Episode 330 - The Van Meter Visitor: Iowa’s Winged Cryptid

In 1903, the quiet coal town of Van Meter, Iowa was shaken by a terrifying series of sightings that would become one of the strangest cryptid encounters in American folklore. It started with a beam of light — not from the sky, but from a glowing horn attached to a massive, winged creature. Then came the sulfuric stench, the shrieks in the night, and the bullets that didn’t work. For five nights, the townspeople watched in fear as a mysterious beast (or two?) soared through the skies, undeterred by shotgun blasts and town patrols. This is the legend of the Van Meter Visitor, a creature described as part-gargoyle, part-dragon, part-unicorn, and 100% nightmare fuel that the entire town tried — and failed — to take down. Plus, we’ll cover modern-day sightings, a plaster footprint, psychological and paranormal theories, and a festival held each year to commemorate this mysterious visitor. Was it a time-traveling pterodactyl, an alien reconnaissance scout, or something ancient released from the mine? One thing’s for sure: whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t just a bat. from the mine? One thing’s for sure: whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t just a bat.  Watch the video version here. Have ghost stories of your own? E-mail them to us at [e-mail] New Episodes are released every Sunday at 12am PST/3am EST (the witching hour, of course). Corinne and Sabrina hand select a couple of paranormal encounters from our inbox to read in each episode, from demons, to cryptids, to aliens, to creepy kids... the list goes on and on. If you have a story of your own that you'd like us to share on an upcoming episode, we invite you to email them to us!  If you enjoy our show, please consider joining our Patreon, rating and reviewing on iTunes & Spotify and following us on social media! Youtube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Discord. Edited and produced by Jaimi Ryan, original music by Arms Akimbo! Disclaimer: the use of white sage and smudging is a closed practice. If you’re looking to cleanse your space, here are some great alternatives! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices