The Van Meter Visitor
Van Meter, Iowa's Cryptid
In September 1903, the town of Van Meter became the setting for a series of strange encounters. Several local residents reported seeing a large, winged creature flying around the town and surrounding area.
The creature became known as the Van Meter Visitor, and its story has remained a part of Van Meter for many years.
The Sightings
The reported sightings took place over several nights in September 1903.
According to newspaper reports and later accounts, several Van Meter residents encountered a strange creature that they described as large and capable of flight.
Witnesses reported that the creature:
- Was several feet tall
- Had large wings
- Could fly
- Had a bright glowing light associated with its head or face (a glowing horn)
- Made unusual sounds
- Had a wretched smell
- Was not easily frightened away or injured
Several well-known Van Meter residents became involved in the search for the creature.
Searching for the Visitor
A group of local men organized a search for the creature.
The search eventually led them to an abandoned coal mine outside Van Meter. According to the accounts, the men encountered the creature near the mine and fired at it. Some accounts report seeing a second, smaller creature accompanying the bigger creature at the mine.
The Visitor was never captured.
No physical evidence has ever conclusively established what the witnesses encountered.
The Mystery
Nobody knows exactly what the Van Meter Visitor was.
Over the years, people have suggested several possible explanations, including:
- A misidentified bird or other animal
- A hoax or prank
- An unusual animal that was mistaken for something mysterious
- A story that became exaggerated through retelling
- Something that remains unexplained such as a true cryptid
Today, the Van Meter Visitor is generally regarded as part of Iowa folklore and the history of Van Meter.
The Van Meter Visitor Timeline
September 1903
Residents begin reporting sightings of a strange creature around Van Meter.
Following nights
Additional sightings are reported, and concern grows among local residents.
The search
A group of local men searches for the creature and encounters it near an abandoned coal mine.
After 1903
The story continues to be retold and becomes part of Van Meter folklore.
Today
The Van Meter Visitor remains one of Iowa's unexplained local stories. There is an annual Van Meter Visitor Festival held in Van Meter every September.
A Note About the Story
The Van Meter Visitor story is based on historical newspaper accounts, witness reports, and later retellings. Some details vary between sources, and there is no definitive evidence proving what the witnesses encountered.
This page is intended to share the story as an interesting part of Van Meter's local history and folklore.
What the Library Has About the Visitor
- Books about the Van Meter Visitor
- Van Meter Visitor stickers, available occasionally while supplies last
What the Library Does Not Have About the Visitor
- The plaster footprint cast
- Cryptid hunting gear
- A Van Meter Visitor statue
