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The Indrid Cold Encounter (1966, West Virginia)

Traveling salesman Woodrow Derenberger said a “smiling man” stopped him on a West Virginia highway in 1966 and spoke telepathically. See the timeline, sources, challenge points, and why this story became a lasting legend.

The Indrid Cold Encounter (1966, West Virginia)
Artist Rendition
Published:

Overview

On November 2, 1966, traveling salesman Woodrow Derenberger reported a close encounter on Route 77 near Parkersburg, West Virginia. He said a dark craft forced him to stop, and a smiling man in a shiny suit approached, communicating telepathically and identifying himself as “Cold.” Over the following weeks Derenberger gave radio and TV interviews, filed statements, and later wrote a book expanding the story. The Indrid Cold motif has since woven into the broader Point Pleasant lore alongside the Mothman reports.