For every sighting reported, and every article written, the legend of Chicagos flying creature will continue to grow. We just thought it would be fun to come down and see what its all about, she told The Herald-Dispatch. In the intervening years, Mothman's cult fame grew, becoming the subject of an annual festival, a museum and even a 2002 movie starring Richard Gere. Have you seen Chicago Mothman? (Lon Strickler at the Phantoms & Monsters website has done an excellent job over the years of tracking the sightings both on the site and in books.) June 3, 2022 Antioch Missionary Baptist Church is using a funeral home for weekly services as it makes plans to rise from the ashes. 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. Robbie Telfer is a performance poet, teacher and conservationist. Enter Lon Strickler, an expert in the field of cryptids and founder of the popular website. Size and shape: between 6 and 10 feet tall, 10+ foot wingspan. Royal Time Traveler, Illuminati Psychic, Human with a Tail, Drug-Sniffing Squirrels and More Mysterious News Briefly, Centaurs at Area 51, Monster Penguins, Three-Armed People, Nuclear Mars Ships and More Mysterious News Briefly. UE; P&M, Early summer 2016A woman reports seeing a prehistoric bird after dropping her kids off at school in Gary, Indiana. August 22nd, 2017A bat-like "flying Mothman" is reported over Pulaski Road in Chicago. John Amitrano, one of the eye-witnesses interviewed by VICE said his phone was charging when he saw something flying awkwardly under a plane. We were watching and observing as the moon begin its transit when we heard a very loud scream. The Singular Fortean Society, another group which has reported on past Chicago Mothman incidents, points out that OHare International Airport has over a dozen sightings coming since August of 2019, and that similar winged humanoid reports have come from every state bordering Lake Michigan and date back to 1957 and have often been accompanied by reports of UFOs, other anomalous flying creatures and mysterious humanoids, parapsychological phenomena, and bizarre events seen by both witnesses and investigators. UE; P&M, August of 2006A man and his son report a large, dark being with cape-like wings in Bensenville, Illinois. Specifically, the witness recounted another winged humanoid incident on July 22, 2021, as one that resulted in firings, relocations and cover-ups. UE; UFOCH/TSFS, December 30th, 2021A man claims that he and two coworkers saw three black, red-eyed, winged creatures while working near a hangar at OHare International Airport. hide caption, June 29, 2022 Congresswoman Mary Miller handily defeats fellow incumbent Rodney Davis in downstate Illinois' 15th congressional district. In the late 1960s, people around Point Pleasant, West Virginia, began reporting sightings of a creature that would later be dubbed "Mothman." Click here to view the live map. UE; TSFS, October 25th, 2022A father and daughter claim to have encountered a thin, black, [winged] figure with eyes that were glowing bright red in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago. The couple, who wishes to remain anonymous, just finished a late dinner and were out for a walk when they saw the strange being. Should we believe the latest witnesses of a Mothman at Chicagos OHare airport? UE; TSFS, September 24th, 2020A woman reports seeing a seven-foot-tall, red-eyed creature after leaving work at the United States Postal Service sorting facility in Chicago's O'Hare International Airport at around 11 pm. - Species it's been compared to: a big owl, a pterosaur, a bat. The terrifying myth of The Mothman was born in 1966 when gravediggers reported seeing something big soaring over their heads and moving quickly from tree to tree, as reported by ati. LB; P&M, April 10th, 2018Two witnesses report an "owl man" on Chicago's south side. Of course they do no carrier wants terrified passengers or cancellations based on rumors of monsters. UE; P&M, Winter of 2011A woman reports seeing a flying humanoid with greenish yellowish-like eyes while driving near the Prairie Creek Reservoir in Indiana. This particular report was submitted to Manuel Navarettes UFO Clearinghouse site by an anonymous worker at the American Airlines aircraft hangar who claimed to be one of four people who witnessed three large black creatures over by the parking lot, they were about 7 feet tall each and they were just staring right at us. That was followed by one of them opens what look like large black wings and shoots off onto the sky followed by the others, all three making a sort of screeching sound as they take off. And THAT was followed by this: A few seconds later a security vehicle comes screaming up through the driveway and stops and some white chubby security person runs out with his flashlight and starts checking the area., One of the supervisors came up to us and told us to stop recording and to put our phones away or she would report us to our supervisors., They came in after 10 minutes and said that we were not to talk to anyone in regards to what we saw and that they were requiring us to send them the video we had shot on our phones and then delete the video off of our phones or we would be immediately terminated. UE; P&M, August of 2015A man driving in Gary, Indiana reports a dark, grayish prehistoric bird with smooth, leathery skin. LB; P&M, June 29th, 2017A police officer, along with the officer's partner and a group of civilians, reportedly sees a "dark black shadow with wings" standing atop a building before taking flight in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood of Chicago. The stories woven together bring life to our deepest fears, regardless of facts and truth. This sounded like squeaky truck brakes that squeal when you're pressing hard on them. 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. His first appearance in the Chicago area was in 2011. The tale of the Mothman begins back in the 1960s in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, where over the course of 13 months it allegedly appeared to multiple people and even heralded the fatal collapse . Our investigative group is conducting a serious examination of his phenomenon. Images courtesy of Sarah Becan, Brian Serway and Lon Strickler/WBEZ UE; UFOCH, Early December, 2019A woman reports a flying gargoyle while driving near Hoffman Estates, Illinois. UE; P&M, September 26th, 2017A woman and her son report seeing a "monster bat" in their backyard, before it flies off. Probably Not! We can only solve this mystery together. hide caption. The Singular Fortean Society (Tobias & Emily Wayland) 2016-2020. LB; UFOCH, July 5th, 2019A witness reports a pterosaur while driving home in Wheaton, Illinois. The "Mothman" legend, after decades of random alleged sightings around the country, picked up steam in the Chicago area in 2011 when reports of a giant, flying, winged humanoid began surfacing. Starting in 2011 and peaking in 2017, sightings of a Mothman-like creature began surfacing all over Chicagoland. LB; P&M, August 22nd, 2017A truck driver reports a large winged being with "thick glistening hair" flying over the Chicago suburb of McCook. In fact, if the alleged creatures are actually just large birds, the airport doesnt want passengers worrying about planes flying into them either. In an interview with Mysterious Universe, Strickler pointed to two sightings on his website that he states are the most compelling. Sarah Becan is a Chicago comics artist who draws mostly food and monsters (including many "Monsterffirmations," as she calls them). August, 2018Investigator Mark Hagan twice reports a bat-like creature with glowing red eyes near Hammond, Indiana. The gravediggers from Clendenin, West Virginiaallegedly described the strange sighting as a brown human being.. Have you seen Chicago Mothman? While they did experience some odd battery drains on their equipment, nothing conclusive was found. 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. Copyright 2022 Xipixi | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions, Free shipping worldwide for purchases above $120, Copyright 2022 Xipixi | Privacy Policy |. UE; TSFS, Summer of 2002A teenager reports a gargoyle with feathered wings in Babcock, Wisconsin. One of the iconic sightings of a mysterious creature in the UFO era, that of the so-called Houston Batman, was made on June 18, 1953. Over the years, there have been hundreds of alleged sightings of the cryptid, with Illinois having the most reported sightings at 125 as of September 2022. 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. LB; UFOCH, August 21st, 2017A second sighting of a shadowy flying humanoid reportedly occurs in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. Date of Sighting: December 30, 2021 Probably all the other colors, too. 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. 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. Standout witness statements are excerpted below: Location: Northerly Island during solar eclipse, As reported to: Phantoms & Monsters website. June 2, 2022 WBEZ found that fundraising by CPS schools has skyrocketed since 2010. UE; TSFS, April 27th, 2017A man fishing with his son on the banks of the Little Calumet in Chicago reportedly sees a weird winged being after hearing an eerie, unexplained sound. ", "I was spending the afternoon on a rooftop, and I saw something in the sky [VIDEO EVIDENCE] fairly high up and fairly far away. It was moving slowly but not randomly., Location: Fulton Market Street near the corner of Morgan, At first I thought it was a bird, but none Id seen before, because it was just so huge and the way it was flapping its wings The longer I watched it, it was like what the hell is that thing? hide caption. Senior Staff Writer & Space Correspondent. TSFS (The Singular Fortean Society): These sightings were received/investigated by Tobias and Emily Wayland of the Singular Fortean Society. 2 UE; P&M, Fall of 2011A man and his brother-in-law report a humanoid with bat-like wings near Downers Grover, Illinois. PH (Potential Hoax): These sightings are the likeliest to have been deliberate hoaxesthe information given has been proven to contradict verifiable facts. Neither heard any sound. UE; TSFS, April 17th, 2019A man reportedly sees a large, bird-like creature with a crest on its head and a long, spaded tail near the Des Plaines River. Hes written for TV shows such as "The Tonight Show", "Politically Incorrect" and an award-winning childrens program. If you go to the spot featured in that image of the map, there is no Mothman to be seen. "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.'" Sparking a reaction, many witnesses have begun to come forward with their own experiences. LB; P&M, September 23rd, 2017A man and his friends report a "large bird-like entity" over Chicago's DuSable Harbor. So scary! So first a bit of background. Below are some clues weve gathered based on reported sightings and interviews. The airport supervisors and TSA, as well as the carrier managements, are doing all they can to suppress sighting disclosure.. Enter Lon Strickler, an expert in the field of cryptids and founder of the popular website, Phantoms and Monsters. LB; UFOCH, June 20th, 2022A woman and her mother claim to have encountered both a massive, black, winged humanoid and a glowing UFO on the same night in Rockford, Illinois. Starting in 2011 and peaking in 2017, sightings of a Mothman-like creature began surfacing all over Chicagoland. 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, February 26th, 2020A woman reports a big, black birdman in the backyard of her apartment building in West Englewood, Chicago. LB; P&M, September 12th, 2017A woman walking home from work reports a "black devil" in Chicago's Little Village. UE; UFOCH, September 26th, 2017A nightclub performer reports a "man-bat" crouched on top of a light pole in Chicago's West Lakeview. UE; P&M, December 3rd, 2019A security person at OHare International Airport in Chicago reports a red-eyed flying man. UE; UFOCH, December 6th, 2019A man reports seeing a red-eyed, winged humanoid while driving near Chicagos OHare International Airport. 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! LB; P&M, April 12th, 2018Two elderly women reportedly witness a dark winged being vanish in West Lakeview. Editors Note: Listen to the kid-friendly version of the audio story here. As Strickler continues his hunt for the elusive being; only time and more sighting reports will shed light on this story. UE; P&M, August of 2016Jonathan Lane reports a giant, shapeless, black thing with two very large red eyes in Rockford, Illinois. We heard it again, this time it lasted about 3 seconds, where as the previous sound was brief. 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. Its impressive wingspan, between 1.65 and 2.3 meters (5.4 and 7.6 feet), and red coloration around the eyes make it a great candidate to explain the cryptid. UE; P&M, November 26th, 2019A man reports a seven-foot-tall person with wings while standing outside of a cargo dock at OHare International Airport in Chicago. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Alex Degman, Congregation members respond during an Antioch Missionary Baptist Church service at Calahan Funeral Home. which occurred on March 22nd to a local truck driver and Chicago local, Billy Bantz. In the intervening years, Mothmans cult fame grew, becoming the subject of an annual festival, a museum and even a 2002 movie starring Richard Gere. In the late 1960s, people around Point Pleasant, West Virginia, began reporting sightings of a creature that would later be dubbed Mothman. It would reportedly emerge, fly as fast as 100 mph and, oftentimes, leave witnesses with a deep sense of dread. LB; P&M, January 28th, 2018A woman reports a "weird hybrid mix of an owl and a bat" outside of her home in Wilmington. Caroline Kubzansky/WBEZ Chicago UE; UFOCH, November 26th, 2020Two women report seeing a bulky person with absolutely huge wings while driving near Oregon, Wisconsin. LB; P&M, October 27th, 2017A couple is reportedly accosted by a "man-sized" flying humanoid while sitting in a car at Piotrowski Park. Witnesses and artists have depicted Mothman as a tall, owl-like creature with membrane wings. UE; TSFS, August of 2008A witness reportedly sees a big, gray humanoid creature with big wings while attending a bonfire in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin. UE; TSFS/UFOCH, May 31st, 2020An airline pilot reports a large, black, human-like creature flying above OHare International Airport. So is this what people have been seeing? Bantz believes that this incident has affected his life. 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. Many wonder what may come for . After all, the mysterious doesn't always have to be serious. Sarah Becan/sarahbecan.com hide caption The most recent incident, on June 3rd, occurred in the Lincoln Park area around 10:00 PM local time. Sparking a reaction, many witnesses have begun to come forward with their own experiences. The creature stood in front of the car the group of sitting in, according to eyewitnesses Roger Scarberry and Steve Mallet. 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. He's been published in The New York Times" and "Huffington Post and has co-authored numerous collections of trivia, puzzles and humor. Before you toss this in your No video didnt happen circular receptacle, UFO Clearinghouse did due diligence it talked to the witness and found the person to be credible. 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. UE; TSFS/P&M, February 21st, 2020A security guard at Chicagos OHare International Airport reports a "very tallsolid black" creature with "glowing red eyes." The following information should not be used as an excuse to trespass on private property or ensnare your hairier relatives with a comically large butterfly net. 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. XIPXI means cat in the ronga language from Southern Mozambique. UE; P&M, August 28th, 2017A delivery driver reports a "large man with wings" flying over the same area of McCook as the sightings reported on August 22nd. I looked up to see a large object flying low over the docks that stick out in to Burnham Harbor from across the water This object looked like a large black bat, but also had humanoid features such as pronounced arms and legs., Location: West Town neighborhood, Chicago, I was spending the afternoon on a rooftop, and I saw something in the sky fairly high up and fairly far away. "When I first started reading about all of the different sightings, I was very excited about it. a large seven foot tall bat-like humanoid. UE; P&M, July 20th, 2017A car full of friends on Lake Shore Drive report a "giant flying bat." Screaming, flying toward lake, disappearing, going real fast, portenting, looking at people with eyeballs. Mea atqui dicam in, vidit reque error mei ex, ut eos possit reformidans reprehendunt. Katherine Nagasawa/WBEZ UE; UFOCH, September 10th, 2017Two witnesses report an unknown being gliding across the sky several miles away from each other in the Avalon Park and Douglas neighborhoods of Chicago. LB; P&M, October 26th, 2018A married couple reports a winged humanoid resembling a large owl in Alsip, Illinois. UE; UFOCH, December 26th, 2018A man driving with his wife near Prairie Creek Reservoir in Indiana reports a bat-like flying humanoid with an obvious face. UE; P&M, January 19th, 2019A man reportedly avoids colliding with a four-to-five-foot-tall grayish creature with large wingssimilar to bat wings while driving in Gary, Indiana. City limits encompass an area of approximately one square mile; much of this area . The reports, which peaked in 2017, inspired Chicago-based comics artist Sarah Becan to bring Curious City this question: There was a . June 2, 2022 The landfill in Waukegan will soon be home to 20,000 solar panels, part of a trend to reuse Superfund cleanup sites. Pritzker needs to let him out of prison, U.S. Rep. Mary Miller defeats fellow incumbent Rodney Davis, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church vows to rebuild after fire, North of Chicago, a contaminated landfill will be reused for solar energy. hide caption. If Google Maps kept track of cryptids (mental note: new website idea), a search on Mothman would go first to Point Pleasant, West Virginia home of the original and most famous sightings in 1966-67. LB; P&M/TSFS, June 25th, 2018Video of a large flying creature is captured on home security camera in Rantoul, Illinois. They told The Point Pleasant Register that the beast had red eyes and a wingspan of 10 feet and was able to fly as fast as 100 miles per hour. In the city, Mothfolk are spotted all over, though most often by bodies of water. This was later turned into a terrible movie starring Richard Gere and if the creature truly was a herald of doom, it should haveappeared to anyone about to buy a ticket. LB; P&M, July 27th, 2017A person headed home from work reports a large, bat-like creature perched atop a light pole. The witnesses have been very steadfast with what they have seen, and refuse to embellish on their initial descriptions. 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. These people aint playing around, they have checked in on us at least twice and I have also heard from others that have seen the same thing that they were told to stay quiet or risk losing their jobs. UE; UFOCH, July 29th, 2017Two friends report a "huge black shape" gliding over the Albany Park/Lincoln Square area. On April 7th, a witness came forward to report the sighting of a large seven foot tall bat-like humanoid in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. Several sightings have been reported at the OHare International Airport in Chicago. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. We heard it again, this time it lasted about 3 seconds, where as the previous sound was brief. UE; P&M, October 7th, 2017A witness reports a large, winged being flying in the River North neighborhood. Other reported features: fur, leather-like skin, bat wings, no neck. "I know what birds and what bats look like. Duo at placerat consulatu reprehendunt, te bonorum invidunt legendos vis. hide caption. LB, PH; MUFON, April 17th, 2017A woman reports a hulking, hunched-over, winged being across the street as she takes the garbage out that morning. In one incident, a couple was attacked by the creature while parked in their car. Late September, 2018A man and his family report a flying creature with the body of a large monkey and wings similar to bat wings from their porch in Gary, Indiana. UE; P&M/TSFS, February 25th, 2019A woman driving to work near Darien, Wisconsin is reportedly terrified by a near-miss with what she called a flying witch. Mothman was alleged to have eaten a German shepherd belonging to Newell Partridge of Salem, West Virginia, in 1967. No legs were noticed, but could have been tucked up under the body. The longer I watched it, it was like what the hell is that thing? UE; P&M, June 21st, 2001A witness and two friends report a "man with wings" flying over the Kinnickinnic River in Milwaukee. LB; TSFS, November 1st, 2015A woman reports a crow man hovering over a high-rise near Chicagos Washington Park. WBEZ brings you fact-based news and information. One witness came forward with her own timeline of personal sightings, ranging from 1970 through 2017, available here. - Eye color: "Red eyes," "green eyes," "yellow eyes" and "orange eyes" have all been reported. Scarberry insisted that what he saw was real, despite how far-fetched it had sounded. she says. LB; P&M, Summer of 2019A man reports "a large, dark, man-sized bat-bird 'thing'" flying behind his home in Franklin Park, Illinois. UE; UFOCH/TSFS, April 9th, 2022Several family members attending a party in Elk Grove, Illinois, claim they saw a winged humanoid with glowing red eyes perched on a neighbors roof. Menu Back. LB; UFOCH, July 24th, 2017A man reports an insect-like flying humanoid taking flight from near the top of Willis Tower. The Singular Fortean Society is based out of Madison, Wisconsin, but operates globally. DISCLAIMER: We are not responsible for any laws that are broken in the pursuit of Mothman, nor are we responsible for the factualness of any of the information contained herein. UE; UFOCH, Also on May 27th, 2017A woman and her boyfriend report a "large black flying man with wings" near 127th St. & Ashland Ave. LB; P&M, June 3rd, 2017Two different couples report encounters with a large, bat-like flying humanoid in the Lincoln Park area. 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. If you have a lead, a video, a sketch or a theory regarding what impending doom Mothman might be warning Chicagoans to avoid, please share it with us using #ChicagoMothman on Facebook or Twitter. Is this the return of the Mothman, here to warn Chicago locals of some impending tragedy? Alfredo (he/him) has a PhD in Astrophysics on galaxy evolution and a Master's in Quantum Fields and Fundamental Forces. Inspired by all of the Mothman sightings in 2017, questioner and illustrator Sarah Becan imagined the types of activities Mothman might enjoy in Chicago. 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 lonstrickler@phantomsandmonsters.com - your anonymity is guaranteed. UE; UFOCH, October 8th, 2020A woman reports seeing a black, humanoid figure with very large wings and legs while driving with her daughters and fianc in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The festival aims to celebrate the still-mysterious tale of the winged creature and offers visitors the chance to buy from local vendors at an event similar to a small-scale Comic Con. "We were watching and observing as the moon begin its transit when we heard a very loud scream. After sightings throughout the next year, the Silver Bridge collapsed on December 15, 1967, killing dozens of people. 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. There were reportedly at least 55 sightings of the so-called Mothman in the Chicago area in 2017. . UE; P&M, Summer of 2007Two friends report a flying humanoid with glowing yellow-ish eyes at Prairie Creek Reservoir in Indiana. Approximately fifteen sightings of a flying humanoid have been reported in the Chicago area. Serena Williams stepmom's debts continue to spiral amid crumbling home battle, 'Glaring error' left 'habitual liar' Alex Murdaugh 'boxed in' during trial, Alex Murdaugh jailed for life after disgraced lawyer guilty of murder, Murdaugh sentenced to LIFE in prison after being found guilty of double murder, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, The mystery of the Mothman has left Americans scratching their heads for decades, Hundreds of sightings have been reported since the 1960s.