Day Tripping follow-up: The Mothman Festival

Admittedly, this is not for everyone. But since I'd been thinking about making a Mothman pilgrimage for sometime, Jean Payne's Day Tripping contribution was enough to tip me over the edge. It looks like the rain yesterday kept the crowds down. But somehow, I suspect there never are any crowds. The Mothman Museum ($3.00 for adults) and the Point Pleasant River Museum ($4.00 for adults) were a bargain. The $20 tee-shirts..? Well, I guess that depends on what kind of a nut you are. You will probably see me around town in mine.

More pics here.

Related Post: Day Tripping: The Mothman Festival, Point Pleasant, WV

The Mothman myth in a nutshell: There are four aspects to the Mothman myth: the Mothman, UFOs, men-in-black, and a tragic bridge collapse. It started one night in 1966 with the sighting of a large birdlike creature at an abandoned munitions factory near Point Pleasant, WV. This was followed by a number of sightings, all by credible witnesses. Thereafter, there were a number of UFO sightings in and around the town. Soon there were men in black suits combing the town, trying to disuade the witnesses. 13 months after the first Mothman sighting, the Silver Bridge, which spanned the Ohio River from Point Pleasant to the Ohio side, collapsed killing 41 people. In the minds of many residents the events were connected. Before the bridge tragedy, there were phonecalls from an eerie voice warning some people that there was going to be a disaster. The day before the collapse, witnesses saw the men-in-black climbing around the bridge, as if they were looking for something. There were no further Mothman sightings after the disaster.