The Billiwhack Monster
By Cole Herrold
Around the United States, there are
various reports of creatures described as being half man and half animal. The
most famous of these accounts being Bigfoot, the half man half ape that has
been reported in every state as well as in Canada. Bigfoot is often depicted as
a shy lumbering giant that is curious of man but also very fond of running away
from humans; however other manimals are much more violent and aggressive in
their behavior. Perhaps the most aggressive of these creatures are the entities
known as Goatmen. Goatmen are reported in a variety of different states, with
the most famous versions being reported in Maryland and Kentucky. While most of
these creatures are found in desolate forested areas, one creature is said to
of taken up residence in an old dairy farm in sunny California.
The Billiwhack Monster, also sometimes
spelled Billiwack Monster is a muscular and powerful grey or white-furred
ram-headed humanoid with yellow-green cat-like eyes. This creature reportedly
is approximately 9-10ft tall with hands tipped in razor-sharp talons and is
said to dwell in the crumbling Billiwhack Dairy Farm. The farm is located on a
back winding road in Aliso Canyon, which is in Ventura County and about 6 miles
West of Santa Paula. The creature reportedly never leaves the compound except
to travel to the nearby citrus orchards to feed on rabbits and other small
animals.
The origins of this creature are assumedly
interconnected with the founder of the Billiwhack Dairy. The dairy was opened
by August Rubel in 1925 and was a struggling dairy farm that ultimately closed
its doors after Rubel’s mysterious death in 1943. It was right after his death
when the creature began to make its residence in the old dairy building. Some
have come up because of this several hypotheses as to why this occurred; one
theory was that Rubel had created a mutant offspring from breeding experiments
to better the output of milk. Another more governmental conspiratorial
hypothesis is that August Rubel, who died while fighting in WWII, was, in fact,
a member of the Office of Strategic Services or the OSS, which was a precursor
to the CIA. There is a belief that Rubel while being in the OSS, had several
Nazi Scientists under his control. These scientists were forced to attempt to
conduct experiments that were similar to the Marvel Comics Super Soldier
ideology. The results of these experiments are believed to be the Billiwhack
Monster.
While there is certainly tons of early
lore attempting to explain how the creature came about and allegedly encounters
that appeared all the way back in 1943. The very first reported encounter with
the Billiwhack Monster comes from the 50s when a 9-year-old boy who, along with
a group of friends, had decided to go and check out the reportedly haunted
Billiwhack Dairy themselves. The group proceeded in entering the dilapidated
structure; as they trespassingly traversed therein, they entered a particularly
dark shadowy section. As the group moved around searching at the old cartons
and production line, they noticed a pair of glowing eyes peering from within
the shadows. The group proceeded to stare into the darkness at this set of
glowing eyes, holding their breath. As the group stared, the eyes started to
move and approach the group; it came closer and closer the sound of clicking on
the tiled floors. The eyes seemed to stop before it hit the light, and it was
only a short bit away. The group started to back away, slowly inching their way
back. Just as the group felt that this form might be trapped by the darkness,
it jumped out from the shadows a mere foot away from the group revealing the
horrifying man goat creature. The group, not stopping to see what this creature
might do, proceeded in running as fast as they could. As they were running, the
9-year-old felt a sharp pain in his back. This did not stop him, however, and
he continued to run all the way home. When he arrived home, his mother noticed
his shirt was torn, and upon removing it that his back was covered in large
scratches.
In November 1964, several boys would
encounter the creature while out hiking in the canyon. The creature, enraged at
their intrusion into its lair, proceeded to chase the boys. The boys began
sprinting as fast as they could away from this horned beast; they managed to
make their way out of the area, and as suddenly as the creature came, it
disappeared. On another separate encounter, a boy claimed he encountered a
“snarling hairy man in a hole” in the property. Others who would travel up to
the road would have encounters with the creature outside in the safety of their
cars; the creature would allegedly throw 50lbs rocks at any who would travel up
the road.
While there are very few official detailed
accounts of interactions with this creature, it clearly did sweep up the
community. Police were constantly traveling to the road and picking up various
trespassers and would-be monster hunters. One such monster hunter was ready to
face the Billiwhack Beast in a pure medieval showdown as the individual came
prepared not with a gun or with any classic mob-based weapon like a pitchfork
but instead one of the most mighty of weapons, a sword. The sword-wielding boy
intended to smite the beast down in its lair and bring the remains back to free
the town from the cantankerous caprine. Yet even this encounter is mild
compared to what would transpire in almost a classic Universal style. Dorothy
Renterra, a leaser who had kept tabs on the property and had tried to stop any
further trespassing on the property, would be caught up in the monster mania
when she had to hold off a group of 43 would be monster hunters with a shotgun
until the police arrived to remove the mob. The angry mob had sought to capture
and dispel the cursed beast from the plant to stop the assault on those who
enter therein.
After the 60s, sightings seemed to dip
down, and no major accounts were published. The creature, while sightings
allegedly occurred sporadically and at night, primarily became a major focus on
ghost hunters. In fact, the creature was in a contest won, being the best ghost
in the area. Ghost hunters to this day often write about this creature and some
contest that this creature is completely supernatural in origin, citing it as a
demonic entity or some curse that was connected to August Rubel as there have been
whispers of several ill-fated tragedies that have occurred to him. Another more
skeptical hypothesis is that these reports are entirely the fabrications of
young minds as most reports come from younger witnesses.
While rumors of the creature's origin are
fiercely debated, there are allegedly sightings to this day. While these modern
sightings are not exactly specified or even detailed, there is an increasing
cultural growth with the legend. Due to the ever-increasing Latin culture that
is being more embraced and expanded, so too is interest in the legend. The
creature has been embraced by those of Latin descent and heritage, and they
have given the creature its own name Chivo Man. The figure has been used as a
more boogeyman type figure in that older generational figures like parents and
grandparents will tell their children and grandchildren to behave, or Chivo Man
will get you!
The Billiwhack Monster is one of the
oldest American Goatmen in the books and is one that does seem to be a mixture
of folklore and fact. Perhaps this creature is a deformed bigfoot or a
supernatural entity, or perhaps it is just a case of mass hysteria, for some of
the elements seem to be a dual of a real creature seen and the mass
hysteria-oriented hype of others reporting the encounters. Yet while the jury
is out on this particular creature, it is extremely interesting to see how the
legend grows and the cultural effect it has on the community. It's a legend
that I'm sure will last for a very long time.
Quick Facts:
Species/Potential Species: Mammal
Location: Billiwhack Dairy, Aliso Canyon
Road, Aliso Canyon, Ventura County, California
Sighted: From 1943 to Modern Times
Works Cited
Goatman Flesh or Folklore? by J. Nathan
Couch
Mysterious California: Strange Places and
Eerie Phenomena in the Golden State by Mike Marinacci
Weird California by Greg Bishop, Joe
Oesterle, and Mike Marinacci
The Los Angeles Times November 4, 1964
Ventura County Star-Free Press November 2, 1964
“THE BILLIWHACK MONSTER”. Rikki Rockett. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iltev1bG69k
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