Bossburg, Washington
Encyclopedia
Bossburg is a ghost town
in Stevens County, Washington, and is located on the east bank of the Columbia River
just south of the Canadian border. Bossburg had a maximum population of 800 in 1892. The town was once named "Young America", although in 1896 it was renamed in honor of the town’s first citizen, C. S. Boss.
The town produced lead
and silver
from established mines, however, when mining operations eventually slowed financial issues arose. In a futile effort to keep the town alive, a ferry system across the Columbia River was established, and a sawmill was built for lumber operations. Several Bossburg newspapers were published, notably the Bossburg Journal from 1893 to 1910, and the Bossburg Herald which was founded and published in 1910 for only one year.
The Bossburg cemetery is still in use and is cared for by local families, nevertheless records are not routinely kept and as a result there are several unmarked graves.
near Bossburg. The track maker was believed to be an injured Bigfoot
by some and was dubbed by locals as the "Bossburg Cripple". Amateur naturalists René Dahinden
, Ivan Marx, and John Willison Green found the tracks shortly after encountering another vehicle parked by the side of the road. Marx pulled over, got out, and walked off, returning shortly thereafter and explaining that they had to leave immediately to retrieve his camera equipment since he had just found tracks. The tracks were later studied by primatologist John Napier
and anthropologist Grover Krantz
. Many have suggested that the track makers (whose car was parked by the road) simply were not done leaving the fake trackway for the Bigfooters to "find."
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
in Stevens County, Washington, and is located on the east bank of the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
just south of the Canadian border. Bossburg had a maximum population of 800 in 1892. The town was once named "Young America", although in 1896 it was renamed in honor of the town’s first citizen, C. S. Boss.
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
and silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
from established mines, however, when mining operations eventually slowed financial issues arose. In a futile effort to keep the town alive, a ferry system across the Columbia River was established, and a sawmill was built for lumber operations. Several Bossburg newspapers were published, notably the Bossburg Journal from 1893 to 1910, and the Bossburg Herald which was founded and published in 1910 for only one year.
The Bossburg cemetery is still in use and is cared for by local families, nevertheless records are not routinely kept and as a result there are several unmarked graves.
Bossburg Cripple
In December 1969, thousands of giant human-like tracks were left in the snow leading to and from Lake RooseveltFranklin D. Roosevelt Lake
Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake is the reservoir created in 1941 by the impoundment of the Columbia River by the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington state. It is named for Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was President during the construction of the dam...
near Bossburg. The track maker was believed to be an injured Bigfoot
Bigfoot
Bigfoot, also known as sasquatch, is an ape-like cryptid that purportedly inhabits forests, mainly in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Bigfoot is usually described as a large, hairy, bipedal humanoid...
by some and was dubbed by locals as the "Bossburg Cripple". Amateur naturalists René Dahinden
René Dahinden
René Dahinden was a well-known Bigfoot researcher.Dahinden was born in Switzerland but moved to Canada in 1953, where he would live for the rest of his life...
, Ivan Marx, and John Willison Green found the tracks shortly after encountering another vehicle parked by the side of the road. Marx pulled over, got out, and walked off, returning shortly thereafter and explaining that they had to leave immediately to retrieve his camera equipment since he had just found tracks. The tracks were later studied by primatologist John Napier
John Napier (primatologist)
John Russell Napier, MRCS, LRCP, D.Sc. was a British primatologist, paleoathropologist, and physician, who is notable for his work with Homo habilis and OH 7, as well as on human and primate hands/feet...
and anthropologist Grover Krantz
Grover Krantz
Grover Sanders Krantz was a professor of physical anthropology at Washington State University, perhaps most famous to the general public as one of the few scientists not only to research Bigfoot, but also to express his belief in the cryptid's existence...
. Many have suggested that the track makers (whose car was parked by the road) simply were not done leaving the fake trackway for the Bigfooters to "find."