The Rotary Park Mothman

Crotty St. Highlighted in Blue with
Rotary Park off to the Left
Source: Google Maps

Recently, I've been perusing some of the older books on my bookshelf, and I came across an interesting story from Jeff Wamsley's, Mothman: Behind the Red Eyes,  that I wanted to share. We all know that Point Pleasant, West Virginia is the indisputable home territory for the Mountain State's favorite red-eyed monster. But, before Mothman was flapping around Mason County, he may have been hiding out about an hour away in a secluded area of Huntington.

Author, researcher, and owner of the Mothman Museum, Jeff Wamsley, was able to interview a lady named Shirley Hensley who grew up on Crotty Street (referred to by locals sometimes as 31st Street Hill). Right up the hill from her backyard was Rotary Park, a large, wooded, secluded piece of land on the outskirts of town. Starting about 1961 and lasting through 1964 when the family moved away, they were plagued by SOMETHING lurking around their property. 

It started out as weird sounds, always after dark. The family would hear a loud gargling sound, which would morph into a loud scream unlike anything they'd ever heard before, despite being familiar with various types of wildlife found throughout the state. Other times, they'd hear a large creature actually bumping up against their home, making a grunting sound as it did so. 

The first time Shirley heard the mysterious creature was when she and a boyfriend were parked out in the yard in the boyfriend's truck one evening and heard it actually bump underneath them and let out a grunt. At first Shirley thought it may have been the neighbor's pig on the loose...but the neighbor didn't have a pig. The first time her mother heard it was not long after. She had gone out to the well after dark. It was quickly decided by the family that all needed well water was to be fetched before sundown and no one was to leave the home after dark. 

Historic Rotary Park Bridge
Source: WikiCommons

These encounters would happen somewhat intermittently. The creature would be heard every few days for a few weeks, then they'd have a brief respite of quiet before it would return. Again, the strange sounds and the bumps against the home were the main interactions. But that would all change one fall evening about 6pm.

That was when Shirley's dad would actually SEE the creature. He reported something big, at least 7 feet tall with large red eyes that resembled red bicycle reflectors, staring back at him from behind the coal pile behind the house. He ran and got his .22 and took a shot at the thing. Despite being warned to stay in the house, Shirley's sister Mary followed her dad outside and caught a glimpse at the creature. She described it as a 'big, tall shiny thing with big red eyes." Whether it was hit or not is unknown, but the creature apparently scrambled up the hillside toward Rotary Park. 

Although Shirley would marry and move away, and the rest of the family didn't stay long after, they still talk to their former neighbors about the red-eyed monster that lurked around Crotty Street. And, when the news broke from Point Pleasant of multiple sightings of a large, red-eyed creature menacing the town just two years after Shirley's family's moved away, she couldn't help but wonder: Was the strange creature HER family saw outside of Huntington related to the Mothman of Point Pleasant? 

For me personally, I think the connection to Rotary Park is an interesting one. Not only is Rotary Park located VERY close to the confluence of the Guyandotte and Ohio Rivers, but it's only about an hour away from Pt. Pleasant. Even today, the park itself is still a heavily wooded area with plenty of dark, secluded spots that don't see a ton of regular traffic. In the early 1960's, I imagine that the area was even more rural, especially along Crotty Street. But perhaps what's most intriguing is the violent history of the park itself.

Over the years, I've heard unconfirmed, and not very detailed reports of Rotary Park being haunted (read my blog, Rotary Park---Haunted Or Not?). Although actual stories of paranormal activity haven't really been available, the park has seen it's fair share of tragedy. In July of 1963, Elbert Wooten and Jimmy Pelfrey were killed when a car they were riding in struck a tree within Rotary Park. In 1958, Mrs. Inez Booth was taken to the park where she was raped and stabbed by Larry Fudge. Mrs. Booth managed to crawl to a nearby housing development for help and was able to to name her attacker. Unfortunately, she passed away and Fudge was executed at the WV State Penitentiary at Moundsville. Other unsavory incidents have occurred at the park over the years, making it a place to avoid after dark. 

Ever since the collapse of the Silver Bridge, and carrying into modern-day sightings, Mothman has gained an association with tragedy. Some believe he is a harbinger of doom, while others believe he is some type of protective spirit. Is he simply attracted to the darker places of human history, or is he simply attracted to places where humans naturally fear to tread?