The Mothman
Credit: Cassie Tucker
Origins:
Point Pleasant, West Virginia
Legend:
Mothman was a creature seen by over 100 townspeople in Point Pleasant from November 1966 to December 1967. Witnesses described the creature as a 6-to-7-foot tall winged humanoid with glowing, red eyes and owl-like traits. The rest of the details of the Mothman’s face have never been adequately described, as the glowing red eyes are said to obscure everything around it. Mothman is also said to have a loud, high-pitched screech. After the collapse of the Silver Bridge in December of 1967, sightings of the creature stopped, leading some to believe that Mothman is a prophet, with his appearances serving as warnings of imminent disasters. During and after these sightings, witnesses were reportedly harassed by “the men in black” who wanted them to keep quiet about what they saw.
Visit:
Point Pleasant, West Virginia
The Mothman Museum contains an impressive collection of newspaper articles, evidence, movie props, and all the memorabilia you could wish for to learn more about the Mothman. A silver Mothman statue is located just outside the museum, and there is also an annual Mothman Festival that takes place on Main Street in late September, with the museum and statue as its epicenter.
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