August 4, 2017 @ 11:43 am
I guess they thought “sea serpent” sounded better. It was, of course, neither, but actually an inflatable whatsit!
Comment by Doug — August 4, 2017 @ 3:13 pm