The Yaquina Bay Monster In Oregon Just Might Be The Strangest Roadside Attraction Yet
By Sarah McCosham|Published March 05, 2021
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
Newport is a small town nestled in Oregon’s Central Coast. Its main attraction is the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, a gorgeous historical lighthouse that’s the tallest in the state. But there’s another attraction in this sleepy coastal town, and it’s equal parts strange and sensational, with a story that will send shivers down your spine. Located in Newport’s Aquarium Village, you’ll come face-to-face with the Yaquina Bay Monster. Or rather, a statue of the aforementioned beast. Nessie, the Yaquina Bay Monster, just might be the strangest roadside attraction we’ve seen in Oregon, and today we’re going to dive into the story behind this mythical creature.
Tucked away between the Coastal Mountains, Pacific Ocean, and Yaquina Bay, Newport is a coastal Oregon town that dates back to the late 1800s.
It had a colossal, 12-foot-long head, filled with 9-inch-long teeth.
Myths about sinister sea creatures have existed forever. Scotland's Loch Ness Monster is the most notable of these legendary cryptozoological water-dwellers.
In Oregon, the Yaquina Bay News reported in 1935 that two sea creatures, allegedly matching the description of a (very extinct) Kronosaurus, had been sighted off the coast, attacking local sea lions.
And that's why, in Newport's Aquarium Village, you'll find what is perhaps the strangest roadside attraction in the state: a 25-foot-long statue of the Yaquina Bay Monster.
Originally part of a traveling indoor exhibit featuring prehistoric creatures, this notorious sea monster arrived at Aquarium Village in 1992, and hasn't left since.
You'll just have to visit Yaquina Bay, and see for yourself.
Have you heard about the Yaquina Bay Monster In Oregon? If so, what do you think—do you believe in this Oregon legend? Let us know in the comments below! And you want to see Nessie for yourself, visit Newport’s Aquarium Village anytime during open hours and look for the 25-foot monster. It’s pretty hard to miss!
If you’re on a mission to see Oregon’s strangest roadside attractions, you’ll want to start with these eight truly bizarre places, located all around the state.
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