I’ve often had an interest in the strange and unknown. I have a
hard time believing we’re alone in this universe, but if you want
the really strange sometimes all you have to do is look in
your own backyard.
I was doing some research on a Bigfoot site one night when I
came across an article that hit close to home—quite
literally. Apparently in the late 1800’s, a “wild man”
was found roaming the countryside of Sargent Township, just outside
of Oakland, Illinois. This being the 120th anniversary of
his capture, I thought it would be fitting to release a cache in
honor of this unusual historical curiosity.
The cache is a simple one, just a decon hidden in a typical
fashion. However, the story that inspired it is a complicated one,
full of mystery, history and just a pinch of terror. Here’s the
story as it was published in that fateful month of August,
1887.
Oddly enough, there was never a follow-up story. No one
seems to know what happened to The Wild Man of Oakland. Some
say he died in captivity. But still others say he escaped and
returned to the hillsides of Sargent Township. In fact, they say
he’s still out there. On a clear, still night you may still be able
to hear his frightful cries and his unintelligible language.
At the very least you can probably still smell him.
