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!

Book Review-Fireside Folklore, Volume I

Title: Fireside Folklore, Volume I
Author: Sherri Brake
Published: 2012 by Raven Rock
Amazon Info: Fireside Folklore

Anyone who knows me or reads this blog knows that I love, love, love collecting paranormal books, especially ones pertaining to West Virginia, and this book offered me another chance to add to my growing library!  I picked it up at History Day last Thursday and finished it within a day or so.

This is a slender volume, but its packed with plenty of West Virginia ghostlore, including plenty of popular haunts, some lesser known haunts and personal experiences of the author, and even some interesting folklore.  There are 24 chapters, each covering a different story...but each one of these chapters is simply a re-print of the author's column in Two-Lane Livin' Magazine, and more often than not are stories that anyone familiar with the popular early ghost books of WV has probably already heard.

That's not to say I dis-liked the book; I actually quite enjoyed it.  However, after reading the author's book on the WV State Penitentiary, I was expecting something with a little more research.  Either way, this is a great introductory book into some of West Virginia's finest legends.  There are some annoying editing errors, but if you can overlook them, you're in for a real treat...a quick, light read on my personal favorite subject!  I'm looking forward to the next volume!