Description

Kelly–Hopkinsville Goblins, Beast of Bladenboro, Mothman, Beast of Bray Road, Flatwoods Monster

Hosts:
Miranda Lorton & Christal Keisler

Intro/Outro Music:
Josh Manis

Editing:
Christal Keisler

Kelly–Hopkinsville Goblins
Expanded Source Details & Notable Story Elements

1. Wikipedia

• Date of incident: August 21–22, 1955, in Christian County, Kentucky. Google Books+14Wikipedia+14KY for KY Store+14
• Number of witnesses: Five adults and seven children reported being besieged by small alien creatures while firing guns for nearly four hours. It's Something+11Wikipedia+11Google Books+11
• Creature descriptions: The press (e.g., Kentucky New Era) claimed there were “12 to 15” goblins. Described as 2–4 feet tall, with glowing yellow eyes, claw-like hands, pointed ears, and spindly legs. Wikipedia+7Wikipedia+7It's Something+7
• Law enforcement response: Four city police, five state troopers, three deputy sheriffs, and four military police from Fort Campbell arrived—but only found broken windows, bullet holes, and spent shells. No bodies or definitive physical evidence. Country Living+7Wikipedia+7Google Books+7
• Aftermath: The families fled that night after the creatures returned around 3:30 AM. KY for KY Store+6Wikipedia+6Google Books+6
• Skeptical explanations: Proposals include mistaken identity involving great horned owls or meteors, or misperception under stress. Authorities ultimately classified the case as a hoax in Project Blue Book. Psychologists still use it as an example of pseudoscience and mass misinterpretation. Wikipedia+2Wikipedia+2

2. WBKO 2025 Retrospective Article

• Sets the scene: 11 people playing cards on a rural Kentucky evening, when Billy Ray Taylor goes to the well and witnesses a silvery object streaking across the sky. Country Living+8https://www.wbko.com+8Discovery UK+8
• Describes the first appearance: Geraldine Sutton Stith (daughter of one witness) recalls the creature as about 3.5 feet tall, with huge ears, glowing eyes, and arms down to the ground. KY for KY Store+4https://www.wbko.com+4The Washington Post+4
• Story highlights: The men shot the creatures, saw no bodies, and a clawed hand grabbed at Taylor’s hair from the roof above the door. https://www.wbko.com+2Dark Tales+2
• Police and press arrive; search yields nothing. Later, the creatures return and are again fired upon “until morning.” That’s when the families vanish. https://www.wbko.com
• Long-term aftermath: The matriarch sold the farmhouse and moved to town; witnesses suffered ongoing psychological effects and social ridicule. The Washington Post+3Country Living+3HISTORY+3

3. Country Living / Dark Tales / Other Media

• Additional vivid details:
  • The home was riddled with broken windows, bullet holes, and hundreds of spent shells—over four boxes of .22 ammo used. Dark Tales+3KY for KY Store+3It's Something+3
  • A luminous patch along a fence—possibly where a creature was shot—later disappeared. A green glowing light was seen deeper in the woods. It's Something+1
  • Authorities questioned witnesses separately; their descriptions remained consistent. Country Living+2KY for KY Store+2

4. “Close Encounters at Kelly” (Isabel Davis & Ted Bloecher)

• Devoted research volume from Center for UFO Studies (1978). Contains detailed witness lists, timelines, and family backgrounds, including carnival-worker ties. Google Books+1

Complete Source List for Beast of Bladenboro (Story #2)

1. **June 1958 Article (Local Recap)**
   PDF: June 1958 article from Bladenboro’s archives—detailed coverage of the beast panic.
   Link: https://bladenboronc.org/vertical/sites/%7BE1D8C6F0-3E4E-4AEF-AAB9-4E71828273B1%7D/uploads/Article_Printed_June_1958.pdf
2. Carolina Living Column (1979 Reprint)
   PDF: “The Beast of Bladenboro Prowls Again!” by Jerry Bledsoe – reflective anniversary piece.
   Link: https://bladenboronc.org/vertical/sites/%7BE1D8C6F0-3E4E-4AEF-AAB9-4E71828273B1%7D/uploads/Article_in_Carolina_Living_1979.pdf
3. North Carolina Legends Book Excerpt
   PDF: Chapter on “Bladenboro’s Vampire Beast” – folkloric details and environment context.
   Link: https://bladenboronc.org/vertical/sites/%7BE1D8C6F0-3E4E-4AEF-AAB9-4E71828273B1%7D/uploads/Story_in_a_book_named_North_Carolina_Legends-print_date_unknown.pdf
4. Fayetteville Observer Feature (2000)
   PDF: “Beware the beast!” by Michael Futch—retrospective, rich in community detail.
   Link: https://bladenboronc.org/vertical/sites/%7BE1D8C6F0-3E4E-4AEF-AAB9-4E71828273B1%7D/uploads/Fayetteville_Article-July_23_2000.pdf

Additional Web-Based Sources

1. **Wikipedia – Beast of Bladenboro**
   Thorough factual summary including dates, descriptions, hunt details, ramifications.
   Link: Wikipedia article on the Beast of Bladenboro Wikipedia+11Wikipedia+11Cryptids Across the Atlas+11Non-alien Creatures Wiki+2FRNWH+2Reddit
2. **North Carolina Ghosts (Regional Folklore Site)**
   Eyewitness narratives, terrifying descriptions, communal fear quotes.
   Link: The Beast of Bladenboro on North Carolina Ghosts northcarolinaghosts.com+1
3. **Fandom – Non‑Alien Creatures Wiki**
   Cryptid-style accounts, combining folklore and sensational reports.
   Link: Beast of Bladenboro on Fandom Wikipedia+11Non-alien Creatures Wiki+11monsterquest.fandom.com+11
4. **Historical Context – Wikipedia (Bladenboro, NC page)**
   Placement of legend within community history and its modern resurgence (Beast Fest).
   Link: Bladenboro, North Carolina Wikipedia page FRNWH
5. **Southern Spirit Guide Article (2024)**
   Folkloric retelling and evolution of the legend; broader folk magic context.
   Link: A New Year’s Beast – A Haunted Southern Book of Days southernspiritguide.org+2Non-alien Creatures Wiki+2
6. **Cryptid Atlas Summary (2022)**
   Story-style reimagining; dramatic narrative, poetic details.
   Link: The Full Story of North Carolina’s Vampire Cat FRNWH+7Cryptids Across the Atlas+7monsterquest.fandom.com+7

Key Sources for Mothman (Story 3)

Primary Eyewitness & Newspaper Accounts

• Point Pleasant Register (Nov 16, 1966) – The first report headlined "Couples See Man-Sized Bird ... Creature ... Something" after two local couples encountered the winged creature. wvubureau+5Alexandria Ghosts+5Facebook+5Facebook+11Wikipedia+11Accidental Wanderlust+11

Historical Summaries & Folklore Analysis

• Wikipedia – Mothman – Offers a concise chronology (Nov 1966 to Dec 1967), origin of the term, initial sighting details, Silver Bridge link, book influence, and legacy. myths.fandom.com+1
• Smithsonian Magazine / Folklife article – Discusses the Mothman as a rising cryptid icon, including sighting descriptions and cultural impact. The Oxbow School+15folklife.si.edu+15Wikipedia+15
• Discovery UK – “Myth or Reality?” – Stresses the legendary start point (Nov 1966), red-eye sightings, and the first couples' encounter details. Alexandria Ghosts+3Discovery UK+3Wikipedia+3

Skeptical and Academic Examination

• SHU Academic PDF (“Mothman of West Virginia: A Case Study in Legendary…”) – Offers skeptical takes including noise, wildlife misidentifications (e.g., owls, cranes), and psychological/social explanations. Wikipedia+12SHURA+12Southern Living+12

Legacy & Cultural Continuation

• Southern Living (2020) – Summarizes the original sightings, Silver Bridge collapse, book and film legacy, Mothman Festival, statue, and museum. Tsem Rinpoche+6Southern Living+6Wikipedia+6
• Wikipedia – Mothman Festival – Details current cultural celebration in Point Pleasant, festival attendance (e.g. 15,000 in 2023), and growth of tourism. Wikipedia+2Accidental Wanderlust+2

Beast of Bray Road (Wisconsin) – Sources

1. Wikipedia – “Beast of Bray Road”
   Overview of early sightings, physical descriptions (6–7 ft tall, fur-covered, glowing eyes, bipedal/quadrupedal movement), folklore status, and skeptical explanations.
   It's Something+9Wikipedia+9HowStuffWorks+9
2. Cryptid Wiki (Fandom)
   Visual and descriptive echoes of a “hairy humanoid with canine features,” noting its similarity to werewolves and dogman archetypes.
   Wikipedia+10Cryptid Wiki+10It's Something+10
3. Sixt Magazine – “The Legend of the Beast of Bray Road”
   Provides narrative background, earliest sighting in 1936, modern wave (late 80s/90s), Linda Godfrey’s investigative work, and pop culture influence.
   Reddit+11SIXT+11American Ghost Walks+11
4. HowStuffWorks – “Beast of Bray Road: Wisconsin's Claim to Cryptid Fame”
   Details eyewitness descriptions, car scratch reports, author Linda Godfrey’s role, theories (wolves, bears), and media portrayals.
   YouTube+9HowStuffWorks+9American Ghost Walks+9
5. PBS Segment – “The Beast of Bray Road”
   Local news feature investigating sightings in the early ‘90s, with interviews and footage—great for atmosphere.
   Wikipedia+11PBS+11YouTube+11SIXT+1

Flatwoods Monster – Sources

1. Wikipedia – “Flatwoods monster”
   Summarizes the September 12, 1952 sighting, including eyewitness descriptions of the creature, the meteor explanation, owl misidentification, and cultural legacy.
   Wikipedia+13Wikipedia+13Pennsylvania Wilds+13Jackalope Order
2. Local Braxton County Museum (via Braxton WV site)
   Provides a vivid eyewitness account: a ten‑foot‑tall creature with a spade‑shaped head and metal‑like “dress,” glowing orange eyes, and a strange, sickening mist that made the group physically ill.
   Pennsylvania Wilds+10Visit Braxton, WV+10Tsem Rinpoche+10
3. History.com article
   Presents the setting: six kids, a mom, and a dog encountering the monster after witnessing a meteor overhead, with atmospheric context and public reaction.
   Visit Braxton, WV+5HISTORY+5West Virginia Humanities Council+5
4. Clutch Mov blog – “Wild, Wonderful and Weird: The Flatwoods Incident”
   Rich narrative of the evening: football-playing kids, the meteor’s flash, the journey up the hill, mist, and the terrifying final encounter.
   YouTube+12Clutch MOV+12HISTORY+12Jackalope Order
5. SouthernStylesSweetTees blog – Monster Profile
   Offers a detailed description and comparative cryptid analysis: ten‑ to twelve‑foot height, spade head, glowing eyes, hissing noise, pungent odor—almost mechanical in appearance.
   Jackalope Order+3Southern Style Sweet Tees+3YouTube+3
6. WV Humanities PDF – Family Lore
   Shares a much later family recollection of a meteor seen over the Flatwoods area, illustrating how the story endured as local lore.
   Southern Style Sweet Tees+8West Virginia Humanities Council+8Jackalope Order+8

Sound Effects:

Kelly–Hopkinsville Goblins
Ambience-
Creepy Ambience | Royalty-free Music - Pixabay
By: Freesound_Community on Pixabay
Dog Bark-
Dog Barking | Royalty-free Music - Pixabay
By: Dragon-Studio on Pixabay
Gunshot-
Sound Effects - Single Gun Shot | Royalty-free Music - Pixabay
By:ScottishPerson on Pixabay
Scratches-
Scratch | Royalty-free Music - Pixabay
By: Freesound_Community on Pixabay
Car Sound-
Roaring sports car | Royalty-free Music - Pixabay
By: Spinopel on Pixabay

Beast of Bladenboro
Ambience-
Sound Ambience - Sonido Ambiente 3 | Royalty-free Music - Pixabay
By: Lachm on Pixabay

Mothman
Ambience-
Sound Ambience - Sonido Ambiente 3 | Royalty-free Music - Pixabay
By: Lachm on Pixabay

Beast of Bray Road
Ambience-
Sound Ambience - Sonido Ambiente 3 | Royalty-free Music - Pixabay
By: Lachm on Pixabay

Flatwoods Monster
Ambience-
Sound Ambience - Sonido Ambiente 3 | Royalty-free Music - Pixabay
By: Lachm on Pixabay