Located on the confluence of the Ohio and Kanawa Rivers, Point Pleasant, WV is a small town with a very interesting history. My friend Matt and I decided to take weekend road trip there because of its close proximity to Columbus (less than a 2 hour drive) and to see the site of the famous Mothman prophecies. Keep reading to find out about our weekend road trip to Point Pleasant, WV.
About Point Pleasant
Point Pleasant is the seat of Mason County in western West Virginia, about 36 miles from Huntington and just across the Ohio River from Ohio and the city of Gallopolis. It started from Fort Blair, built in 1774, and became a city in 1794. It has a rich history, and a population of about 4,300.
Mothman Prophecy & Museum
When people think of Point Pleasant, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the legend of the Mothman. The Mothman was first sited in 1966, when it was reported to a newspaper that a couple claimed seeing a man-sized bird like creature just outside of town. From there, the legend grew. The town celebrates the Mothman, with a statue on the main street. Matt and I had to grab a selfie of course.
No weekend road trip to Point Pleasant, WV would be complete without a visit to the Mothman Museum (the worlds only they boast). The museum, which costs $4.50 to enter for adults, and $1.50 for children 10 and under, held a lot of information in its relatively small space. To see in the museum are historical documents from Mothman eyewitnesses. Visitors can also peruse press clippings and photos of the Silver Bridge disaster, which the Mothman supposedly warned people of. Addtionally, there are props and memorabilia from the movie “The Mothman Prophecies”. There is also a large store so you can buy your own Mothman souvenirs. The museum is open Monday-Thursday from 10-5, Friday and Saturday from 10-6 and Sunday from 12-5. Check out their website for more information.
There is a Mothman festival every year on the third weekend in September. I’ve read that it gets pretty busy, with thousands of people traveling to Point Pleasant to take in all things Mothman. This upcoming year (2022) it will take place September 17 & 18.
TNT area
The first Mothman sightings occurred in an area about 15 minutes north of town that is called the ‘TNT area’. It garners this name because of the more than 100 giant concrete igloos that were erected by the US government during World War II. These igloos or bunkers covertly hid explosives- TNT. Matt and I checked out this area on Sunday before we left town. I usually have no problems hiking on my own but I even commented to Matt that this area felt pretty eerie- perhaps the Mothman was watching over us.
The area is covered by trees, just driving down the road you wouldn’t even know the bunkers are there. There are no signs announcing the TNT igloos. We just plugged it into Google Maps and figured out where to go. There are a few places to pull off and park, and when you walk into the woods you will quickly see these mounds of earth that are actually the TNT bunkers. Some of them are locked, while others are open and you can go in an explore. We saw 6 in just about an hour of exploring. It was really cool, I recommend you check them out when you are in the area.
Silver Bridge
A notable point in the history of Point Pleasant is the collapse of the Silver Bridge on December 15, 1967. This collapse, which happened during evening rush hour, killed 46 people. A different bridge, the Silver Memorial Bridge, replaced the bridge exactly two years after the collapse. Only plaques mark the location of the first one. The Mothman lore is tied to this collapse. Many people say that the Mothman is “a harbinger of disaster” and he was seen in the area to let people know danger was imminent. A film inspired by the events was released in January 2002, starring Richard Gere and Laura Linney.
Most history in Point Pleasant, WV
Besides the legend of Mothman, Point Pleasant has lots of history. The town name itself was given by colonel George Washington when he was passing through.
The Battle of Point Pleasant occurred on October 10, 1774 between the American Colonists and the Shawnee and Mingo tribes (led by Chief Cornstalk) for control of the area. The Colonists came out on top in the battle and this kept them from finding a two-front war when the American Revolution began just a few months later. Some call this the first battle of the Revolutionary War. Chief Cornstalk was an important Shawnee war chief who was later murdered while imprisoned, and after was buried in Point Pleasant. A statue of him near the river pays him homage.
Point Pleasant was an important town on the river in the 1800s. There’s a massive concrete flood wall that separates the rivers from the town. It is covered with murals that depict the history of the area. There’s also a trail along the river, and had it not been so unseasonably cold the weekend we visited, I would’ve enjoyed walking it.
What else to do in Point Pleasant
Tu-Endie-Wei State Park
Tu-Endie-Wei State Park is a teeny tiny park overlooking the confluence of the two rivers. It has an 84 foot monument commemorating those who died during the Battle of Point Pleasant.
Downtown Point Pleasant
While it certainly isn’t bustling, you can see that downtown Point Pleasant used to be quite something. There are still cute mom and pop shops and it is really charming. I really hope that it gets reenergized now that Covid is (hopefully) behind us.
Exploring Gallopolis
Speaking of cute towns, just across the river (and about a ten minute drive from Point Pleasant) is the town of Gallipolis. It is worth a visit just for exploring their downtown area, which is really darling.
I enjoyed learning that Gallipolis means “City of the Gauls” because it was settled by the French. During our afternoon in Gallipolis, we went into a few stores, and found a pub where we played pool.
We also strolled through the City Park, located across from the main drag and facing the river.
Merry Family Winery
If you follow my blogs, you know that I love throwing in a stop at a local winery or brewery when I’m out adventuring. While we didn’t find a brewery in Point Pleasant, we did find the Merry Family Winery, located in Ohio and about a 15 drive. They are open Thursday-Saturday from 12-6. We did flights of 6 for $10, and there were over two dozen wines to choose from. They also have wine slushies and a few beers to choose from. They also often have cider (but not when I was visiting). Located inside an old barn, it was a nice little afternoon stop.
Where to stay in Point Pleasant
Another reason why we choose to take a weekend road trip to Point Pleasant is because we found the most adorable little cabin to stay in. Called Frazier’s Cabin, we found it on Airbnb and loved that it was remote, while also near the town. The hosts had tons of cute little touches- like cabin socks, lots of Mothman paraphernalia, games, movies (including of course The Mothman Prophecies). The kitchen was complete with everything you’d need to cook up some meals or enjoy a cup of stellar cup of coffee. It was so disappointing that the weather ended up being awful while we were there and we didn’t get to grill out, enjoy the firepit or sit on the patio to read.
I hope you enjoyed my blog post about my weekend road trip to Point Pleasant WV. It was a fun weekend in a place I had never heard of, but I recommend it! If you are looking for other weekend road trip ideas check out some of my other blog posts. If you have any suggestions for a future adventure, please leave a comment. I have quite a few upcoming travel plans, so check back soon!
-Catching Katie
