Hurray! You found the jackalope cryptid cache at Herrick District Library North Branch!
History of the jackalope:
The Jackalope hasn't been around for as long as you might think! In the 1930's, Wyoming brothers Doug and Ralph Herrick made the first taxidermy jackalope mount combining a jackrabbit head and deer antlers. Their first jackalope mount was sold for $10 and displayed in the LaBonte Hotel in Douglas, Wyoming, where it became a popular local attraction. People liked the jackalope mount so much that other taxidermists began making and selling their own. Tall tales soon began to pop up across the American West including the claim that jackalopes can mimic human voices.
Modern day:
These days, the beloved jackalope is still a popular decoration throughout America. Douglas, Wyoming is considered the home of the Jackalope. The town hosts an annual Jackalope Days Celebration in June and awards jackalope catching licenses that are good for one day only: June 31st.
Fun facts about the jackalope:
- Folklorists categorize the jackalope as a tall tale "fearsome critter," alongside other mythical creatures of the North American wilderness like the goofus bird and the squonk.
- Other versions of horned rabbits appear in lore, historical texts, and art from Europe, Asia, Africa, and Central America.
- The jackalope (and creatures inspired by it) commonly appear in film and television, including Star Trek: Picard (season 1, episode7), which features the "bunnicorns" of Planet Nepenthe.
Image Source: On the Trail of the Jackalope by Michael P. Branch
