The Summit Snake

AI Image using ChatGPT

This strange story comes to us courtesy of one of my favorite Fortean Historians, Historian of the Strange. Back in July of 1914, Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Brooks of Summit (Wood County), WV were sitting on their porch. They had settled in to enjoy the evening air, when they heard a rustle in the nearby brush. Suddenly, a yellow hoop came shooting out of the brush and began rolling down the hill. Faster and faster it rolled, until it built up enough speed to straighten itself out and FLY through the air. It flew across the valley and landed in a tree about 400 feet away.

This strange creature was dark yellow. It was five inches across at the head, tapering to 1/2 an inch at the tail. Its length measured 30 inches. Instead of wings, it used its tail as a propeller. When questioned by skeptics, the Brooks swore that what they saw was NOT a bird carrying a snake. Others theorized that the creature may have been a dragon. Some rationalized it as a type of lizard with gliding abilities. The Brooks, however, were adamant that they had seen a flying snake and nothing more. 

Ophidiophobia is the official term for fear of snakes, and it's not an uncommon phobia for many. Luckily, that's not something I personally suffer from, but I will say that I'd absolutely be more than a little unnerved to see a yellow hoop roll down the hill, then spread its serpentine body and fly across the valley. The Brooks seemed rather unfazed by the whole incident, and it doesn't seem like the rest of the town cared much, either. As far as I can tell, this incident didn't make it into the local papers. The clipping below, provided by Historian of the Strange, comes from the Tampa Tribune in Florida! 

I can only imagine why a Florida newspaper would be interested in a weird, but not too weird story from a tiny town in West Virginia. It wouldn't have anything to do with the idea that it wasn't likely to be fact-checked would it?  Stay spooky, ya'll---and keep your eyes to the skies in search of flying snakes!

The Tampa Tribune
12 July 1914
Source: Historian of the Strange FB