New England Myths & Legends: The Devil Monkey Of Danville, New Hampshire
Sightings of mysterious primate-like creatures have been reported across the United States since the 1930’s. “Devil Monkeys” are described as similar to baboons, but larger, faster and meaner.
They are described as three to eight feet tall, walking on all fours or upright, with large feet, fully haired bodies, and monkey or dog-like faces. Cryptozoologists have confirmed that the Devil Monkey is indeed a distinct creature, different than its mythical cousins, the Chupacabra and Bigfoot.
Devil Monkeys are said to be powerful enough to cross a field in just a few massive leaps. They attack their victims – livestock, pets and wildlife – by tearing with their razor sharp claws and biting with their sharp teeth and strong jaws. They go after the soft, vulnerable areas, like the belly, face and extremities, in order to bring down their prey.
Rumblings of a Devil Monkey in the tiny town of Danville, New Hampshire began in the fall of 2001. Strange howling sounds pierced the night, unlike that made by any local wildlife. The Danville Fire Chief reported seeing a reddish-brown coated primate with razor claws and a dog-like muzzle running the streets of Danville in the pre-dawn hours of a September night.
Over the span of just 2 weeks, nine more sightings of the Danville Devil Monkey were described, sending the small town into a panic. Parents refused to allow their children out after sunset and everyone looked over their shoulders for the beast. After several search parties failed to find anything, and the reported sightings dried up, life went back to normal in Danville – for the most part.
Most people believe that the Danville Devil Monkey was actually a feral primate of some sort, with no “demonic” qualities at all, but others remain steadfast that what they saw does not exist on any list of identified primate species currently known to man.
Was the Danville Devil Monkey just a figment born of mass hysteria? Or a real creature that has since moved on to quieter hunting grounds in the secluded northern mountains of New Hampshire?