Bigfoot Becomes a Tourist Beacon
The Story Behind Pittsburg's Famous Bigfoot Bench
Recently, I was cleaning out an old flash drive and stumbled upon this picture of Little Bean in front of the famed Bigfoot Bench up in Pittsburg, NH.
This was 2020 and we haven’t been up that way since. So, in light of our recent trip to the International Cryptozoology Museum, we thought we’d look into the bench a bit. What we found was more than just the history of a cool sculpture, but how a public piece of art like that - no matter how kitchy it may seem - can be not just a draw but a community bond and destination.
First thing we did was do a bunch of posts on social media to various New Hampshire groups. Is the bench still there? Who is the artist?
Well, first thing’s first! The wood artist is Jake Swanson and he has a studio near Stowe, Vermont called Wood Sculpture by Jake Swanson. He was commissioned back in 2017 to do the carving for the then-owners of the gas station/store that used to sit on the property.
Jake told me that he wasn’t given much direction, other than “a bench that had the underlying theme of a bunch of woodland animals that came together for a photo op, and that’s what I came up with.”
That fact that Bigfoot was one of those animals isn’t surprising considering Jake has carved Bigfoot sculptures before. Here are a couple examples of his Bigfoot work -
Jake said that he likes carving Bigfoot sculptures “because they’re a fun way to exaggerate human form and I can add a whimsical twist to them!”
The gas station never reopened after Jake finished the job, but the sculpture sat on the side lot of the station for a while until it was bought and moved by its current owner. Day By Day has been in touch with the current owners, who are not far from the original location. They are excellent keepers of the sculpture, but the piece is currently on private property and not available to the general public.
One final note: We received a bunch of fun photos from tourists and locals who, over the years, had encountered the Bigfoot Bench so we thought we’d include them here in a collage! Nothing like a carved wooden cryptid to bring folks together.
Have you ever had an encounter with Bigfoot? Let us know!
UPCOMING: Some reminders! This Monday, Little Bean’s latest Interviews By Uma will drop right around 10 am. She’ll be featuring Kat Leon from the band Holy Wars. Help us make that one of the highest read and shared stories at Day by Day!
I stayed at Ladd Pond Cabins in Stewartstown last fall. Nice, quiet place with 4 cabins modestly priced. I didn't see the carving as I walked the property, suspect it may be close to their residence.
What a hoot!