Dover Demon

The Dover Demon refers to a series of cryptid sightings reported by teenagers in Dover, Massachusetts during April 21-22, 1977. The creature was first observed by 17-year-old Bill Bartlett while driving on Farm Street, who described it as a small humanoid approximately four feet tall with a large head, glowing orange eyes, long thin limbs, and pale, hairless skin with a rough texture resembling sandpaper.

Two additional sightings occurred within 25 hours, involving separate groups of teenagers who provided consistent descriptions without prior consultation. John Baxter reported encountering the entity while walking home, observing it from approximately 30 feet away before it fled into nearby woods. Abby Brabham and Will Taintor reported seeing a similar creature the following evening, though Brabham described the eyes as green rather than orange.

The sightings were investigated by cryptozoologist Loren Coleman and UFO researcher Walter Webb, both of whom found the witnesses credible and noted the consistency of their accounts despite the brief nature of each encounter. Skeptics have proposed explanations including misidentified animals such as moose calves or foals, though the creature’s reported bipedalism and distinctive features do not align well with known regional fauna. The Dover Demon remains one of New England’s most documented cryptid cases, notable for the witnesses’ perceived reliability and the incident’s concentrated timeframe.