Legends have permeated human culture since before people knew how to talk. While old legends sing the praises of heroes and scorn villains, urban legends tend to center around the more absurd such as walking pants or giant moths.

The legend of the Mothman originated in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, citing a great creature with wings and red eyes descending from the sky in 1966. Mothman has brought a unique claim to fame to Point Pleasant, providing them an opportunity to cash in and plaster the town with memorabilia.

One such devotion to Mothman is the Mothman Museum, which houses the complete history of Mothman. Another is the statue of a buff Mothman that resides outside of the Museum. This attraction can be a long drive for PA residents, which is why the museum has provided a 24/7 live feed for fans to view. The streaming video can be found here. 

There is no denying the financial aspect of providing cryptid merchandise and experiences. One Pennridge student and massive Mothman fan, Alyssa Anderson, has a Mothman keychain, sticker, and shirt that says, “official lamp inspector”. Sellersville community member and new Mothman fan, Richard Lange, owns multiple t-shirts and posters of the winged creature.

But there is much more to Mothman. Anderson finds the story of Mothman to be very charming in an odd way. She believes the legend is “a great representation of Appalachian culture.” She says Mothman neither looks nor acts like a moth or a man, and that it was most likely just a large bird, but according to Anderson, she is “in love with Mothman”. Lange sees Mothman as a symbol of curiosity. He says that urban legends reflect human “exploration of the unknown.”

As for the question, is Mothman real? Lange has his doubts, “No, she is absolutely not real.” However, Anderson is a firm believer that she is, “Mothman is real. It probably was just a big owl, but I don’t think it matters whether she’s real or not. It is more about the impact she’s had on culture in general. She’s real to me.”