The Hornet Spook Light, sometimes called the Quapaw or Joplin Spook Light, can be seen on a four mile stretch of dirt road called The Devil's Promenade in northeast Oklahoma, just a few miles from Joplin, Missouri. So named for the small town of Hornet, Missouri, the light has a long history of sightings.
For over one hundred and fifty years, the light has been a popular location for visitors, investigators, paranormal enthusiasts, all hoping to experience the strange phenomenon.
Hornet Spook Light History and Legends
The light was first reported in 1836 by Native Americans as they traveled on the path of the Trail of Tears. Sightings in 1896 of mysterious balls of fire and lights were reported in the fields and on the back roads along the Missouri-Oklahoma border.
There are several legends surrounding the light. One story tells of a Quapaw Indian maiden who fell in love with a young brave. Her father refused to let the two marry so they eloped. A search party was sent to bring the maiden back but instead, the couple jumped from a cliff to their death rather than be apart. Soon thereafter, the light began to appear creating the legend that it is the spirit of the tragic young lovers.
Other legends suggest the light is a spirit of an Osage Indian Chief that was decapitated in battle or that it is the ghost of a miner that lost his family and continues to search for them with his lantern.
Descriptions of the Light
The light is commonly described as a red or orange ball of fire, although it can be blue, white, yellow or green, and ranging in size from a baseball to a washtub. It can change colors in an instant and split apart into smaller lights, only to form again into one single light. It is said to be round in shape but some reports describe it as diamond shaped with a hollow middle.
It is commonly seen bobbing up and down, bouncing, dancing, and swinging side to side as it comes down the Devil's Promenade. It can approach at any speed, traveling very fast or it may linger in one spot, then suddenly disappear. It can be seen floating in the tree tops, over the hill, in the road, in the nearby fields, or can even appear inside your car.
Possible Theories and Explanations
There have been many scientific investigations, studies, and experiments to determine the cause of the light. Some theories suggest the light is from reflections of automobiles and headlights, airport beacon lights, or other light refractions.
It has also been attributed to natural phenomenon such as ball lightening, swamp or marsh gas, will-o-wisps, atmospheric charges from earthquake fault lines, mineral deposits, temperature changes, and earth lights.
The locals say the light has been appearing for as long as they can remember, long before there were automobiles or even before the Devil's Promenade road was built. They recall hearing Native American legends of the light from generations before them.
The Army Corps Of Engineers have concluded that the light is a "mysterious light of unknown origin" and offer no further explanation.
Sources:
- GhostResearch.org
- Mysterious Fires and Lights, Vincent H. Gaddis, 1968, Dell Publishing.
