In this episode, we investigate the mysterious Van Meter Visitor, a winged cryptid that terrorized the small town of Van Meter, Iowa, in 1903. Described as a towering, bat-like creature with a blinding light emanating from its horn, the Visitor was seen by multiple witnesses over several nights, leaving behind three-toed tracks and a pungent odor. Despite attempts to shoot it, the creature remained unharmed, finally retreating into a coal mine alongside a smaller companion. The town sealed the mine, but the legend of the Van Meter Visitor lives on, with sightings continuing to this day and an annual festival celebrating this eerie piece of Iowa’s folklore.
Sources
Van Meter Visitor | Cryptid Wiki
Half human, half bat: Van Meter remembers a 1903 visit from a winged monster
Revisiting the Van Meter Visitor, as Its Festival Takes Shape - Daily Yonder
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/experiences/iowa/paranormal-festival-ia
The Van Meter Visitor Festival
The Van Meter Visitor: Iowa’s Mysterious Winged Creature
Unraveling the Mystery of the Van Meter Visitor: Iowa's Enigmatic Cryptid - FRNWH
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/trip-ideas/iowa/mythical-creature-tormented-small-ia-town
The Van Meter Visitor - Iowa's Realtor Josh Dicks
Music attributions
Bent and Broken (intro)
"Bent and Broken" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Awkward Meeting (outro)
"Awkward Meeting" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
