John Keel, the author of the Mothman Prophecies, perhaps said it best: “This planet is haunted by us; the other occupants just evade boredom by filling our skies and seas with monsters.” You'd be hard-pressed to find a state that embodies this sentiment more succinctly than Wild & Wonderful West Virginia. In this edition of Monster Weekend, folklorist/artist/teacher Mark May has taken up the task of chasing down The Mountain State’s Big Four cryptids: Snarly Yow, Snallygaster, The Flatwoods Monster, and Mothman.

Consider if you will, an epic monster roadtrip presented in 3 Parts. Read Part Two here. Take it away Mark…

Hi Mark! Can you introduce yourself?

Hello! I’m Mark May. I’m a learning support teacher by profession, a curator of many collections by hobby, and a self-taught-outsider-folk artist as self-prescribed therapy. I love regional-based history, and have a passion for the more obscure lore an area has to offer.
What's new and good in your universe?

I’ve been gone more than I’ve been home this past summer, notable trips included a journey through Western North Carolina and Georgia, followed by a jaunt through the low country of South Carolina, a muddy stomp through the antique fields of Brimfield, Mass, and a sermon in a snake handling Pentecostal church in Tennessee.

On all these excursions I was looking for forgotten folklore, indigenous people’s relics, effigies, and tales of things that go bump in the night. In 2020, I and two other friends started Haint.Blue to further investigate Forgotten Folklore.

Where are we going this weekend?

We are heading to the State of West Virginia! My family's roots are deeply embedded in the Ohio River Valley, with my maternal grandfather’s family calling the region of southwestern West Virginia home since at least the early 1800’s. I must admit I was born in Illinois and have lived most of my life in Pennsylvania, yet multiple times a year for most of my life I have found myself in West Virginia. I guess I can call her my second home. Someday I plan to own a little slice of “Almost Heaven”.
Wild! So what cryptids from the map are we hoping to encounter?

Depending on your source, West Virginia is home to over a dozen monsters and beasts - and we are visiting the fearsome foursome of the Mountain State.  One will call West Virginia home, while the other three like to cross state lines and also visit Maryland and Ohio. We will be visiting with Snarly Yow, Snallygaster, The Flatwoods Monster, and the world-famous Mothman. John Keel, author of the Mothman Prophecies said it best “ This planet is haunted by us; the other occupants just evade boredom by filling our skies and seas with monsters.” I like to think he was describing West Virginia.

West Virginia has a lot to offer in her hills and valleys (“hollers” if you want to speak the lingo of my grandparents). We will be working our way around the state in a clockwise motion and going through the geographical center with some options for side trips. Let's turn up Country Roads on the stereo, bring a bag for foraged morels, ramps and pawpaws, stop at a gas station for pepperoni rolls, biscuits, and Mountain Dew. We are about to go on the hunt for the Wild and Wonderful in West Virginia.

I-68 from Maryland into West Virginia, aka the Hills of Snarly Yow and Snallygaster...
Snallygaster is a bird-like dragon creature with a cycloptic eye and mouth full of tentacles. It usually sticks to its home base of the South Mountain and the region around Frederick, Maryland. Reports of Snallygaster run as far West as Preston County WV, with stories cropping up all along the Northern fringe of the Eastern Panhandle.

Snallygaster was brought to the region by German settlers, who called it Schneller Geist or “quick ghost”. As with all folklore, the story grew and the beast became even more monstrous. The Snallygaster lore was used to terrorize people and scare others away, This was a strategy during the days of the Underground Railroad, and even during the Civil Rights era to discourage voting. During prohibition, the loud booms from illegal moonshine operations were said to be the Snallygaster. Lore, monster, or myth - it does bear the distinction of having Presidential awareness, as Theodore Roosevelt himself intended to hunt the beast (or so the legends go).
Snarly Yow is a large canine cryptid whom also pays little attention to state boundaries, and aside from the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia has also been seen in Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. Sightings usually describe a large pony-sized canine with glowing red eyes. I had an encounter with a similar beast in 2005 near the line of Cabell & Mason Counties, WV.

Things to do:
Coopers Rock State Park offers iconic views, canyon overlooks, 50 miles of hiking and biking trails, a lake, and sandstone cliffs for climbing.

Ride the PRT at WVU Morgantown, a one of a kind monorail-like people mover that connects WVU’s two campuses. 
This area is also the home of the pepperoni roll, a baked concoction of dough embedded sliced or sticks of spicy pepperoni and sometimes cheese. My two favorite places are available off the Cheat Road exit of I-68. The family restaurant Apple Annie's will not disappoint. Their take on the pepperoni rolls toasted melted cheese and some sweet peppers will warm your belly. If on the go, the gas station Mid-Atlantic Market, in the same shopping center as Apple Annies', imports meats and cheeses from Pittsburgh and makes a great pepperoni roll in large and small sizes.

Starting in Morgantown we will encounter the first of many Tudor’s Biscuit World franchises. I have eaten at many of the locations across the state and while their decor may change, the “cat head biscuit” named as it’s as big as a cat’s head biscuit will not disappoint. Personally I go for the fried apple biscuit.

Heading South on I-79 from Morgantown, we are heading for the Geographical Center of the state, Flatwoods, WV. On the way two side detours that are worthwhile:
Phillippi is a small railroad town, and the hometown of Ted Cassidy, the actor most famously known for playing the character ‘Lurch” on the Addams Family TV Show. It was also home of the first shots fired on land during the Civil War.

We are stopping here to visit the old train station and meet two of Phillippi’s most famous residents. The Barbor County Historical Society is the proud custodian of the Philippi Mummies. The Philippi Mummies date back to 1888, and were preserved using a homemade embalming fluid. There were other mummies in the collection that were ultimately washed away in a flood. The two ladies on display are in an air conditioned back room that will cost you $1 to visit. The covered bridge just across the tracks is amazing, too.
Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston is an imposing structure, and was in operation from 1864-1994. It's a beautiful structure outside, but inside many souls were housed against their will. I’ve participated in an overnight ghost hunt/tour here, and after 8 hours - many in the dark - I can say that if you don’t believe in spirits or ghosts, this facility WILL change your perspective. Tours in the daylight are also available if that’s more comforting or convenient.

Thanks Mark! Thus concludes Part One of our Three-Part West Virginia Monster Weekend. Please do stay tuned, Part Two is coming next week. Monsters in America: A Cryptozoological Map of the United States Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 can be found in the shop. Thank you for your support... monster adventure awaits...