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The Mothman Museum in Point Pleasant, West Virginia.

A cryptid town is a made up term invented by author J.W. Ocker, given to a town which has a close cultural identity with a local cryptid, often with the goal of encouraging tourism.[1] Cryptid towns may have festivals, museums, statues and research organisations dedicated to a given cryptid. Areas called cryptid towns tend to be rural and remote, which correlates with the types of areas cryptids are said to often originate from, which in turn can make them appear economically deprived and reliant on the economy of cryptid tourism.[1] Some places may not necessarily be best known for their folklore or rely on it for tourism, but do still feature it prominently in events and local culture.

Notable examples

Fouke, Arkansas

Fouke, Arkansas, with a population of about 800, is known for the Fouke Monster, a cryptid synonymous with the town and surrounding area. Fouke holds an annual festival dedicated to the monster, is home to the Monster Mart store, and is the setting for the cult classic horror film, The Legend of Boggy Creek (1972), based around the alleged events within the town.[2]

Point Pleasant, West Virginia

Point Pleasant, West Virginia, with a population of around 4,000, has a festival, museum and statue dedicated to its local cryptid, the Mothman.[3]

Annual Mothman Festival

Photo from the 2011 Annual Mothman Festival, showing a Mothman cosplayer and other festivities.

The Annual Mothman Festival was founded by Jeff Wamsley and Carolin Harris in 2002 as an attempt to drive tourism to the area and is celebrated in the month of September.[4] The festival has been credited with creating an “economic boom” for the local community each year and features merchandise vendors, guest speakers, food, live music and exhibitions. Cosplay is practiced by many attendees and is encouraged by the festival. In 2022, organisers claimed the festival brought in over $2 million in revenue and regularly attracts between 12,000 and 15,000 attendees.[5][6][7]

Sutton and Flatwoods, West Virginia

Sutton, West Virginia, with a population of around 859, has a museum dedicated to the Flatwoods monster, featuring life-size replicas of the creature, various interpretations of it in the form of drawings, figurines and artwork, as well as merchandise.[8] A Flatwoods Monster Convention was held in 2023, which drew visitors in from around the country.[9][10] Locals say that, across Braxton County, people can sometimes be found staking out at campgrounds to try and spot the creature, and children have been known to dress up as the Flatwoods monster for Halloween.[11] Sutton is unique as a cryptid town, as the Flatwoods monster did not originate there, but rather from the nearby town of Flatwoods, West Virginia.[12]

Flatwoods, which comparatively has a much smaller population of around 264, instead features a simple welcome sign that read “Welcome to Flatwoods, Home of the Green Monster”. Also in the town is a Flatwoods monster and alien themed restaurant and dairy bar, the Spot, and one of five decorative chairs that depict the cryptid, which are spread around Braxton County.[8][13][14]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b “I Tracked America’s Cryptid Obsession, From Bigfoot to Sentient Pants”. Vice. 2023-04-26. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  2. ^ “Fouke”. arkansas.com. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  3. ^ “Mothman Festival brings thousands of cryptid fans to West Virginia”. West Virginia Watch. 2023-09-19. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  4. ^ WRITER, Chad Vaughn STAFF (2023-09-13). “Here’s what’s happening at this weekend’s Mothman Festival”. WV News. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  5. ^ “The 2023 Mothman Festival is ready to fly”. WVNS. 2023-09-15. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  6. ^ “2023 Mothman Festival summons economic boom for Point Pleasant”. WOWK 13 News. 2023-09-15. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  7. ^ “The Mothman Festival: Point Pleasant’s celebration of the urban legend”. The Mothman Festival: Point Pleasant’s celebration of the urban legend – The Post. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  8. ^ a b “The W.Va. Monster That Crept Into International Pop Culture”. West Virginia Public Broadcasting. 2019-10-25. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  9. ^ “When are WV’s monster festivals in 2023?”. WBOY.com. 2022-12-19. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  10. ^ “Flatwoods Monster Convention”. Wild & Weird WV. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  11. ^ Blashke, John (2023-10-31). “Remembering West Virginia’s Famous Monster this Halloween”. WDTV. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  12. ^ Nickell, Joe (November 2, 2000). “The Flatwoods UFO Monster”. Skeptical Inquirer. Vol. 24, no. 6. CSICOP. pp. 15–19.
  13. ^ “In 1952, the Flatwoods Monster Terrified 6 Kids, a Mom, a Dog—and the Nation”. HISTORY. 2020-01-10. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  14. ^ “Monster Chair A: Flatwoods Municipal Building”. Visit Braxton, WV. Retrieved 2024-02-03.