The quiet little river town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia seems like a charming, friendly place. But there’s a story about a monster there that is more than a little creepy.

The story takes place in Point Pleasant, WV, in 1966.
WikiMedia Commons/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Digital Visual Library
Five men who were digging a grave at night saw a man-shaped creature fly over their heads, above the trees.
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This incident took place on November 12, 1966, in the nearby town of Clendenin, West Virginia.
A few days later, two young couples were driving around the TNT area near Point Pleasant.
Mothman Festival/Facebook
The area was used for manufacturing and storage of wartime explosives.
They also saw a creature that they described as a "large flying man with ten-foot wings," with eyes that glowed red.
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Newspapers began to pick up the story, and dozens of others in the area claimed to see the creature over the next year.
The Mothman Museum/Facebook
On December 15, 1967, a terrible tragedy took place.
WikiMedia Commons/Federal Highway Administration
The Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant suddenly collapsed, killing 46 people.
After the bridge collapsed, there were no more reports of the creature.
The Mothman Museum/Facebook
The timing of the events led many people to believe that creature was connected with the bridge collapse, either causing it, or trying to warn people. The reporter who wrote this story was more skeptical, but there was at least one accurate prediction that happened: the Mothman has become a huge legend and tourist attraction.
As the legend continued to grow, Point Pleasant began to celebrate the creature with an annual festival.
Mothman Festival/Facebook
Books and movies about the events helped to create the popular legend.
The festival includes historical tours, paranormal speakers, and Mothman themed snacks.
Mothman Festival/Facebook
These cookies are sold by The Coffee Grinder. Address: 330 Main St, Point Pleasant, WV 25550.
The Mothman Museum in Point Pleasant has numerous items on display related to the sightings.
The Mothman Museum
The museum is open year round.
You can read the original newspaper articles about the events.
The Mothman Museum
Address: 400 Main Street, Point Pleasant, WV 25550.
There's even a Mothman Statue in the center of town.
Flickr/Jason W.
It's on 4th Street in Point Pleasant. You can't miss it if you're at the festival.

The 15th annual Mothman Festival will take place September 17 and 18, 2016. It’s also the Mothman’s 50th anniversary!

If you need a place to stay for the festival, consider the haunted Lowe Hotel.

If you can’t get enough spooky tales about West Virginia, take a look at these other scary stories.

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