The Van Meter Visitor: Iowa’s Winged Terror That Vanished Without a Trace

In 1903, something strange descended on Van Meter, Iowa—a winged creature, part bat, part machine, with a blinding light on its head.

It terrorized the town for five nights… and then disappeared.

In this episode, Robert Barber unravels one of America’s most chilling and little-known paranormal stories—a case where folklore, fear, and eyewitness accounts collide.

🎧 Was it a cryptid, mass panic, or something we still can’t name?

Send us a text

Support the show

State of the Unknown is a documentary-style podcast tracing the haunted highways, forgotten folklore, and unexplained phenomena across America’s 50 states.

👁️‍🗨️ New episodes every other Wednesday.
📬 Reach out: [email protected]
📣 Follow the strange: @stateoftheunknownpodcast on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, & Threads
🔍 Want more? Visit stateoftheunknown.com to explore show notes and submit your own story.

## Join the Conversation ##
Join the conversation! Head to our Facebook group at State of the Unknown Listeners to connect with other listeners, suggest topics, and get behind-the-scenes updates.

Some stories don’t stay buried.
We go looking anyway.