The Van Meter Monster

Record summary

The Van Meter Monster refers to a series of reported encounters in Van Meter, Iowa, during September 1903, involving a large winged or horned figure associated with unusual lights and attacks or disturbances. The account survives through local histories, newspaper material, and later cryptozoological retellings. It can be compared with other early twentieth-century regional monster traditions, particularly in how retrospective community narratives organize scattered reports. The evidentiary base is limited, and later summaries may standardize details that were less consistent in contemporary accounts.