On September 12, 1952, Edward May, Freddie May, Neil Nunley, and Tommy Hyer were playing near Flatwoods Elementary in Braxton County, West Virginia, when they saw a bright light streak across the sky.
Curious, the boys hurried home to tell Edward and Freddie’s mother, Kathleen May, who then asked National Guardsman Eugene Lemon to come along and investigate.
When they reached the site where the light had landed, the group saw a pulsing red glow—and a towering, 10-foot-tall figure with twisted hands and a glowing green face, floating just above the ground. The creature let out a hiss, and everyone immediately ran for safety.
The story quickly spread, making headlines locally and nationally, and even drawing the attention of the U.S. Air Force, which launched an official investigation.
The creature hasn’t been spotted since, but it remains as one of Appalachia’s famous cryptids.
Today, people travel from across the country to visit the legendary home of the Flatwoods Monster.
Written by John G. Clark Jr.