Some cryptid stories begin with rumor or folklore. The Van Meter Visitor begins with a committee of respected townsmen who claimed they saw something and were willing to put their names behind it. In the fall of 1903, the small community of Van Meter, Iowa, was shaken by a series of encounters with a winged creature that emitted blinding light, left enormous tracks, and seemed immune to gunfire. Unlike most monster tales of the era, this one was investigated not by thrill-seekers, but by the town’s most prominent citizens, bankers, doctors, teachers, and business leaders whose testimony still appears in century-old newspapers.
The first sighting came just after midnight on September 29, 1903. U.G. Griffith, a local implement dealer, was walking home from work when he noticed a bright light floating above the rooftops. At first he assumed it was an electric lamp, except Van Meter had no such lights. As he watched, the glowing object drifted closer, revealing a tall humanoid figure with large bat-like wings. Its head appeared to hold a glowing horn or lamp that pulsed with intense white light. Griffith fled.
The next night, Dr. Alcott, one of the town’s most respected physicians, reported hearing strange sounds outside his office around 1 a.m. When he stepped outside, a towering figure rose from the ground in front of him, unleashing a beam of blinding light directly into his eyes. Startled but armed, Alcott fired five shots at the creature. According to his statement, the bullets had no visible effect. The creature simply leapt into the air and vanished.
Later that same night, a local banker named Clarence Dunn heard noises on the roof of the Van Meter First National Bank. Suspecting burglars, he climbed the stairs with his shotgun. When he reached the roof, he saw the winged creature perched on the building’s edge, its strange forehead light illuminating the streets below. Dunn fired repeatedly. The creature opened its wings and glided away, seemingly unfazed.
By now, the town leaders understood they were dealing with something far outside their expectations. On October 1st, track impressions were found near the abandoned mine shaft just outside town. The prints were enormous, three-toed and unlike any known animal in Iowa. They were large enough that the townsmen made plaster casts for preservation.
That night, the sightings escalated. O.V. White, another respected citizen, awoke to loud flapping sounds near his barn. When he opened his window, he saw the creature perched on a telephone pole, glowing. A moment later, it spread its wings and swooped toward him. White fired a shot at near point-blank range. The creature shrieked, but again showed no sign of injury.
The final confrontation came on October 3rd, when townsmen gathered at the old abandoned mine. They had pieced together a pattern: the creature always seemed to return to the mine before dawn. Armed with rifles and shotguns, a group of Van Meter’s business leaders staked out the site. Just before sunrise, they heard the familiar, rhythmic flapping of wings. Moments later, the creature emerged, this time accompanied by a smaller one, described as a juvenile.
Witnesses said both creatures glowed brightly, illuminating the mine entrance. The men opened fire, unleashing a barrage of gunshots that echoed through the valley. But like before, the creatures seemed untouched. They glided back into the mine shaft and disappeared into the darkness. The men sealed the entrance temporarily, but the creatures were never seen again.
When local newspapers reported the events, they emphasized that the witnesses were not prone to superstition or hoaxes. These were well-known citizens with reputations to protect. Their stories matched. Their timelines matched. Their physical evidence matched. And yet, no one could explain the creature’s light-emitting “horn,” its apparent invulnerability, or its ability to fly silently at great size.
Over the years, the Van Meter Visitor has become one of the most compelling cryptid cases in American folklore because of its credibility. Unlike most sightings, the creature was observed for several nights by multiple respected townspeople, not drifters, not anonymous passersby, but men whose names remain attached to the record more than 120 years later. Their statements remain preserved in archives that modern researchers still analyze.
Whether the creature was a misidentified animal, an unknown species, a mass misperception, or something beyond conventional understanding, the events of 1903 remain one of Iowa’s most meticulously documented monster encounters. The tracks, the light, the gunfire that had no effect, and the committee of town leaders who stood by what they saw—all of it continues to fuel a legend that refuses to fade.
Sources & Further Reading:
– 1903 newspaper reports from the Des Moines Daily News & The Van Meter Enterprise
– Witness accounts preserved in Van Meter historical archives
– Modern analyses presented at the Van Meter Visitor Festival
– Field research and interviews with local historians
(One of many cryptid stories shared by Headcount Coffee — where American legends pair perfectly with a strong cup.)
