West Virginia Adds Mothman and Eight Other Cryptids to State License Plates
The Department of Motor Vehicles unveiled a new design featuring local legends, honoring late artist Jesse Corlis and the state's folklore history.
By William Turner ·
West Virginia's Department of Motor Vehicles introduced a new license plate design on Thursday that depicts nine local cryptids.
The plate features the Flatwoods Monster, also known as Braxie, as the most prominent figure. Braxie is positioned at the front of the design, with the Mothman flying through a wooded scene just behind its shoulder.
According to the DMV, the remaining seven creatures appear as smaller figures within the same blue, wooded background. These include the Bigfoot, the Sheepsquatch, the Batboy, the Veggie Man, the Werewolf, the Ogua, and the Grafton Monster.
The design credits specific locations for each legend. The Flatwoods Monster originated in Braxton County around 1952. The Mothman was first sighted in Kanawha County in 1966 and later associated with the Silver Bridge collapse in Mason County. The Batboy stories come from Greenbrier County, while the Veggie Man is a Marion County native from 1968.
The Grafton Monster originates from Taylor County around 1964. The Ogua is tied to the Hoult area of Marion County. The Sheepsquatch legends span from Boone County to Mason County. The Webster County Werewolf stories date back to the 18th century.
Commissioner Everett Frazier stated that the plate honors the creativity of the late graphic artist Jesse Corlis. Corlis designed the current plate as well as the state's turtle and bee license plates.
Frazier said, "First and foremost, I would like to pay tribute to Jesse Corlis, the talented graphic artist who designed the Cryptid license plate, along with several other license plates you see traveling the roads of West Virginia every day." He added that the state recognizes Corlis's contributions to the license plate program.
Corlis died in 2023 from complications of temporal lobe epilepsy. Born on Halloween, he created murals across the state, including works in Morgantown, Point Pleasant, and Charleston.
The new license plate will be available for purchase starting Monday, November 2. Residents can buy the plate at all West Virginia DMV Regional Offices. The DMV will share additional information on its YouTube and Facebook pages and at dmv.wv.gov.
