The Mothman of Point Pleasant
On the night of November 15, 1966, two young couples were driving near an abandoned World War II munitions plant outside Point Pleasant, West Virginia. They saw something standing by the road - a large gray figure with wings folded against its back and eyes that glowed red when their headlights hit them. It flew after their car, keeping pace at 100 miles per hour. They reported it to the police, and the story hit newspapers. Over the next thirteen months, more than 100 witnesses reported seeing the creature around Point Pleasant. They called it the Mothman. Then, on December 15, 1967, the Silver Bridge connecting Point Pleasant to Ohio collapsed during rush hour, plunging dozens of cars into the icy Ohio River. Forty-six people died. After that night, no one ever saw the Mothman again.
The First Sighting
Steve and Mary Mallette, Roger and Linda Scarberry - two young couples on a double date - were driving near the old TNT plant when they saw what they later described as a 'large flying man with ten-foot wings.' The creature's most distinctive feature was its eyes: red, glowing, and hypnotic. They fled in Roger's car; the creature pursued, flying alongside them at highway speed. At a roadside spot called Dairyland, it veered away. Sheriff's Deputy Millard Halstead took their report seriously - they were clearly terrified. The Mason County Sheriff organized a search of the TNT area the next day but found nothing.
The Sightings
Over the next year, the Mothman became Point Pleasant's obsession. Witnesses described a 7-foot-tall gray creature with wings and glowing red eyes. Some saw it flying; others standing still, often near the TNT plant's old concrete domes. Reports came from farmers, police officers, contractors, and families. Some witnessed UFO activity in the area. Strange Men in Black reportedly visited witnesses, asking questions and warning them not to discuss what they'd seen. A reporter named John Keel came to investigate; his 1975 book 'The Mothman Prophecies' would later be made into a film. The town divided between believers and skeptics, but the sightings continued.
The Collapse
On December 15, 1967, at 5:04 PM, the Silver Bridge - a crucial link across the Ohio River - suddenly collapsed. The 700-foot suspension bridge, loaded with rush-hour traffic, dropped into the river without warning. Thirty-one vehicles fell; 46 people died, making it one of America's worst bridge disasters. Investigation revealed that a single eyebar in the suspension chain had cracked due to stress corrosion and metal fatigue - a failure invisible from outside. But in the shattered town, people noticed something else: after the disaster, no one ever reported seeing the Mothman again. Had the creature been a warning? A harbinger? The coincidence has never been explained.
The Legend
Skeptics have offered explanations for the Mothman: a large sandhill crane with its red eye patches, confused in the dark; a great horned owl; mass hysteria in a small town. The TNT plant was a known habitat for unusual wildlife. But the eyewitness descriptions don't quite fit these explanations - the creature was too large, too fast, and consistently described despite witnesses having no contact with each other. The Mothman has become a folk legend, the subject of books and a major Hollywood film. Point Pleasant has embraced the creature, erecting a statue, opening a museum, and holding an annual Mothman Festival. Whether harbinger or hoax, the Mothman belongs to Point Pleasant now.
Visiting Point Pleasant
Point Pleasant is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers in West Virginia, accessible via Route 35. The Mothman Statue stands at the corner of 4th and Main Streets - a 12-foot stainless steel sculpture with wings spread and eyes that glow at night. The Mothman Museum on Main Street displays original newspaper clippings, props from the 2002 film, and exhibits on the bridge collapse. The Silver Bridge Memorial honors the 46 victims at Point Pleasant River Walk. The TNT area (McClintic Wildlife Management Area) where sightings concentrated is north of town; the old bunkers remain. Yeager Airport in Charleston is 60 miles south. The annual Mothman Festival is held the third weekend of September.
From the Air
Located at 38.84°N, 82.14°W at the confluence of the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers in western West Virginia. From altitude, Point Pleasant appears as a small river town at the junction of two waterways. The replacement Silver Memorial Bridge crosses the Ohio River to Ohio. The TNT area (McClintic Wildlife Management Area) is 5 miles north, visible as bunker-dotted woodland. Yeager Airport in Charleston is 60 miles southeast. The Ohio River forms the state boundary; Ohio lies to the west.