In the early 1900s in the small town of Van Meter, Iowa, many residents saw a creature they couldn’t explain. It had giant wings, a beak and a light on its head, that not only mystified locals, it sometimes erased their memories, too. Legend has it the creature comes from the mines of the town, but to this day, no one is certain what the Van Meter visitor really is – and if it’s still out there. 

Sketch of the Van Meter visitor by Kevin Lee Nelson based on reports.

Sketch of the Van Meter visitor by Kevin Lee Nelson based on reports. Courtesy of Van Meter Public Library and the Des Moines Register
Article printed about the Van Meter Visitor

Article printed about the Van Meter Visitor. Courtesy of Van Meter Public Library and the Des Moines Register
Photo of several of the men who claimed to see the Van Meter visitor

Photo of several of the men who claimed to see the Van Meter visitor. Front row, left to right: William Moore, Uly Griffith, Earnest Trindle. Second row: Harry Phillips, C.A. England. Last row: O.V. White, H.T. Smith, Sidney Gregg, Al Jordan, and Mr. Scott (no first name was found on this). Courtesy of Van Meter Public Library and the Des Moines Register
Darr Mine in Van Meter near where the Visitor was spotted

Darr Mine in Van Meter near where the Visitor was spotted. Courtesy of Rostraver Township Historical Society via Facebook
Cast of a Pteranodon – the first pterosaur found in the USA

Cast of a Pteranodon – the first pterosaur found in the USA. Courtesy of the Natural History Museum

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