By Tim Binnall
A piece of property in Indiana that boasts a private lake which is said to be the home of a legendary 'monster' known as the Beast of Busco has gone on the market. According to a local media report, the 43-acre patch of land located near the town of Churubusco is rather famous for its Fuld Lake, wherein some say a massive and elusive snapping turtle resides. Since at least 1898, tales of the enormous creature have circulated in the community and, in 1948, the 'Beast of Busco' became something of a sensation when a pair of witnesses claimed to have spotted what they said was a 500-pound turtle in the lake.
The duo subsequently embarked on an endeavor to capture the creature and the tale of the massive turtle in Fuld Lake actually made national news when a wire service reported on the strange happenings in Indiana. Although they used a variety of tactics to try and snag the 'beast,' such as traps and even a failed attempt at draining the lake, the colossal reptile managed to evade the two 'monster hunters.' The search proved to be so captivating that hundreds of visitors flocked to the farm to follow the ongoing pursuit of the creature and the U.S. Coast Guard even joined in on the quest, although their contribution also proved futile as well.
Be that as it may, the creature has become something of a local institution ever since, shedding the 'Beast of Busco' name for the more family-friendly moniker 'Oscar' after farmer Oscar Fuld, who was the original witness to the giant animal back in 1898. In a testament to just how much of an impact the creature has had on the community, the official nickname of Churubusco is 'Turtle Town U.S.A..' in honor of its legendary reptilian resident. The town has also hosted an annual celebration of the 'beast' every year since 1950, which is the oldest continual festival in the state of Indiana, and statues of the apocryphal turtle can be found at various locations throughout the community.
And now the home of Oscar himself could be yours, as the farm where the 'beast' resides recently went on the market with an asking price of $1 million. Conceding that he'd only "just learned that there was a 500-pound turtle" said to live on the property, realtor Justin Griffin, who is managing the sale of the land, mused that "he could've been a myth, he could've been as big as a dinner table. I read stories and it's kind of fun to see what people said and what people believe." Considering how important the creature has become to the local culture, we're guessing that residents of Churubusco will be very interested in seeing who winds up buying the property and what becomes of the lake where the 'beast' is believed to live.