The Strange Creature Known As The Dover Demon

Dover is a sleepy little town located in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. In addition to being one of Massachusetts most wealthy towns, Dover schools also rank as some of the best in state. If you are ever in the area be sure to check out the Sawin Building. There you will finds thousands of relics from the towns history dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. However, there is one event from towns history that you will not find in the museum. 

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An incident that became the subject of an intensive scare within the town, when multiple witnesses reported seeing the Dover Demon. 

At around 10pm, on the night of April 21st 1977, Bill Bartlett is driving north on Farm Street in Dover. Bartlett stops the car after spotting something creeping along a low wall of loose rocks on the side of the road. Initially, Bartlett assumes the figure is a dog or similar small animal. However, as the headlights of the car illuminate the figure, he realizes that the creature is unlike anything he has ever seen before. 

Bartlett describes the creature as standing no more than four feet tall with incredibly thin arms and legs. The creatures head was described as being large and almost like a watermelon with two large, lidless eyes that shinned with an orange light. The entire sighting lasts for only a second or two before the Dover Demon scampers away. After dropping his friends off, Bartlett returns home visibly shaken and relates the story to his father. 

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Bartlett wouldn’t be the only one to see the Dover Demon that night

Around midnight on April 22nd, shortly after the incident with Bartlett, the Dover Demon is spotted again. John Baxter is walking home from his girlfriends house. After about half an hour, Baxter begins to notice a figure approaching him out of the dark. Due to the figures short stature, Baxter assumes that it is the outline of his friend who lives on the street. Both Baxter and the figure continue to advance until the latter finally stops. As Baxter moves forward to get a better look, the figure scurries away down a gully and up the opposite bank.

Curious, Baxter follows the sound of footsteps until he spots the silhouetted form of the Dover Demon, perched on top of a rock several feet away. At that moment, Baxter realizes that he has never seen anything quite like the creature. It had feet that were described as “molded” onto the rock. Baxter describes the body as similar to a monkey but with a larger, “figure-eight” head. There were two large lighter areas on the creatures head that where staring directly in Baxter’s direction. Fearing for what the creature might do, Baxter slowly backed his way up the slope to the road. Shortly thereafter, he was picked up by a passing car and driven home. 

The following night, the Dover Demon is spotted for a final time by Abby Brabham. She states that the creature had lifted itself off the ground and stood partially upright.

When asked to describe the creature, all eyewitnesses reported the exact same thing. 

Bartlett, Baxter and Brabham all provided statements regarding their strange encounter. They all described the Dover Demon as being about the size of an infant. Additionally, all three reported it as having a thin body with a large melon like head. Aside from the oversized eyes, there were no other discernible features on the creatures face. 

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The story eventually gained national attention. There was no indication at the time that the three witnesses had conspired prior to their reports. Although, that did little to prevent members of the press writing the sightings off as a hoax. One possible theory put forward is that the Dover Demon was actually a moose calf which would have fit the description as being thin with a large head and eyes.

As recent as 2006, Bartlett gave an interview to the Boston Globe reaffirming the story. Furthermore, there has yet to be any substantial evidence put forward to support either side’s theories. Sightings of the Dover Demon still occur to this date and the mystery continues to perplex cryptozoologists.