Ozark Mountain "Spooklights "
| Title | Ozark Mountain "Spooklights " |
| Title-Alternative | Tourist Attractions 10 |
| Identifier | JPL10_917_008_a_M |
| Creator | Unknown |
| Contributor | Simpson, Leslie. Post Memorial Art Reference Library; Gibbons, Robert H. |
| Publisher | Joplin Public Library |
| Description | A baffling mystery has perplexed folks in western Newton County for well over 100 years. It has also confounded an endless stream of experts who attempted to solve the puzzle once and for all-and failed. Known simply as the "Spooklight," the phenomenon was first documented in 1886. Witnesses described it as a ball of light about the size of a basketball. It usually appears after 11:00 p.m. somewhere above the remote country road. The light changes colors, sometimes appearing as white, yellow, orange, or red. It does bizarre things, such as bouncing around erratically or even splitting into two or three individual lights. Throughout the years, researchers and speculators have proposed an assortment of possible explanations. These included the scientific as well as the mythical and the occult-old Indian legends and wild tales of murder victims, dead miners, and a decapitated Civil War soldier, to name a few. But none of these could be supported with evidence. Skeptics opined that the spooklight was simply car headlights or perhaps swamp gas, mine gas, or fox fire. During World War II, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers performed tests on the caves and mineral deposits in the area, but drew a blank. The Ghost Research Society even showed up with a night vision video camera, Geiger counter, negative ion detector, and try-field meter. The paranormal researchers concluded that it was not a natural phenomenon, but they could not detect anything supernatural with their high-tech equipment. So there you have it. One of America's unsolved mysteries right here in southwest Missouri. Sources:McKinney, Roger. "Spook Light haunts researches." Joplin Globe. Sept. 22, 2002. |
| Subject | Spooklight (Hornet, Mo. |
| Language | English |
| Date-Creation | 1982 |
| Date-Current | 8/5/2004 |
| Type | Postcards |
| Collection Name | Joplin Historical Postcards |
| Source | From the collection of the Joplin Museum Complex |
| Coverage | Missouri -- Jasper County -- Joplin; Missouri -- Newton County -- Joplin; |
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| Contributing Institution | Joplin Public Library (Joplin, Mo) |
| County | Jasper County (Mo.) Newton County (Mo.) |
| Copy Request | Contact Joplin Public Library at 417-624-5465, or email [email protected] |