By Christine Price
Columnist
Amidst all the stress, anxiety, craziness and bad news, my goal is to spotlight and share the good news in our community.
When I opened “Hidden History of Lake Erie,” Jennifer Boresz Engelking’s newest book, I did what most curious readers do first: I flipped to the table of contents.
That’s where I was instantly hooked. Chapter 7, titled “Extraordinary Natural and Supernatural Phenomena,” practically leapt off the page and within moments I found myself eagerly turning to page 139.
The first tale in the chapter, The Lake Erie Monster, had me immediately intrigued.
Jennifer wastes no time pulling the reader in, describing a creature that “strikes when least expected, rippling up from placid water near fishermen’s boats or slithering her menacing, reptilian body across the lake’s surface, causing nearby beachgoers to shriek and run for the safety of the cottages.”
Sightings of this mysterious creature date back as early as 1793. According to the book, not long after that initial report, the monster was sighted near Pelee Island by William Crubb and Adam Oper, who independently agreed on what they saw.
Both men described a beast roughly 20 feet long, with a broad head that appeared disproportionately large for its body. A dorsal fin ran along its back, while horn-like protrusions – not unlike those of a catfish – jutted from either side of its head. Add in a formidable set of teeth and a nose positioned beneath the mouth and the result is the stuff of local legend.
Yikes – right here in our own Lake Erie!
“Hidden History of Lake Erie,” published by Arcadia Publishing on Oct. 28, is Jennifer’s fourth book. Her previous works include “Hidden History of Lake County, Ohio,” “Lost Lake County, Ohio,” and “Lost Lake Erie.”
A Cleveland State University graduate, Jennifer is an award-winning and regional Emmy-nominated writer whose work has appeared in publications such as Echoes Magazine, the News-Herald and Lake Erie Living.
She spent several years as a reporter at CBS stations in Toledo and Erie and has written and co-produced historical documentaries that aired on PBS. In a fun twist of fate, she even once played a reporter in the Tony Scott–directed film “Unstoppable.”
Born, raised and still residing in Lake County near the shores of Lake Erie, Jennifer brings both professional expertise and personal connection to her work. She enjoys exploring nearby beaches, islands and parks with her husband and three children – a familiarity with the region that shines through on every page.
That deep local knowledge is what allows Jennifer to make history come alive in Hidden History of Lake Erie.
The book tackles intriguing questions such as, what lies beneath the lake’s surface? Gold coins from long-ago shipwrecks like the tragic sinking of the G.P. Griffith? A whiskey ship that vanished more than a century ago in the western basin?
Readers will also discover little-known tales and legends, from Joe Root in Erie to iconic places like the Belle Isle Boathouse in Detroit, alongside tragedies such as the Ashtabula bridge disaster and triumphs like the day Niagara Falls was turned off – moments that continue to shape how we live today.
Jennifer’s upcoming book talks and signings in 2026 include Jan. 29 from 6-7 p.m. at Willowick Public Library, March 25 from 6-7 p.m. at Kirtland Public Library and Nov. 17 from 6-7 p.m. at Madison Public Library.
To learn more about Jennifer Boresz Engelking and to purchase her books, visit www.jenniferboresz.com.
When you see good news, and you will, please let me know. I would love to share it. Please include your name, phone number and city you live in and email.