Whitehall, NY — a small village at the southern edge of the Adirondacks has been one of the better-known East Coast Bigfoot hotspots since at least the 1960s–1970s. Stories and local reports built into a well-known regional legend after a cluster of dramatic sightings in the mid-1970s. The town has since leaned into the lore with statues, an annual Sasquatch festival/calling contest, and even an unofficial “Bigfoot as mascot” civic vibe.
What made Whitehall famous was a series of related sightings in August 1976 (commonly called the Abair Road incident or “Beast of Whitehall”):
Three teenagers reported seeing a very large, hairy upright creature in a field off Abair Road; they described it as huge, with glowing/red eyes and an unnerving vocalization. Those initial reports triggered a police response.
Officer Brian Gosselin (and later other officers and some family members) reported face-to-face encounters; Gosselin’s account — including a close spotlighted view and a reported howl — became one of the most cited and detailed eyewitness claims from the incident.
That cluster (teenagers → officer → additional local officers/witnesses) is why the episode is often treated as a landmark local Bigfoot case.
Whitehall area reports have been recorded across decades, dog-walker sightings, motorists seeing a large figure crossing Route 4, and occasional daylight reports and are collected in local press pieces and Bigfoot databases. The BFRO and regional news outlets list multiple entries for Washington County / Whitehall. The town has responded culturally (statues, festivals, media visits) rather than as an official wildlife matter; tourism and local identity now include the Sasquatch angle.
