Flatwoods Monster
The Flatwoods Monster
A Beloved Extraterrestrial
Origins:
The Flatwoods Monster is a staple of cryptid Americana. A tale that began on the night of September 12th 1952 with a group of kids spending their evening playing on the lawn in front of their school. The children, Edward May, Freddie May, Neil Nunley, and Tommy Hyer all caught sight of something red streaking through the sky that appeared to have landed on a hill in the nearby farm owned by G. Bailey Fisher. The May boys decided to go and check it out, stopping by their house first to tell their mother Kathleen May. She along with the family dog and National Guardsman Eugene Lemon joined the children on their quest.
As they crested the hill and came upon the crash site they spotted a pulsing red light. Eugene Lemon shined his flashlight upon the area and the group was met with an unexplainable creature: a ten foot tall, humanoid behemoth with a spade-like head shape and bright glowing eyes. Its hands were massive, clawed and twisted, its body adorned in what looked like a large, dark metallic dress. It was surrounded by a foul smelling mist and as the light hit it, the creature began to levitate before launching itself towards the terrified witnesses. Lemon immediately dropped the flashlight and the whole group ran for it (1,5,6).
Lemon and May reported the incident to the local authorities who did their best to locate the creature, but came up empty. It didn’t matter though, a legend was already born and Braxton County West Virginia would never be the same (1).
(Image credits: Early Flatwoods Monster Newspaper Image Courtesy of The Flatwoods Monster Museum)
Description:
The Flatwoods Monster has many names. The Braxton County Monster, The Flatwoods Phantom, and perhaps most endearingly, Braxie. The creature is said to be large with a green body and red face fixed with orange glowing eyes. Some claim that the spade-like shape of its head is actually a hood and underneath it lies a more reptilian visage (1).
When the creature first appeared, the air was thick with a foul smelling mist that each of the witnesses inhaled. In the days that followed, all of those included found themselves stricken with nausea, sore throats, and vomiting indicating that the mist was toxic. Interestingly, these symptoms align exactly with the signs and symptoms associated with mustard gas (1,5). Perhaps this was somehow involved?
Many believe Braxie to have been an extraterrestrial that visited Earth that night which disappeared as quickly as it came. Others think it may have been a hallucination caused by fear and the light of a passing meteor that was recorded to have struck through the sky that night (2).
One of the first articles written about the monster, featured in vol. 24 of the Skeptical Inquirer, speculated that it may have been a screech owl illuminated from behind, creating a giant shadow that horrified onlookers (2). However, this explanation doesn’t account for the following sightings or the many strange details of the case.
Repeated Sightings:
Early September 1952: Not long before the sighting that made the monster famous, there was another odd occurrence in Braxton County that some attribute to the monster. A woman named Audra Harper and a friend of hers were taking a shortcut through the forest when they spotted what appeared to be a fireball in the distance. At first both women dismissed it as one of the neighbors “fox chasing.” But when they took a closer look they were terrified to see what looked like the silhouette of a giant monster on the hillside. Terrified, the two hikers ran away (3).
(Image credits: Welcome to Flatwoods Sign Image courtesy of The Braxton County Official Site)
September 12th, 1952:
The night of September 12th was the scene of the initial sighting of Braxie. This is the most well documented appearance of the monster which came to define its mythos. Following the incident, the children involved would grow to call themselves the Flatwoods Ground Pounders. In the 50s these kids were a staple in the community who spent their time hitchhiking, pulling pranks, and causing generally lighthearted mayhem in the area (7).
September 13th 1952 (Morning):
In the morning following the incident, an investigator for the local news outlet, The Braxton Democrat, arrived to investigate. His name was A. Lee Stewart, Jr. and he reportedly found skid marks in the surrounding area, as well as a strange jelly-like substance supposedly left behind by the monster (8).
September 13th 1952 (Evening):
The night of September 13th brought yet another sighting of the monster. George and Edith Snitowsky were driving along route 4 with their 18 month old son when, without warning, their car died. The road was dark and empty. A foreboding energy in the air. A sulfur smelling mist began to descend around the car and the baby started to wail. A blinding light pierced through the darkness, illuminating the shape of a ten foot creature levitating in front of the car. This time, Braxie wasn’t wearing her signature hood. Instead, Mr. Snitowsky described the monster as having a boney, reptilian face. It dragged its claws across the hood of the car and then disappeared into the woods. As soon as it was gone, the car restarted and the family fled into the night (1).
The Original Sketch:
The original sketch of the Flatwoods Monster is iconic. The drawing was created by a New York Times sketch artist using the description provided by Kathleen May and became iconic for its striking silhouette. The image was featured in a number of publications, but the original copy was thought lost to time. Luck for cryptid enthusiasts, the piece was recently rediscovered by a local family that asked to remain anonymous (4). A decisive win for the preservation of such delightful artifacts.
(Image credits: Original Flatwoods Monster Sketch Image Courtesy of The Braxton County Official Site)
The Flatwoods Monster Museum:
Braxton County has no shortage of endearment for their local cryptid, so it's no surprise that in the city of Sutton, West Virginia there is a place dedicated to the love of Braxie and the legend surrounding it. The Flatwoods Monster Museum is the proud home of all things Braxie. Exhibits include artwork, historical photos, books, and even a large costume of the creature on display. It’s a free exhibit and a great time for cryptid lovers (3).
(Image credits: Flatwoods Museum Image Courtesy of The Flatwoods Monster Museum)
Flatwoods Monster Ceramic Lanterns:
Even before the creation of the museum, the area had special ways of commemorating the events of September 12th 1952. The Braxton County Monster Lanterns were created for a fundraiser in the 1960s, and have been sold in the area ever since. These ceramic art pieces are a classic piece of monster lover culture from a time before its current peak. Before the town’s appreciation for the creature skyrocketed, these lanterns (sold in a local gas station) and the Welcome to Flatwoods signs were the only real places to embrace the lore of the cryptid. For those who really want to touch with the roots of American monster hunting culture, this is a must have (10).
(Image credits: Welcome to Flatwoods Sign Image courtesy of The Braxton County Official Site)
Media and Monster Goodies:
Braxton County runs its very own Flatwoods Monster online newsletter for anyone who just can’t get enough of this classic American cryptid. You can sign up or simply learn more about the local history by checking out their official website here: https://braxtonwv.org/things-to-do/attractions/all-things-paranormal/flatwoodsmonsterhome/
Sources:
https://skepticalinquirer.org/2000/11/the-flatwoods-ufo-monster/
https://braxtonwv.org/the-flatwoods-monster/visit-the-museum/
https://braxtonwv.org/the-original-1952-flatwoods-monster-drawing-found/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-flatwoods-monster-1952/131745093/?locale=en-US
https://www.newspapers.com/article/beckley-post-herald-the-raleigh-register/13041624/?locale=en-US
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/flatwoods-monster-museum
https://braxtonwv.org/company/braxton-county-monster-lantern/
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