In this class, we will explore the mythological creature of the Mothman of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and its impact on the historical aspects of mass delusion, divine retribution, and the possible connection to one of the United States' most devastating infrastructural failures. We will look into the origins of the Mothman, debate its importance in the lore of mythical creatures, instruct students on the relevance that storytelling holds in generational information, and gauge interest in further explorations of this relatively unknown myth. We will explore first-hand accounts of the destruction of the Silver Bridge tragedy on Dec. 15th, 1967 which killed 46 people in a collapse during rush hour. We will analyze the reasons for the tragedy, including a rushed construction, poor design flaws, and lack of integral inspections. We will inform the students of this catastrophic event and its impact on the national concern about the safety of bridges across the United States. We will break down, in detail, the Congressional hearings that resulted in mandates requiring the US Department of Transportation to develop and implement National Bridge Inspection Standards. In December 1970, landmark legislation was enacted that established national requirements for bridge inspection and evaluation. 
 
Through a discussion-based classroom setting, we will define the mythological creature, and describe its appearance within the lore that has been passed down since its first documented sighting. We will explore reports of its sighting and personal accounts of interactions that the public has maintained/believed to be true. We will study the creature's location and its relevance to the proximity to a World War II base located within Point Pleasant West Virginia. We will also try to understand the fervor within the fan base of this creature and its subsequent cultish icon for the strange and bizarre. We will investigate the continued belief in this mythological creature, and provide possible explanations as to what it truly could be. 



For information on my other courses, please check out my course catalog: 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/10WtnUIRwVRw7Awo6FskitgUKeNUjuAvf/view