When was the story of Bigfoot invented?

The story of Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, has roots in Indigenous folklore in North America, with various tribes telling tales of large, ape-like creatures long before the term "Bigfoot" was coined. The modern concept of Bigfoot emerged in the late 1950s, particularly after the 1958 discovery of large footprints in California's Bluff Creek area. The 1967 Patterson-Gimlin film further popularized the legend, cementing Bigfoot in popular culture as a mysterious and elusive creature.