Local Legends ·

Stalking the Cornfields: The Mysterious World of Iowa Cryptids

By Wade Beaumont, Cryptozoologist

When y'all think of Iowa, what comes to mind? Endless fields of corn swaying in the breeze? That first-in-the-nation presidential caucus that sets the stage for election season? Well, let me tell you, there's another side to the Hawkeye State that most folks don't know about - a realm of mystery and intrigue, populated by creatures that dance along the edges of the unknown. These are the cryptids of Iowa, and they've been capturing the imaginations of locals for generations.

Now, for those of you who might not be familiar, cryptids are animals whose existence is unproven or disputed, yet have been sighted often enough to generate a whole heap of interest and even belief among witnesses and enthusiasts. From the legendary Bigfoot stomping through the Pacific Northwest to the elusive Loch Ness Monster patrolling the depths of Scotland's most famous lake, every corner of the globe seems to have its own legendary beasts. And Iowa, with its vast expanses of rural landscape, is no exception. This unassuming Midwestern state is home to a surprising diversity of mythical monsters, from winged humanoids soaring over the cornfields to massive serpents lurking in the lakes.

As a born-and-raised Texan with a deep love for the outdoors and a fascination with the unexplained, I've spent years researching and tracking cryptids across the country. But I have to admit, Iowa's menagerie of mystery beasts is truly something special. The stories and sightings that have emerged from this state over the past century are as compelling as they are chilling, and they hint at a world of possibilities that lies just beyond the veil of our everyday understanding.

So join me, if you will, on a journey into the heart of Iowa's cryptozoological landscape. We'll explore the most famous and bizarre cases, examine the evidence and theories, and ponder what these enduring legends might tell us about our relationship with the natural world and the mysteries that still lurk in the shadows. Strap on your boots, grab your camera, and let's go stalking through the cornfields in search of Iowa's elusive cryptids.

The Van Meter Visitor: Iowa's Most Infamous Cryptid

Of all the strange and wondrous creatures said to roam Iowa's backroads and byways, none is more infamous or bizarre than the Van Meter Visitor. This winged humanoid monstrosity terrorized the small town of Van Meter, located about 20 minutes west of Des Moines, over the course of several nights in late September 1903. Multiple eyewitnesses, including several prominent members of the community, described a beast that seemed to defy all logic and reason.

According to the accounts, the creature was a nightmarish amalgamation of man and beast, with huge bat-like wings that spanned several feet. Perched atop its misshapen head was a single horn that shot out a blinding light, illuminating the darkness and striking fear into the hearts of all who beheld it. But perhaps most disturbing of all was the putrid stench that emanated from the creature, an odor so foul and overpowering that it left those who came too close reeling in disgust.

The first reported encounter with the Van Meter Visitor occurred in the early morning hours of September 29th, when a local business owner named U.G. Griffith was startled awake by a brilliant light shining through his bedroom window. Thinking it might be a fire, Griffith grabbed his gun and rushed outside to investigate. But what he saw defied explanation. There, perched atop a telephone pole, was the creature in all its terrifying glory. Griffith, being a man of action, immediately opened fire on the beast, but to his shock and horror, the bullets seemed to have no effect. The creature simply unfurled its mighty wings and flew off into the night, leaving Griffith stunned and shaken.

Over the next few nights, several other well-respected men in town had their own hair-raising encounters with the Van Meter Visitor:

Sidney Gregg, the local banker, spotted the creature outside his window one evening.
Dr. Alcott, the town physician, bravely attempted to shoot the beast when it appeared near his home, but like Griffith, found that his bullets were useless against the creature's tough hide.
O.V. White, the owner of the hardware store, had perhaps the most harrowing encounter of all. He found the creature crouched atop a telephone pole near his shop and opened fire, only to be overwhelmed by the same noxious stench that had accompanied the Visitor's appearances. The odor was so potent that White was knocked unconscious, and the creature once again escaped unscathed.

As word of the creature's nightly visits spread through Van Meter, panic began to set in. Townsfolk whispered of a demon or devil that had come to terrorize their peaceful community. Some even speculated that the creature was a harbinger of the end times, a sign that the apocalypse was nigh. But a few brave souls, led by the town's most prominent citizens, decided to take matters into their own hands and put an end to the creature's reign of terror once and for all.

On the night of October 3rd, an armed posse assembled and tracked the Visitor to an abandoned coal mine on the outskirts of town. They positioned themselves around the mine entrance, weapons at the ready, determined to blast the creature to kingdom come the moment it emerged. But what happened next would haunt the memories of those present for the rest of their lives.

As the men watched in stunned silence, not one but two creatures emerged from the inky depths of the mine. The first was the original Visitor, its leathery wings gleaming in the moonlight and its single horn pulsing with an otherworldly light. But behind it came a second, smaller creature, seemingly a juvenile or offspring of the first. The posse unleashed a hail of gunfire upon the beasts, a barrage so intense that it was later described by newspapers as heavy enough to "sink the Spanish Armada." But to the men's horror and disbelief, the creatures seemed utterly unfazed by the onslaught. They simply retreated back into the mine, the entrance of which was promptly sealed by the townsfolk, never to be seen again.

News of the bizarre events in Van Meter quickly spread, with articles appearing in papers across Iowa and beyond. While some dismissed the whole affair as a hoax or a case of mass hysteria, those who had witnessed the creature firsthand remained steadfast in their accounts. The legend of the Van Meter Visitor has endured for over a century, captivating the imaginations of generations and sparking endless debate and speculation among cryptozoology enthusiasts.

Some researchers have suggested that the Visitor may have been an undiscovered species, a relic from the prehistoric past that somehow survived in the hidden corners of Iowa's landscape. Others point to the creature's strange abilities and unearthly appearance as evidence of a possible extraterrestrial or interdimensional origin. And of course, there are those who maintain that the whole story was nothing more than an elaborate hoax or a case of collective delusion, spurred on by the overactive imaginations of a few excitable townsfolk.

But regardless of the ultimate truth behind the legend, the Van Meter Visitor has left an indelible mark on the town and its people. Every year, on the anniversary of the creature's first appearance, Van Meter hosts a festival celebrating its most famous resident. Visitors from all over the country descend upon the small town to learn about the legend, take part in monster-themed activities, and perhaps even catch a glimpse of the elusive beast themselves. The Visitor has become a source of pride for Van Meter, a unique piece of local lore that sets the town apart and adds a touch of mystery and intrigue to the otherwise quiet Midwestern community.

For cryptozoology enthusiasts, the Van Meter Visitor remains one of the most compelling and enigmatic cases in the annals of strange creature sightings. Its bizarre appearance, incredible abilities, and the sheer number of eyewitness accounts make it a true standout in the field. Researchers continue to pour over the original newspaper articles and interview descendants of the witnesses, hoping to uncover some new clue or insight that might shed light on the creature's true nature.

But perhaps the most enduring legacy of the Van Meter Visitor is the way it has captured the imaginations of so many people over the years. In a world that can often seem dull and predictable, the idea that something so strange and wondrous could exist just beyond the veil of our everyday reality is a powerful and alluring notion. The Visitor reminds us that there are still mysteries waiting to be uncovered, wonders yet to be discovered, and that the world is a far more interesting and magical place than we sometimes give it credit for.

As a cryptozoology researcher and enthusiast myself, I've always been drawn to the strange and inexplicable. And the Van Meter Visitor is a prime example of the kind of case that keeps me searching for answers. Maybe we'll never know the full truth behind the legend, but the very fact that it endures, that it continues to captivate and inspire people over a century later, is a testament to the power of mystery and the enduring allure of the unknown.

The Lockridge Monster: Iowa's Bigfoot

While the Van Meter Visitor may be Iowa's most famous cryptid, it's far from the only strange creature said to lurk in the state's rural landscapes. In the fall of 1975, the tiny town of Lockridge, located in the southeast corner of Iowa, found itself at the center of another cryptozoological mystery - one that bore an uncanny resemblance to the legendary Bigfoot of the Pacific Northwest.

The creature, which came to be known as the Lockridge Monster, was first spotted on the evening of October 3rd by a turkey farmer named Herbert Peiffer. Peiffer was out checking on his birds when he caught a glimpse of something strange in the beam of his tractor headlights. There, standing at the edge of the woods, was a hairy, ape-like creature that Peiffer estimated to be around five feet tall. The beast walked upright like a man, but its body was covered in dark, shaggy fur and its face had distinctly simian features.

Peiffer, understandably startled by the sight, quickly retreated back to his farmhouse and phoned the local authorities. But by the time a deputy arrived to investigate, the creature had vanished into the night, leaving behind no trace of its presence. Peiffer, however, remained adamant about what he had seen, and his story quickly spread throughout the small community.

In the days that followed, several of Peiffer's turkeys were found dead and partially eaten, their carcasses scattered around the farm. Even more disturbing were the strange, three-toed tracks that were discovered near the kill sites. The prints, which measured nearly ten inches in length, were unlike anything the farmers had ever seen before. Some speculated that they might belong to a bear, but the shape and configuration of the toes didn't match up with any known species.

As word of the Lockridge Monster spread, other residents of the town came forward with their own sightings of the mysterious creature. Hunters reported finding similar tracks in the woods and along creek beds, while others claimed to have spotted the beast shambling through cornfields and across rural roads. The descriptions were remarkably consistent - a large, hairy, bipedal creature that seemed to be a cross between a man and an ape.

The case soon attracted the attention of Bigfoot researchers from around the country, who descended upon Lockridge in hopes of gathering evidence and solving the mystery once and for all. But what they found only deepened the intrigue surrounding the creature. The footprints, while clearly belonging to a large, bipedal animal, were significantly smaller than the typical tracks associated with Sasquatch. This led some researchers to speculate that the Lockridge Monster might represent a different species of unknown primate, one that had somehow managed to survive in the remote corners of the Midwest.

Others, however, were more skeptical of the sightings and the evidence. They pointed out that the tracks could have been hoaxed, and that the eyewitness descriptions were vague enough to allow for a wide range of interpretations. Some even suggested that the creature might have been nothing more than an escaped exotic pet, perhaps a chimpanzee or orangutan that had managed to elude capture and was now roaming the Iowa countryside.

Despite the best efforts of the researchers and the local authorities, the Lockridge Monster was never conclusively identified or captured. After the initial flurry of sightings in the fall of 1975, the creature seemed to vanish just as suddenly as it had appeared. The case remains open to this day, a tantalizing mystery that continues to inspire speculation and debate among cryptozoology enthusiasts.

But the Lockridge Monster is far from the only ape-like cryptid said to inhabit the wilds of Iowa. Over the years, there have been numerous reports of large, hairy, bipedal creatures spotted in the forests and river valleys of the state. Some of the most intriguing sightings have come from the Skunk River Valley, a region known for its dense woods and rugged terrain.

Locals in the area have long told stories of the "Wildmen" that are said to roam the valley, towering creatures that stand seven to eight feet tall and are covered in shaggy, dark hair. The descriptions bear a striking resemblance to the classic image of Bigfoot, and some researchers have speculated that the Skunk River Valley may be home to a previously unknown population of these elusive creatures.

But while the Wildmen of the Skunk River Valley and the Lockridge Monster share some similarities with the legendary Sasquatch, there are also some notable differences. The creatures spotted in Iowa tend to be smaller in stature than the typical Bigfoot, and their footprints, while still impressive in size, are often more narrow and elongated than the classic Sasquatch track.

These differences have led some researchers to propose that the Iowa creatures may represent a distinct species or subspecies of unknown primate, one that has evolved to adapt to the unique ecological conditions of the Midwest. Others, however, remain skeptical of the idea, pointing out that the evidence for these creatures is largely anecdotal and that no concrete proof of their existence has ever been found.

Regardless of the ultimate truth behind the sightings, the stories of the Lockridge Monster and the Wildmen of the Skunk River Valley have become an integral part of Iowa's rich folklore and cryptozoological heritage. They serve as a reminder that even in the seemingly tame and well-explored landscapes of the Midwest, there are still mysteries waiting to be uncovered and wonders yet to be discovered.

As a cryptozoology researcher, I find the stories of Iowa's ape-like cryptids to be particularly fascinating. The idea that an unknown species of primate could be living right under our noses, hidden in the forests and river valleys of the heartland, is both thrilling and unsettling. It challenges our assumptions about the natural world and forces us to confront the possibility that there are still great discoveries waiting to be made, even in our own backyards.

Of course, as with any cryptozoological mystery, the key to unraveling the truth behind the Lockridge Monster and its kin lies in the gathering of evidence. Until we have concrete proof in the form of physical remains, clear photographs, or DNA samples, these creatures will remain firmly in the realm of legend and speculation. But that doesn't make the pursuit of the truth any less important or any less exciting.