Albatwitch
Legend of the Albatwitch
Local legends in the area of Columbia, Pennsylvania speak of a creature called an “albatwitch.”
The albatwitch is a small (about 4 feet tall), manlike creature which supposedly lived in wooded areas.
Their main area of residence seemed to be near Chickies Rock, a heavily wooded area along the banks of the Susquehanna River about a mile or two north of town.
Albatwitches were also reported from wooded areas all along the river’s shore.
The creatures are named for a habit which they possess. Their bizarre common name is short for “apple-snitch”, as they are reputed to have a taste for apples. Legends speak of how the albatwitches would oftentimes steal apples from picnickers, occasionally even throwing them at the startled people. Legends also record that the creatures often sat in trees, coming down only to find food.
Legend also says that the albatwitches either became extinct or were driven nearly into extinction in the later years of the nineteenth century. Chickies Rock, where the creatures supposedly lived, does have a tradition of strange sights and sounds – in the 1950s and 1970s, a man like figure was seen several times, and local legends also speak of sounds like the crack of a whip heard in the woods at night. One can only wonder if these could be connected with the albatwitch.
Whether these stories are connected or not, several sightings of Bigfoot-types have been recorded from this area. A vague report concerning the sighting of a hairy humanoid came from Lancaster in 1973. Lancaster is a scant 10 miles east of Columbia. Another came from the town of North Annville (about 20 miles to the north) in the same year. In addition, a number of reports have surfaced out of neighboring York County.
Also, some sources say that the Susquehannocks, like many Indian tribes, had a belief in an apelike monster, and sometimes depicted it on their war-shields. The Susquehannocks were a local tribe – coincidentally, major evidences of their civilization (ruins of a village and burial grounds) were found at the base of Chickies Rock.
Source: Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization 2000
Map of reported sightings
Sightings of a small or large Bigfoot reports in Lancaster and York Counties and other areas in Pennsylvania.
Albatwitch in the News
Locations of small bigfoot sightings
Columbia, PA Lancaster County
I had a sighting of a creature here in 2002.
Columbia, PA Lancaster County
In the 1980's a 10 year old boy and his older brother were hiking in the woods behind Laurel Hill Cemetery. While his older brother was ahead of him the young boy came face to face with what he described as a small Bigfoot that pinned him against a tree. His older brother yelled and the creature ran off.
Mt. Joy, PA Lancaster County
Three possible sightings of what may have been an Albatwitch. One in 2000, in 2012, and in 2014.
Bainbridge, PA Lancaster County
Witness report: It was the summer of maybe 2012.. my two sisters and I and another friend all parked our camper trailers at a camp site for the whole summer. We all shared two cars between all of us so walking the wooded trail to Bainbridge was something done on the daily for food, beer ect..
One day I found myself alone at camp, a friend in Bainbridge was having a cookout. I walked the trail there. It was awkward because I didn’t know anyone so I decided to walk back to camp and wait for my sisters because we all had plans to go to that cookout later that night.
It was getting closer to dusk..each side of the trail is wooded, thirty yards to my left through the woods was the river, thirty yards to my right was railroad tracks and then more woods. Just suddenly, clear as day..a, what I called a ‘kid bigfoot’ at the time, came running from the river.. ran right over the trail about 15ft in front of me and then leaped over tall bushes and such along the tracks until finally disappearing in the woods. I got the sense it saw me and was sort of frantic. I mean I literally stood there frozen watching this thing. It was around 4ft tall covered head to toe in dark hair and ran and moved like a person..
I described it for years as a kid Bigfoot and of course have people laugh when I tell the story but I swear it’s true..until last year, my husband who just moved here from California was reading what the Albawitch was (because the festival popped up as an event on Facebook) and he was like “omg..this is what you saw!”
Bainbridge, PA Lancaster County
Witness reports seeing a small hairy creature cross the road at night between Marietta, and Bainbridge.
Bainbridge, PA Lancaster County
While driving a witness sees a creature crouched down in a field near Nissley Vineyards early early dawn.. he turned his car around to go back and see it again and it leaped up and ran for the woods!