The Albatwitch: Apple-Thieving Trickster of Columbia, PA

The Albatwitch: Apple-Thieving Trickster of Columbia, PA

In the wooded banks of the Susquehanna River, near the town of Columbia, something small and hairy is always watching from the trees. It doesn’t roar. It doesn’t chase.
It steals apples.

Meet the Albatwitch, a cryptid known for being clever, elusive, and just a little bit rude.

🧍 What Is the Albatwitch?

• Height: Around 3–4 feet tall
• Appearance: Hairy, ape-like creature—think of a fun-sized Bigfoot
• Behavior: Known for throwing apples at humans from the trees
• Name Origin: “Albatwitch” is believed to come from “apple-snitch,” referencing its favorite snack

The Albatwitch is described as playful but territorial, especially when humans enter its woodland haunts.

📍 Where It's Found

• Primary Sightings: Around Columbia, PA, especially Chickies Rock and Marietta area
• Habitat: Riverbank forests, picnic groves, and apple-rich woodlands

These sightings often occur during fall months, when apples are ripe—and campers are careless with snacks.

🧠 Folklore Roots

The Albatwitch legend is believed to have pre-colonial origins, potentially connected to Lenape or Susquehannock stories of “little forest men.”
European settlers adapted the tale, turning it into a cautionary cryptid about respecting nature—and guarding your lunch.

In some versions:

• The Albatwitch is an elusive protector of the woods
• In others, it’s a nuisance with perfect aim and a bad attitude

🎉 Modern Culture

• Albatwitch Day is held annually in Columbia, PA, celebrating the town’s folklore with food, cryptid talks, and local vendors
• Local artists, stickers, and T-shirts often feature the cryptid with an apple or slingshot
• It’s a favorite among folklore fans for its quirky, non-threatening nature

🍏 Survival Tip

Situation

What To Do

Hear apples dropping nearby

Look up. You might be a target

Find half-eaten fruit piles

You’re near its den—back away slowly

Want to befriend one?

Offer a shiny red apple... but keep your distance

“He doesn’t roar or stomp. He just wants your Granny Smith.” — Local hiker, 1987