The Flatwoods Monster was not one of those stories I heard in Southern Ohio as a kid, but one I stumbled across on the internet much later. It has since become one of my favorite Appalachian cryptids. Monster NamesThe Flatwoods Monster, The Braxton County Monster, The Phantom of Flatwoods, The Visitor From Outer Space, The Green Monster Origin StoryThe Flatwoods Monster originates from an incident that occurred in Flatwoods, West Virginia on September 12, 1952. Allegedly, a mother (Kathleen May), her two sons, and their friends saw a bright, red light soar low through the sky. As the light seemed to hover and land on a nearby hilltop, they naturally followed it to see what it was. On their way up the hill, their dog ran ahead of them and began barking; soon after, it ran back to them, cowering with its tail between its legs. The group continued up the hill, and once there, they saw a blinking, red light, "like a big ball of fire" about 50 feet to their right. A thick, smoky mist hung in the air. The group reported that they began to feel nauseous. On their left were two smaller, blue lights (some say the eyes were green-ish-orange and reflective like some animal's eyes are) under an oak tree. One of the boys shined a flashlight in that direction, and the shape of a large, man-like creature with a head shaped like the "ace of Spades" (or as if it was wearing a pointed hood) was exposed. The head seemed to have a circular window, but the creature did not have arms or legs. They believed that the body may have been made up of a green, smooth rubber-like material. The approximately six foot tall creature appeared to glide, and made hissing noises. One of the young boys fainted, causing the group to drag him as they all ran away. The following day, investigators discovered a thick black substance, matted grass, and burn marks in the soil. The witnesses were notably frightened when interviewed by A. Lee Stuart Jr. (for the Braxton Democrat); some asked for first aid, others were barely able to speak. Other witnessesThis encounter occurred when several 'UFO' sightings were reported in the area. Bright orange balls were seen near Birch River, the airport at Sutton, and one woman from Weston swore that she shared the same experience as the group one week prior-noting the noxious odor and smoke-but was too afraid to come forward. In his article (1953, Fate), Gray Barker wrote that "numerous people in a 20-mile radius saw the illuminated objects in the sky at the same time making a circuit of the area." He believed that the incident was consistent with other reports of UFO activity (like sightings of flying saucers). TheoriesMost believe that the incident was caused by the appearance of a meteor paired with the nearby sighting of a large owl (barn owl, more specifically). People often mistake everyday images for more supernatural ones when they are afraid or when it is dark. The group was expecting something mysterious or frightening-and they had probably never seen a barn owl before- so the scene caused them to panic. However, the witnesses have been fairly consistent with their stories. Some believe that government employees were dispatched to the scene to interview the group (posing as reporters), clear the area of evidence, and pass around a story of hysteria caused by an owl and meteor sighting. Of course, this would be done to cover up the existence of aliens. But, what do you think? Sources/Read MoreThe Flatwoods UFO Monster The Braxton County Monster: The Cover-Up of the Flatwoods Monster Revealed UFO Evidence: The Flatwoods Monster Stranger Than Science (1959)
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AuthorKristen Puckett Archives
August 2018
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