In 1903, the quiet coal town of Van Meter, Iowa was shaken by a terrifying series of sightings that would become one of the strangest cryptid encounters in American folklore. It started with a beam of light — not from the sky, but from a glowing horn attached to a massive, winged creature. Then came the sulfuric stench, the shrieks in the night, and the bullets that didn’t work. For five nights, the townspeople watched in fear as a mysterious beast (or two?) soared through the skies, undeterred by shotgun blasts and town patrols.

This is the legend of the Van Meter Visitor, a creature described as part-gargoyle, part-dragon, part-unicorn, and 100% nightmare fuel that the entire town tried — and failed — to take down. Plus, we’ll cover modern-day sightings, a plaster footprint, psychological and paranormal theories, and a festival held each year to commemorate this mysterious visitor.

Was it a time-traveling pterodactyl, an alien reconnaissance scout, or something ancient released from the mine? One thing’s for sure: whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t just a bat.

from the mine? One thing’s for sure: whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t just a bat. 

Watch the video version here.

Have ghost stories of your own? E-mail them to us at [email protected]

New Episodes are released every Sunday at 12am PST/3am EST (the witching hour, of course). Corinne and Sabrina hand select a couple of paranormal encounters from our inbox to read in each episode, from demons, to cryptids, to aliens, to creepy kids... the list goes on and on. If you have a story of your own that you'd like us to share on an upcoming episode, we invite you to email them to us! 

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Edited and produced by Jaimi Ryan, original music by Arms Akimbo!

Disclaimer: the use of white sage and smudging is a closed practice. If you’re looking to cleanse your space, here are some great alternatives!

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