Whispering Pines
Quick Facts
- First Sighting: November 15, 1966
- Location: Point Pleasant, WV
- Height: 6-7 feet
- Wingspan: 10-15 feet
- Notable Event: Silver Bridge collapse (1967)
The Mothman
The Mothman first appeared on November 15, 1966, when two young couples from Point Pleasant told police they saw a large gray creature whose eyes "glowed red" when their car headlights picked it up. Over the next year, over 100 people reported seeing the creature.
The most chilling aspect of the Mothman legend is its connection to the December 15, 1967 collapse of the Silver Bridge, which killed 46 people. Many witnesses claimed to have seen the creature near the bridge in the days before the tragedy.
John Keel's 1975 book "The Mothman Prophecies" documented the events and spawned a 2002 film adaptation. Today, Point Pleasant hosts an annual Mothman Festival and has erected a 12-foot stainless steel statue honoring the creature.
Witness Accounts
"It was like a man with wings... but the eyes. Those horrible red eyes. They looked right through me."
- Roger Scarberry, November 15, 1966 (Police Report #67-0115)
"I saw it standing near the bridge pylons two nights before it fell. It wasn't a bird or a plane - it was watching."
- Anonymous witness, December 1967 (Keel Archives)