Local Lore: The Van Meter Visitor

Let’s go back in time to Van Meter, Iowa in 1903. You look up and see something looking back at you from the top of a building. But what is that? You’ve never seen anything like it before.

This is the story of the Van Meter Visitor.

A legendary creature was reported to be seen over the course of several nights in late September of 1903. Residents reported seeing a bat-like creature that emitted a bright, blinding light from a horn on its head. It also had giant wings and a newspaper at the time reported that “every man, woman and child in the town is in a state of terror.”

The creature was first spotted by a respectable local businessman who saw it perched atop a building. Soon after, more sightings occurred, with The Visitor reportedly flying at incredible speeds and terrorizing the town. Inhabitants tried to shoot at the mysterious beast and chase it down, but to no avail. Many townspeople thought they dug too deep into the mine and that this mysterious beast came out.

There have been other reported sightings over the years with the most recent coming in 2020 near Boone, Iowa. These sightings have all called this mysterious beast a giant bird.

The true nature of the Van Meter Visitor remains a mystery. And maybe that’s what makes this story so enduring. It’s a reminder that even in our modern world, there are still room for tales that defy easy explanation, leaving room for wonder, speculation and just a touch of fear.