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The Abair Bigfoot Incident
The Restoration Obscura Field Guide Podcast
The Abair Bigfoot Incident — The Story of the Adirondack Sasquatch
Length: ~40 minutes
Available on: Amazon, Apple Podcasts, Audible,, Spotify, and all major streaming platforms
Episode Overview
This episode of the The Restoration Obscura Field Guide examines one of the most discussed encounters in Adirondack folklore: the Abair Bigfoot Incident of 1976 in Whitehall, New York.
This story is less about proof and more about how belief, doubt, and local memory intertwine. The episode explores how a rural night along Abair Road became part of regional identity, and how stories of the unknown evolve as part of our shared cultural record.
Act I – Frame 352A look at the 1967 Patterson–Gimlin film and how a single minute of 16mm footage defined the modern image of Bigfoot. The act examines the film’s creation, its impact on popular culture, and why it continues to resist simple explanation.
Act II – The Night on Abair RoadWhitehall, 1976. A quiet Adirondack road, a sudden sighting, and a story that would travel far beyond the town’s limits. Eyewitness reports, police involvement, and community retellings converge to show how legends begin and take hold.
Act III – Living With the LegendThe Field Guide explores what happens after the story takes root. How Whitehall learned to coexist with its legend, how mystery becomes memory, and why people continue to search the dark edges of familiar places for meaning.
Themes
- The legacy of the Patterson–Gimlin film
- Folklore and the psychology of the unknown
- How collective storytelling becomes heritage
- The enduring balance between skepticism and wonder
About the Series
The Restoration Obscura Field Guide Podcast investigates the hidden intersections of history, landscape, and cultural memory. Each episode blends documentary storytelling with archival research to uncover the forgotten, the mysterious, and the stories that shape how we see the world around us.
Learn More
Read more at restorationobscura.com or subscribe to the Restoration Obscura Substack for essays, restorations, and new field investigations. Field Guide to the Night is available worldwide in print and Kindle editions.
Credits
Written, Narrated, and Produced by: John Bulmer Sound Design and Mastering: Restoration Obscura Audio
© 2025 Restoration Obscura Press. All rights reserved.
Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or broadcast of this episode or any portion thereof is prohibited without express written permission. Restoration Obscura and The Restoration Obscura Field Guide are trademarks of Restoration Obscura Press.
Get full access to Restoration Obscura at restorationobscura.substack.com/subscribe
View all episodes
By John BulmerThe Restoration Obscura Field Guide Podcast
The Abair Bigfoot Incident — The Story of the Adirondack Sasquatch
Length: ~40 minutes
Available on: Amazon, Apple Podcasts, Audible,, Spotify, and all major streaming platforms
Episode Overview
This episode of the The Restoration Obscura Field Guide examines one of the most discussed encounters in Adirondack folklore: the Abair Bigfoot Incident of 1976 in Whitehall, New York.
This story is less about proof and more about how belief, doubt, and local memory intertwine. The episode explores how a rural night along Abair Road became part of regional identity, and how stories of the unknown evolve as part of our shared cultural record.
Act I – Frame 352A look at the 1967 Patterson–Gimlin film and how a single minute of 16mm footage defined the modern image of Bigfoot. The act examines the film’s creation, its impact on popular culture, and why it continues to resist simple explanation.
Act II – The Night on Abair RoadWhitehall, 1976. A quiet Adirondack road, a sudden sighting, and a story that would travel far beyond the town’s limits. Eyewitness reports, police involvement, and community retellings converge to show how legends begin and take hold.
Act III – Living With the LegendThe Field Guide explores what happens after the story takes root. How Whitehall learned to coexist with its legend, how mystery becomes memory, and why people continue to search the dark edges of familiar places for meaning.
Themes
- The legacy of the Patterson–Gimlin film
- Folklore and the psychology of the unknown
- How collective storytelling becomes heritage
- The enduring balance between skepticism and wonder
About the Series
The Restoration Obscura Field Guide Podcast investigates the hidden intersections of history, landscape, and cultural memory. Each episode blends documentary storytelling with archival research to uncover the forgotten, the mysterious, and the stories that shape how we see the world around us.
Learn More
Read more at restorationobscura.com or subscribe to the Restoration Obscura Substack for essays, restorations, and new field investigations. Field Guide to the Night is available worldwide in print and Kindle editions.
Credits
Written, Narrated, and Produced by: John Bulmer Sound Design and Mastering: Restoration Obscura Audio
© 2025 Restoration Obscura Press. All rights reserved.
Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or broadcast of this episode or any portion thereof is prohibited without express written permission. Restoration Obscura and The Restoration Obscura Field Guide are trademarks of Restoration Obscura Press.
Get full access to Restoration Obscura at restorationobscura.substack.com/subscribe