The Tragic Offspring of a Cruel Period
What are Melon Heads?
According to local legends in Michigan, Ohio, and Connecticut, the Melon Heads are a pack/tribe of feral children suffering from hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is a condition that causes a buildup of fluid deep within the brain, causing swelling and enlarged craniums to form.
Origins of the Melon Heads
The most prominent version of the legend, which goes back to around 1949, states that this tribe of children originated at an insane asylum near Felt Mansion in Laketown, Michigan. A maniacal doctor exposed the children to physical, mental, and emotional abuse, and they eventually became feral mutants who were released into the forest once the asylum closed. Other versions of the story state that the children originated in Felt Mansion itself, but later found refuge in a series of underground tunnels and caverns, only emerging at night to stalk a particular road and feed on wild animals and unlucky humans.
The story of the Melon Heads became sensationalized and expanded upon over time. The character of Dr. Crowe was added to the oral history further down the line. Dr. Crowe was stated to be the insane doctor who experimented on the children, with the goal of creating new species and monstrous versions of humans via radiation. The story goes that after years of abuse at Dr. Crowe’s hand, the children rebelled and ate him alive, then fled into the forest to live out the remainder of their lives as feral creatures.
MICHIGAN MONSTERS: Beware the Melon Heads of Saugatuck
St. Augustine Seminary
In the late 1940s, Felt Mansion became St. Augustine Seminary for boys. As a private school, the children in attendance were looked upon as “brainy” or “nerdy” by the public school-goers of the county. According to some seminarians of St. Augustine, the name “Melon Heads” originated as a derogatory term that the public school kids would use against those brainy private schoolers, and as many rumors and legends do, this nickname spiraled out of control and worked its way into local history.
Are Melon Heads Real?
If you’re skeptical, you’re likely to say that the story sounds far-fetched. Dr. Crowe’s reported methods seem like they would be unlikely to create rabid mutants, especially when looked at with a modern knowledge of the affects of radiation. Exposure to radioactive materials would be unlikely to elicit the symptoms of hydrocephalus, and more likely to just cause burns and cancer. It seems a bit more likely that we in the 20th century, as a less sensitive society, looked at children suffering from a debilitating condition and assigned a mythical and fearful legend to them.
Was there ever a feral tribe of hydrocephalic children living in the woods of Michigan, Ohio, or Connecticut? Probably not. Is it likely that they’re still alive today? Even less likely, given that this legend is over 75 years old at this point. Did Dr. Crowe ever exist? Also unlikely, although there was a man named Dr. Crowe who lived in the area. The Dr. Crowe of legend is likely based on him, full name Etienne Pascal Crowe. His great-niece recalls stories of him in this article. While a man named Dr. Crowe probably existed, it’s very unlikely that he performed the horrific experiments on children that were reported.
The Verdict
Melon Heads are probably simply a myth. Although they are likely a fabrication, their story is an excellent example of American folklore and oral history. Their origins are tough to pin down, given that the legend exists across several states, but it appears that the Michigan story was the first to emerge, or it’s at least the most prominent. Ohio, Michigan, and Connecticut all stake claim to the Melon Heads, and all of their stories share similar details. Each story claims that the Melon Heads stalk the forest surrounding a particular road, that they were children who turned feral before escaping, and that they were dangerous creatures who would attack humans indiscriminately. Some versions attribute the Melon Heads’ malice to the inhumane experiments performed on them, but others just state that they were insane and feral.
This is a great example of an oral history that spread across several states and counties, being modified to fit the local area as it went, and evolving over time. While it makes for a scary campfire story, that’s probably all it is.
American Cryptids 
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