Iowa Monsters: “The Van Meter Monster”
Yes, I am back with another Iowa monster of the week and I think this one is probably the most famous in Iowa with the most lore.... "The Van Meter Monster." Have you heard of it?
Here's how the legend goes: In the fall of 1903 in Van Meter, Iowa citizens of the town, prominent men in society, reported seeing a beast never seen before. It was described as half human, half animal with giant bat wings and a horn on its head that glowed bright traveling at incredible speeds.
A businessman by the name of U.G. Griffin shot at the creature as it flew overhead but the shots missed (or the bullets had no impact on the monster) and the monster flew away. The next day a banker and the town doctor also saw the monster and the monster left behind three-toed prints into the ground. The sightings continued on the next night at hardware store owner, O.V. White shot at the creature which also either missed or had no effect on the creature.
The townspeople decided to do something about this and gathered their weapons to charge after the creature. The posse followed the creature to an abandoned mine outside of town and heard it scream. The scream was described as "“The noise opened up again, as though Satan and a regiment of imps were coming forth for battle,” according to the 1903 Des Moines Daily News.
As the monster appeared outside of the mine a smaller creature also did and they flew away but did return in the morning to rounds of gunfire from the townspeople. However it seemed the bullets did not bother these creatures as they just slowly flew away and were never seen again.
Have you had an encounter with the "Van Meter Monster?"
Check out more of the store here.
Top Things Everyone Knows (Or Should Know) About The Cedar Valley