So Supernatural
Episode: LEGEND: The Van Meter Visitor
Hosts: Racha Pecorero & Yvette Gentile
Release Date: January 30, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode explores the bizarre and enduring legend of the Van Meter Visitor—a bat-winged, humanoid cryptid that terrorized a small Iowa town in 1903. Racha and Yvette unravel eyewitness accounts, contemporary theories, and the town’s ongoing relationship with the legend. Drawing on both folklore and modern paranormal research, the hosts investigate possible explanations—ranging from prehistoric survivors to extraterrestrial visitors and even supernatural forces.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Setting the Stage—Why Iowa?
[03:14 – 05:25]
- Iowa is stereotypically seen as “cornfields and small towns,” but it also boasts a rich history of spooky lore—like the Villisca Axe Murder House and the exorcism in Erling, Iowa.
- Van Meter, a tiny town of only 1,500 people in 2020 (400 in 1960), became famous for the extraordinary events of fall 1903.
The Initial Sighting: September 29, 1903
[05:25 – 07:42]
- Yuli Griffith, a reputable 35-year-old tool salesman, is heading home at 1 AM. He sees a bright, inexplicable light shift between building rooftops downtown—something highly unlikely in 1903 Iowa due to the rarity of electric lights.
- Yuli tells everyone in the morning; his reputation ensures people pay attention, but no one has an explanation.
Quote:
“His main fear is that someone might be breaking into the building to steal from it... Except right before he can pull over, the light just disappears.” – Racha Pecorero [06:26]
The Creature Appears: Dr. Alcott’s Encounter
[08:44 – 10:24]
- At 12:30 AM, Dr. Alcott’s room fills with an “almost blinding light.” He sees a massive (9ft-tall) creature with:
- Bat-like wings
- Humanoid arms and legs
- Pointed beak/snout
- Smooth, hairless skin
- A glowing horn on its head
- Dr. Alcott shoots at the creature repeatedly; the bullets have no effect.
Quote:
“He also says it has, quote, great bat like wings. What’s even weirder, there’s a horn growing out of the center of its forehead.” – Racha Pecorero [09:20]
More Encounters: Peter Dunn and OV White
[12:17 – 13:51, 18:31 – 21:17]
-
Peter Dunn, a Van Meter Bank cashier, stands guard and sees a bright light and an unusually tall figure by the window. He fires his gun, the figure disappears, and in the morning he finds three-toed footprints (plaster cast made, details murky).
-
OV White hears a light, fires his gun, and his neighbor, Sidney Greg, sees the creature perched atop a telephone pole. Sidney describes the visitor climbing down with its feet, hands, and beak—like a parrot—and then leaping away before flying at the sound of a passing train.
Quote:
“The creature has bat like wings, a pointy snout, no fur, no feathers, no scales, and its skin is smooth.” – Yvette Gentile [19:44]
Key Features and Patterns
[21:17 – 22:02]
- The creature is immune to bullets.
- Emits a foul stench that makes people faint or lose memory (“lost time”).
- Capable of leaping and flight.
Quote:
“White says the visitor smelled so, so bad it actually affected his mind..." – Yvette Gentile [21:52]
The Showdown at the Mines
[23:16 – 26:50]
- Factory owner J.L. Platt Jr. investigates lights and commotion at old coal mines. He and his companions see “two creatures”—adult and juvenile—fly out.
- Townspeople organize an armed posse, lie in wait, and when the creatures return at dawn, unleash a barrage of gunfire; the creatures are unfazed and retreat to the mine.
- The townspeople seal the mine entrance with bricks and mortar.
Aftermath & Legacy
[27:38 – 28:47]
- The story is met with ridicule outside Van Meter; locals mostly stop talking about it.
- However, sporadic reports of strange, large flying creatures continue through the decades (climactic sighting described in 1986 and early 2000s).
Quote:
“It’s unclear if these are authentic sightings or if everyone’s paranoid and their imaginations are running away with them.” – Racha Pecorero [22:36]
Later Sightings & the Urban Legend Grows
[28:47 – 33:41]
- 1986: Hunter “Tim” sees a monstrous bird in Clinton County, Iowa.
- 2000: Family witnesses a huge, vulture-like dead creature on the roadside—gone when they double back.
- 2006: A minister sees what he describes as a “dragon” over his car; after researching, he realizes it matches the Van Meter visitor’s legend.
Quote:
“Adam goes home, turns on his computer, and Googles the phrase Iowa dragon. And y’all, that is a real thing. Trust me. Go and Google it.” – Yvette Gentile [32:56]
Theories: What Was the Van Meter Visitor?
Prehistoric Survivor Theory
[38:02 – 41:45]
- Early explanations compare the creature to a pterosaur.
- While pterosaur fossils indicate possible size matches, hosts note that the Ice Age and food requirements make survival in Iowa unlikely.
Interdimensional/Demonic Theories
[48:10 – 50:16]
- Some locals believed the mines may have breached a barrier between worlds, releasing a demon.
- Haunted activity persists in the area (factory noises, disembodied screams, unexplained bruises, etc.).
Quote:
“The theory goes that the miners dug a little too far down and broke through the barrier between our reality and the underworld.” – Racha Pecorero [48:26]
Extraterrestrial/UFO Links
[43:41 – 46:43]
- Researcher Chad Lewis points to similarities with UFO phenomena, especially reports of “lost time” and waves of mysterious lights in Iowa skies both before and after 1903.
- Parallels are drawn between the Van Meter Visitor and the Mothman legend (West Virginia, 1966).
Unknown Natural Animal
[50:16 – 51:00]
- Chad Lewis posits that an undiscovered, cave-adapted animal could generate its own light, like certain deep-sea species.
Hoax/Mass Hallucination Theory
[51:00 – 53:28]
- Some skeptics think the story was a small-town hoax or a shared hallucination.
- Hosts disagree, citing the large number of consistent, independent eyewitness accounts.
- The failure to use the story for tourism until decades later undermines the “hoax for profit” theory.
Notable Quotes & Moments
- “Every year, Van Meter now throws a festival that draws anywhere between 300 to 500 tourists. For a town with a population of just 1,500, that’s a massive crowd.” – Racha Pecorero [53:37]
- “It reminds people that there are still secrets hidden in the corners of the earth, inspiring curiosity and a sense of adventure.” – Racha Pecorero [54:36]
- “Ordinary animals aren’t usually bulletproof. That sounds like supernatural to me.” – Racha Pecorero [51:00]
Timestamps for Major Segments
- 03:14–05:25 – Iowa’s spooky reputation and the setting of Van Meter
- 05:25–07:42 – Yuli Griffith’s strange light encounter
- 08:44–10:24 – Dr. Alcott’s face-to-face sighting
- 12:17–13:51, 18:31–21:17 – Bank, OV White, and Sidney Greg’s encounters
- 23:16–26:50 – The mine showdown and townspeople’s response
- 28:47–33:41 – Later sightings (1986, 2000, 2006)
- 38:02–41:45 – Pterosaur/dinosaur explanation
- 43:41–46:43 – Lost time, UFOs, and the paranormal angle
- 48:10–50:16 – Demonic/interdimensional theories
- 51:00–53:28 – Hoax, skepticism, and economic impact
Conclusion
The Van Meter Visitor persists as an unsolved and captivating mystery—whether supernatural, extraterrestrial, a cryptid, or a legend that won’t die. Racha and Yvette conclude that while science cannot explain everything about the case, the legend continues to spark curiosity and connect the community in profound ways.