Flatwoods Monster — West Virginia Witnesses Encounter Towering Spade-Headed Entity

On September 12, 1952, three young boys in Flatwoods, West Virginia reported seeing a bright object streak across the sky and apparently land on a hill on the property of a local farmer. They gathered a group of additional witnesses including an adult woman and a National Guard member, and went to investigate. The group reported seeing a pulsing ball of red light and two smaller lights nearby. When one member's dog ran toward the lights, it returned whimpering in fear. Shining a flashlight toward the lights, the group encountered a creature they later described as at least 10 feet tall with a spade-shaped head, clawed hands, and a body that seemed to float rather than walk. The figure emitted a hissing sound and an overpowering sulfurous odor. The group fled in terror. A reporter who investigated the scene within the hour found a circular area of flattened grass and tracks, and detected the lingering sulfurous odor. Several members of the group experienced throat and eye irritation consistent with chemical exposure. A State Trooper and subsequent investigators found additional physical evidence. The Flatwoods Monster is one of the few cryptid encounters that includes multiple credible adult witnesses, physical trace evidence, and documented medical symptoms. Some researchers have suggested the creature may have been extraterrestrial in origin. The town of Flatwoods now features a museum dedicated to the incident.