The Silver Bridge Collapse

On December 15, 1967, the Silver Bridge connecting Point Pleasant, West Virginia to Ohio collapsed during rush hour, killing 46 people. The disaster came after 13 months of Mothman sightings in the area, spawning theories that the creature had been a warning or harbinger.

The Bridge

Silver Bridge:

• Built 1928
• Suspension bridge
• Ohio River crossing
• Point Pleasant to Kanauga
• Major route

The Collapse

December 15, 1967:

• 5:00 PM
• Rush hour traffic
• Bridge full of cars
• Suddenly collapsed
• Into river

The Toll

The disaster:

• 46 people killed
• Many vehicles lost
• Community devastated
• National news
• Investigation began

The Cause

Official findings:

• Eyebar failure
• Metal fatigue
• Single point failure
• Cascade collapse
• Engineering flaw

The Mothman Connection

For 13 months prior:

• Mothman sightings
• Around Point Pleasant
• Multiple witnesses
• Consistent reports
• Then stopped

November 1966

Mothman first seen:

• November 12, 1966
• Gravediggers first
• Then famous November 15
• Couples at TNT area
• Wave began

The Sightings

Throughout 1966-67:

• Over 100 reports
• Red glowing eyes
• Large winged creature
• Around Point Pleasant
• Regional phenomenon

Then Silence

After bridge collapse:

• Sightings stopped
• Mothman gone
• As suddenly as appeared
• Pattern complete
• Coincidence?

John Keel

Researcher and writer:

• Investigated Mothman
• Present during wave
• Documented sightings
• Wrote “The Mothman Prophecies”
• Connected events

”The Mothman Prophecies”

Keel’s book:

• Published 1975
• Documented everything
• Strange events
• UFOs, Men in Black
• Bridge disaster

The Theory

Some believe:

• Mothman was warning
• Of coming disaster
• Harbinger of doom
• Prophetic appearance
• Supernatural connection

Alternative View

Others think:

• Coincidence only
• Separate events
• No connection
• Bridge engineering failure
• Mothman unrelated

Cultural Impact

The story:

• Book bestseller
• 2002 movie
• Richard Gere starred
• Pop culture phenomenon
• Enduring legend

Point Pleasant Today

The town:

• Embraces legend
• Mothman statue
• Annual festival
• Museum
• Tourist attraction

The Memorial

Bridge victims:

• Remembered
• Memorial erected
• Community scarred
• Never forgotten
• Real tragedy

The Mystery

Whether connected or not:

• Both events happened
• Same community
• Same timeframe
• Strange coincidence
• Compelling narrative

Significance

The events are significant for:

• Mothman phenomenon
• Bridge disaster
• Timing coincidence
• Cultural impact
• Ongoing debate

Legacy

The Silver Bridge collapse ended Point Pleasant’s Mothman wave and created an enduring mystery. Whether the creature was somehow connected to the tragedy or merely coincidental, the two events are forever linked in paranormal lore.