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. The first newspaper report was published in the Point Pleasant Register, dated November 16, 1966, titled "Couples See Man-Sized Bird ... Creature ... Something".[1] The national press soon picked up the reports and helped spread the story across the United States. The Mothman was introduced to a wider audience by Gray Barker in 1970,[2][3] and was later popularized by John Keel in his 1975 book The Mothman Prophecies,[4] claiming that there were supernatural events related to the sightings, and a connection to the collapse of the Silver Bridge. The book was later adapted into a 2002 film, starring Richard Gere.[5] An annual festival in Point Pleasant is devoted to the Mothman legend.