ALT The story of the Coleman Frog takes us back to the 1880s. It is said that Frederic B. Coleman, owner of the Barker House Hotel, was at Killarney Lake fishing when a frog leapt into his boat. He decided to keep it as a pet, and fed it a variety of distinctly unsuitable foods such as whiskey and whey. Surprisingly, the frog took to its new diet with a passion and grew to an enormous size. The average bull frog weighs one pound; this frog is said to have weighed 42 pounds.

ALT As the frog grew, so did its bond with Coleman. Supposedly, it would come when he called or rang a dinner bell and follow him around like a pet. Other tales include the frog entertaining Coleman’s guests, towing canoes, and even racing against tomcats.

ALT Unfortunately, their friendship came to an untimely end when the frog was killed in a dynamite accident; potentially, there may have been poachers blast fishing in the lake making a casualty of the frog. Coleman is said to have recovered the body and had it sent to a taxidermist in Maine, after which it was displayed in a glass case in his hotel. It remained there for many years, both as an attraction, and later... an ashtray.

ALT Today, the Coleman Frog can be seen at the Fredericton Region Museum. In the 1980s, it was sent for conservation treatment, at which time it was determined that the taxidermy methods may be consistent with that of the 19th century. Other authenticity tests have come back inconclusive. Investigation has shown, however, that the Coleman Frog would have been female. As such, the frog has been affectionately named “Cornelia Webster”. All of the eye witnesses are gone, and all we’re left with is her story.