The Loveland Frogman by Any Other Name Is Still a Cryptid

What would you do if you thought you saw this in the dark? Nicole Antonio / DALL-E

The Loveland Frogman is a legendary creature said to lurk near the Little Miami River region, 15 miles (24 km) outside the city limits of Cincinnati, Ohio. Reports of this bizarre being describe a frog-like humanoid monster, standing roughly 4 feet (1.2 m) tall on its hind legs, with large reptilian eyes bulging from a round, scaly head.

The Loveland Frogman has been a part of Ohio folklore for decades, with sightings dating back to the 1950s. Some witnesses claim the creature has magical abilities and can even emit sparks, while others believe it is simply a misidentified animal.

The legend has captured the imaginations of cryptid enthusiasts, inspiring everything from local t-shirts to eerie camp stories. So, is this a new kind of rare, unidentified amphibian species, or is it just another cryptid legend?

Early Sightings of the Loveland Frog

The first well-known sighting of the Loveland Frog occurred in 1955 when a man driving near the Little Miami River reported seeing three strange beings standing by the roadside.

He described them as humanoid but distinctly frog-like, with webbed hands and leathery skin. Once the eyewitness tried to get closer to the scene, the frog creatures quickly disappeared into the night.

Over the years, additional reports surfaced, keeping the legend alive. Some claimed the creature was closer to a lizard, leading to the alternate name "Loveland Lizard." However, the most famous encounters were yet to come.

The Loveland Police Officer Encounters

One of the most well-documented sightings involved a Loveland police officer in 1972. The officer reported seeing a large, frog-like creature jump across the road on its hind legs before disappearing into the water.

In a similar event just a few weeks later, another officer, Mark Matthews, later shot and killed what he believed was the Loveland Frog ... but he later recanted, saying it was a large iguana that had lost its tail.

Despite this explanation, the legend persisted. The idea that a mysterious amphibious humanoid may inhabit Ohio waterways continues to fascinate cryptid hunters.

The Sam Jacobs Incident

The legend of the Loveland Frog saw renewed interest in 2016 when Sam Jacobs and his girlfriend claimed to have spotted the creature while playing Pokémon Go near the Little Miami River.

According to Jacobs, he saw a giant frog that stood up on its hind legs in the water and stared at them with large, glowing frog eyes for a moment before quickly disappearing — an encounter eerily similar to earlier reports.

The teens captured some dark and grainy video footage on their phones. Although, when the still photo was enhanced and studied, it appeared to be an attempted hoax.

This sighting reignited interest in the Loveland Frog with cryptid enthusiasts and Ohio locals once again, leading the town to adopt a "frog prince" mascot in 2023.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.