Ozark Mountain "Spooklights " - Joplin Historical Postcards - Missouri Digital Heritage Hosted Collections Javascript Required To experience full interactivity, please enable Javascript in your browser. Skip to main content Home Civil War Browse Collections Special Exhibits Educational Resources About Missouri Digital HeritageAdvanced SearchHomeJoplin Historical PostcardsOzark Mountain "Spooklights " small (250x250 max)medium (500x500 max)large ( > 500x500)Ozark Mountain "Spooklights "Search this recordItem DescriptionTitleOzark Mountain "Spooklights "Title-AlternativeTourist Attractions 10IdentifierJPL10_917_008_a_MCreatorUnknownContributorSimpson, Leslie. Post Memorial Art Reference Library; Gibbons, Robert H.PublisherJoplin Public LibraryDescriptionA 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.SubjectSpooklight (Hornet, Mo.LanguageEnglishDate-Creation1982Date-Current8/5/2004TypePostcardsCollection NameJoplin Historical PostcardsSourceFrom the collection of the Joplin Museum ComplexCoverageMissouri -- Jasper County -- Joplin; Missouri -- Newton County -- Joplin;Rights StatementUse of digital images found on this website is permitted for private or personal use only. This material may be protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S. Code). Copyrighted materials may be used for research, instruction, and private study under the provisions of Fair Use, outlined in section 107 of copyright law. Publication, commercial use, or reproduction of this image or the accompanying data requires prior written permission from the copyright holder. User assumes all responsibility for obtaining the necessary permission to publish (including in digital format) from the copyright holder. For more information on using this image, contact Joplin Public Library.Contributing InstitutionJoplin Public Library (Joplin, Mo)CountyJasper County (Mo.)Newton County (Mo.)Copy RequestContact Joplin Public Library at 417-624-5465, or email [email protected] small (250x250 max)medium (500x500 max)large ( > 500x500)Search this recordHomeCivil WarBrowse CollectionsSpecial ExhibitsEducational ResourcesAbout Missouri Digital HeritagePowered by CONTENTdm®