Canada 1900s (Early) - The Traverspine Gorilla of Labrador

[Trogluddite]

A century ago, Traverspine stood near the foothills of the Mealy Mountains in central Labrador; today it is an abandoned ghost town surrounded by dark spruce woods that cloak millions of acres.  In the early 1900s, this isolated little settlement was the scene of an extraordinary haunting by large creatures none could identify. Strange tracks were found in the woods. Unearthly cries were heard in the night. Sled dogs went missing. Children reported being stalked by a terrifying grinning animal.  Was it a Bigfoot?^*   

 

To find out, someone is going to have to read The Whisper on the Night Wind: The True History of a Wilderness Legend by Adam Shoalts, who appears to be a prolific Canadian author.  It tells the tale of the Traverspine gorilla which haunted (and hunted?) this remote town.  Among the earliest investigators of this creature was Dr. Wilfred Grenfell, a noted wilderness physician and missionary, who collected stories of evidence from other early men of science in the area. 

 

 

^* The summary and description of the Traverspine gorilla are both based on Amazon's description of the book and the portion made available to read for free.  I found numerous articles about Wilfred Grenfell, but none which recounted stories about this creature.

Edited December 19, 2025 by Trogluddite