I grew up in Omak, Washington, a small town in Okanogan County just below
the Canadian border. We moved there, from Montana, in 1941. At the time I
was five years old. Omak, WA is situated in the Okanogan valley and is
bisected by the Okanogan river. The whole valley is surrounded by
mountains, that are densely covered with timber.
The east side of the town where my family lived is partially located on the
Colville Indian Reservation. My Uncle Albert found employment in the local
sawmill and in the normal course of his employment made friends with many
of the employees of the mill who were Native Americans that were native to the
area.
During that period of residence is where I first heard the name of a large
man-like animal known as "Sasquatch". All of the Indians that I met had
either seen Sasquatch or had relatives whom had seen him. At that time no
one was calling Sasquatch by the more modern term "Bigfoot". In later
years I remember reading that the earliest known sighting of Sasquatch was
recorded in the Mount Rainier area of Washington state by a group of
loggers. This was in "1756." The animals were supposed to have thrown large
boulders and downed logs at the logger's cabin. The loggers discharged their firearms
at the beasts sounds and succeeded in driving the beasts off.
I know that a large group of people, native to the Omak area (Indians), who
lived out on the reservation, honestly believed they had seen the animal
that they knew as Sasquatch. All of their stories were matching in almost
every detail. I know that many of these people that related their stories
were not acquainted with each other. Hence, I believe in Sasquatch.
One of the biggest problems that most scientists seem to have with the
existence of Sasquatch is the lack of definitive physical evidence, i.e. a
skeleton or a cadaver. I have hiked, camped and hunted all over the
mountains in Washington State for many years, and I have never seen a bears
cadaver in the mountains anywhere. And I'll bet that very few people have
either. The reason? Bears must die while denned up during their
hibernation period. Who then, or what, says Sasquatch does not hibernate?
Thank you for listening to me. If you are lucky enough to see Sasquatch
shoot his picture only.
Thank you again,
William D. Ward, heliflyer36@aol.com Carson, California
Wednesday 01/03/2001 10:03:59 pm. Letter taken by Bobbie Short
