[INTRO MUSIC FADES OUT]
Art Bell: “Good evening, everyone, and welcome to another A.I. created night of exploration into the unknown here on Coast to Coast AM. I’m your host, Art Bell, and tonight we’re diving into one of the most intriguing cryptid sightings in modern folklore—the Dover Demon.
On a fateful night in April 1977, the small town of Dover, Massachusetts, became the epicenter of a chilling encounter that would go down in cryptozoological history. Let me take you back to the midnight hour of April 21, when 15-year-old John Baxter was walking home from his girlfriend’s house along the secluded Miller Hill Road. As he strolled through the darkness, Baxter spotted a shadowy figure moving upright ahead of him. Initially, he thought it was a friend with a larger-than-normal head—someone he knew in the neighborhood. So, he called out, “MJ, is that you?” But the creature did not respond. As the two figures drew closer—about 15 feet apart—Baxter’s heart raced. He quickly realized that this was no friend. The creature had a large head and glowing eyes, faintly illuminated but lacking any discernible color. In a moment of curiosity mixed with fear, Baxter asked, “Who is that?” Suddenly, the creature bolted into a nearby gully and leaned against a tree, revealing its spindly fingers gripping the trunk. Baxter described it as less than four feet tall, with a thin body and a head that seemed disproportionately large. Despite not being an artist, Baxter managed to sketch what he saw, and his drawing bore a striking resemblance to the sketches made by Bill Bartlett, who had seen the same creature just hours earlier. This eerie coincidence only added to the mystery of the Dover Demon, a creature that would haunt the imaginations of many for years to come.
Now on that same evening of April 21, 1977, Bartlett, then 17 years old, was driving with his friends Mike Mazzocco and Andy Brodie along Farm Street in Dover, Massachusetts. During their drive, around 10:30 PM, Bartlett spotted a strange creature perched on a stone wall illuminated by their headlights. He described the creature as having glowing eyes, an egg-shaped head, and a thin body with long limbs. Bartlett was startled and asked his friends if they could see it, but they did not notice the creature. After a brief moment of shock, he turned the car around to get another look, but by the time they returned, the creature had vanished.
Tonight, if the phone lines will cooperate, we have a special treat, an interview with these three, now adults. But we are going to do something a little different in this show. I want first to hear from you—our listeners. If you have any insights, experiences, or theories about the Dover Demon, give us a call. The lines are open, and I’m eager to hear your thoughts.”
[CALLER SEGMENT]
Art Bell: “Let’s jump right into the calls. We are going to go rapid fire here, so see if you can get your facts into a few quick sentences. First up, we have Jim from Massachusetts. Jim, welcome to the show!”
Jim: “Hi, Art! Thanks for having me. I grew up near Dover, and I remember hearing about the Dover Demon when I was a kid. Many of us talked about it. I even had a friend who claimed he saw it one night while camping.”
Art Bell: “That’s fascinating, Jim! What did your friend say he saw?”
Jim: “He described it just like the reports—thin, with huge eyes that seemed to glow in the dark. He said it was watching him from behind a tree. He was terrified and ran back to the campsite!”
Art Bell: “A terrifiying tale. Thank you for sharing that, Jim who grew up near Dover. Let’s take another call. This time, we have Sarah from New York. Sarah, what’s your take on the Dover Demon?”
Sarah: “Hi, Art! I’ve always been interested in cryptids, and the Dover Demon is one of the most intriguing. I think it could be a misidentified animal or even a prank by the kids who saw it. But there’s something about the glowing eyes that makes it feel otherworldly.”
Art Bell: “I’m glad you brought that up. When researching before the show, I did see the theory that the creature seen was perhaps nothing more than a moose. Misidentifications happen often and this should be considered, I would agree. Now, let’s hear from Tom in California. Tom, what do you think?”
Tom: “Hi, Art! I’m a big fan of your show. I believe the Dover Demon could be a manifestation of fear or something psychological. I’d say a moose has a pretty big body and I have see a baby moose. They look like deer to me, baby moose, their heads are nothing like the creature seen. Plus they have hoofs and not fingers, so it’s a huge stretch. Anyway I just wanted to say that it is interesting how these sightings often happen in small towns where everyone knows each other.”
Art Bell: “That’s an intriguing perspective, Tom. The psychology of fear can certainly play a role in these sightings. To your last point, perhaps unusual things are seen in sparsely populated areas with smaller close knit communities. Thank you. Let’s keep the momentum going! Next, we have Lisa from New Jersey. Lisa, what do you have for us?”
Lisa: “Hi, Art! I’ve always been fascinated by the Dover Demon. I read about it in a book on cryptids and found it so eerie. I wonder if it could be connected to other sightings of strange creatures in the area. Have there been any recent reports?”
Art Bell: “Great question, Lisa! There have been sporadic sightings over the years, but nothing as concrete as the original reports. Officially, there have been no modern-day sightings of the Dover Demon since its original encounters in April 1977. Let’s hear from Mike in Texas. Mike, what’s your take?”
Mike: “Hey, Art! I think the Dover Demon is a classic case of a local legend that grew out of control. People love a good story, and once one person claims to see something, others follow. It’s like a game of telephone, but with fear!”
Art Bell: “Interesting analogy, Mike! The power of storytelling can certainly amplify these experiences. Now, we have Karen from Florida on the line. Karen, what do you think?”
Karen: “Hi, Art! Am I on?”
Art Bell: “You are indeed. Turn off your radio.”
Karen: “It’s off now, great. Well, I’m a paranormal investigator, and I’ve looked into the Dover Demon case. I believe it could be a type of undiscovered species or a cryptid. It could be a member of an animal species not yet identified by modern science, or perhaps a mutated member of a known species. There are so many unexplained things in our world, and this could be one of them!”
Art Bell: “Thanks for that perspective, Karen! The idea of undiscovered species is always a thrilling possibility. Let’s take another call. We have Dave from Illinois. Dave, what’s your experience?”
Dave: “Hi, Art! I grew up in the area and heard the stories, but I never saw anything myself. However, I’ve had my own strange encounters with what I thought were ghostly figures. I think there’s a lot more out there than we understand, including the Dover Demon.”
Art Bell: “Thank you, Dave! It’s always intriguing to hear about personal experiences with the unexplained. Let’s keep the calls coming! Next up, we have Frank from Connecticut. Frank, what do you have for us?”
Frank: “Hi, Art! I heard about the Dover Demon from my cousin who was a teenager at the time. He claimed he saw it while driving home late one night. He said it had these long, spindly arms and was crouched down, almost like it was ready to pounce. He described its skin as being a strange, almost translucent color that reflected the moonlight. He was so scared he sped away without even looking back! I’m going to say it might be a form of extraterrestrial life due to its unusual and alien-like appearance.”
Art Bell: “That’s a chilling detail, Frank! The idea of an actual alien being being crouched as if ready to pounce adds a whole new layer to this. Let’s move on to our next caller. Next we have Michelle from Massachusetts. Michelle, what’s your story?”
Michelle: “Hi, Art! My uncle talked to one of the kids who first reported seeing the Dover Demon. He told me that when they saw it, it was standing on a rock, and it seemed to be communicating with some sort of low growl. He said it felt like it was trying to convey a message, but he couldn’t understand it. He was convinced it was more than just an animal.”
Art Bell: “Very interesting, Michelle! The idea of it trying to communicate is quite eerie and it might even boost the extraterrestrial hypothesis. Now, let’s hear from Greg in New Hampshire. Greg, what do you have?”
Greg: “Hey, Art! My friend’s older brother was driving through Dover that night and claimed he saw the creature cross the road in front of him. He described it as having a large head and huge, glowing eyes that seemed to follow him as he drove by. He said it had a very thin body and moved in a way that didn’t seem natural, almost like it was gliding. Then again, I’ll just that that My friend’s older brother likes to make up stuff, so this may not be a real report.”
Art Bell: “That’s a vivid description, Greg! If it was a real sighting the gliding motion adds to the otherworldly aspect of the creature. Let’s take one last call for this segment. We have Rachel from Rhode Island. Rachel, what can you share?”
Rachel: “Hi, Art! My neighbor was a friend of one of the boys who saw the Dover Demon. She told me that they were all really shaken up afterward. She said they described the creature as having a face that looked almost human but distorted, with big eyes that seemed to glow slightly in the dark. They all agreed it felt like they were being watched even after they left the area.”
Art Bell: “Thank you, Rachel! The idea of a distorted, almost human-like face is particularly unsettling. It seems like the legend of the Dover Demon continues to grow with each new account. Thank you to all our callers for sharing these intriguing secondhand experiences.
Stay tuned, folks, after this break, we will hear from three first hand witnesses as we delve deeper into the mystery of the Dover Demon!
[TRANSITION TO INTERVIEW SEGMENT]
Art Bell: “We have heard from you, some very interesting details, and now, folks, I’m excited to introduce our next guest—William Bartlett, who witnessed the Dover Demon back in 1977. He has agreed to join us and share his experience firsthand. Please welcome to the show. Thank you for being here! Do you go by Bill?”
Bill Bartlett: Yes, and thanks for having me on, Art.
Art Bell: For affiliates just joining us, this is Art Bell, and tonight we have a truly bizarre tale that will leave you questioning reality. Joining us is Bill Bartlett, the sole witness to an extraordinary encounter that took place on the night of April 21. Let’s hear from him directly. Bill, can you take us through what you saw that night?
Bill Bartlett: Thanks again, Art, sure. So it was around 10:30 p.m., and I was driving north on Farm Street in my Volkswagen with my friends Mike and Andy in the car. As we passed a low wall of loose stones on the left side of the road, I noticed something strange creeping along it.
Art Bell: What did you think it was at first?
Bill: Honestly, I thought it was just a dog or a cat. But as my headlights hit it, I realized it was something I had never seen before.
Art Bell: That sounds unsettling. What did it look like?
Bill: The figure turned its head and looked right at us. It had these huge, round, glassy eyes—like two orange marbles. Its head was watermelon-shaped, and it was perched on a thin neck. The head was disproportionately large compared to its body. The body was thin, with long, spindly arms and legs. The hands and feet were also large. The skin was hairless, peach-colored, and looked rough, like wet sandpaper.
Art Bell: That’s quite a description. How tall was this creature?
Bill: It was about 3 and a half to 4 feet tall. It looked like a baby’s body but with these long limbs. It was just making its way along the wall, curling its fingers around the rocks when the headlights startled it.
Art Bell: The description I found when researching for this program was this:
- A large, egg-shaped head
- Glowing orange or green eyes
- A thin, hairless body
- Long arms and legs
- Tendril-like fingers
- Height of about 3-4 feet
- Peach-colored, textured skin
- No visible ears, nose, or mouth
Does that sound right?
Bill: Pretty much. The eyes were slightly glowing and orange, not green.
Art Bell: What happened next? Did it react in any way?
Bill: When the lights hit it, it froze for a moment, and I just stared in shock. I’ve never seen anything like it. It was like a scene from a movie, but it was real.
Art Bell: That’s incredible. How did you feel during this encounter?
Bill: I was terrified. I mean, we were just three teenagers out for a drive, and suddenly I was face-to-face with something from another world.
Art Bell: What did you do after that?
Bill: I was so startled by what I had seen that I quickly yelled for Mike and Andy to look, but they didn’t see it. I then accelerated and drove away, still in shock and pretty freaked out.
Art Bell: An incredible encounter, especially considering that John Baxter provided a similar description just a few hours later. Bill, both you and John drew sketches of what you saw. Did you know him?
Bill: I knew of him; we both went to Dover-Sherborn High School. It’s a small school with about 500 students in grades 9 through 12, but we didn’t have friends in common. That night, my friends Andy Brodie and Mike Mazzocca were with me, and we were all 17 years old. John Baxter was in a different grade.
Art Bell: Well, we’re running short on time, but in the brief time we have, I had a few questions from previous callars. Bill, could it have been a moose, or a baby moose, or perhaps an owl?
Bill: No. No way. It was no known animal, nothing anyone would recognize as any known species of earth animal.
Art Bell: And quickly, what about a hoax, could it have been some prank on you?
Bill: Well, I don’t see how. I’ve thought of that many times over the years, but first, I don’t think any person or animal would fit into a costume of that shape and size, and second, people who do hoaxes like to get a little fame from them at some point. To this day, no one has ever come forward.
Art Bell: thank you, Bill, for sharing your extraordinary experience. It serves as a haunting reminder that the unknown often lurks just beyond our perception.
Read More
[1] https://www.theyankeexpress.com/2022/01/05/380479/the-dover-demon
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dover_Demon
[3] https://ournewenglandlegends.com/podcast-267-the-dover-demon/
[4] https://strangeanimalspodcast.blubrry.net/2020/10/19/episode-194-the-dover-demon/
[5] https://sentinelhillpress.com/2017/04/21/the-dover-demon-40-years-later-part-1/
[6] https://astonishinglegends.com/astonishing-legends/2019/10/30/the-dover-demon
[7] https://houseofgeekery.com/2020/01/07/creepy-mysteries-dover-demon/
[8] http://www.theironskeptic.com/articles/dover/dover.htm
