The Flatwoods monster, also called the Braxton County monster, Braxie, or the Phantom of Flatwoods, is a creature from West Virginia folklore. It was reported to be seen in the town of Flatwoods, Braxton County, West Virginia, United States, on September 12, 1952, after a bright light appeared in the night sky. Experts now believe the light was a meteor, and the creature was actually a barn owl sitting in a tree. Shadows made the owl look like a large human-like creature.

History

At 7:15 p.m. on September 12, 1952, two brothers, Edward and Fred May, and their friend Tommy Hyer, said they saw a bright object cross the sky and land on the property of local farmer G. Bailey Fisher. The boys went home and told their mother, Kathleen May. Later, Kathleen, Edward, Fred, and Tommy joined by local children Neil Nunley and Ronnie Shaver, and Kathleen’s cousin, West Virginia National Guardsman Eugene Lemon, went to the Fisher farm to find the object the boys had described. The group reached the top of a hill, where Neil Nunley said they saw a flashing red light. Lemon said he shone a flashlight in that direction and briefly saw a tall, "man-like figure" with a round, red face surrounded by a pointed, hood-like shape.

Descriptions of the creature varied. In an article for Fate Magazine based on interviews, UFO writer Gray Barker described the figure as about 10 feet (3 meters) tall, with a round, blood-red face, a large pointed "hood-like shape" around the face, eye-like shapes that glowed greenish-orange, and a dark black or green body. Edward May described the figure as having "small, claw-like hands," folds that looked like clothing, and a head shaped like the ace of spades. According to the story, when the figure made a hissing sound and "glided toward the group," Lemon screamed and dropped his flashlight, causing the group to run away.

The group said they smelled a "strong, sharp odor" and some later reported feeling sick. The local sheriff and a deputy were investigating reports of a crashed aircraft in the area. They searched the site where the creature was seen but "saw, heard, and smelled nothing." According to Barker’s account, the next day, A. Lee Stewart Jr. of the Braxton Democrat claimed to have found "skid marks" in the field and an "odd, sticky substance" that UFO groups later called evidence of a "saucer" landing.

Former news editor Holt Byrne said "newspaper stories were shared across the country, radio broadcasts were aired on large networks, and hundreds of phone calls were received from all over the United States." The national press rated the story "No. 11 for the year." A minister from Brooklyn visited the May family. A Pittsburgh newspaper sent a special reporter. UFO and Fortean writers like Gray Barker and Ivan T. Sanderson came to investigate.

Conventional explanations

In 2000, Joe Nickell of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry studied a 1952 event where witnesses reported seeing a bright light, a pulsating red light, and a creature in the sky. He concluded that the bright light was likely a meteor, the red light was probably from an aircraft’s navigation or hazard beacon, and the creature resembled a barn owl. Nickell explained that the witnesses’ nervousness may have made them misinterpret what they saw. Other investigators, including those from the Air Force, agreed with his findings.

On September 12, 1952, a meteor was seen over Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Nickell noted that three flashing red aircraft beacons were also visible in the area. These could explain the reports of a pulsating red light and a red tint on the face of the creature.

Nickell believed the creature’s shape, movement, and sounds matched those of a startled barn owl perched on a tree branch. He suggested that the leaves under the owl might have made it look like the creature had a pleated green skirt. Witnesses disagreed about whether the creature had arms, but one described "small, claw-like hands" that extended forward. This matches the appearance of a barn owl using its talons to grip a branch.

Skeptic Ryan Haupt noted that a local boy, Max Lockard, admitted driving his Chevy truck near the site to see something. However, paranormal investigators claimed that tracks, oily residue, and rubbery material found there were left by the creature, not the truck. Haupt explained that some witnesses’ nausea could be due to nervousness or physical strain.

Legacy

Officials in Flatwoods built a welcome sign that named the town "Home of the Green Monster."

In Sutton, which is the seat of Braxton County, the Flatwoods Monster Museum is located. The museum focuses on the legend of the Flatwoods monster. It is open from 9 AM to 5 PM on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and from 10 AM to 4 PM on weekends. Admission to the museum is free for visitors. The Braxton County Convention and Visitor's Bureau also created five tall chairs shaped like the monster. These chairs serve as landmarks and attractions for visitors. The Bureau gives "Free Braxie" stickers to visitors who take photos of all five chairs.

The story of the Flatwoods monster has inspired media outside West Virginia. Video games such as Fallout 76 and Everybody's Golf 4 include mentions of the legend.

In television, an episode of the 2019 History Channel show Project Blue Book titled "The Flatwoods Monster" is based on the Flatwoods incident.

Since 2019, Flatwoods, West Virginia has hosted a Flatwoods Monster Convention.