The Unknown Van Meter Visitor

Sketch of the Van Meter Visitor

The Van Meter Visitor

This tale is from many years ago about an interesting bat-like cryptid monster and has become one passed on for many generations. The Van Meter Visitor/Monster was observed in the Fall of 1903 in Van Meter, Iowa. The most popular description of it would be that it is a large bat humanoid creature with a horned head and that it reeked of a very foul stench for great distances around it. The creature was said to jump from building to building while flying at alarmingly fast speeds and some reports claim that it had the ability to shoot a bright light from its head. Over the course of a few nights, this monster was spotted in the town and reigned terror and fear among the resident. Although it was scary, some believed that it held no ill intent and thus it got the name Visitor instead of monster

Now, this is the record of events that took place on those series of nights in 1903. On the first night, the creature was spotted by implement dealer U.G. Griffith as it flew across building tops. He quickly got his gun and started firing at it but the monster continued normally without as much as flinching at the shots. After this, it left the town and due to its speed, nobody was able to follow it. On the second night, the town's doctor and bank cashier Peter Dunn both saw the creature separately and as done by Griffith, they opened fire to reach the same conclusion as before. It is also claimed that Dunn took a plaster cast of the monster's foot somehow to reveal a large three-toed footprint but I couldn't find any further records or information about the plaster. The next night, a man named O.V. White was woken up by the sounds of this creature and upon seeing it perched on top of a telephone pol, shot at it (Yes, everyone in this town seemed to have guns.). According to Mr. White and an onlooking local high school teacher, the monster hopped like a kangaroo and once again avoided damage.

After all this, the townsfolk were enraged and were imperative about ending the problem at once so they followed the monster as it fled. This brought them to a nearby abandoned coal mine which they stood outside with the idea of killing the monster once and for all. After some hours, the monster appeared along with a smaller version of itself and flew away only to return to the mine shortly. The townsfolk shot and attacked with all the firepower they had but the creature quickly dived into the depths of the mine and that became the last ever sighting of the Van Meter Visitor. Now, most of you must be thinking that this is just another stretched out crazy cryptid but there are a few things that set it above the rest in legitimacy. Most importantly, a lot of people who claimed to have seen the creature were reliable and trustworthy people who would have nothing to gain from lying about seeing a strange monster but would probably avoid such a lie due to the unnecessary skepticism that follows. Other than this, an author named Chad Lewis has written a book on the creature and went to the town to acquire knowledge and many townsfolk even today believe that it was true and that it has become a story passed through generations.

While that was the tale and all the information about this Visitor of Van Meter, it has many theories being formed as to what the monster was and if it even did exist. I have covered the most popular and believable below.

Theories

1. Monster Theory

This theory is pretty plain and simple and the people who believe in this directly believe that the Van Meter Monster exists. According to this, a half-bat humanoid monster was living at that time and for some reason came to the town of Van Meter for a few nights. While believing in such a monster seems pretty hard, this theory is backed by the legitimacy of the people who claimed to have seen it as well as the monster's resiliency. Anything short of an unknown monster would not be able to take so many shots from various types of weapons. The places where this theory lacks are firstly in the basic existence of such a monster as well as the strange smaller monster that appeared as well as its strange disappearance. It doesn't seem to make sense that a creature as such would go to the town, not harm anyone for a few nights, and then disappear back into a mine and never be seen for 100+ years.

2. False Identification Theory

According to this theory, the monster did exist but it wasn't actually a monster and instead some sort of large animal that the townsfolk may have mistaken to be a humanoid monster. The most fitting of animals seems to be a vulture or large eagle as they are able to fly at high speeds and also are quite large. This theory is backed by all the sightings being at night making the visibility of the actual creature very low as well as the lack of the creature harming anyone. People also say that over 100 years the actual chain of events must have been boasted and emphasized making the tale larger than it is. This theory does have its flaws such as the large number of people who saw it was quite high and assuming so many people misjudged a bird for a humanoid creature is pretty difficult. The creature's resilience to bullets as well as the light emanating from its head is something this theory doesn't explain. Another thing about this is that some people also further this to say that it must have been an elaborate prank but due to the same reasons I find this very unlikely.

3. Fake Theory

According to this final theory, the creature never existed in the first place and the townspeople must have collectively come up with a tale for some unknown reason. Now, this theory is present in every cryptid tale and is usually backed up quite well as cryptids are always hard to believe. The only real problem here is that the people who claim to have seen the monster are much different. As stated above, doctors and respectable people who had nothing to gain by lying all reported seeing the monster. This is different from other cryptids as many reports turn out to be false as people have a lot to gain such as popularity and sometimes enjoyment from making such reports and lies. Due to all this, this theory, while still present, is less popular than in most cryptid mysteries.

Conclusion

The Van Meter Visitor is quite an interesting cryptid as unlike others, wherein you have many reported sightings of a creature, in this case, there is only a string of connected sightings within the course of a few days. Now, In my personal opinion, I have to believe the false identification theory. This is because firstly, the other 2 theories of such a monster actually existing or all the townsfolk lying are a bit too much for me to believe in when compared to it being falsely identified. This would keep the legitimacy of the townsfolk intact as they wouldn't be lying but mistaken as well as explain the whole situation. Along with this, a vulture with its protruding head seems like an animal that could easily be mistaken for the Van Meter Visitor which was said to have a humanoid neck and head. As for the disappearing into the coal mine, I think this part of the story must have been exaggerated and added on along the years because 100 years are bound to lead to some changes in such a tale.

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