Off the Shelf: Find State's Cryptids Inside the Library
By Savanna Draper on October 11, 2023 from Off the Shelf
Being a Tennessee native, I was unaware of the cryptids of West Virginia until I moved here and was introduced to them by coworkers and 
began noticing them cropping up on the Internet. For a state so small, we sure do have a lot of cryptids!
began noticing them cropping up on the Internet. For a state so small, we sure do have a lot of cryptids!
This is not an extensive list, but I have heard of Mothman, The Flatwoods Monster, The Grafton Monster, Ogua, Vegetable Man, Snarly Yow, Sheepsquatch, and Bat Boy. I think cryptids are such a fun and fascinating facet of West Virginia culture!
We invited local artist, Liz Pavlovic of Liz Pavlovic Design to paint some of our beloved cryptids reading books on the windows of the library. She chose to include Mothman reading The Shining by Stephen King, The Flatwoods Monster reading The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, and The Vegetable Man reading The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. We love how this painting turned out and hope everyone will enjoy it! You can find more of Liz’s work on her
website lizpavlovic.com.
website lizpavlovic.com.
We also have a display about cryptids up in the library currently. We pulled some of the spookiest cryptid books we had in our collection to put on this display. Cryptid Club by Sarah Andersen gives us a look inside the make-believe “Cryptid Club” which details the adventures of elusive creatures ranging from Mothman to the Loch Ness Monster. The United States of Cryptids: A Tour of American Myths and Monsters by J. W. Oker details many different cryptids from around the country including Batsquatch of Washington, Nain Rouge of Michigan, Flatwoods Monster of West Virginia, Lizard Man of South Carolina, and Glocester Ghoul of Rhode Island.
Monsters of West Virginia: Mysterious Creatures in the Mountain State by Rosemary Guiley features information about Mothman, The Grafton Monster, The Wampus Cat, White Things, and other bizarre creatures in our area, including Bigfoot, lizard people, and out-of-place panthers. One of the most popular books about West Virginia’s Mothman, The Mothman Prophecies by John A. Keel, also has a home on this display.
With so many legends and lore surrounding West Virginia cryptids, it’s easy to get caught up in research and reading about suspected sightings of these creatures. Whether you are a believer in these fantastical creatures and stories or not, we do hope you take the time to enjoy the information we have presented in our display and the painting of these creatures on our windows in the spirit of spooky season.
