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Understand SCChapter Four: The Legacy of The Lizard ManFor those who remember the summer of 1988, the Lizard Man is more than just a campfire story.Instead, it's a connection to a moment in time and the memories and people they associate with it. Take, for instance, former Lee County Sheriff Liston Truesdale, who is largely credited with making the Lizard Man a legend. His niece, Abbie Denny, cherishes the Lizard Man, because it preserves her uncle's legacy. Harry Elmore also joined this episode. Elmore's uncle is often tied to the sightings in 1988, and when he took over his family's restaurant, Harry and Harry Too, he...2022-07-2213 minUnderstand SCChapter Three: The Culture of the Lizard ManThe Lizard Man mania faded away after only a few months during the summer of 1988, but the story lives on today. Many Bishopville residents and cryptid fans, including a group called the Friends of the Lizard Man, want to do more to preserve the story of the Lizard Man. In recent years, the town has increasingly embraced the legend with events including a Lizard Man beauty pageant, scavenger hunts and the Lizard Man Stomp, which was held in June.More coverage:Return of the Lizard Man: Bishopville's journey to reclaim an SC monster2022-07-2209 minUnderstand SCChapter One: The Story of the Lizard ManThe Lizard Man story is 34 years old this month. Bishopville's embrace of the legend is still in its early days. In this episode Post and Courier photographer Andrew Whitaker and projects reporter Thad Moore spoke with many people from the town and Lizard Man enthusiasts. One person they talked with, Robert Howell, grew up in nearby Timmonsville. Howell is known for his early illustrations and Lizard Man comics in the summer on 1988. Howell tells the story of Christopher Davis, a 17-year-old who became famous after an encounter with the creature. Davis had stopped to change a t...2022-07-2207 minUnderstand SCChapter Two: The Lizard Man Gains National AttentionThe first newspaper story about the Lizard Man was written by Jan Easterling, a former reporter in The State newspaper's Camden bureau. Easterling was tasked with covering everything that happened in three mostly rural counties east of Columbia. That's how she came to hear talk of a Bigfoot-like creature from Lee County’s sheriff, Liston Truesdale. She wrote a short story that landed on the front page, and within days, it gained national attention.More coverage:Return of the Lizard Man: Bishopville's journey to reclaim an SC monsterVideo: South Carolina's Lizard Man st...2022-07-2212 min