There's a legendary creature in South Carolina that keeps rising to national fame again and again - and we're not convinced he's simply folklore. In fact, those who've seen him - or evidence of his existence - will say he's very real. In the 1980s, the beastly creature that was to become known as the Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp first tormented the tiny community of Browntown, South Carolina, just west of Johnsonville. Since then he's been seen in various places in Lee County, including the Bishopville area.

Even though most people associate the Lizard Man with Bishopville, among the first actual reports of his activity are those that were from the tiny community of Browntown.

It was in this area in 1988 when police were called about a couple's car that had been mauled, scratched and beaten up by some kind of animal. They found reddish colored hair and muddy footprints all over the car, as well as chewed and mangled chrome trim.

Upon being interviewed, other residents in the Browntown area reported having seen a strange creature about seven feet tall, with red eyes, and scaly skin resembling that of a lizard.

Some speculated to the interviewing officers that maybe the creature was responsible for mauling the couple's vehicle. After the report was published in the local paper, another resident stepped forward and admitted to a full-on sighting of the lizard-like creature, verifying the descriptions provided by the folks in Browntown.

He'd been driving on Browntown Road next to Scape Ore Swamp just a few days prior to the reported car mauling, when he stopped to change a flat tire at approximately 2:00 a.m. As he was finishing up, he heard something moving toward him and saw the creature. He was able to confirm the red eyes, the scaly skin and the seven foot stature. As he was speeding away, the man felt like the creature was on the roof of his car so he swerved from side to side trying to throw him off. By the time he got home there were scratch marks all of the roof and his side mirror was pulled off.

Over the years since the initial sightings, the Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp has continued to taunt the residents of Lee County. In 2015, a man came forward with a photo he'd taken of the swamp. The swamp and the bridge along Browntown Road are famous, afterall, so people often stop to take photos.

Is this the Lizard Man? Do you see him? Jim Wilson, who lives in Bishopville and spotted him in 2015 believes it is the Lizard Man. In fact, he got close enough to see the scales and the red eyes on the beast - in broad daylight!

If you're interested in your own possible sighting, then you can head to the Browntown Museum to the Butter Bean Shed. You'll find the museum on Browntown Road just south of Interstate 20, near Bishopville. Why here?

Funny you should ask... It turns out Butter Beans are the Lizard Man's favorite meal. In fact, if you head to the gift shop at the South Carolina Cotton Museum in Bishopville you can get your very own butter beans, reportedly FROM that very shed. Who knows? Maybe it's possible to actually "chum" the Lizard Man.

Or (because where else will we EVER be able to use a photo of a man in a lizard suit sitting in a Starbucks?), you could just lure him out with some good coffee and good conversation.All jokes aside, see more jokes about the Lizard Man (real or not real??) in this funny youtube video from TheLipTV:

But don't let the jokes make you think this legendary creature is simply folklore. To many in South Carolina he is very, very real. In 2017, ahead of the huge eclipse sweeping over the Palmetto State, the South Carolina Emergency Management Division released an official statement warning residents about possible increased paranormal activities brought on by the eclipse - including dangerous encounters with Lizard Man. Below is the original tweet as posted by the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, complete with a map of expected sightings:

Regarding possible paranormal activity potentially occurring during the #SolarEclipse2017. As always, if you see something, say something. pic.twitter.com/O3IuYhHzqB

— SCEMD (@SCEMD) August 9, 2017

Photographic evidence, videos, actual sightings by multiple unrelated individuals at different times... is the Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp real or not real? Do you believe in the Lizard Man? We'd love to know in our comments!