Griggstown cow

Infobox Paranormalcreatures
Creature_Name = Griggstown Cow


Image_Caption =
Grouping = Ghost
Sub_Grouping = Cryptid
AKA =
Similar_creatures =
Mythology =
Country = USA
Region = Griggstown New Jersey
Habitat = Millstone River floodplain
First_Reported =
Last_Sighted = 2002
Status = Myth based on factThe Griggstown Cow was a "ghost cow" that was reported to inhabit the Millstone River floodplain and the Griggstown Lock of the Delaware and Raritan Canal in Griggstown, in central New Jersey. It was originally thought to be an urban legend but in November 2002 was discovered to a living black and white bull that had been roaming in an area where cattle are not normally found. cite web |url=http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:0WFTtwNQHKsJ:www.dandrcanal.com/pdf/milepost_summer03.pdf+A+Fond+Farewell+to+a+Beloved+Local+Legend&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us |title=A Fond Farewell to a Beloved Local Legend |accessdate=2008-07-30 |quote=The Griggstown Cow is something of a local legend among those who live, work and play in the Franklin and Montgomerytownship areas surrounding the D&R Canal State Park. The story of a wandering, ownerless cow who resides in the MillstoneRiver floodplain and who occasionally makes an appearance along the old canal towpath is oftentold to doubting newcomers. Like an alien craft, some claim to have seen the mysterious animalbut little convincing evidence has been produced - save a questionable photograph here andthere. As the story goes, the farm animal strayed from the herd or broke loose from itspasture decades ago and ever since wanders freely in the floodplain foraging for mealsand avoiding human contact. There may be some truth to the story as it is known thatlocal farmers often herded their cows to pasture areas sometimes crossing theMillstone River and/or the D&R Canal as needed to access alternate properties. It ispossible that one or several animals went missing and were never located. Be it true ornot, occasionally a stray cow would be spotted by a motorist, park employee, passerbyor hunter. The sighting would be reported and without physical evidence, viewed withsome suspicion. And thus the legend of the Griggstown Cow was born. |publisher= ] [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Fugitive steer takes a walk on the wild side |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10CE2E8F624F62E0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |quote=The story was that the Griggstown Cow, as it became known, had strayed from ... The Milepost said the Griggstown Cow is buried near the canal's Griggstown lock. |work=Philadelphia Enquirer |date=September 25, 2005 |accessdate=2008-07-30 ] [cite web |url=http://www.weirdnj.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=132&Itemid=28 |title=Griggstown cow |accessdate=2008-07-30 |quote=If you have not had a chance to read our new issue yet you might not know that the thirty-year free range roving of the renegade Griggstown Cow has finally come to an end. Here's a story from one reader who had a run-in with the bovine legend on the lamb, or perhaps another of his errant herd.
publisher=Weird NJ ]

History

For thirty years there had been a legend of a "ghost cow" that wandered the areas around the Millstone River floodplain and the Griggstown. The cow was seen many times but only on foggy nights or other times of poor visibility, and many tales were told by local hunters and hikers along the canal path. No or tracks were ever found. Some fuzzy photographs were even taken, but they were all inconclusive. Chirco Vicki (2003) "A Fond Farewell to a Beloved Local Legend", The milepost, v3#3] At the time area was mostly suburban homes and open fields, and the canal was now a state park and walking trail so reports of a lone, owner-less, cow wandering a suburban park for decades were greeted with suspicion by local authorities. The cow became known as a sort of "Loch Ness monster" of New Jersey and believed to be a myth, Chirco Vicki (2003) "A Fond Farewell to a Beloved Local Legend", The milepost, v3#3] , much like the Jersey Devil.

This changed in November 23, 2002, an New Jersey Water Authority employee phoned the D&R canal park office and reported that he had not only seen the Griggstown Cow, but that it was lying in a ravine not far from the canal. Employees of Griggstown fire department, the State Park, and the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife service were dispatched, and to their surprise found a very old, weather-beaten bull that met the description of the "ghost cow". Chirco Vicki (2003) "A Fond Farewell to a Beloved Local Legend", The milepost, v3#3]

The bull had fallen into the ditch and was either too old or too arthritic to get out. There had been no dairy farms in the area for decades, and no one had reported any missing livestock. The only answer was that this bull had been living in the floodplain all this time, since the days when this was a dairy farming area, foraging for food and avoiding human contact for three decades. Chirco Vicki (2003) "A Fond Farewell to a Beloved Local Legend", The milepost, v3#3]

Efforts were made to extract the bovine, and rescuers managed to hoist the bull onto level ground. Unfortunately, the animal was extremely weak. Video and photographs were taken. A local veterinarian determined he was in poor health and nothing could be done, and it was decided to euthanasias the animal. Chirco Vicki (2003) "A Fond Farewell to a Beloved Local Legend", The milepost, v3#3]

The "Ghost cow of Griggstown" was buried not far from the Griggstown lock, near his home and is still a part of New Jersey folklore.

References

Further reading

* [http://www.dandrcanal.com/pdf/milepost_summer03.pdf D&R Canal Newsletter article]
* "Weird NJ" Magazine issue #20