Mothman

Mothman, in West Virginian folklore, is a humanoid creature reportedly observed in the Point Pleasant area from November 15, 1966, to December 15, 1967. Despite its name, the original sightings described the entity with avian characteristics. The first newspaper account appeared in the Point Pleasant Register on November 16, 1966, with the headline "Couples See Man-Sized Bird ... Creature ... Something." National media subsequently picked up these reports, spreading the story throughout the United States. Zoologists and wildlife experts suggest the legend likely originated from sightings of out-of-migration sandhill cranes or herons.

Gray Barker introduced the creature to a broader audience in 1970, and John Keel later popularized it in his 1975 book The Mothman Prophecies. Keel's work claimed paranormal phenomena were associated with the sightings and suggested a connection to the Silver Bridge collapse. This book later inspired a 2002 film adaptation starring Richard Gere.

Today, Point Pleasant celebrates an annual festival dedicated to the Mothman legend.