Believe it or not, there have been times in history when strange and inexplicable tales have emerged from the state of Florida. Today we will dig into one of the oddest and silliest of Florida legends, and tell this story not once, but twice—despite the fact that it was revealed as a hoax decades ago. I give you: the curious case of Florida’s 15-foot mystery penguin!
Once upon a time, back in February of 1948, early morning, Clearwater, Florida beachgoers stood gawking at an unexpected sight. All along the beach stretched a trail of gigantic three-toed footprints, looking for all the world like a theropod dinosaur had stalked past in the night. Police and local press were alerted and rushed to the scene. In the weeks that followed, similar giant footprints appeared on other beaches in the region. Headlines hailed each new development in the mystery. Thousands flocked to the beaches to see for themselves. The police were flooded with inquiries.