The Mothman Prophecy

For thirteen months beginning in November 1966, residents of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, reported encounters with a large, winged humanoid with glowing red eyes. The sightings ended abruptly on December 15, 1967, when the Silver Bridge collapsed, killing 46 people.

The First Sighting

On November 15, 1966, two young couples driving near an abandoned TNT factory saw a large gray creature with red eyes and wings. It rose vertically and followed their car. They reported it to police.

The Description

Witnesses consistently described a creature six to seven feet tall with large wings folded against its back. Its most distinctive feature was glowing red eyes. It could fly at tremendous speed. No conventional explanation accounted for it.

The Sightings

Over the following year, over 100 people reported seeing the creature. Sightings occurred throughout the Point Pleasant area. Some witnesses also reported UFO activity and Men in Black encounters.

The Disaster

On December 15, 1967, the Silver Bridge connecting Point Pleasant to Ohio collapsed during rush hour. Forty-six people died. Two bodies were never recovered.

The Connection

Mothman sightings ended after the collapse. John Keel’s book “The Mothman Prophecies” connected the sightings to the disaster, suggesting the creature was a harbinger or warning.

Assessment

The Mothman phenomenon combines cryptid sighting with disaster prophecy. Whether the creature warned of impending tragedy or simply appeared during a strange period, Point Pleasant’s experience became legendary.