Can the paranormal be an income source for small towns?

**Skeptical**

Loren Coleman, the very respected cryptozoologist who runs the Cryptomundo website is a bit upset over a newspaper article suggesting that small towns might be able to generate revenue by hyping the local paranormal legends. The article was by a small-town reporter, Dwain Walden of The Moultrie Observe,

http://www.moultrieobserver.com/opinion/local_story_167223648.html

Not sure why Loren takes exception to this concept now because that horse has been out of the barn for decades. Roswell, New Mexico learned a long time ago that UFO afficianados have money to spend on coffee mugs and inflatable alien dolls. McMinnville just got finished with its annual UFO fest that commemorates the Paul Trent photos. It seems to me that, if you have a local legend, somebody's going to want the tee-shirt and somebody else will want to sell it to them.

The serious downside to this is that entrepreneurs and city fathers are not opposed to sweetening local legends so that it gets to be very difficult for researchers to know what is truth and what is hype. That old legend of the airship crash and alien burial at Judge Proctor's mill in Texas is a good example. We're no longer sure if there ever was any kernel of truth in the story.

You have to wonder how many mysteries might already be solved if it weren't for the desire to wring another buck out of it.

S
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**TheScamDetective** · Joined: 15 Jun 2007 Posts: 1351 Location: California

Whatever helps the economy I guess.
It is a shame that commercialism muddies the water and becomes the focus.
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Yipsl · Guest

Yaish · Joined: 13 Aug 2007 Posts: 11

Back in my native New York, there was a small town called Silverlake that made it's mark in just that way.

Silverlake was a small town, not much to recommend it to those passing through. It did sit on a major railroad track however, and the town itself and the track were right on the shores of a fairly large lake.

Soon enough people began to see a lake monster, something writhing in the depths and surfacing, often when the train was going by. Interest grew, and people began stopping in town hoping for a glimpse of the monster. All went well for several years, until there was a fire at the local hotel.
Turns out that in the wreckage they found pumps, hose, and lines run into the lake. The "lake monster" was actually an inflatable creation of the hotel owner made to drum up business. Even today the town makes money on the event in the form of an annual "Sea Serpent Days" festival.

So will people hoax for money, fame, or notoriety? Most definitely. I've been to this town several times, and they make as big a deal out of their lake monster as Inverness makes of Nessie, and there's is an admitted hoax that hasn't occurred for over a century.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Lake,_New_York

**dr wu23** · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 2254 Location: Indiana

Heh...nothin' wrong with promotin' your town.
Wink

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Ataraxik · Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:14 pm Post subject:

Making money off belief in the paranormal is widespread and has a very long history. The Pacific NW of the US is dotted with bigfoot gift shops and lots of bigfoot festivals and parades. There must be at least two or three dozen cities and towns across the US with lake serpent or monster tales and at least a serpent diner with a serpent gift shop nearby. Many American cities have local ghost tours of haunted local sites. Psychics, palm readers, and astrologers are a dime a dozen in any sizable town.

I wouldn't worry about the spirit of capitalism causing locals to sweeten the tale or legend. They come already sweetened. The process begins when the first person tells a second what happened. Wink

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**Carol Nistri** · Joined: 16 Jun 2007 Posts: 3292

trying to make people believe that Sorrocco was doing just that.That Lonnie Zammora was part of a conspiracy to put Sorrocco on the map.That a road was being built etc.none of it ever came true.

Jeremy Vaeni · Joined: 27 Jul 2007 Posts: 465 Location: New York

I don't care how towns make their money as long as it's legal. However, I am disappointed to learn from Coleman that the Jersey Devil was a made-up hoax by a...what was it? Insurance company? Realtor? -- for business reasons. Makes me wonder about the Skinwalker Ranch.
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**dr wu23** · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 2254 Location: Indiana

**Carol Nistri** · Joined: 16 Jun 2007 Posts: 3292

didnt we read in UFO Magazine that two scientists from NIDS stayed at the Skinwalker ranch and had an experience?

**Carol Nistri** · Joined: 16 Jun 2007 Posts: 3292

Skinwalker ranch but here have a read.

http://www.dailygrail.com/node/2775

stareater · Joined: 26 Feb 2008 Posts: 26

A legend is just like a landmark or any other attraction. If a town can make a business out of it, there's nothing illegal or wrong with it. The consumer will dictate whether it's lucrative or not.

Informant · Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Posts: 33

To the question posed in the thread title, I would definitely answer "yes". In fact, I would say that, as one example, the Skunk Ape is probably the only significant source of revene in Ochopee, FL.