"In the summer of 2017 there was a partial solar eclipse that passed over Chicago, and I deliberately went down to the lakefront because I thought, 'If I was the Chicago Mothman, I would make an appearance at the solar eclipse.'" UE; P&M/TSFS, October of 2002A woman reports a winged humanoid swooping over her car on the same road where, two years earlier, she had seen a diamond-shaped UFO. As part of her obsession with Chicago Mothman, Sarah created a series of comics of the creature visiting different iconic sites in our fair city and having a great time. UE; P&M, Late September, 2019A woman reports a toddler-sized bat creaturerunning like a gorilla across Meadow Hill Road near Barrington, Illinois. UE; P&M, 1999A woman, along with her husband and a girlfriend, report a flying, red-eyed gargoyle in Rockford, Illinois. Witnesses and artists have depicted Mothman as a tall, owl-like creature with membrane wings. The Yeoman Creek Landfill, a Superfund site in Waukegan north of Chicago, will eventually be the site for 20,000 solar energy panels. UE; P&M/UFOCH, June 17th, 2017A jogger near the Navy Pier reports an enormous bat taking wing and flying towards the water treatment plant. Specifically, the witness recounted another winged humanoid incident on July 22, 2021, as one that resulted in firings, relocations and cover-ups. UE; UFOCH, December 29th, 2022A man claiming to be a firefighter reportedly sees a red-eyed, winged Batman at Chicagos OHare International Airport. LB; UFOCH, July 24th, 2017A man reports an insect-like flying humanoid taking flight from near the top of Willis Tower. Scientistsbelieve that the most likely explanation for the Mothmanis a sandhill crane. LEGEND of a giant winged creature that stalks West Virginians has terrorized Americans since the 1960s. In fact, if the alleged creatures are actually just large birds, the airport doesnt want passengers worrying about planes flying into them either. Screaming, flying toward lake, disappearing, going real fast, portenting, looking at people with eyeballs. Mothman was alleged to have eaten a German shepherd belonging to Newell Partridge of Salem, West Virginia, in 1967. According to Bantz. | RSS, How The Family That Walks On All Fours Baffled Scientists For Years, The "Nuclear Coffin" On Runit Island Is Still Haunting The Pacific, A 30-Year Garfield Phone Mystery Was Solved By A Discovery In A Sea Cave, A Giant Destructive Blob Is Headed For Florida, And It Stinks, Anthropologist Believes An Ancient Human Species May Have Been Sighted On Flores Island, This Small, Vibrating Bracelet Might Change Your Life, Don't Travel Without These CES-Featured Translation Earbuds, Stay Warm in a Blackout with this CES-Featured Power Station, How To Take Award-Winning Photos Of Space, Five Mysteries Surrounding Space And Physics. These phenomena culminated on December 15, 1967, with the collapse of the Silver Bridge across the Ohio River at Point Pleasant. These sightings have been reported out of chronological order, so we've put together a timeline of the reports with links to the articles that describe them, in order to help you contextualize the sightings. LB (Large Birds): These sightings are the most likely to be a misidentified modern avian species or potentially anomalous large birdsthink owls, herons, and cranes, or even pterosaurs and thunderbirds. Hilda Walker, Judy Meyers and Howard Phillips saw a "man with wings like a bat" sitting in the branches of a nearby tree, watching them. LB; UFOCH/MUFON, August 6th, 2017Two concertgoers report a bat-like flying humanoid with glowing red eyes in Grant Park following the Chicago Lollapalooza. Well, despite exhaustive research, interviews with witnesses and cryptozoologists, and one good old-fashioned monster hunt (for more on that, listen to the SHOCKING audio story! Date of Sighting: December 30, 2021 2 It still remains unknown whether Chicago Mothman is a subspecies of the West Virginia Mothman or the same species or whether it is, perhaps, just a heron that got caught in a garbage bag. Despite the number of sightings, there is very littlephotographic evidenceonline, which is perplexing given that we live in a world where everyone has a high-quality camera on them at all times. June 3, 2022 Antioch Missionary Baptist Church is using a funeral home for weekly services as it makes plans to rise from the ashes. Now, even if we don't agree that we are looking at a kite and at a bird, I thinkwe can be sure that these pictures depict two different creatures. LB; P&M, August 22nd, 2017A bat-like "flying Mothman" is reported over Pulaski Road in Chicago. UE; P&M, February 8th, 2017A man driving on interstate 294 reports seeing what he thinks is a person turn into a large black bird. Founded by Antnio Macheve Jr., the designer brand gives the international gentleman the opportunity to express himself and build a sense of personal style through aesthetically fine garments, accessories and visual concepts. The couple, who wishes to remain anonymous, just finished a late dinner and were out for a walk when they saw the strange being. LB; P&M, October 26th, 2018A married couple reports a winged humanoid resembling a large owl in Alsip, Illinois. Did we ever find out what it was? 6 reubnick 1 yr. ago UE; P&M, Fall of 1971Retired police officer David Ramos reports an encounter with a shadowy winged humanoid he had when he was 12 years old near the North Branch of the Chicago River. Mothman was alleged to have eaten a German shepherd belonging to Newell Partridge of Salem, West Virginia, in 1967. The witness also revealed that the airline (assumed to be American) has covered up other similar incidents: many witnesses have either been terminated, laid off or reassigned to other workstations in order to keep these sightings under wraps.. Several sightings have been reported at the OHare International Airport in Chicago. Manuel Martinez/WBEZ Chicago Enter Lon Strickler, an expert in the field of cryptids and founder of the popular website, Phantoms and Monsters. The gravediggers from Clendenin, West Virginiaallegedly described the strange sighting as a brown human being.. UE; UFOCH, Early July, 2020A man and his coworkers report seeing a large person with wings fly overhead while unloading a plane at Chicagos OHare International Airport. Brian Munoz/St. Well, despite exhaustive research, interviews with witnesses and cryptozoologists, and one good old-fashioned monster hunt (for more on that, listen to the SHOCKING audio story! UE; P&M, July 20th, 2017A car full of friends on Lake Shore Drive report a "giant flying bat." The most recent incident, on June 3rd, occurred in the Lincoln Park area around 10:00 PM local time. Sarah Becan/sarahbecan.com hide caption Students at Lenart Elementary Regional Gifted Center on the South Side in May participated in the school's annual fundraising walk-a-thon. UE; UFOCH/P&M/TSFS, Late October, 2019A woman and her husband report an unknown flying human owl perched in a tree near their apartment in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. John Amitrano, one of the eye-witnesses interviewed by VICE said his phone was charging when he saw something flying awkwardly under a plane. It still remains unknown whether Chicago Mothman is a subspecies of the West. So is this what people have been seeing? LB; UFOCH, Within a week of the May 5th sightingA family walking along the riverfront reportedly sees a flying humanoid cross over the William P. Fahey bridge. Early winter, 1957Gerald Turrise reports seeing a winged creature with the body of a large man while out hunting as a young man in Braidwood, Illinois. On November 12 of that year, five men in the nearby town of Clendenin were digging a grave when. If I had seen it while by myself, I wouldnt have said anything, but there were four of us who saw it, he told the paper. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, If you go to the spot featured in that image of the map. Xipixi is an African luxury menswear brand. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. UE; P&M, October 5th, 2019A ride-share driver reports a "tall creature" with "bright red eyes" and "large wings near Chicagos OHare International Airport. Approximately fifteen sightings of a flying humanoid have been reported in the Chicago area. I'm a sucker for skylines. Click here to view the live map. LB; P&M, September 12th, 2017A woman walking home from work reports a "black devil" in Chicago's Little Village. A Real Bone Chiller,Don't Watch This While You're Alone. A man in Indiana near the Prairie Creek Reservoir has also spoken to the Singular Fortean Society about a series of glowing orb sightings from 1981 to 2020 that could be related to the Lake Michigan Mothman phenomenon. What location would be #2? It was later suggested by some locals that Mothman was trying to warn humans of an impending nearby tragedy: the 1967 Silver Bridge collapse, which killed 46 people. As part of her obsession with Chicago Mothman, Sarah created a series of comics of the creature visiting different iconic sites in our fair city and having a great time. An aspiring journalist later comes forward to corroborate the officer's story. LB; P&M, Late summer, 2017A woman in Rockford, Illinois reports a tall and dark humanoid with huge wings taking flight from a neighbors yard about a block away. He's now seeking clemency so he can get out early after 26 years. The only possible explanation I can think of is that somebody caught the Mothman and chained him to this spot! UE; P&M, April 12th, 2019Ghost hunter Craig Nehring reportedly collides with a miniature mothman while driving his semi truck near Wittenberg, Wisconsin. No sound. UE; UFOCH, Early December, 2019A woman reports a flying gargoyle while driving near Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Dubbed the Chicago Mothman, it has been seen all over the area, often near the Lake Michigan shoreline. (Image: Billy Bantz/Lon Strickler). Press J to jump to the feed. - Possibly confused with: a barred owl, a shitepoke, a sandhill crane, a drone costume, another Chicago cryptid. "If something is suggested to them subsequently as a plausible scenario like a Mothman or whatever that person might be inclined to fill in the gaps with that., © 2023 IFLScience. Click here to view the live map. hide caption, June 29, 2022 Congresswoman Mary Miller handily defeats fellow incumbent Rodney Davis in downstate Illinois' 15th congressional district. What you hear reported are just a small piece of these things.. Inspired by all of the Mothman sightings in 2017, questioner and illustrator Sarah Becan imagined the types of activities Mothman might enjoy in Chicago. UE; P&M, November 26th, 2014A Fire and Rescue officer and his partner report a green-eyed, winged humanoid in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sarah Becan/sarahbecan.com "It didn't look like a bat so much as what illustrations of pterodactyls look like, with the slenderness of its head and its wing shape," he said. Do OHare and American have reasons to cover up the existence of an unexplained creature roaming their grounds? If there are indeed so many sightings of something strange at the airport, it should be possible that one witness could catch in on a smartphone and slip out before security shows up to confiscate it. However, others posit that this supposed supernatural connection was simply a way for people to make sense of a tragedy without meaning, as one would think there are more direct ways to warn people of danger than just being spooky. hide caption. Both witnesses told [Strickler] that they felt a sense of foreboding and were still terrified almost an hour after the encounter. [it was] a 7-8 ft solid black humanoid with wide membrane wings, that resembled those of a huge bat. Starting in 2011 and peaking in 2017, sightings of a Mothman-like creature began surfacing all over Chicagoland. LB; UFOCH, July 5th, 2019A witness reports a pterosaur while driving home in Wheaton, Illinois. Her son later photographs a set of prints that they believe belong to the creature. There were reportedly at least 55 sightings of the so-called Mothman in the Chicago area in 2017. . My mom died three weeks agoI am not sure what to think at this point. Bantz was delivering a shipment when he noticed something strange in the air. Have you seen Chicago Mothman? The entity has also been referred to as the 'Chicago Mothman', 'Chicago Owlman' & 'O'Hare Mothman.' - Chicago / Lake Michigan Winged Humanoid Regional Interactive Map - Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] - your anonymity is guaranteed. PH; UFOCH, June 30th, 2017A security person taking a break outside of The Owl reports a bat-like humanoid flying over an empty lot across the street. UE; P&M, Early summer 2016A woman reports seeing a prehistoric bird after dropping her kids off at school in Gary, Indiana. Maybe thats why Google Maps doesnt track them. UE; P&M, 2004A 12-year-old boy and his friends report a winged man all in black near Panther Creek in Auburn, Illinois. LB; UFOCH, June 23rd, 2017A couple, along with a crowd of people, reportedly sees a large, black, bat-like creature with humanoid features near the Adler Planetarium. UE; TSFS, January of 2002A woman reports a terrifying encounter with a red-eyed, winged creature in Madison, Wisconsin. This thing didn't have any feathers or fur, and it didn't fly like anything I've ever seen., VICE also interviewed Dr David A. Gallo, a memory expert from the University of Chicago, who gave his own explanation for the surge in sightings. LB; P&M, July 3rd, 2019A man in Rosemont, Illinois, reports a large black animal flying over the Des Plaines River. So far, Lon Strickler of the Singular Fortean Society, has recorded 39 sightings of the Mothman since the beginning of this year in Chicago. Mea atqui dicam in, vidit reque error mei ex, ut eos possit reformidans reprehendunt. This object looked like a large black bat, but also had humanoid features such as pronounced arms and legs. UE; TSFS, March 6th, 2019A woman is awoken in the early morning hours by a sinister and monster-like growling outside of her home in Woodstock, Illinois. UE; UFOCH, June 30th, 2020Two women report seeing a huge owl with "glowing red eyes that looked like [they] belonged to the devil himself" near a parking lot at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. UE; P&M, August of 2016A man reports a large, winged humanoid perched on a lamppost in Cicero. The Case Of The Chicago Mothman. Hes written for TV shows such as "The Tonight Show", "Politically Incorrect" and an award-winning childrens program. Directions Caroline Kubzansky/WBEZ Chicago UE; P&M, March 3rd, 2020Chicago paranormal investigator Manuel Navarette reports a strange flying creature with "membranous wings" near O'Hare International Airport. Eye color: Red eyes, green eyes, yellow eyes and orange eyes have all been reported. P&M (Phantoms and Monsters): These sightings were received/investigated by Lon Strickler of Phantoms and Monsters. The Chicago region has been experiencing a collective case of the heebie-jeebies in recent years, ever since reports of a giant, flying, winged humanoid began surfacing in 2011. Courtesy of Johnny Pippins and Fortepan Iowa/WBEZ Chicago The first Mothman sightings occurred near the small town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia in 1966. One researcher argues that it is probably just a large owl. The MothMan found on Google Maps! While they did experience some odd battery drains on their equipment, nothing conclusive was found. Our investigative group is conducting a serious examination of his phenomenon. UE; P&M, Summer of 2003A young woman and her friend report an owlman outside the window of her house in Alsip, Illinois. UE; UFOCH, October 31st, 2020A group of young adults claim to have seen a red-eyed, winged being in the trees near Waukegan Skate Park in Waukegan, Illinois. In an interview with Mysterious Universe, Strickler pointed to two sightings on his website that he states are the most compelling. Home; About Us. The entity has also been referred to as the 'Chicago Mothman', 'Chicago Owlman' & 'O'Hare Mothman' or 'O'Hare Batman.' - Chicago / Lake Michigan Winged Humanoid Regional Interactive Map - Please feel free to contact me at lonstrickler@phantomsandmonsters.com - your anonymity is guaranteed. Mothman has been a favorite of hers for some time, and so when people began reporting sightings in Chicago, she says she became a little obsessed. Join MU Plus+ and get exclusive shows and extensions & much more! We heard it again, this time it lasted about 3 seconds, where as the previous sound was brief. The reports, which peaked in 2017, inspired Chicago-based comics artist Sarah Becan to bring Curious City this question: There was a rash of sightings in Chicago of a creature that people then called the "Chicago Mothman." We just thought it would be fun to come down and see what its all about, she told The Herald-Dispatch. hide caption, May 16, 2022 Data from a new sensor network shows the highest rates of pollution in Little Village, Austin, Englewood, Irving Park and other neighborhoods. LB; P&M, April 28th, 2022A truck driver claims to have encountered a giant, red-eyed man-bat while dropping off equipment at work in Bensenville, Illinois. LB; P&M, May 27th, 2017A married couple reports a large, black, bat-like creature with glowing red eyes near the intersection of North Wrightwood Avenue and North Lakeview Avenue. Map of the current sighting locations. Our hope is that Chicagoans will be able to keep this investigation going so that we may one day meet our winged friend and ride upon him like a luck dragon. UE; UFOCH, March 5th, 2022A woman claims that she and her friend encountered a creature with bright red eyes and a big black body while parked at a construction site near Chicagos OHare International Airport. It's been a while since we've had a good cryptid story,but at last, we have one that focuses on everyones fourth favorite cryptid, the Mothman.