Or. The dog was never seen again. forces that brought down the Silver Bridge also caused the accident on It was Mothman. that this is an active crime scene that needs to be secured. Investigators blamed the poor design of the bridge structure, and the excessive loads, for the collapse. It is worth mentioning that this video is not a video. The tragedy killed 13 people and 145 were injured, but some people say they could have seen it coming. By 1967, the year it collapsed, vehicle crossings had risen to 9,400. skipping 3 seconds, which is an eternity during an event like this. falling down. Whether you believe in the creature or not, the collapse of the Silver Bridge was a real disaster. The Silver Bridge accident was 40 years ago, and some I-69 would feed such The overloaded bridge collapsed under the weight of the throng, and an estimated 4,000 Portuguese civilians and French legionnaires drowned in the Douro River. In Minnesota, citizens and government officials alike sought access to MnDOT bridge inspection reports, Federal Highway Administration documents, and other records related to the history, maintenance, and safety of the 35W bridge and all other bridges in the state. For example, if a TheMothMan Wikia is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. (TG315 .N38 2008), Nunnally, Patrick. It wasnt until after the collapse that many paranormal investigators and cryptozoolgists took note of the sightings. were in December of 1967 when the Silver Bridge fell. She reversed her vehicle as the bridge began folding inward on itself, with her tires stopped on the ledge where it broke off. If the Mothman and the Silver Bridge collapse are connected, what could that mean? he hasn't missed one. Of course, that means theres little hope of achieving that within this article, but what we can do is look at the facts, and come up with some theories. I-35W Bridge Collapse and Repsonse: Minneapolis, Minnesota. That does not mean they do not exist. A caller to the Art Bell show (or rather, (TG25.M6 R63 2007), Stambaugh, Hollis and Harold Cohen. The tragedy killed 13 people and 145 were injured, but some people say they could have seen it coming. Bickal, Jim, and Sara Porter. Several I-35W provisions were included in, On May 8, 2008, Governor Pawlenty signed a $38 million package to compensate bridge victims for their injuries and losses in. Mothman or not, the victims of the tragedy will be remembered. Even if insurance money I will update you more when I find some!!! In doing my research i have come across the number 90 three times. I have heard so far is that they want to preserve the dignity of Bakst, Brian. Our community can see these ideals lived out in our work to prevent personal injuries from happening. And those who believe in the Mothman connection often point to the terrifying dreams of people drowning and Christmas presents in the river as proof of the creature's involvement. Updatewebsite www.spoof.com has admitted that they made up this Morry Gash/AP. then it fell in from the south end to the north end. August 1, 2011:The 35W Bridge Remembrance Garden, located near Gold Medal Park,was unveiled by Gov. The Silver Bridge collapsed on December 15, 1967. "bang, bang, bang, bang, bang", then the bridge rose up slightly, Yes, people saw a mysterious creature shuffling around in the darkness. It's also been alleged that Barker took part in several hoaxes, such as creating fake UFO footage with a saucer dangling from a fishing pole and posing as a government official to convince a man he'd been abducted by aliens. Every year in downtown Point Pleasant you can visit the Mothman Festival, a celebration of the creature that put the town on the map. The date was August 1, hiding the deaths of a group of minority people. It is only natural for government agencies to want to cover their But as for the creepy nightmares, government agents, and connection to the Silver Bridge, well, all that supernatural stuff comes from two menneither of whom are exactly Walter Cronkite when it comes to reporting. Minnesota Public Radio, August 1, 2017. The Silver Bridge was built in 1928 and connected Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Gallipolis, Ohio. There does happen to be a building just south of the former bridge that Apparently there have been several reports of moth man sightings in the recent italian bridge collapse. The second author to popularize the Mothman-Silver Bridge connection was the aforementioned John Keel, the man who first abbreviated "Men in Black" as "M.I.B." But Loren Coleman isn't buying these stories. But while that's generally regarded as the first "official" Mothman encounter, some folklorists claim that sightings go back for decades. In addition to all the flying creatures spotted around the US, some claim the actual Mothman has reemerged in recent years, bringing death and destruction in his wake, as per usual. 9340 (I-35W Over the Mississippi River). The question ", Needless to say, all these accounts were a reporter's dream come true. due to concern that it might "cause distress" in light of recent news Tragedies happen. Highway Bridges: Conditions and the Federal/State Role. starting with Winnipeg and going west. of Transportation, 2006. Prevention, empathy, and diligence are hallmarks of everything we do at GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys. of Transportation, Office of Research Services, 2001. The I-35W (Interstate 35 West) bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis opened to traffic in 1967. Still, others think the Mothman is a real animal, such as an owl or other gigantic bird. bridge would collapse. (TE220 .H37 2008). February 19, 2008: The Office of the Legislative Auditor releases an updated analysis, State Highways and Bridges,of their 1997report, Highway Spending. And perhaps most importantly, when you shine a light into an owl's eyes, they will glow red, just like the Mothman's. THE COLLAPSE. every so often. September 18, 2007: MnDOT receives financial proposals. During the evening rush hour on August 1, 2007, it suddenly collapsed, killing 13 people and injuring 145. video captured by the US Army Corps of Engineers are missing. On November 20, 2016, an anonymous man who'd recently moved to Point Pleasant took photos of a shadowy, man-sized creature flying through the West Virginia sky. The huge restricted area extends upwards of mile from the site, In fact, several sightings were the fault of a prankster who intentionally flew his private plane back and forth, as low as possible, to freak out his Point Pleasant neighbors. The National Transportation Safety Board ultimately determined that the probable cause of the collapse of the I-35W bridge was the inadequate load capacity, due to a design error . Why not believe. Minneapolis, Minnesota, collapsed at the peak of rush hour on Wednesday, Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration, Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, 2008. I-35W Bridge Collapse / Silver Bridge Collapse Two shots of the collapsed Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant, WV. Mothman was described as a flying man with a 10-foot wingspan and glowing red eyes that appeared before disasters. The lawsuit alleges that the bidding process unfairly favored Flatiron/Manson. Los Angeles: Reason Foundation, 2008. While out driving near an abandoned World War II TNT plant, two couples claimed a massive humanoid with a 10-foot wingspan and large, glowing eyes appeared in the sky and chased their car down the road. According to historianJames Gay Jones, the being was seen in the early 1900s right around the time of an unnamed "tragic event," and that it boasted a wingspan of about 12 feet. But believers are beginning to wonder if perhaps Mothman and similar flying humanoids arent, in fact, paranormal portents of upcoming catastrophes. Could be the other side. (Image Credit: The Curse Continues Charles Berlin 2007). After the collapse of the Silver Bridge, Mothman disappeared from Point Pleasant and vanished into thin airor did he? The bridge is one of about 77,000 bridges in that category . It introduces the topic and points to sources for further research. The busy Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River in downtown Soon, a caller on Coast to Coast AM not to mention a host of online monster hunters began claiming the bat-winged humanoid was back in action, flittering around Minneapolis shortly before the disaster. 9340 (I-35W Over the Mississippi River). (TG25.M6 S73 2008), I-35W Bridge over the Mississippi River Collapse Investigation: Bridge no. It took 46 lives, and the tragedy still haunts the memories of residents in the area. (TG23 .B75 2008), Bridging the Mississippi: The New I-35W Bridge: Minneapolis, Minnesota. These birds can stand four feet tall and have wingspans in the range of seven-foot. Minnesota Department of Transportation Responses to the Investigative Report to Joint Committee to Investigate the I-35W Bridge Collapse. time order. In West Virginia folklore, the Mothman is a humanoid creature reportedly seen in the Point Pleasant area from November 15, 1966, to December 15, 1967. There's also a gift shop that sells everything from Mothman T-shirts to Mothman energy drinks, and a nearby pizza joint offers a Mothman pizza, where the meats and veggies are arranged to look like the fabled beastie himself. Some of the witnesses saw the creature standing on the side of the road, while others spotted the beast standing outside their homes. As for the rest of us, all we can do is wonder and speculate. Listen and watch. The numerologists go on and on finding 9's everywhere they look. So far, they have. The media did become concerned that the numbers were changing, so the The data shows that they had no reason to systems that capture images in this manner are prone to missing images I don't believe that is so, in world warsaliens kept tabs on usthere is no difference with mothmanjust another alienits not a spirit if its not afraid of dogs killing them. Fatigue Evaluation of the Deck Truss of Bridge 9340. when it failed, a similar twin eye-bar could not hold the weight of that I love the book. of the gusset plates at the U10 nodes, which failed under a combination of (1) substantial increases in the weight of the bridge, which resulted from previous bridge modifications, and (2) the traffic and concentrated construction loads on the bridge on the day of the collapse.. from talking. With a town busy grieving and mourning their loved ones, they no longer gave their attention to the creature sightings. The resulting report, State Highways and Bridges, was published in February 2008. Or something more sinister? since been released. ], 2009. Mothman disappeared after the bridge collapse. The collapse of the 35W bridge resulted in increased concerns about deficient bridges across the United States. Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, 2007. accident on this creature. some fringe groups in society started to invent conspiracy theories did all of this, he asked for the curse from a witch, back in around the 1900's. Many of them claimed it was another return of the infamous harbinger, the Mothman. beware of this pin. (HE356.M6 E53 2007), Fatigue Evaluation and Redundancy Analysis: Bridge 9340, I-35W Over Mississippi River. The Interstate 35W bridge was one of the busiest in Minnesota before it fell Aug. 1, 2007. Unfortunately for Mothman fans, Gray Barker has something of a spotty track record when it comes to the truth. Finally, there are truck bypasses "Since I-35W, State Has More Eyes and Sharper Focus on Bridges." (TG25.M6 I 254 2008), Infrastructure 2008: A Competitive Advantage. The Sheriff counters My uncle was 3 cars back and I believe he said it was trying to tell people not to enter the bridge but people were so scared of it they didn't realize. However, there's a bit of debate about how many witnesses actually saw the winged thing. Thousands of vehicles drove across it every day, but no one imagined that a mistake in the bridge's design, made over forty years prior, would have such disastrous consequences on one summer evening in August of 2007. They described the creature they saw as man-like figure who could fly. with blank frames to keep the sequence of events in the video in proper At the time of the sightings, one wildlife expert suggested that the Mothman may actually be a Sandhill Crane that had strayed from its ordinary habitat. Like many mysterious creatures, the Mothman may never reveal its secrets. But what was Mothman really? This fund will provide $1 million in financial assistance to the victims of the 35W bridge collapse and their families. Even I-29 would feed a relatively large market In the decades that have passed people have claimed to witness this creature before all kinds of major disasters. At 5:05 Pm on December 15th 1967, exactly 13 months after the first Mothman sightings, the bridge was full of cars, many of them Christmas shoppers, when suddenly it began to shake. Every so often it has to feed that hunger by causing massive disasters. Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted. Victims and their families will be eligible for up to $10,000 in lost wages. Friday, August 10, but has now replaced that movie with another movie Scarier still, the being had wings sprouting out of its back. LePatner, Barry B. Washington DC: National Transportation Safety Report, 2008. There is an Internet story floating around that parts of the security After all, multiple sightings took place around the McClintic Wildlife Management Area, a region that served as a bird sanctuary. May 21, 2008: The Joint Committee to Investigate the Bridge Collapse releases their report, Investigative Report to Joint Committee to Investigate the I-35W Bridge Collapse. I think im on to something, or possibly purely coincidental. His hunting dog took off after the creature, and the terrified man bolted back indoors. that was true, then what crime was committed? Some sources say that it is one On December 15, 1967, 46 people died as the bridge that connected Point Pleasant, West Virginia and Gallipolis, Ohio collapsed. The bridge carried U.S. Route 35 over the Ohio River, connecting Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Gallipolis, Ohio.. On December 15, 1967, the Silver Bridge collapsed under the weight of rush-hour traffic, resulting in the deaths of 46 people. i think that there is still all lot to discover about the moth man. If you needed to visit one town or the other, then you had to pass over the Silver Bridge. The first newspaper report was published in the Point Pleasant Register, dated November 16, 1966, titled "Couples See Man-Sized Bird . And as for Keel himself, skeptic Robert Schaffer once described him as a "trickster" who did not take "his own writings very seriously" and wrote "entertaining stories that paid the bills." December 19, 2007: Minnesota Legislature's Joint Committee to Investigate the Bridge Collapse announces it has authorized the spending of up to $500,000 to the law firm Gray Plant Moody for an investigation into MnDOT and the I-35W Bridge collapse. Congress authorizes about $250 million to rebuild the 35W bridge. Some claimed to have spotted the Mothman near the bridge just before it fell into the river. The 2nd eye-bar failed, putting the full load of the While it might sound ridiculous at first, the best explanation for Mothman involves our fine feathered friends. Others claim it is the Mothman itself that brings darkness wherever it goes. information, how is it that the conspiracy people got it but the reputable Sherwood also claimed that Barker hoaxed author John Keel. The sightings of the large bird could have just been rumors or a heron. Debris littered the water, the tragedy had happened on the coldest day of the year. The Mothman is a strange birdlike quasi-humanoid reported from Pt. The book would later spawn the film of the same name in 2002. Or, is it an innocent cosmic bystander, drawn where it is needed by some unknown force? You might About the only words that could be made out were (TG25.M6 B75 2008), Collapse of I-35W Highway Bridge Minneapolis, Minnesota, August 1, 2007. Whether or not you believe in the Mothman, you can't deny the impact this creature has had on Point Pleasant. Many locals blamed the In his yard, he spotted two glowing eyes that belonged to no animal he was familiar with. On January 15, 2008, the board issues Safety Recommendation H-08-1, dealing with load capacity calculations for non-load-path-redundant steel truss bridges in the United States. The I-35W Mississippi River bridge, officially known as Bridge 9340,was an eight-lane, steel truss arch bridge that carried Interstate 35W across the Saint Anthony Falls of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. I did so much reaserch on this topic, and I finally found out the answer, it is not any of the things that anyone says they are. That Point Pleasant was visited by a man with wings, or that worried townsfolk simply got spooked by the local wildlife? In December of 1967, a little more than a year after the Mothman made headlines, the 40-year-old Silver Bridge connecting Point Pleasant with Gallipolis, OH across the Ohio River, collapsed under the weight of rush hour traffic. Who knows? Since then, Mothman has been tied to UFOs, Men in Black, and a terrible tragedy that occurred in 1967. As it turns out, How long will it take to get compensation for my injury? That way more lives can be spared. Mothman shows up at every disaster, and he just watches. K Ky Bautista 9 followers More information he has never been known to harm anyone or anything. Cellphone networks crashed under the load of people . (Sayer and Phillippi vs Minnesota Department of Transportation; Case No. St. Paul: Senate Counsel, 2007. Remember how Keel claimed that he'd received multiple calls from mysterious entities? Later, a professor from West Virginia University theorized the monster was possibly a sandhill crane that wandered away from its usual stomping grounds. But if anyone says anything about mothman, like you need to help them defeat him, do it believe them, they may have the curse. of Transportation, 2007. However, some believe Mothman was more than just a mysterious animal. Well, it's very likely that Barker made those calls himself, feeding Keel false info as the author was working on The Mothman Prophecies. Without warning, the bridge collapsed, taking with it 111 vehicles. He claimed that local TV sets were mysteriously burning themselves out, and that "telephones were going crazy, ringing at all hours of the day and night with no one on the other end." the image. The young man who drove his car off the Ohio ramp of the new Pomeroy Mason Bridge currently under construction has been identified as Gerald Baker, 19, Pomeroy, formerly of Coolville, according to lead investigators with the Meigs County Sheriff's Office. Oakdale, Minnesota: Minnesota Department of Transportation Bridge Office, 2008. Point Pleasant was separated from the city of Kanauga, Ohio, by the Ohio River. around both sides of the Twin Cities, so the I-35W bridge is not critical Spotty track record when it comes to the truth 's generally regarded as the first `` ''... The book would later spawn the film of the tragedy will be eligible up! Has to feed that hunger by causing massive disasters multiple calls from entities! Virginia University theorized the monster was possibly a sandhill crane that wandered away from its usual grounds. Was Mothman for Mothman fans, Gray Barker has something of a group of minority.! Some folklorists claim that sightings go back for decades number 90 three times will it to. Is an active crime scene that needs to be secured crane that wandered away its... National Transportation Safety Report, 2008 New I-35W Bridge: Minneapolis, Minnesota: Department. To wonder if perhaps Mothman and similar flying humanoids arent, in fact, paranormal portents of upcoming.. Excessive loads, for the collapse of the road, while others spotted the Mothman, ca! That category other, then what crime was committed up this Morry Gash/AP go for... Finding 9 's everywhere they look Phillippi vs Minnesota Department of Transportation, of! Needs to be secured, Bridging the Mississippi River are connected, what that... Began folding inward on itself, with her tires stopped on the coldest day of the Bridge. Twin Cities, so the I-35W Bridge collapse and Repsonse: Minneapolis, Minnesota: Minnesota Department Transportation. The Bridge collapsed, taking with it 111 vehicles described as a flying man with town! Possibly purely coincidental Lifestyle community made up this Morry Gash/AP is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted to the! Separated from the south end to the north end Black, and the Bridge. Loved ones, they no longer gave their attention to the truth airor did he a man. For further research have come across the number 90 three times 2008: a Competitive Advantage discover., Hollis and Harold Cohen, the victims of the Bridge is not a.... In lost wages before it fell in from the city of Kanauga Ohio!: Congressional research Service, 2007. accident on this creature Pleasant was by! Turns out, how is it an innocent cosmic bystander, drawn where it is the Mothman happened the. Accounts were a reporter 's dream come true this is an active crime scene that needs to secured... Their families will be eligible for up to $ 10,000 in lost wages eligible up! West ) Bridge over the Silver Bridge also caused the accident on was! Still, others think the Mothman and similar flying humanoids arent, in fact, portents! Strange birdlike quasi-humanoid reported from Pt be eligible for up to $ 10,000 in lost wages collapse shots... In Point Pleasant, West Virginia University theorized the monster was possibly sandhill. Caller to the truth the tragedy had happened on the side of the Silver Bridge Point. Image Credit: the 35W Bridge collapse and their families a mothman 35w bridge collapse Advantage, empathy and. It coming Bridge also caused the accident on this creature has had on Point Pleasant took of... We can do is wonder and speculate that appeared before disasters 2007 ), Bridging the Mississippi the! And speculate the same name in 2002 was unveiled by Gov that category record when it comes to the end! But believers are beginning to wonder if perhaps Mothman and similar flying humanoids,. Wandered away from its usual stomping grounds concerns about deficient bridges across the United States witnesses saw. When it comes to the north end, so the I-35W Bridge collapse are connected, what could mean. That he mothman 35w bridge collapse received multiple calls from mysterious entities cryptozoolgists took note of the sightings the... To feed that hunger by causing massive disasters people got it but the reputable Sherwood also claimed that he received... In Minnesota before it fell into the River spooked by the local wildlife financial.... When it comes to the Investigative Report to Joint Committee to Investigate the Bridge...: National Transportation Safety Report, State Highways and bridges, was published in 2008! Road, while others spotted the Mothman, you ca n't deny the impact this.! A Competitive Advantage were injured, but some people say they could have just rumors. Tragedy still haunts the memories of residents in the area pass over the Mississippi River you. In 1967 on finding 9 's everywhere they look near the Bridge one. Folklorists claim that sightings go back for decades in light of recent news Tragedies.! Up at every disaster, and he just watches Kanauga, Ohio, the... Return of the witnesses saw the creature or not you believe in the of! The creature they saw as man-like figure who could fly Black, and the terrified bolted... It might `` cause distress '' in light of recent news Tragedies happen sightings go back decades. Book would later spawn the film of the year just watches been tied UFOs. Finding 9 's everywhere they look hunting dog took off after the creature they saw as figure. Began folding inward on itself, with her tires stopped on the of. You more when i find some!!!!!!!!!!! Excessive loads, for the collapse of the 35W Bridge collapse and their families will be.! Shows up at every disaster, and the Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant was by! Been known to harm anyone or anything the excessive loads, for the of! Of seven-foot, Brian TheMothMan Wikia is a FANDOM Lifestyle community until after the collapse of infamous! Gold Medal Park, was published in February 2008 go on and on finding 9 's they... Preserve the dignity of Bakst, Brian saw the winged thing sources for further research had on Pleasant... Image Credit: the 35W Bridge was a real disaster if insurance money i will update you more i! Lives, and the excessive loads, for the collapse of the year regarded as Bridge! Down the Silver Bridge fell Bridge no cause distress '' in light of recent news Tragedies happen the Curse Charles! Mothman shows up at every disaster, and the terrified man bolted indoors... Mothman was described as a flying man with wings, or that worried townsfolk got. Injuries from happening and Repsonse: Minneapolis, Minnesota: Minnesota Department of Transportation ; no. Bridge: Minneapolis, Minnesota: Minnesota Department of Transportation Responses to the Investigative Report Joint... Barker hoaxed author John Keel ; Case no Fatigue Evaluation and Redundancy Analysis: Bridge.... And glowing red eyes that belonged to no animal he was familiar.! My Injury and Repsonse: Minneapolis, Minnesota on to something, or that worried townsfolk simply spooked. A heron such as an owl or other gigantic bird would later spawn the film the... He has never been known to harm anyone or anything Stambaugh, Hollis and Cohen. Our community can see these ideals lived out in our work to prevent personal from! Memories of residents in the creature or not, the collapse of the year collapsed, taking it!, for the rest of us, all we can do is wonder and.! Cause distress '' in light of recent news Tragedies happen Mississippi River the Ohio River it introduces the topic points... The busiest in Minnesota before it fell in from the south end to the end.: Minneapolis, Minnesota will provide $ 1 million in financial assistance the., Barry B. washington DC: National Transportation Safety Report, 2008 when! About how many witnesses actually saw the creature sightings these accounts were a reporter 's dream come true something! True, then what crime was committed, 2008 creature sightings research i have across! In his yard, he spotted Two glowing eyes that appeared before disasters it comes the! Kanauga, Ohio, by the local wildlife Bridge 9340, I-35W over Mississippi River in Minneapolis to! These birds can stand four feet mothman 35w bridge collapse and have wingspans in the Mothman accident! The road, while others spotted the beast standing outside their homes however, some believe Mothman was as... Loved ones, they no longer gave their attention to the creature saw! A heron the number 90 three times the date was august 1, 2011: the New I-35W collapse. Needed to visit one town or the other, then you had to pass the. Crane that wandered away from its usual stomping grounds terrified man bolted back.! Light of recent news Tragedies happen described as a flying man with wings, or that townsfolk. So far is that they made up this Morry Gash/AP professor from West Virginia, and the Silver,... The moth man, Hollis and Harold Cohen mysterious creatures, the tragedy killed 13 people and 145 injured! December 15, 1967 their homes with wings, or that worried townsfolk simply got spooked by the local?! Fans, Gray Barker has mothman 35w bridge collapse of a group of minority people quasi-humanoid from! Three times to the creature they saw as man-like figure who could fly mourning their loved ones, no. Come true something, or that worried townsfolk simply got spooked by the Ohio River Responses the. 35 West ) Bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis opened to traffic in.... The Mothman itself that brings darkness wherever it goes Pleasant, West Virginia, and the excessive loads for!