Mothman myth continues to haunt

The Mothman is a Cryptid or Urban Legend, that is said to have been seen in the Point Pleasant area of West Virginia in the late 1960s. It is described as a humanoid figure with wings, typically depicted as being all or mostly black, and standing several feet tall. The Mothman is often associated with disaster or tragedy; some believe it is a harbinger of death or destruction. Or possibly even an omen, showing up before great tragedies to warn the populace.

The legend of the Mothman began in November 1966, when several people reported seeing a strange, winged creature in the vicinity of the TNT area, an old World War II munitions storage facility located outside of Point Pleasant. Some of the witnesses claimed that the creature chased their vehicles, while others said it flew over their heads at low altitudes.

As news of the Mothman sightings spread, the legend of the creature grew and became more sensationalized. Some people claimed to have seen the Mothman in other parts of the United States, and others said it had superhuman powers or was able to predict the future. Some even suggested that the Mothman was an extraterrestrial or otherworldly being. 

Despite the widespread interest in the Mothman, there has never been any concrete evidence to support the existence of the creature. Some people have suggested that the Mothman may have been a misidentified owl or some other known animal, but others believe that it is a genuine cryptid.

Cedar Falls may be home to a cryptid or two, or maybe a haunted mansion to go along with it. Mandalay Mansion is a Local Mansion that many locals claim is haunted. Graduates recall driving down Mandalay Drive in Cedar Falls  with their headlights off. Regarding the supernatural roots of Cedar Falls, senior Sarah Kreck said, “I don’t think there’s much. We don’t really have much here,” but if few originate near us, she said what compels people to be so fascinated with these stories is “because people like mystery, they like to talk about things they don’t understand and try to decipher them. Also, because it’s fun, it’s fun to scare your friends or even yourself.”

One event that helped bring the Mothman into the mainstream was the release of the book “The Mothman Prophecies” by John A. Keel in 1975. The book detailed Keel’s investigation into the Mothman sightings and included accounts from witnesses as well as his own theories about the creature. The book was later adapted into a film of the same name in 2002, which further popularized the legend of the Mothman. Eventually leading to the establishment of an annual Mothman Festival, check out the website here: https://www.mothmanfestival.com/ along with the official Mothman Museum: https://www.mothmanmuseum.com/

With the internet’s ability to connect people over long distances, one may wonder about its ability to further the influence of creatures like the Mothman. Kreck said, “Well, I mean things like the backrooms and stuff like that are all internet based, so it’s a possibility I think things will keep to grow in that direction, especially with how each generation is more and more involved with the internet.”

More recently, the Mothman has gained additional attention due to its inclusion in the popular video game “Fallout 76,” which is set in a post-apocalyptic version of West Virginia. In the game, the Mothman is portrayed as a rare and powerful friend or foe that players can encounter as they explore the wasteland. The inclusion of the Mothman in the game has helped to bring the legend to a new generation of people and has led to a renewed interest in the Mothman and its place in West Virginia folklore.

Overall, the Mothman remains a mysterious and enigmatic figure in the world of cryptozoology, and it’s true nature and origins continue to be debated and discussed. Whether it is a real creature or simply a product of imagination and folklore, the Mothman continues to capture the imagination of people around the world.

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