Minnesota Iceman
Field Report
The Minnesota Iceman is a modern cryptid mystery that gained notoriety in the 1960s, when carnival exhibitors across the Midwest displayed a frozen, hairy humanoid supposedly recovered from Siberia (or sometimes Vietnam, depending on the story). Encased in a block of ice, the creature looked like a cross between Neanderthal and ape, with one bulging eye appearing to stare out at onlookers. Scientists who examined it behind foggy glass offered mixed assessments—some suspected a clever latex hoax, while others entertained more exotic possibilities. Eventually, confessions by showmen suggested it was indeed a fabricated prop. Yet the Minnesota Iceman persists as a cautionary tale in cryptozoology: a vivid reminder of how spectacle, ambiguity, and our hunger for monsters can converge into enduring legends.
Classification
Type:Hominid
Location:United States, Minnesota, Winona County
Traits:Stocky build, frozen expression, thick matted hair, large feet
Threat Assessment
Danger Level: 4.7
First Reported: 1968
Sightings: 1
Reveal Full Dossier
Behavioral Patterns
It stands frozen behind thick glass, eyes dull and unblinking. Even when lights flash on it, there is no motion, just a chilling stillness.
Folklore & Origins
Midwestern lore framed it as a frost giant sent to curse towns neglecting community bonds.
Media Documentation
Covered extensively by American newspapers during carnival exhibitions. Later exposed as a sideshow hoax. Still appears in cryptid documentaries as a historical curiosity.
Hoax Analysis
Minnesota Iceman was a famous cryptid purportedly captured in the 1960s and later revealed as a likely fabricated automaton, widely regarded as a hoax.