The First Mothman Sightings

On November 15, 1966, two young couples driving near an abandoned WWII munitions plant outside Point Pleasant, West Virginia encountered something that would spawn one of America’s most enduring cryptid legends. The Mothman had arrived.

The Witnesses

The couples:

• Roger and Linda Scarberry
• Steve and Mary Mallette
• Local residents
• Out driving
• Credible witnesses

The Location

TNT Area:

• Former WWII munitions plant
• Abandoned igloos
• Remote location
• Known party spot
• Isolated area

The Encounter

Around 11:30 PM:

• Driving near old plant
• Headlights caught figure
• Near generator building
• Not human
• Terrifying

The Creature

They described:

• 6-7 feet tall
• Gray colored
• Folded wings
• Huge red eyes
• Hypnotic gaze

The Eyes

Most distinctive:

• Bright red
• Glowing
• Two inches across
• Set in shoulders
• Terrifying brilliance

The Wings

Estimated span:

• 10-15 feet
• Folded behind
• Bat-like
• Not feathered
• Membrane appearance

The Chase

The creature:

• Rose into air
• Pursued their car
• They fled at 100 mph
• It kept pace
• Easily followed

Speed

Impossibly fast:

• Car at 100 mph
• Creature matched
• Without flapping
• Effortless pursuit
• Superhuman

The Sound

Witnesses reported:

• Squeaking noise
• Like large mouse
• Or mechanical sound
• Eerie
• Unforgettable

They Reached Town

Driving to safety:

• Went to courthouse
• Found Deputy Halstead
• Told their story
• Clearly terrified
• Obviously genuine

Deputy Millard Halstead

The officer:

• Saw their terror
• Believed them
• Searched TNT area
• Found nothing
• But shadows moved

Media Explosion

Story spread:

• Local papers first
• Then national
• Name “Mothman” coined
• Copyeditor suggestion
• Legend born

Additional Sightings

Same period:

• Construction workers reported
• Similar creature
• Earlier that day
• Multiple witnesses
• Pattern emerging

The TNT Area

Over following year:

• Many more sightings
• Same location
• Multiple witnesses
• Consistent descriptions
• Hotspot activity

Newell Partridge

Same night:

• Salem, WV
• 90 miles away
• Saw creature
• Dog chased it
• Dog vanished

The Pattern

Mothman sightings:

• Began November 1966
• Continued through 1967
• Over 100 reports
• Same basic creature
• Regional phenomenon

Significance

These first sightings are significant for:

• Multiple witnesses
• Credible observers
• Detailed descriptions
• Launching legend
• Year of encounters

Legacy

The November 15, 1966 sighting launched one of America’s most famous cryptid cases. The two couples’ terrified account set the pattern for over a year of Mothman sightings that would end in tragedy.