How Did Raystown Ray Get in the Lake?
Posted by: Craig Woolheater on January 15th, 2015
The first known photograph of Raystown Ray. Photographed by a local fisherman looking over the lake from the Huntingdon Co. Visitor’s Bureau Center, close to Seven Points Marina.
Cryptomundian Spookysr offered the following explanation…
In 1927 (87 years ago), a traveling circus was crossing an old rickety covered bridge across the Juniata River south into Hopewell PA (from Saxton PA). The circus manager ignored instructions to cross 1 wagon at a time. He decided to cross 3 at a time. Suffice it to say the bridge collapsed plummeting the big cat and the giant snake wagon 30 feet into the river below. All animals were recaptured EXCEPT the huge Anaconda. It has been missing ever since.
The locals in Broad Top City PA report seeing it as recently as 1975. The Juniata feeds the Raystown Lake. Anacondas like warm temperatures and the lake is too cold for them in the winter. The local coal mines like the Fulton and Rockhill mines near the river are warm all year round. It (or they) could be hiding in one of the mines. There are all sorts of rodents for it to feed on in the mines.
87 years is a long time for an Anaconda which normally only live 10-30 years. But guess what? A female does not need a male to procreate. They can use something called “facultative parthenogenesis ” to lay eggs and make more big snakes.
So all of these RAY sightings could be a family (or a single) big snake. Anacondas are good swimmers can eat fish as will as small mammals too. They can hold their heads up out of the water by 3-4 feet. They can display humps especially when sitting on a sandbar. Don’t be fooled they ARE very dangerous and should not be provoked or let small pets or children near the lake shoreline unprotected.
Try looking for RAY coiled up in a Rockhill Coal mine near the lake or the Juniata River.
See also:
Another Photo of Raystown Ray
Old Sea Serpent Sighting
Photos of Pennsylvania Lake Monster?
Co-founder of Cryptomundo in 2005.
I have appeared in or contributed to the following TV programs, documentaries and films:
OLN's Mysterious Encounters: "Caddo Critter", Southern Fried Bigfoot, Travel Channel's Weird Travels: "Bigfoot", History Channel's MonsterQuest: "Swamp Stalker", The Wild Man of the Navidad, Destination America's Monsters and Mysteries in America: Texas Terror - Lake Worth Monster, Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot: Return to Boggy Creek and Beast of the Bayou.
It didn’t. I live in Pa. about 3 1/2 hours form Raystown Lake. I pass it on the way to Pittsburgh. Raystown Lake is a man-made body of water caused by the damming of the Juniata River. The lake achieved it’s full size of 8300 acres in 1973 by the Army Corps of Engineers. There is no monster and this photo is an obvious fake. It is doubtful in the very very extreme that a classic lake monster as portrayed in the above photo would wind up in a man-made body of water originally planned as a hydro-electric project. Some very large catfish and snapping turtles perhaps, but no lake monster.
that photo looks SO fake.
No way its an anaconda…lol.
worst “explanation” ever for a photo thats fake.
aside from the fact it doesn’t even remotely pass the “eye” test…
if you zoom into the image… to the left, in front of the “body” there’s a big wake… how does some snake have a wake in front of it’s body?
second… have you ever seen an anaconda swim?
youtube…. you’ll see.
and someone… please tell me… how does a “lake monster” get into a man made lake?
Photo screams fake.
This Craig guy knows his history. I grew up In Dudley, PA about 5 minutes from Broad Top where this or these Anacondas were named “The Broad Top Snake” Geographically it is not impossible for this creature to make way to the lake. It is actually quite possible given the behavior of the creature in question and Raystown Lake being the closest large body of water, not to mention the rivers and streams leading to it. It was a man made lake BUT I believe (not certain) that they flooded over a smaller natural lake to make Raystown. It would not surprise me if such a thing exists today but is unlikely due to climate BUT nothing suggest this creature could not hibernate or adapt to the changing surroundings. The old nuke plant may have something to do with this as well.
I will be looking for this creature this summer, I know a few spots that would be ideal.
Also there was a black panther loose during this wreck, it tried to get into my fathers trailer. I remember the claw marks I saw on the door as a child. There are also mountain lions in the surrounding areas as well so if anyone would go looking for answers I would suggest caution.
@sh1vems – You’re probably right. I found the circus that the creature used to belong to before the accident on the bridge in 1920’s. They are an old circus dating back to 19th century. Still in biz. That circus date at Hopewell was cancelled and removed from their online calendar. They never found the snake and some wolves. The people of Broad Top have so many eyewitness sightings since then, so much it suggests RAY is the escaped Anaconda (or an offspring).
How they survive winter? Hibernate and do it in a abandoned coal mine. If you have the guts to go spelunking you might go down into Rockhill Coal mine. You may get attacked by a frightened RAY(s) so be careful.