Who Is Thomas Steenburg

British Columbia Sasquatch Researcher Thomas Steenburg

“Since I moved to B.C., I have focused on research and taken the approach to not deviate from the facts,” --Thomas Steenburg

After John Green, Thomas Steenburg is probably the best known Sasquatch researcher in Canada, focusing most of his work in Alberta and British Columbia. Like most long-time researchers, Thomas Steenburg's research and perspective was offline in books and conferences. Fortunately this year, we may get more access to Mr. Steenburg's insights online via Thomas Steenburg's YouTube channel and his brand new website aptly named ThomasSteenburg.com.

He is even making the local news. In a recent article titled, "B.C.'s Sasquatch investigator Steenburg investigated Norgegg reports," he gives John Green credit for laying the goundwork in British Columbia while modestly adding his own contributions to Sasquatch research in BC.

“John L. Green laid the groundwork for many modern researchers like myself,” said Steenburg, who once hailed from the Nordegg-Kananaskis area. “Hairy giants were first recorded in the Mission-Harrison Lake area in the late 1920s by J.W. Burns, a Chehalis Indian agent, but stories date back to pre-contact. He became somewhat of a sensation, with his work being published in McLean’s magazine nationally and coined the name sasquatch as a mispronunciation of the Indian name.”

Steenburg added that his initial exposure to sasquatch sightings came when he lived in Alberta’s Nordegg area. When he was called out to investigate, he went two or three times to B.C. for one local investigation.

“The Kananaskis-Nordegg area was a hotbed from 1948 to 1984 for sasquatch activity,” said Steenburg. “A string of sightings of a 13- to 15-foot tall creature with 19-inch long footprints were not uncommon in a 100-mile radius of Nordegg.”

He added that the construction of the Bighorn Dam seemed to put a stop to sasquatch activity.

“Since I moved to B.C., I have focused on research and taken the approach to not deviate from the facts,” said Steenburg, noting there is a lunatic fringe that hangs on to every supposed sighting as if it was 100 per cent verified. “While I cannot say for certain that I have seen a sasquatch, or Bigfoot if you’re American, I have seen a very large creature from 500 yards that may have been a sasquatch, but I could not verify it.”

So far, his website has three posts:  The Ongoing Sasquatch Question, BE PREPARED and Hucksters and Hoaxers. At Bigfoot Lunch Club we are looking forward to more of  theses bite-sized insights from one the most prolific thinkers in Sasquatch research.

Below you can witness for yourself the thinking process that is unique to Thomas Steenburg.

Sasquatch Revealed with Dr. Jeff Meldrum

After Dr. Jeff Meldrum's preesentation he and Cliff Barackman discuss tracks (photo: Craig Flipy)

On Dec 28th in the Dalles, Oregon Dr. Jeff Meldrum gave a presentation to kick off the "Sasquatch Revealed" exhibit at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. The exhibit was curated by published author Chris Murphy.

Susan Buce, marketing director of the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, deserves a lot of credit for a successful evening; which included a generous last-minute additional presentation by Dr. Jeff Meldrum for those who were not able to buy dinner tickets. The event was completely sold out and very successful.

Among the two speakers that were publicized, Dr. Jeff Meldrum and Thomas Steenburg, a surprise guest was Bigfoot legend Bob Gimlin, who recalled the moment he and Roger Patterson filmed Patty. (watch a video of Bob Gimlin describing that day while watching a 3d recreation).

Left to Right: Tom Yamarone, Cliff Barackman, Dr. Jeff Meldrum, Guy Edwards, Bob Gimlin, Paul Graves, Tom Steenburg, Chris Murphy (photo: Craig Flipy)

After listening to Tom Steenburg I was impressed with his no-nonsense approach to research. He definitely declared the typical caveats, addressing that portions of his research were anecdotal, but he mentioned it at the top of his presentation and didn't belabor the point. In my opinion many bigfooters, myself included, can spend too much time prefacing and defending. Mr. Steenburg does not suffer from this and gets right to the point. 

I immediately purchased two books authored by Tom Steenburg after the event; In Search of Giants: Meet the Sasquatch and Bigfoot Sasquatch Encounters. I recommend them in that order. These are great books that cover the Canadian side of the Sasquatch Phenomena.

Speaking of books, novelist Kirk Sigurdson attended the event with me and we were able to spend some more time afterwords with Cliff Barackman, Bob Gimlin, Dr. Meldrum, Chris Murphy, and Tom Steenburg. Cliff had some casts from his Orang Pendek Project and shared them with Meldrum.

Kirk has some excellent follow ups from the event with greater detail at his Kultusbook.com website. There are two links below. 

Read about the Sasquatch Revealed "after-party".

Check out an in-depth review of the Sasquatch Revealed lectures

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Dr. Meldrum to Speak at Bigfoot Exhibit Opening in Oregon

Dr. Jeff Meldrum is a Full Professor of Anatomy and Anthropology at Idaho State University

"Chris Murphy curated it, and we brought it down from Vancouver, B.C. We’re trying to mix in some updated local stories with the exhibit." -- Susan Buce; Columbia Gorge Discovery Center

Below is a press release from The Discovery Center and Museum in the Dalles, Oregon. This should be a great event for the whole family. A presentation by Dr. Jeff Meldrum will kick off a new exhibit curated by Chris Murphy himself.

PRESS RELEASE - For Immediate Release
Date: November 27, 2013
Contact: Susan Buce, Marketing Manager, 541-296-8600 x 215
marketing@gorgediscovery.org


SUMMARY: 
Columbia Gorge Discovery Center presents “Sasquatch Revealed,” a new exhibit opening Saturday, December 28, 2013 with dinner at 5:30 p.m. and a speaker presentation by Dr. Jeff Meldrum, Chris Murphy, and Thomas Steenburg following at 6:30 p.m. This exhibit draws from all the available scientific research and evidence compiled to date on the hominoid known as Sasquatch, or Bigfoot. Tickets are required by Dec. 23. Call 541-296-8600 x 201 for more information or visit www.gorgediscovery.org


“Sasquatch Revealed” Exhibit opens Dec. 28

THE DALLES, Oregon — Does Sasquatch exist? Rumors of a large, hairy, man-like creature roaming the Cascade Mountains have existed for centuries. Where does myth end and science begin? Columbia Gorge Discovery Center presents “Sasquatch Revealed,” a new exhibit opening Saturday, December 28, 2013 with dinner at 5:30 p.m. and a speaker presentation by Dr. Jeff Meldrum, Chris Murphy, and Thomas Steenburg following at 6:30 p.m.

This exhibit draws from all the available scientific research and evidence compiled to date on the hominoid known as Sasquatch, or Bigfoot. The display, curated by Christopher Murphy of Vancouver, British Columbia, will be at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center through February 23, 2014. Explore audio segments, view a gallery of footprint and handprint casts, reports of sightings in Wasco County and United States, newspaper reports, comparative skulls, and artist renditions.

Buffet dinner will be served starting at 5:30 pm in the Basalt Rock Café, with your choice of herb-encrusted prime rib or roast salmon with lemon dill glaze. Children’s menu includes ‘Mountain Mac & Cheese’ and ‘Sasquatch Stronganoff’.

Following the dinner, noted Sasquatch researchers Dr. Jeff Meldrum, Chris Murphy and Thomas Steenburg will give a presentation.

DR. JEFF MELDRUM, Professor of Anthropology from Idaho State University will give a talk Dec. 28 and sign his acclaimed book, “Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science.” Medrum’s book takes a detailed look at the scientific DNA and forensic evidence gathered on Sasquatch. Meldrum has published numerous academic papers ranging from vertebrate evolutionary morphology, and the emergence of bipedal locomotion in modern humans. Dr. Meldrum is also a co-editor of a series of books on paleontology.

CHRIS MURPHY became involved in the Sasquatch mystery when he met René Dahinden in 1993. He then worked with Dahinden in producing posters from the Patterson/Gimlin film and marketing them along with Sasquatch footprint casts.  In 2000, Chris embarked on a project to assemble a comprehensive pictorial presentation on the Sasquatch. This initiative led to publication of his book “Meet the Sasquatch,” written in association with John Green and Thomas Steenburg, and his Sasquatch exhibit at the Vancouver, B.C., Museum.

THOMAS STEENBURG, born in Ontario, Canada, in 1961, has been actively interested in the Sasquatch since a child. Since 1979, he has actively gone into the rugged outdoors in search of the elusive Sasquatch. Having interviewed many eye-witnesses and investigate many reported sightings, he is all the more determined to pursue and answer the question: is the Sasquatch real or simply folklore? Steenburg has authored three books on the Sasquatch mystery and has appeared in several television documentaries and as a public speaker.

Cost for Adult dinner and presentation: $20 members, $25 non-members; Children: $10 members, $15 non-members.

Cost for presentation only: $10 members, $15 non-members; Children: $5 members, $7.50 non-members. Reservations are required by Monday, Dec. 23. For information or reservations call 541-296-8600 x 201.
The exhibit will be at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center through February 23, 2014.

The Discovery Center and Wasco County Historical Museum is the official interpretive center for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.  Live raptor shows are presented Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Hands-on, multi-media exhibits illuminate the cultural and natural history of the Gorge, including Ice Age geology, Native American culture, Lewis and Clark's cargo, the Oregon Trail, trade, transportation, ecology, and more. The Discovery Center is located off I-84 at exit 82, 5000 Discovery Drive, The Dalles, Oregon, 97058.  Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Museum adult admission is $9, seniors $7, kids 6 to16 are $5, and children 5 and under free.  For more information, phone (541) 296-8600 x 201, or visit www.gorgediscovery.org.  

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2012 Sasquatch Days in Harrison Hot Springs Covered in Local News

Bill Miller (left) and Thomas Steenburg speak with the public at Sasquatch Days
 in Harrison Hot Springs on Sunday morning. (Jessica Peters/ Observer)

Sasquatch researchers resolved to finding elusive creature

By Jessica Peters - Agassiz Observer

Published: June 11, 2012 1:00 PM 

Updated: June 11, 2012 1:36 PM

"Don't go anywhere without your camera," Thomas Steenburg advised during Sasquatch Days in Harrison this weekend. He's been hunting the elusive creature, and its cousin Big Foot, for more than three decades.

Steenburg and Bill Miller were on hand at Harrison Memorial Hall to discuss their research with the public, as part of the resurrected festival.

Both have had close encounters with what could be a Sasquatch, they maintain. And through years of pouring over photos, videos and stories, as well as embarking on hunting expeditions has only steeled their resolve that the Sasquatch is out there — somewhere.

There have been sightings in Harrison, even very recently, on both sides of the lake.

Miller actually had his brush with the captivating creature in Minnesota in 1980, on a fishing trip.

"A bi-ped ran right past us," he said. "For many years I didn't think nothin' of it."

But he always remembered the encounter, and it became a favourite story of family folklore — not unlike the re-telling of Sasquatch encounters in First Nation history locally.

It wasn't until 1998 that he started to get serious about the Sasquatch, when he came to a convention in Harrison and met Steenburg and John Green, Harrison's very own Sasquatch expert.

"I met all these people who were really serious about it," he said.

Now the two run Sasquatch Country Adventures, along with Barry Blount, conducting tours while keeping an eagle eye open for more sightings. Miller and Steenburg participated in a documentary called Bigfoot's Reflection, and both men have been featured in many newspaper stories and other media.

Sasquatch Days in Harrison Hot Springs this weekend was a perfect opportunity for the experts to provide more information to the public. The festival was resurrected after being in hiatus for about 70 years.

SRC: http://www.agassizharrisonobserver.com/news/158478275.html