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 Yes, you read that right.

Big Foot.

We love him in this family. There are a couple of reasons why this became a thing for us and our obsession…I mean passion.

First, we live in an area where there have been “sightings”. The Pacific Northwest is ripe with stories of people who have seen Big Foot because of that we’re known for Big Foot.

Second, my brother has talked to my son about Big Foot from an early age and so now he absolutely loves Big Foot.

What Is a Bigfoot?

According to Wikipedia:

In North American folklore, Bigfoot or Sasquatch are said to be hairy, upright-walking, ape-like creatures that dwell in the wilderness and leave footprints. Depictions often portray them as a missing link between humans and human ancestors or other great apes. They are strongly associated with the Pacific Northwest (particularly Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia), and individuals claim to see the creatures across North America. Over the years, these creatures have inspired numerous commercial ventures and hoaxes. The plural nouns ‘Bigfoots’ and ‘Bigfeet’ are both acceptable.

Folklorists trace the figure of Bigfoot to a combination of factors and sources, including folklore surrounding the European wild man figure, folk belief among Native Americans and loggers, and a cultural increase in environmental concerns.

A majority of mainstream scientists have historically discounted the existence of Bigfoot, considering it to be a combination of folklore, misidentification, and hoax, rather than living animals. A minority, such as anthropologists Grover Krantz and Jeffrey Meldrum, have expressed belief in the creatures’ existence.

Our Big Foot Sightings

We love to find and take our picture with Big Foot. We’ve got several places in Washington where we can do that. Some we’ve found by accident and others I’ve searched for so that we can visit them specifically. Either way, we have fun.

In Washington, it isn’t hard to find these types of fun photo ops! When we were traveling in California I noticed quite a bit of Big Foot love as well – especially where the Redwoods are located.

Displaying Our Belief in Big Foot

My cousin made Darien a t-shirt and sweatshirt that says, “I Believe” and he wears them all the time.

Get your own shirt:

Fun Fact – Protecting Big Foot

Skamania County, which is a county up in the Columbia Gorge, made it illegal to kill an ape-like creature (Bigfoot, Sasquash, Yeti, Big Hairy Ape) and it could get you up 5 years in jail and/or up-to $10,000 in fines. This law was created in 1969. According to this article, “Weirdest Law in Every State” – it was later amended to designate Bigfoot as an endangered species. 

They also have a Sasquash Refuge that celebrated it’s 45th anniversary in 2014. If you want to read more about this and how it came about check out this article, “The Big Foot Law Celebrating 45 Years Of Safety“.

Big Foot Is Loved By Many

The first recorded Big Foot sighting was in California over 50 years ago, but we’re not the first people to have seen him – Native American’s have been talking about him for thousands of years.

Big Foot has been featured in so many different things – movies, games, and advertising. One movie was Harry and the Henderson’s which was also filmed in Washington.

I’d say that Big Foot is a mascot of sorts for Washington. I’m not sure how other people feel but I love the fact that we believe in and support Big Foot so much in this area.

Every family has their quirks and passions and Big Foot is one of ours. I want Darien to remember Big Foot Hunting with me and smile when he tells stories to his kids….even if it is just for statues. Maybe it’ll become a tradition for him and his family.

~April

P.S. What are your family passions and quirks? I’d love to hear them.

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