A large apelike humanoid has been spotted lurking outside a home in Douglas, Wyoming.
Measuring nearly 10 feet tall and tipping the scales at 350 pounds, the beast is believed to have migrated to Wyoming from Albuquerque, New Mexico, in August 2021.
For people interested in laying eyes on the brutish behemoth, head down Bandera Avenue and look to the right when you see skid marks in the street.
But don't report it to the Douglas Police Department. The town’s officers there already know.
The solid steel, somewhat rusty statue, complete with hundreds of individually welded strips to give sasquatch a fluffy appearance, has come to be known as SueSquatch, much to the chagrin of owner Sue Kelley.
Douglas residents shouldn't worry though. Kelley said SueSquatch is securely chained and padlocked in place.
A Tire-Squealing Feature
Kelley and her husband Frank moved to Douglas from Albuquerque in 2021. They bought SueSquatch from an Albuquerque metal sculptor who has since gone out of business.
Sue said they saw it in a roadside gallery, and it stuck in her head. It wasn't long before she knew she had to have it.
"It stuck with me as something really cool," she said. "We are a little bit eclectic, and my son has always been into sasquatch. I've never seen anything like it before."
Not long after moving to Douglas, Sue heard tires squeal on Bandera Avenue in front of their new home.
Seems the world headquarters for all-things jackalope weren’t prepared to host another mythical beast.
"I went outside and there was a very sweet-looking elderly lady stopped in front of our house," Sue said. "Her eyes were as big as saucers."
Part Of The Family
SueSquatch barely fit in the moving van when the family left Albuquerque, and it took four men to move the sculpture onto the property in Douglas.
She wouldn't fit through a steel gate leading to the Kelley's backyard, so they found a place on the side of the house where she was chained and padlocked in place to prevent escape, Sue said.
The Kelleys have become used to the attention SueSquatch draws. People stop frequently to ask for pictures and to take a closer look. Local police officers and many others have done double-takes and stop in the street to get a better look.
SueSquatch was shiny when she arrived in Douglas, but last winter put a patina of rust on her steel fur. Frank said a power wash is in her near future.
The Kelleys are considering whether to move the sculpture away from the house and next to a large spruce tree in the yard — a natural habitat where she'll feel more at home, Frank said.
They're also considering placing an American Flag in the sculpture's hand to provide a patriotic look. SueSquatch also may be decked out for Halloween and Christmas this year, Frank said.
"It has helped us get to know a lot of folks in the community here," Frank said. "Most people seem to take it in stride and the skid marks are starting to wear off the street.”
John Thompson can be reached at: John@CowboyStateDaily.com
