M Kristina Smith

Strange things are afoot in the Buckeye State Across city and country, Ohio echoes with tales of creatures, ghosts, and other unexplained phenomena. A monster that appeared to be half man and half dog and wielding a 2-by-4 terrorized a small Northwest Ohio town during the summer of 1972. Over the years, visitors to a quiet Cincinnati suburb claim to have been accosted by a human-size, leathery frogman lurking near the riverbank. For generations, hikers and hunters have reported seeing Bigfoot throughout forests across Ohio, and some of the most notorious and well-documented UFO encounters on record have taken place here. Authors M. Kristina Smith and Kevin Moore parse urban legends from history as they explore the unnatural side of Ohio's heritage.

SANDUSKY BUILT ITS REPUTATION on the appeal of a picturesque lakefront and the opportunities of a manufacturing hub. Not only did its factories keep pace with the transportation industry, but the Ohio city also boasted the headquarters of international paper maker Hinde and Dauch and enough crayon production to be called the "Color Capital of the World." The amusement park at Cedar Point helped launch a new form of entertainment that continues today. But while the town remains a vacation destination and retains some heavy industry, it misses much of its former glory. Join M. Kristina Smith in revisiting those landmarks of Sandusky's past.