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Mothman

File:Mothman_Artist's_Impression.png · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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Also known as Indrid Cold

In American folklore, Mothman is the name given to a humanoid creature that was reportedly seen around Point Pleasant, West Virginia, from November 15, 1966, to December 15, 1967. Despite its name, the original sightings of the creature described avian features. The first newspaper report was published in the Point Pleasant Register, dated November 16, 1966, titled "Couples See Man-Sized Bird ... Creature ... Something". The national press soon picked up the reports and helped spread the story across the United States. The source of the legend is believed to have originated from sightings

Key facts

Mythical creature.name
Mothman
Mythical creature.image
Mothman_Artist's_Impression.png
Mythical creature.caption
An artistic depiction of Mothman
Mythical creature.Grouping
Cryptid
Mythical creature.First_Attested
November 15, 1966
Mythical creature.Region
Point Pleasant, West Virginia, US

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Mothman Artist's Impression.png
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Mothman
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  • History
  • Analysis
  • Festival and statues
  • In popular culture
  • See also
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In American folklore, Mothman is the name given to a humanoid creature that was reportedly seen around Point Pleasant, West Virginia, from November 15, 1966, to December 15, 1967. Despite its name, the original sightings of the creature described avian features. The first newspaper report was published in the Point Pleasant Register, dated November 16, 1966, titled "Couples See Man-Sized Bird ... Creature ... Something". The national press soon picked up the reports and helped spread the story across the United States. The source of the legend is believed to have originated from sightings of out-of-migration sandhill cranes or herons.

The creature was introduced to a wider audience by Gray Barker in 1970, and was later popularized by John Keel in his 1975 book The Mothman Prophecies, claiming that there were paranormal events related to the sightings, and a connection to the collapse of the Silver Bridge. The book was later adapted into a 2002 film starring Richard Gere.

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