When days get shorter, hollers get darker
Appalachia teems with folklore, mythological creatures, and supernatural wonders. Don't know where to start? Here are our recommendations.
Do you know the Mothman?
Fifty-eight years ago today in the sleepy town of Point Pleasant, WV, a legend was born. That was the night several couples witnessed a strange moth-like creature chasing after their cars. According to Folklife Magazine:
Roger and Linda Scarberry and Steve and Mary Mallette were driving together on State Route 62 near the abandoned National Guard Armory building and power plant when they saw a menacing figure standing six to seven feet tall. In the headlights, giant eyes shone bright red. Panic set in. Roger, the car’s driver, sped away toward town.
But the creature followed. According to these first eyewitness accounts, the “thing” rose up like a helicopter. Though a “clumsy runner” as they saw at the power plant, it excelled in gliding, easily keeping pace, even as the car reached a hundred miles per hour.
Journalist Mary Hyre of the Athens Ohio Register duly covered the incident. More sightings, stories, nonfiction books, and even a film starring Richard Gere followed. Mothman hasn’t been reported in West Virginia for some time, however, in 2019 there were sightings of the winged creature in Chicago.
Mothman is one of the best known cryptids in America. Cryptids are creatures occuring in stories and legends, and that people believe exist or say they have seen, but have never been proven to exist.
There are a lot of cryptids claiming Appalachian roots. Perhaps it’s the region’s dense forests, rugged terrain, and isolated communities that have contributed to the development of these cryptid legends. Some, like Mothman, are believed to be connected to local tragedies or disasters. Others, like Sasquatch, take advantage of the region's abundant hiding spots.
Cryptozoology Breakdown:
Mothman: A large humanoid with wings and glowing red eyes, thought to be a warning sign of impending disasters.
Sasquatch (Bigfoot): A large, hairy humanoid that roams the dense Appalachian forests.
Flatwoods Monster: A tall creature with a red, glowing face and metallic or armored body, first reported in 1952.
Wampus Beast: A shape-shifting half-woman, half-cat or -dog creature that brings bad luck.
Snallygaster: A half-bird, half-reptile monster that preys on livestock and people.
Sheepsquatch: A shaggy, white, bipedal creature with sharp teeth and glowing red eyes.
The past twenty years have seen what folklorist Rosemary Hathaway, prof. emeritus at WVU, calls a “cryptid renaissance.”
While the existence of these cryptids remains — ahem — debated, their legends continue to captivate locals and visitors alike, adding to the folklore and cultural identity of Appalachia. Indeed, Mothman might be responsible for the cryptid comeback of the past twenty years.
Mothman is well-known to Appalachians. And the myth of Mothman snowballed into a phenomenon boosting Point Pleasant into a tourist attraction. The third weekend of September sees the Mothman Festival in Point Pleasant. Visitors can take in the Mothman Museum, cosplay, street eats, and more.
What’s your favorite cryptid? Does your town have a cryptid we don’t know about? Drop a line in the comments and tell us more.
How about the eerie side of Appalachian history?
If you’re a fan of the Appalachian supernatural, be sure to check out the Old Gods of Appalachia podcast, if you haven’t already. This entertaining series is a Lovecraftian horror anthology mythologizing true events that happened in central Appalachia. For ex., the Old Number Seven Mine disaster in Barlo, KY. The podcast’s creative team is based in Johnson City, TN, and they tour regularly.
Like your speculative fiction set in the hills?
There’s something about a holler that gets the imaginative juices flowing. Check out these recent and forthcoming titles from publishers around the country.
The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister. Counterpoint, Oct. 2024
Synopsis: Kiron, Va., resident Bennie Mattox is on a quest to hold the White Rock mining company responsible for decades of disappearances from its Kire Mountain coal mines. In her search for evidence, she comes upon a woman lying half-drowned in a mine slough—Motheater, a witch bound to the region, who joins up with Bennie to protect both town and mountain.
Smothermoss by Alisa Alering. Tin House Books, July 2024
Synopsis: In 1980s Appalachia, life isn’t easy for Sheila. She endures relentless taunting and bullying at the hands of her classmates; she takes care of her great-aunt, the garden and home, and the rabbits; and forages for mushrooms in the forest, all while her mother works long, back-breaking shifts at the nearby state asylum. But it’s her peculiar little sister, Angie, who worries her the most. Angie is obsessed with nuclear war, Rambo, zombies, a Russian invasion of their community, and the ominous, tarot-like cards that she creates that somehow speak to her. When a pair of female hikers are brutally murdered on the nearby Appalachian trail, Sheila and Angie find themselves inexorably drawn into the hunt for the killer. As the ever-present threat of violence looms larger, the mountain might be the only thing that can save them from the darkness consuming their home and their community.
Motheater by Linda H. Codega. Erewhon, Jan. 2025
Synopsis: For generations, the Haddesley family has made a grim exchange: the life of the family patriarch for the delivery of a bog wife, a supernatural woman constructed of plants who will carry on the family line. But when five dysfunctional siblings gather to deliver their father to the ancestral West Virginia cranberry bog, they wait in vain for the wife’s appearance. The broken covenant sends the baffled, frightened family into further disarray.
You, from Below by Em J Parsley. Split Lip, Feb. 2025
Synopsis: This novella from writing professor and Kentucky resident Parsley tracks the lone survivor of an Appalachian holler town that disappears into the earth. Determined to find answers, the unnamed narrator heads up a nearby mountain, bearing an envelope they know they must deliver—but to whom? On their journey, they meet a beekeeper, an immortal woman, and a schoolteacher from a town left empty by the Rapture.
Mark your calendars:
Wise, VA: The University of Virginia’s College at Wise Theater Division presents 9 to 5 The Musical November 21st–23rd at 7 p.m. and November 24th at 2 p.m. on campus in the Gilliam Center for the Arts Black Box Theater.
Penned, the literary contest from Kentucky Monthly, is open for submissions. The max word count is 1200, and the deadline is Decemeber 11.
Hindman, KY: The Oak Ledge Writing Residency contest is an opportunity for three winners to receive a free residency at the Oak Ledge cottage at the Hindman Settlement School. Enter now through December 1.
Phew! That was a lot of supernatural. Stay tuned next month for something completely different! And be sure to like us on Facebook, so you can get the latest about our work!