HURRICANE, W.Va. (AP) _ A quirky piece of local folklore is in danger of deteriorating in Hurricane.



In a corner of a parking lot along Main Street, halfway hidden behind an unused police cruiser, is a giant petroglyph with a storied past.



The "Water Monster's Daughter," as it's known, once was a tourist attraction, and it's still a stop on preschool tours of Putnam County's historical sites.



The rock turned up in the early 1990s, right off the Interstate 64 exit, when land was being turned for a new automobile dealership.



Back then, no one was quite sure what it was, and rather than risk ruining a potential historical landmark, developers paid to have it moved to the center of town, right behind the fire station on Main Street.



Since then, theories about the stone have been swirling.



The 77-inch image carved in the rock resembles a profile of a woman in a long, creased gown.