STRANGE HAPPENINGS AT PLEASANT HILL LAKE

Here is a very strange story coming in about a possible government cover-up at our very own Pleasant Hill Lake. The full text of the article is available below.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Classified U.S. Navy documents pertaining to the discovery of a prehistoric beast similar to that of the mythical Loch-Ness monster have been leaked by the controversial website WikiLeaks, which has recently come under fire by the Pentagon for releasing crucial information regarding the war in Afghanistan. WikiLeaks has reported it has obtained over 50,000 classified documents from an unknown source, including those which detail the cover-up of a monster in Pleasant Hill Lake. Pentagon officials have declined to comment on the issue.

Navy Photo: Master Diver first-class Blake Tangvald (ret.) swims near the beast and its infant (date unknown)

Pleasant Hill is located south of Perrysville, Ohio. Local legends have described a similar beast feasting on the flesh of men for centuries, dating back before white settlers. Greentown Indians told of a great beast the size of fifty canoes that could swallow a deer whole. Sightings of the monster include both peaceful and hostile confrontations.

Most notable of those encounters happened during the Civil War, when an entire regiment of the 103rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry failed to report after marching south from Toledo. Two days later a lone private, in hysterical condition, was discovered in the town of Belleville.  He reported that a massive creature rammed the barge ferrying the regiment across the lake.  The private reported witnessing at least twelve men swallowed whole, including his commanding officer. The rest either drowned or were eaten as well. The official army investigation did find debris, including torn uniforms and what appeared to be the remains of a ferry along the shore, but the investigors concluded that it was likely a hoax in an attempt for the regiment to desert.

As early as 1921 Navy divers began searching Pleasant Hill for signs of life.  By 1927 reports indicate at least three specimens were found. To contain the creatures and hide experiments, the Pentagon built a large dam under the pretense of flood control. Since 1935 few sightings have been reported, although classified documents report that at least one specimen is still alive and healthy. Local fears were raised earlier this summer when two fishermen were reported missing and days later another fishermen reported seeing a severed arm in the lake.  Search and Rescue teams from Richland County were deployed to the lake but the investigation was closed within less than an hour with no explanation.

For more information, on the article, visit CNN.com. We also owe a special shout-out to local historian Ken Libben for all the information he was able to provide.