Humble State or A Dark Enigma?
West Virginia is known for many things, from beautiful hills to pleasant people. But did you know West Virginia is also home to some of the strangest mysteries? You don’t have to look far in these hallowed Appalachian Mountains to hear rumors of crazy things lurking in the woods. With that in mind, here are 20 West Virginia tales that defy logic.
1. The Mothman of Point Pleasant
In 1966, multiple people claimed to spot a man-sized bird with red eyes roaming around Point Pleasant. Witnesses claim it lurked about an abandoned TNT area until multiple sightings were recorded before the collapse of the Silver Bridge in 1967. You can still find a statue of the winged beast to this day, but nobody knows if it was a mutation or harbinger of doom.
2. The Flatwoods Monster
Boys and their mother, chasing down an illuminated object in the woods, came across a ten-foot-tall humanoid with a shovel head. Witnesses say it spewed some sort of metallic-smelling mist that made everyone who inhaled it ill for weeks. Many locals grew up hearing about this incident; some may believe it was an owl, but they insisted it was an alien.
3. The Greenbrier Ghost
The Greenbrier Ghost is perhaps one of the only cases in American history where a ghost’s testimony helped convict a criminal. When Elva Zona Heaster passed, she came to her mother in a dream and told her that her husband was responsible. Her body was exhumed, and the findings matched her ghost’s story exactly.
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4. The Disappearance of the Sodder Children
Five children disappeared on Christmas Eve in 1945 when a fire consumed their family home. Officials claim they perished in the fire, but no evidence of their remains was found in the ashes. The parents spent the rest of their lives convinced their children were taken from them, and even received what they believed was a photo of their son years later.
5. The Phantom of the Trans-Allegheny Asylum
As its name suggests, thousands of patients were held captive within the walls of this giant rock building. Some say that there are several ghosts of former patients still residing there today. There have been countless reports of slamming doors and shadowy figures stumbling through the halls.
6. The Grafton Monster
A local reporter swore he saw a creature with no head and a muscular torso near his town in the mid-sixties. It was also described as blonde, towering over most men, and hiding in the darkness. Search parties were assembled to try to hunt down the monster, but no evidence was ever found.
7. The Curse of Lake Shawnee
Lake Shawnee was an amusement park built on top of a Native American burial ground. It has a history of mysterious accidents that eventually led to its closure. Lake Shawnee remains untouched for the world to see. The swings sway in the wind, and you can make out the frame of the Ferris wheel in the distance.
8. The West Virginia Winged Cat
There were reports of a cat with wings flying around overheard in the fifties. Some speculated that it was a rare genetic mutation or possibly long strands of fur that tangled together to give it the appearance of wings. Either way, it may have been one of the few cases where it actually was what it seemed.
9. The Indrid Cold Encounters
Woodrow Derenberger was driving down the road when he was pulled over by a metallic vehicle and a man with a strange smile. This man, who introduced himself telepathically as Indrid Cold, would appear to more people throughout West Virginia amidst the Mothman sightings. To this day, we may never know if Indrid Cold was an actual extraterrestrial or someone’s idea of one.
10. The Screaming Woman of Morgan’s Glade
Hikers and wanderers of Preston County have reported hearing a woman screaming out for help somewhere inside the woodland. Some believe it to be the ghost of a pioneer woman who lost her way on the trails. If you venture out into Morgan’s Glade after dark, you may hear her trying to find her way back home, too.
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11. The Moundsville Pen Shadow Man
Life at the now-defunct West Virginia Penitentiary was not easy for prisoners or guards for decades. Convicts and officers claimed to see a dark silhouette walking around the boiler room. Nicknamed the “Shadow Man”, this ghostly presence is described as a dark blob that can walk through walls silently.
12. The White Things of West Virginia
Reports of large, shaggy, white humanoid creatures spread across many rural counties in West Virginia. Described as bearlike dogs with rat tails, these creatures move faster than any known creature of North America. Locals blame them for missing livestock and often report hearing a vibrating whistle when they’re nearby.
13. The Mystery of the Ceredo-Kenova Mounds
Centuries before pioneers settled these hills, the Adena people constructed large burial mounds across the Ohio River Valley. Several impressive ones still stand in West Virginia for curious explorers to discover. While scientists have dug into the mounds to learn more, no one really knows exactly what went on there or why the culture mysteriously disappeared.
14. The Haunted Harpers Ferry
Civil War buffs will recognize Harpers Ferry as the site of one of the darkest battles in the war. Locals report spirits of Confederate and Union soldiers still patrol the winding streets today. Visitors have sniffed the smell of old pipe grounds and heard the jangle of metal canteens when they stroll near the armory at night.
15. The Bat Boy of the Lost World Caverns
This popular cryptid was made famous by the dearly departed Weekly World News newspaper. The story of a malformed half-boy, half-bat creature captured in the Lost World Caverns unnerved the country. However, the actual cave system in Lewisburg still stands and is ripe for exploration.
16. The Blackwater Falls Apparitions
Occasionally, tourists at this scenic waterfall report catching sight of a woman in a blue dress at the overlook. She’s gazing down at the waterfall with a sad expression before she vanishes into thin air. Many have tried to identify her, but no body or history matches up with the mystery woman of Blackwater Falls.
17. The Silver Run Tunnel Ghost
Sometime late in the 19th century, a train engineer saw something no one ever believed him about. Halfway through a long tunnel, he spotted a woman dressed in white standing on the tracks. He slammed on the brakes but ended up driving right through the apparition. When the train came to a stop, she was gone. Rail workers have since reported seeing a glowing figure inside the tunnel waiting for her train to come.
18. The Men in Black of Point Pleasant
If you witnessed the Mothman in Point Pleasant, there was a good chance that some Men in Black visited you, too. Witnesses claimed they were men in suits who drove black Cadillacs and warned citizens to stay quiet. Multiple sources described them as appearing too human and talking like robots.
19. The Devil’s Kettle of West Virginia
Have you ever heard of a stream feeding into a lake that disappears? It happens in several places around West Virginia, and no one knows where the water goes. Scientists have attempted to track underground pathways through limestone caves, but they seem to never end.
20. The Whetzel Settlement Lights
Mountain orbs have been spotted here since before living memory. People who live in Whetzel Settlement swear the mysterious orbs of light play across the mountaintops. They appear to have lives of their own, floating for hours or darting away at high speeds.
