A Strange Creature Was Lurking in West Virginia. Then an Iconic Bridge Collapsed

A sleepy town of barely 4,000 people, Point Pleasant sits on the north bank of West Virginia’s Kanawha River, where it empties into the Ohio River. A single, family-run hotel and smattering of local restaurants and fast food joints greet the traveler. It feels, for the most part, indistinguishable from many rust-belt towns: lush with greenery and open park spaces, punctuated by derelict buildings and businesses with a sense that life has passed it by. But for one weekend in the early fall, Point Pleasant hosts the annual Mothman Festival, celebrating the region’s homegrown, enigmatic cryptid: a flying humanoid with glowing red eyes burning out of its chest. The 2022 festival is massive, with an estimated 15,000-plus attendees. Some wear elaborate cosplay getups, others are in Mothman T-shirts (one reads “Live, Laugh, Lurk,” while many others are lewder, Mothman having become something of a sex symbol in this world of mythical creatures). Booths line the streets selling stickers, hot dogs, and funnel cakes. Amateur ghost-hunting crews sit at recruitment tables, and half a dozen authors are hawking their self-published books on any number of paranormal themes. The coffee shop has brought out its plywood face-in-hole board for patrons to pose as Mothman for photos, while, down the street, one vacant store has been converted into a makeshift lecture hall where speakers are giving talks on topics including “Flying Monsters” and “Top Ten Cryptids.” [View in Browser]( [Popular Mechanics]( [SHOP]( [EXCLUSIVE]( [SUBSCRIBE]( [A Strange Creature Was Lurking in West Virginia. Then an Iconic Bridge Collapsed]( [A Strange Creature Was Lurking in West Virginia. Then an Iconic Bridge Collapsed]( [A Strange Creature Was Lurking in West Virginia. Then an Iconic Bridge Collapsed]( A sleepy town of barely 4,000 people, Point Pleasant sits on the north bank of West Virginia’s Kanawha River, where it empties into the Ohio River. A single, family-run hotel and smattering of local restaurants and fast food joints greet the traveler. It feels, for the most part, indistinguishable from many rust-belt towns: lush with greenery and open park spaces, punctuated by derelict buildings and businesses with a sense that life has passed it by. But for one weekend in the early fall, Point Pleasant hosts the annual Mothman Festival, celebrating the region’s homegrown, enigmatic cryptid: a flying humanoid with glowing red eyes burning out of its chest. The 2022 festival is massive, with an estimated 15,000-plus attendees. Some wear elaborate cosplay getups, others are in Mothman T-shirts (one reads “Live, Laugh, Lurk,” while many others are lewder, Mothman having become something of a sex symbol in this world of mythical creatures). Booths line the streets selling stickers, hot dogs, and funnel cakes. Amateur ghost-hunting crews sit at recruitment tables, and half a dozen authors are hawking their self-published books on any number of paranormal themes. The coffee shop has brought out its plywood face-in-hole board for patrons to pose as Mothman for photos, while, down the street, one vacant store has been converted into a makeshift lecture hall where speakers are giving talks on topics including “Flying Monsters” and “Top Ten Cryptids.” A sleepy town of barely 4,000 people, Point Pleasant sits on the north bank of West Virginia’s Kanawha River, where it empties into the Ohio River. A single, family-run hotel and smattering of local restaurants and fast food joints greet the traveler. It feels, for the most part, indistinguishable from many rust-belt towns: lush with greenery and open park spaces, punctuated by derelict buildings and businesses with a sense that life has passed it by. But for one weekend in the early fall, Point Pleasant hosts the annual Mothman Festival, celebrating the region’s homegrown, enigmatic cryptid: a flying humanoid with glowing red eyes burning out of its chest. The 2022 festival is massive, with an estimated 15,000-plus attendees. Some wear elaborate cosplay getups, others are in Mothman T-shirts (one reads “Live, Laugh, Lurk,” while many others are lewder, Mothman having become something of a sex symbol in this world of mythical creatures). Booths line the streets selling stickers, hot dogs, and funnel cakes. Amateur ghost-hunting crews sit at recruitment tables, and half a dozen authors are hawking their self-published books on any number of paranormal themes. The coffee shop has brought out its plywood face-in-hole board for patrons to pose as Mothman for photos, while, down the street, one vacant store has been converted into a makeshift lecture hall where speakers are giving talks on topics including “Flying Monsters” and “Top Ten Cryptids.” [Read More]( [Read More]( [The Wild Pigs of Europe Are Highly Radioactive Because of Chernobyl, Study Says]( [The Wild Pigs of Europe Are Highly Radioactive Because of Chernobyl, Study Says]( Don’t eat them. [Read More]( [Alternate text] [Alternate text] [Repurpose Fallen Leaves with the 8 Best Leaf Mulchers]( [Repurpose Fallen Leaves with the 8 Best Leaf Mulchers]( Turn your fall leaf pile into fresh fertilizer. [Read More]( [Keep Your Toes Protected with These Expert-Approved Steel-Toe Boots]( Keep Your Toes Protected with These Expert-Approved Steel-Toe Boots]( Stay protected and comfortable. 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