In 1673 French explorers going down the Mississippi River they noticed a painting on the rocks as they went by, in father Jacques Marquette’s journal he wrote the following;
“…while skirting some rocks, which by their height and length inspired awe, we saw upon one of them two painted monsters which at first made us afraid, and upon which the boldest savages dare not long rest their eyes…they are as large as a calf; they have horns on their heads like those of a deer, a horrible look, red eyes, a beard like a tiger’s, a face somewhat like a man’s, a body covered with scales, and so long a tail that it winds all around the body, passing above the head and going back between the legs, ending in a fish’s tail…”
Quarrying destroyed the original art we now know as being the Piasa Bird in 1860. Renditions attempted to recreate the artwork in 1924, 1950, and 1983, all of which were also destroyed because of development
The Piasa Bird was a creature that allegedly lived in the steep cliffs along the Mississippi River.
According to Native American myths. The Piasa was quite different from the Thunderbird as it was depicted as a flying dragon in ancient paintings dating back as far as 1200 CE.
“Many years ago a huge and fearsome creature began to carry off members of that tribe of Indians called the Illinois. Whole villages were depopulated. One night Ouatoga, a brave chief of this tribe, had a dream. In this dream the Great Spirit gave him a plan by which he could kill the man-eating creature.
When Ouatoga’s warriors eventually ambushed and killed the Piasa, they carved its image into a cliff face as a memorial.
According to legends, the Piasa Bird feasted on human flesh, but not fresh flesh. Rather, it circled around when Native American warriors battled enemy tribes. When the fighting ended, the Piasa Bird would swoop down to dine on the bodies of the fallen warriors.
Sasysquatchgirl 
Fascinating!
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