Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023:
Texas Cryptids: What are they and where to find them?
We kicked off our series by talking to Lyle Blackburn, a cryptozoologist, Texas Bigfoot aficionado, author and podcast host. He told Texas Standard how sightings in the state are higher than any other because of the rich landscape and variety of environmental elements.
What would Texas cryptids look like in real life? These fifth graders have some ideas
Cryptids are mythical creatures whose real-word appearances elude us. Or do they?
For a little help imagining the unknown, we took a trip to a Central Texas elementary school, where the Texas Standard’s Gabrielle Muñoz pulled up a chair in art class.
San Antonio’s Donkey Lady gets a modern re-imagining
San Antonio-based performance artist Marisela Barrera tells the legend of the Donkey Lady and why “La Burra” has become the topic of several of her projects.
Let’s go into the field with a Bigfoot tracker
He’s an archaeologist by profession, but Paul Bowman is also a Bigfoot expert.
He’s tracked the elusive sasquatch all over East Texas and Oklahoma. He spoke to the Texas Standard’s Michael Marks – and even shared some of his Bigfoot field recordings with him.
Of the Texas legends and stories passed down through generations, the story of the Chupacabra is a relatively new one. But what is a Chupacabra?
The story goes something like this: A man is walking home alone, late at night. Maybe he’s been drinking. Suddenly, he hears a noise … and sees glowing eyes staring at him from a tree.
If you grew up in South Texas or northern Mexico, there’s a good chance you’ve heard the legend of La Lechuza. That word translates from Spanish as “barn owl,” but La Lechuza is something altogether spookier. The Texas Standard’s Raul Alonzo and Sarah Asch tell us more.
The real history behind Goatman’s Bridge is scarier than any ghost story
Cryptids, urban legends and spooky stories passed down through oral tradition often serve as cautionary tales. Some deal with social stigmas, some with violence, and some attempt to reckon with uncomfortable parts of history.
Others, like the story of Goatman, cover all of the above. The Texas Standard’s Sean Saldana takes us to Denton.
