Loren Coleman's Mothman Festival round-up

It's one week before Point Pleasant, West Virginia's annual Mothman Festival. In the mid-1960s, an unusual bird-like beastie dubbed the Mothman reportedly visited the small town and left a trail of high weirdness and a tragic bridge collapse in its wake. The first festival took place in 2002 after the release of The Mothman Prophecies film, based loosely on journalist John Keel's classic 1975 book about his own involvement in the strange occurrences. Leading up to this year's festival, Loren Coleman, author of Mothman And Other Curious Encounters, has posted a series of blog entries about the creepy cryptid:

• New Death & Bridge Collapse in Mothman Country Link

• Mothman’s Fate Link

• Spooky Southcoast: Mothman Link

• Mothman Festival Details Link

Link to buy Mothman and Other Curious Encounters, Link to buy The Mothman Prophecies

Previously on BB:
• Mothman Festival 2005 Link
• Cryptid photo contest winner Link

• [Crash! Bang!]

  slly hllblls. scrd shtlss by bg brd

• [Loren Coleman]

  Actually, Point Pleasant, West Virginia, residents are technically not “hillbillies,” due to the fact the town is located on the banks of the Ohio River. A river-based economy, and later tourist-oriented community developed here with individuals who are not your typical stereotyped Appalachian locals.

  Also, of note, the town is where, on October 10, 1774, the Battle of Point Pleasant occurred (when Chief Cornstalk was killed – and thus the Curse of Chief Cornstalk began). The event is celebrated in Point Pleasant as the first battle of the American Revolutionary War, a distinction made official by an act of Congress in 1910.

  To say that the 100 verified eyewitnesses to the misnamed “Mothman” (it actually was more like a giant six ft tall owl) were “scared” and startled by their encounters in 1966-1967, however, is true.