The Flatwoods Monster Lantern

Flatwoods Monster Lantern
from my personal collection

Postcards. T-shirts. Stickers. All of these make great souvenirs for those wanting to remember all the fun events they attend and all the scenic travel destinations they visit. But...for a truly unique experience, one needs a truly unique souvenir!

I love traveling the great state of West Virginia, taking in her majestic beauty and learning about her fascinating history. And, over the years, I've tried to commemorate my trips with some fun souvenirs. Aside from the everyday postcards, stickers, t-shirts, etc., my collection contains reproduction grotesques from the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, a fidget spinner from the former WV State Penitentiary at Moundsville, and more Mothman plushies than any child could ever need. However, one of my favorite pieces I've collected is a treasure just as unique and fascinating as the story from which it originates: The Flatwoods Monster Lantern.

John Gibson with Lantern
Source

The story begins on September 12, 1952 when a group of kids playing ball in Flatwoods, West Virginia saw a strange sight overhead. Thinking a meteor had crashed on the hill near the Fisher farm, the boys headed to investigate, stopping at the home of brothers, Freddie and Eddie May. There, they were joined by their mother, Kathleen May, Eugene Lemon, a young National Guardsman, and the family dog. Grabbing a flashlight, they ascended the hill where they'd see something that would become the source of legend for years to come. 

The red-faced, spade-headed, pleated-skirt-wearing alien (?) that was seen up on that mountain that day is one of the strangest creatures to show up in UFO history and has since become a pop-icon the world over. Thanks to video games, artists, television shows, and social media influencers, the story of the Flatwoods Monster and its one-of-a-kind appearance have become almost mainstream. Braxxie, as the monster has affectionately become known as, shows up in various media across the world and instantly recognized by even those not in the paranormal community. 

UFO Researcher, Barbara Hudson
Charleston, WV 1969
From Gray Barker Archives

A monster as unique as the Flatwoods Monster deserves an equally cool and unique souvenir, and back in the late 1960's, the local chapter of the Jaycee's found a way to accomplish that...as well as keep the story of the monster alive AND make a few bucks! 

John Gibson doesn't remember whose idea it was exactly to create a LANTERN based on the 1952 monster sighting, but he was put in charge of the project and he ran with it! He had a little help from a pal named Bob Bossert, though. Bossert was a paint salesman. He also knew someone who could make ceramic molds. Together they worked on what would be the first run of Flatwoods Monster Lanterns. 

Complete with a paint lid base for a candle, and a paint can handle as the lantern handle (and of course, painted with Bossert's own paint inventory by his own family), a small run of Monster Lanterns was produced, and sold out rather quickly! The following production runs eliminated the paint can candle base, as it confused people, but the lanterns continued to sell better than expected. At $5 a piece, a profit of $500 was quickly made. Lanterns were sold at various events around the county, as well as being sold at a roadside stand during peak traffic times. An 8ft tall plywood sign would announce to travelers on Rt. 5 that they could own a piece of Fortean history for just $5. Apparently, a collection of lanterns was also sent to Charleston, WV to be sold off during a UFO convention held in 1969. 

L to R: Gray Barker, James Mosley and Ralph Jarrett
Charleston, WV 1969
Gray Barker Archives

Unfortunately, sales began to drop off, and John Gibson got busy with a new job, so production on the lanterns was put on hold throughout the 1970's. However, when the Clarksburg library was about to open its Gray Barker Archive in the 1980's, the librarian reached out to John. John brought a lantern to donate to the collection, which sparked a renewed interest in them from the UFO community. Production began again, and to this day, you can pick up your own unique souvenir of the Flatwoods Monster!

Darlene's Ceramics in Marietta, OH is responsible for creating these wonderful pieces of Fortean home decor, and even though the price has increased a bit (they usually sell for $80), you can find them at various locations around Flatwoods, including at the Flatwoods Monster Museum in Sutton, WV. I'm lucky to have one of these in my collection, but I feel kinda bad about how I acquired it...

Original Mold
On Display at Flatwoods Monster Museum

                                              

I'm not entirely sure when and where I first saw or heard about these lanterns, but I had known for a while that I REALLY wanted one. I was in one of my favorite local antique stores and as I had walked in the front door, a guy had one of the lanterns in his hand, asking the owner for a price. After a price was given, the guy frowned and put the lantern back down. I followed him down the aisle and as soon as he put it down and walked off, I snatched it up, ran to the front, paid for it and left! So yeah, I sniped a lantern, but I gave it a good home! It sits on the bookshelf year round, and at Christmas time, it's red and green color scheme make it a perfect center piece for our holiday mantle. A battery operated tea light candle completes the ambiance. 

If you can't make it to town to purchase your own Flatwoods Monster Lantern, you CAN order one on-line when they are in stock from CryptidMart. Also, during the 2020 Covid lockdowns, Andrew Smith, who runs the Flatwoods Monster Museum, finished an excellent 22 minute documentary on the history and production of the lamps. You can watch it for free at YouTube! 

Information for today's blog post comes from The Lantern, a Short Documentary by Andrew Smith (2020), as well as Braxton County's Visit Braxton Website. 

Theresa's Travels: Sutton, WV 2023

On Wednesday, February 15th, my husband and I had to make a trip to Elkins for family business. It's been a hot minute since I've found myself headed north up Interstate 79, so I insisted that we make a quick stop in one of my favorite unique, spooky lil' WV towns---Sutton!

Located in Braxton County, right in the center of the state, Sutton is quickly becoming the paranormal heart of the Mountain State. It's home to one of SRI's top haunted locations (The Haunted Haymond House), as well as the haunted Elk Hostel, which I hope we'll get to explore one day soon. It's also home to not one, but TWO really cool museums featuring the paranormal: The Flatwoods Monsters Museum and the West Virginia Bigfoot Museum. These two museums were the focus of our little impromptu stop. 

Up first was the Flatwoods Monster Museum to browse around and check out any new acquisitions. As many times as I've been there, it seems like there's always something new and interesting to see and discover. I think my favorite exhibit is still the original mold and information on the creation of the Flatwoods Monster lanterns. There's a great little documentary about the lanterns which you can watch HERE, as well as a little How It's Made clip on the actual process. The How It's Made clip was actually playing on the museum's television while we were there, much to my husband's delight. He's a sucker for that kinda thing. Luckily, I already own a lantern, or else I think we would have been walking out of there with another one that day. This visit was actually only my husband's second visit to the museum. Although he supports my weirdness, he's just not as in to the spooky stuff as I am, so I'm thrilled whenever he finds something (like the lantern making process) that he finds especially interesting and can enjoy.

I also love seeing the reactions of other visitors, especially those who have never been there before, as they experience the story of the Flatwoods Monster for themselves through an awesome collection of memorabilia related to the sighting, as well as depictions of the creature in art and in pop culture. Even on a Wednesday afternoon, there were a good number of visitors there that day, which warms my heart!

It was also a pleasure getting to chat with the curator of the museum, Andrew Smith, who has worked tirelessly and has done so much in promoting and sharing the story of the Flatwoods Monster, as well as the history of the area as a whole. If you're new to the area or unfamiliar with the Flatwoods Monster incident of 1952, Andrew is your go-to guy. He's a wealth of information, and has always been super accommodating to the countless bloggers, vloggers, podcasters, etc. that are eager to showcase Braxxie and the Flatwoods Monster Museum. 

Including all the wonderful displays, articles/print media, videos, and chatting, you could easily spend a couple hours just in the Flatwoods Monster Museum alone. Unfortunately, we did have to be in Elkins at a certain time, and had another stop we wanted to make. But, I couldn't leave without adding a new Braxxie t-shirt to my wardrobe and picking up some postcards. 

Upon leaving the Flatwoods Monster Museum, it was a beautifully warm and sunny day, so we made the short walk a block or so down to the Mountain Laurel Country Store, home to the West Virginia Bigfoot Museum.  The store itself is a cute little shop full of handmade and unique gift items, jewelry, books, primitives, home goods, and more. They've also recently added a little cafe-type area, called Main Street Coffee, serving coffee, sandwiches, and other goodies. We looked around a bit, and I got a bit sad, thinking about how much my mom would have loved this shop, but never got the chance to visit. 

Anyway, the shop is great, but I was ready for the main attraction: The WV Bigfoot Museum! The Flatwoods/Sutton area has a long history of Bigfoot sightings, beginning as early as 1919 and continuing to this day, largely around Sutton Lake. So, this is the perfect spot for a museum dedicated to our Appalachian hairy man. 

The museum showcases an impressive collection of plaster casts made throughout WV and beyond, information on sightings around the state (largely collected and researched by the awesome Les O'Dell of WV Cryptids and Strange Encounters), and a general overview of the Bigfoot phenomenon, with some Yeti information as well. There's also wood carvings, wall murals featuring hidden Bigfoots, and an EXTENSIVE gift shop, where you can pick up books, toys, novelties, clothing/accessories, and seriously...anything you can think of Bigfoot-related. Again, I couldn't leave without adding a new book by Doug Waller to my library and a few Bigfoot stickers. 

As with the Flatwoods Monster Museum, it was a pleasure having a nice lil' chat with the owner. Every time I've visited, she has been so sweet and welcoming, making sure that everyone who steps foot through the door feels at home and enjoys the museum experience. This was my husband's first visit to the Bigfoot Museum, and again, even though he's not super into the strange and unusual side of history, he really enjoyed the novelty of the experience. I also think he was a little shocked that in one little West Virginia town, we had stopped at a museum dedicated to arguably the weirdest and wildest UFO/monster cases in the WORLD, then made a two minute walk to another museum, this one dedicated to arguably the most famous cryptid in the world. 

I'd bet a lot of people feel that way, but I'm thrilled! As a whole, West Virginia is such a cool place to explore, especially for anyone interested in the paranormal, be it ghosts/hauntings, UFOs, or cryptozoology. As more and more locations around the state open up, catering to WV's weird history, it's wonderful to see downtown Sutton becoming a premier mecca for those wanting a truly unique tourist experience. I could have stayed in the area a week or more, checking out all the cool stuff to see and do, but alas, we had to get back on the road. But, not before grabbing a late lunch!

Normally a trip to the Sutton/Flatwoods area means a trip to The Spot, a cute little restaurant in Flatwoods, located close to the original 1952 sighting of the Flatwoods Monster. You can grab a sandwich, chicken strips, calzone, hot dog, ice cream, etc, many with fun, monster-themed names. You can also pick up some souvenirs, take advantage of some neat photo ops, and of course, visit one of the five monster chairs located just across the road from the restaurant. I highly recommend adding a stop at The Spot to your Sutton/Flatwoods itinerary. But, as we were walking back to the car, discussing exactly what to do about food, we passed by a new-to-me business and noticed it was open. A split decision later, and we were seated at a table in the Bad Axe Bistro!

The Bad Axe Bistro is open for lunch and dinner, serving up a variety of sandwiches and appetizers during the lunch hour, and a more extensive menu for dinner. They also offer lanes for axe throwing, which we didn't take advantage of on this trip, but definitely next time!

My husband and I both had a grilled chicken sandwich and fries, and ordered the Bad Axe spiral loaded potato for an appetizer. The restaurant was clean, the service was great, and the food came out quickly. I really enjoyed my chicken sandwich, but my favorite was absolutely the appetizer. It was a spiral-cut potato on a stick, smothered in cheese and bacon and served on a wooden skewer. I love an opportunity to support small, local businesses and am happy to have another restaurant, located right in town, to add to my food options for when I'm in town. 

By the time we paid the check, we really did have to get back on the road, so I had to say goodbye to Sutton. Fortunately, I'll be back again! SRI is planning an event at the Haunted Haymond House for April, so make sure you follow our page for information on that as it comes available. I'll also be sure to visit for two upcoming festivals, showcasing the area's strange history!  The West Virginia Bigfoot Festival will be held in Sutton June 23-24, 2023 and the Flatwoods Monster Convention will be held in Flatwoods on September 9th, 2023. 

I hope you get the chance to visit the Flatwoods Monster Museum and/or WV Bigfoot Museum soon! If you do, tell 'em that Theresa's Haunted History sent ya! And until then, follow me over on Facebook for MORE pictures of my trip to Sutton, as well as my other paranormal adventures around West Virginia and beyond. Stay spooky, ya'll. 

Happy Thanksgiving from Theresa's Haunted History

It's pretty obvious that 2020 has been a year like no other in our lifetimes. The worldwide pandemic has obviously put a huge damper on the world of paranormal investigation and research, in addition to just being a general upheaval in every day life.  So many things have changed, and we've all had to adjust to new norms taking the place of our previous way of life. My son isn't able to partake in the martial arts training he loves, and has also switched to virtual school, which is a lot of work and worry on my part. In addition to that, my mother in law passed away in October, and we're now going through the process of moving my husband back home here. 

I'm beyond stressed. My anxiety and depression have come really close a couple of times to spiraling out of control.  But, I know that I am so, so lucky and therefore, am so, so thankful this year.  My family has remained relatively healthy. No one has experienced job loss or wages cut because of the pandemic. We've been able to spend more time together, and I've had more time to slowly get back to working on my paranormal interests.

Earlier in the year, I took advantage of the lock down to catch up on my paranormal non-fiction reading. I also binged watched a ton of documentaries and paranormal shows on YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime. I took a few online courses through Coursera and FutureLearn. And, I've been taking advantage of many FREE online lecture programs from a variety of paranormal researchers, historical societies, and other organizations. I've been trying to find the light in the dark, and I think I've been doing okay. But, I couldn't do it alone, and I wanted to share some of the specific people and things that I'm especially grateful for this Thanksgiving season. 

I'm thankful for my family for always supporting my paranormal interests and making sure I have the funds and the childcare to make sure I can pursue them. My husband has been especially great in encouraging me and never saying no when I ask him to make a stop at a local haunted cemetery on our way home. I'm thankful that I have access to the internet and various platforms to help me stay connected with others in the field, and watch/read/listen to paranormal media. I'm thankful that my car has held up and has safely transported me to different investigations and events this year and for the past 11 years.  I could write a book talking about all the things I'm lucky to have in my life, but here's just a short list of specific people/organizations I really wanted to give credit to.  I know I'm leaving so many people off this list, but here's what came to mind, in no particular order:

*The Flatwoods Monster Museum and Andrew Smith for giving me the opportunity to help spread the word about all awesome paranormal tourism opportunities you can experience in Braxton County, WV!  Click the banner link at the top of this blog (best seen on desktop version) to learn more about The Flatwoods Monster, the Haunted Haymond House, the Bigfoot of Sutton Lake, and all sorts of other spooky and non-spooky things that you can see in do in Braxton County.

*Teresa Holcomb Frame for inviting me to experience the Haunted Haymond House in Sutton, WV for myself this October. The Haunted Haymond House has a really fascinating history and no shortage of paranormal activity to be experienced.  There are different paranormal and psychic-themed events throughout the year, and you can also rent the home for overnight ghost hunts.  Teresa has done a wonderful job preserving and sharing the history of the home, and bringing it back to its original splendor.  She's also done a wonderful job in advancing the paranormal study of the home, through allowing investigators to come in and share their evidence and experiences.  This was also my first REAL investigation in a very long time, and so it was especially meaningful to have such a wonderful place be my first dip back.

*David Scott Worley of Haunted Beckley.  Haunted Beckley has some great ghost tours and other events throughout the year and I've been fortunate enough to attend several.  This year, Scott invited me out to two awesome ghost story and ghost hunting events.  Not only did I get to participate, but I also got to help lead some group investigations.  It was so fun getting to meet new people, and also connecting with people in person who I only knew through Theresa's Haunted History. 

*Brian Clary of SRI.  This year, I took a plunging leap out of my comfort zone and joined a newly formed investigation group, Spectral Research and Investigation. Because of the current worldwide situation, we're taking things slow, but we've had a successful training investigation of the TNT area, outside of Pt. Pleasant, and of course, the overnight investigation of the Haunted Haymond House! I can't wait to see where the new year brings us, and I look forward to really getting out in the field once again with like-minded individuals. A special shout out goes to my friend, who'll I'll call T---she wasn't able to make it to our Haymond House investigation, but she loaned me some equipment, which came in super handy!

*FeedSpot. I'm thankful that FeedSpot ranked this blog, Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State number 17 on its list of the Top 90 Paranormal Blogs of 2020! I'm not sure how I pulled that off, but I'll take it! 

*Lewis O. Powell IV of the Southern Spirit Guide.  The Southern Spirit Guide is one of my favorite blogs, offering information on tons of haunted locations throughout the southern United States, and its author, Lewis, has always been a great supporter of my blog. I'm blessed to have his encouragement! 

*I'm thankful for YOU!  Seriously, I cannot thank everyone who reads and shares my blog and social media posts enough. I love being able to connect with people who love the paranormal as much as I do, and I hope that my posts entertain and even educate you on the haunted history of West Virginia and beyond. Thank you for giving me a reason to keep doing what I'm doing, and the encouragement to keep improving.  I hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and an amazing rest of 2020.  Here's to a better year in 2021---stay spooky, ya'll. 

The Flatwoods Monster Postcard

This may look like an ordinary postcard of the original Flatwoods Monster drawing, but it is actually one of my most prized pieces in my paranormal collection.  While it's true that this is a normal postcard that can be purchased at the Flatwoods Monster Museum, if you look closely, you'll see that it is hand-signed by Freddie May!  Freddie May was one of the young boys, who along with his mother, brother, and some other fellas, were the original witnesses to the creature back in 1952!

Awhile back, I received a message from Andrew Smith, who runs the Flatwoods Monster Museum, asking me for my address.  And, a few weeks ago, I received this wonderful gift in the mail with a very nice letter.  I had been chosen to receive one of these autographed postcards for my work in promoting the museum and sharing the legend of the Flatwoods Monster.  I gotta say....I was quite humbled to be given such an honor!  If you follow this blog, or follow me over on Theresa's Haunted History Facebook page, you know that I love the Flatwoods Monster and I am so thrilled to have seen this huge surge in interest in this unique case in recent years.  To anyone with an interest in the paranormal, ufology, or just the weird side of history, the Flatwoods Monster case is just such a cool case to study, and it's awesome to see the museum acting as a localized center for collecting and sharing information. Mr. Smith has done an excellent job in curating a collection of artifacts, connecting with witnesses and researchers, organizing community events, and so much more.  If you're anywhere near the Braxton County area, I highly suggest popping in and checking it out! 

I'd also like to extend a huge thank you to Andrew Smith for sending me this treasured piece! It truly is an honor to have received it.  I'd also like to thank Freddie May for signing these postcards and choosing to talk about his experiences. And, I'd like to thank everyone else out there who is writing about, making videos or podcasts or art about, or is in any other way sharing the legend of the Flatwoods Monster and keeping it alive. West Virginia is lucky to have such a fascinating case in its strange history, and we're even luckier that there are so many people out there dedicated to sharing the story.

Theresa and JR Visit The Flatwoods Monster Museum!

If you follow Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State regularly, you probably saw where, once again, I signed up for the Ultimate Blog Challenge!  And, once again, I failed miserably before I really even got started.  I had full intentions of bringing you a NEW, exciting paranormal blog EVERY DAY for the month of October, along with daily topics on Facebook.  Unfortunately, life got in the way.  My mother-in-law had a medical emergency and has been hospitalized for the last week.  So, we've been dealing with that, and I've been away from my laptop quite a bit.

Things are starting to settle back down a little bit, so I'm trying to get back on track, and filling in with a few 'bonus blogs' to make up for the days I missed.  And today's bonus blog is another installment of Theresa's Travels!

Now, I've been married since March.  My husband grew up in a very religious family and just never cultivated an interest in the paranormal.  Luckily, he loves me and generally tries to show an interest in my passions.  But, despite the fact that he lives in Grafton and we travel past the area frequently, he had NEVER been to the Flatwoods Monster Museum in Braxton County!

So, on Tuesday we were making the drive back up I-79 after visiting my mom in Winfield and I made an impromptu decision.  TODAY was gonna be the day that shared this really cool piece of West Virginia's strange history with the man I love.  He was a little hesitant at first, but that quickly changed!

After having a nice little chat with Andrew Smith who runs the museum, JR and I perused the collection.  I think he was able to walk away with a better understanding of the Flatwoods Monster story, and asked me plenty of questions afterward.  My heart melted to see him take a bunch of photos, which he promptly shared on Reddit, lol.  I think he was most pleased with his shiny new Mothman/Flatwoods Monster pressed penny that I made for him! 

It was a really brief trip, as we had to get back to the hospital to see his mom, but it was the perfect little stop.  I love the Flatwoods Monster Museum and have been multiple times over the past couple of years, but it was really special to share that with my husband.  I think the Flatwoods Monster kind of holds a special place in our relationship since I inadvertently ended up wearing a Flatwoods Monster t-shirt to my own wedding! But, the Flatwoods Monster is also special in that it is such a fascinating example of West Virginia's weird history.  Andrew does such an awesome job running the museum and promoting the Flatwoods Monster that this once-obscure little story has really turned into an entity known all over the world.  If you find yourself cruising up Interstate 79, take a quick detour and see this unique tourist spot...admission to the museum is free, a variety of affordable souvenirs are available, and the place is chock full of photos, documents, memorabilia, and much more related to one of West Virginia's favorite monsters! 

Follow the Flatwoods Monster Museum on Facebook to stay up to date on information concerning the monster and upcoming events at the museum!  Author Sherri Brake will be on-site October 26th!