The Mothman and The Historic Lowe Hotel

The Mothman Festival was a hit again this year, but I can't leave off my trip into the Historic and Haunted Lowe Hotel. A hotel right on the river in Point Pleasant that has been operating for 100 years or more. Just prior to entering the hotel we caught glimpse of the lovely lady below really getting into the band! Let it loose girl...the Mothman festival is all about gettin down. People seemed to be havnig a great time and there was no shortage of interesting people with strong beliefs about the paranormal. I had one medium make a strong comment to me while I was at her table purchasing a souvinir and book. it was eirie really...because she was correct in her words. Never met me before in her life. She gave me her card and wanted me to contact her. I was impressed.

 

The hole above was found on the 4 th floor of the Lowe Hotel. I don't know really why I was compelled to photograph it but I did. There was much of the hotel that was not finished and basically empty. I found this hole in the floor in a room the owner says she rarely will go into alone because she gets such a scary and anxious feeling there.

A view into te writing room of the hotel from an upper level.

 

A view down the hallway said to be one of the most haunted areas of the hotel on the third floor

 

The hotel itself was fascinating and beautiful,(the parts that were finished). I would havbe liked an in more depth tour, hwoever I will have to just book a room here in the future to get te full experience. I certainly "got the vibe" while walking throguh the hallways here.

Finished the night with a hay ride around the old TNT area where Mothman was first spotted. No luck seeing him tonight. Perhaps he and I will rendezvous in the future and if i get the scoop from him...I will fill you in of course. More information about the festival can be found here

mothmanfestival.com

 

Destination Mothman Festival

The annual Mothman Festival is about to begin in Point Pleasant WV and it's on my agenda however I Can't miss stopping at the attractions along the way to the destination..... such places as one of my favorites: Hillbilly Hotdogs on Route 2, followed by Hoeft Marsh also on route 2 where the owls, hawks, and eagles come out to play.

Can you spot the geocache?

 

 An unforgettable place.....if you have never been you MUST!Enjoy your hotdog on a bus and scribble  your name on the propery somewhere with a classic Sharpee marker. Priceless.

This is not an outhouse, though yuo may think it look to be just that.

 

The Hoeft Marsh from a distance.

 

Later, walking alongside a quiet cemetery I looked up to see this friend staring me down. Wasn't expecting Alpaca in the graveyard but it could have been worse.

Another view of Hoeft Marsh on Route 2

MOTHMAN FESTIVAL 2012

 

 

The Mothman festival in Point Pleasant was a bustling place today. There were hundreds of people and booths with everything from native Americans doing spirit readings, to comic book artists selling their work, to ccreatures slinking and sneaking about the city as they stalk you from behind a funnel cake stand or an alleyway. All walks of life creep out for the unique festivities of the Mothman festival.

 

 

 

 

Men in black accompanying the Mothman himself. Always time for a photo shoot

One example of the booths/vendors you will stumble upon at this festival.

 

Alien man just creepin' around

 

 

 

Don't think for a moment that the Mothman Festival doesn't make time for beauty. Pictured here are contestants of all ages preparing for te Mothman Pageant

Naturally, one of the workshops had to center around government consipracies and coverups.

Famous Mothman pancakes being sold hot off the griddle. See them pictured in far upper left of photo. Not sure they are my type of pancake but the folks around here sure seem to love them!

 

Finishing the trip

At the end of the day... With rain right on the verge of attack... My quest to all 15 sites of the Hatfield McCoy Feudland was complete and mission accomplished in obtaining a beautiful collectible Geocoin marking out completion of the challenge.



Tally'n it up:
Miles driven: approx 380
Injured: 1
Propositions for dates by intoxicated woman: 1
Creepy scale: 2
Historical scale: 10
challenge rating: 6.5
Lucky moments: no rain and all went as planned
Food eaten: not healthy

And the jugs of what looks to be apple juice? Well it ain't apple juice kids.... It was a taste contest between 3 different recipes. I only needed a whiff ...no need to taste.


Check out the cool video put together by other Geocachers who completed this challenge with us:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btKiwaO9P50&list=UUP7AsDqAs5WDA5S1VrqtLGw&index=1&feature=plcp

Aunt Betty's And the Baby's Grave

This house was actually built AROUND the original cabin where Aunt Betty lived and Rosannah stayed and had her baby who later passed away. The gravesite of the baby is on a hilltop directly beside this homesite.

The path to the gravesite...and yes many stairs.

Final Resting Spot of Devil A .Hatfield

From the view High upon a Hillside from the Hatfield Cemetery this is what you see looking down toward the road. Yet another spectacular climb..but fortunately made it up. Someone we knew who had fallen the night before had a knee that had swollen to size of a basketball due to the walking and climbing...she was on her way to the hospital.

 

Here rests Devil Anse Hatfield with his family resting around him. His son Johnse to the right of his statue. Mr Hatfield ordered this ivory statue from Italy for $3000 and had it hauled up this hillside by mules so it would be ready for his death.

 

The path up the hill...heheh. Lots of loose rock.

The Original Site Of McCoy Cabin

 

This was one of the most interesting sites on the trip. It was located on private property of Randal mcco6y descendants but they were very friendly and let us go on their property to take some photos of the old homesite where the cavbin was burnt. The family well was located there as wel and as you can see the living family have erected a nice rememberance of this spot and the tragedy that took place here.

 

 

Upon further investigation of the well water...I wasnt too convinced that it was going to meet my needs at the moment though I was pretty thirsty at the time.

Some of the modern day Mccoy descendants who allowed us on their family prperty to view the old cabin site.

Preacher Hatfield's place and the Hog Trial Site

 

The Preacher/judge Hatfield House pictured above was site of the Hog Trial. By this poitn it was pretty muggy outside, but still no rain as predicted. The entire trek was about 180 miles roundtrip with much walking and climbing but all well worth it. Up behind this cabin was a little cemetery where his family was buried. Took a while to figure out just how to wind around to it but we made it eventually. More one lane roads of course..there was also an old outhouse on site and though I depserately needed to pay it a visit at this point....I just couldn't do it. Not then...not there...well not ever.

Hatfield/McCoy Monument

 

 

At a little park on the side of the road we found a beautiful monument erected in memory of the events that took place during the fued and the lives that were lost.

 

 

 

Finding Bad Frank

So it was time to locate Bad Franks Resting place, but the roads to here were not too friendly. It was one lane most of the way and dirt most of the way. If we met another person...well...one of us had to back out down the road to let the other by.

 

This little man sat in the shade by the ..of course large set of stairs...required to climb to the graveyard. I found this site interesting site though. It looked as if the old graveyard had been abandoned and grown over for many years, and possibly cleaned up just recently.

From where I parked this was looking up at the knoll of dirt that Frank and his family were buried on.