Columbus Area UFO Sightings History (Columbus, Indiana)

📍 Location

📝 Description

Columbus, Indiana's Mill Race Park became the focal point of a notable 1974 episode in local folklore, combining eyewitness accounts of a green-faced, 6–7 ft tall creature with reports of UFO activity in the Midwest. On November 1, 1974, multiple women reported sightings near the White River and Mill Race Park, with a second group describing a creature jumping onto a car hood and leaving deep scratches. By November 5, two men reportedly observed a figure near the park's covered bridge, and on November 8, a city dogcatcher reported a tall figure, with subsequent discussions of footprints and park closures. The Republic newspaper ran editorials urging calm, and by mid-November the park was closed at night as large crowds of amateur hunters descended on the area. Although the incident has persisted in local lore—including interviews like Tyra Cataline’s affirming testimony and later coverage by local media and tourism outlets—it is widely treated today as a historical urban legend or cryptid event rather than a conclusively documented UFO encounter. Updates through 2024–2025 continue to frame the Mill Race Monster as part of Columbus’ paranormal folklore, with occasional media retellings and retrospective interviews keeping the story alive for visitors and researchers alike.

🔍 Circumstances

Initial sightings on November 1, 1974 around 3:00 pm near Mill Race Park (Columbus, IN) by two groups of women; later that evening (around 11:45 pm) a second group reported a hairy figure with a green face. On November 5, two men saw a figure near the park’s covered bridge and reportedly linked it to simultaneous UFO sightings in the Midwest. On November 8, dogcatcher Rick Duckworth and another official reported a tall figure; mid-November the park was closed at dusk to dawn and a large number of locals hunted for the creature. The Republic published editorials urging calm; sightings gradually faded by November 20. Eyewitness Tyra Cataline has maintained her account in later interviews.

👤 Physical Description

Eyewitness descriptions depict a greenish, mossy face with dark fur, 6–7 feet tall, upright bipedal stance, long claws; some accounts mention slime or a green mucus-like substance on vehicles; later statements from some witnesses suggested the possibility of a person wearing a disguise (green mask and blankets).

ℹ️ Additional Details

Over time the Mill Race Monster has been treated as an urban legend or cryptid in local culture. Eyewitness Tyra Cataline’s testimony was revisited in later interviews (2014–2015). Contemporary tourism and local media recount the event as a historical story tied to Mill Race Park, and some paranormal-focused programs have covered the case. The broader context of UFO reports in the Midwest around the same period is noted in local recountings.

🔗 Sources (5)

👥 Community Contributions

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