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| My son Luke peeking from behind the Mothman |
With the pandemic still not under control, Mothman fans around the world, especially those close to the tri-state, were devastated to learn that for the second straight year, the annual Mothman Festival would be a no-go. But, many paranormal explorers (especially those who had already booked and couldn't get a refund on their hotel accommodations) have made a pledge to still ascend on the normally sleepy lil' town of Pt. Pleasant, WV to fill their weekend with their own Mothman fun!
Festival season or not, one of the must-do activities for any monster fan coming to Pt. Pleasant, is to get a picture taken with the iconic, 12-foot steel Mothman Statue, proudly watching over the downtown area from Gunn Park! Mothman, with his MMA fighter-style braids, his hairy chest, his football-sized glowing red eyes, and his um...well-formed muscular buttocks (recently dubbed the shiny hiney) is one of the coolest pieces of public art you'll find anywhere in the world. But what's the story behind this popular tourist attraction?
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| Luke and the Shiny Hiney |
Way back in 2002, a little movie called the Mothman Prophecies, starring Richard Gere was released in theaters. The movie was a VERY loose retelling of the Mothman sightings in Pt. Pleasant, going from the initial sighting by the Scarberry/Malletts, to the collapse of the Silver Bridge 13 months later. It's based on Fortean researcher, John Keel's, pivotal book, The Mothman Prophecies.
As tourists slowly started seeping into to town, wanting to know more about the true events which inspired the movie, local businesspersons, Jeff Wamsley and Carolin Harris, organized the first ever Mothman Festival, which has grown in recent years to an estimated 15 to 20 THOUSAND visitors flooding the town. And, the statue is always one of the first things they want to see!
The same year the festival began, Charles Humphreys, a Mason County native, was serving as executive director of Main Street, Point Pleasant, an organization that was working to revitalize the downtown area. Seeing the potential that this Mothman stuff could bring in, he went to go see a friend of his named Bob Roach.
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| Bob Roach |
Bob Roach was a retired welder and former member of the US Navy. After retiring from Mountaineer Power Plant in 1995, where he worked as a welding supervisor, Bob returned to his childhood passion for art. His obituary states that he would carve figures out of the Ivory soap his parents brought home, and that he could draw so well, that his teacher once asked him to draw a beautiful Christmas themed sketch for the classroom one year. These days, however, Bob had moved on from soap and was skilled in creating sculptures from metal.
At first, Bob was hesitant to take on a statue of the local legend, but after thinking it over, called Charles back and said he'd do it. The two went around town, interviewing witnesses about the creature's appearance, and after about a year of research, sketches, and long nights working in his garage, Bob had completed the Mothman Statue.
As stated previously, the statue is a 12 foot stainless steel creation, sitting atop a pedestal. The pedestal bears a short summary of the 1966-67 Mothman flap, written by Charles Humphreys and Jeff Wamsley. It was unveiled on September 13th, during the 2003 Mothman Festival,under the watchful eye of Mr. John Keel himself, who sported a spiffy white suit to the unveiling. That suit is now on display at the Mothman Museum, located just beside the statue.
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| Bob and Charles unveil the Mothman Statue September 13, 2003 |
There wasn't a HUGE crowd at this unveiling, but you could see the pride in Bob's eyes as he probably realized that Charles' promise to him that this statue would make him known the world over, was true.
But, as much as we in the paranormal community LOVE the Mothman statue, it isn't Bob's only contribution to the art and history of Pt. Pleasant and surrounding areas. In addition to his statues gracing the grounds of a local church, a local fire station, and a local high school, Bob is credited with a series of historical figures that can also be seen during the Mothman Festival, lining the riverfront. Chief Cornstalk, Mad Anne Bailey, Lord Dunmore, Daniel Boone, and Colonel Lewis stand along the flood wall, overlooking the Ohio River as it nears its confluence with the Kanawha.
For years, Bob could be found at the festival each year, talking with fans about his world-famous statue and selling miniature versions that you could take home! Unfortunately, Bob passed away at the age of 81 on August 30th, 2015. He might be physically gone from this world, but his legacy will always live on through a 12 foot tall, big-assed, red eyed, winged tribute one of West Virginia's most well-known mysterious creatures.
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| Mini Mothman Statue Do YOU own one? |
Can't make it to Pt. Pleasant this year? You can keep tabs on the Mothman Statue with the 24 Hour Live MOTHCAM!
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