Brown Mountain Lights
Located in Burke County, Brown Mountain stands out against the lush forest background. But what emanates from this low ridge has intrigued and confused people for generations. For unknown reasons, orbs of light seem to inexplicably rise and move around the mountains.
The Brown Mountain Lights have if you believe the lore, been recognized by people for centuries. In fact, even The Cherokee that inhabited the area had folklore that surrounded these strange globes of light. According to legend, sometime in the 1200s, there was a battle between the Cherokee and Catawba Indians where the death toll was staggering. In the night, the wives and families descended upon the land to search the forest for their dead and wounded warriors. Their lanterns, now known as the Brown Mountain Lights, are said to still be searching for their loves.
Other legends dot the history of the Brown Mountain Lights but usually focus on someone who has lost something (or someone) and is searching the mountains. Another story tells of a family newly settled at the foot of Brown Mountain. The man leaves his wife and three children to serve in the Revolutionary War shortly after settling. When he is finally able to return home, he comes to find that his homestead has been burnt to a crisp and without a trace of his wife or children. It is said that the lights are him still frantically searching the mountain for clues of their fate.
The lights have been reported in a variety of colors, including yellow, orange, red, blue, and white. Their sizes also seem to vary, with some comparing their size to a flickering candle while others claim they are huge balls of fire.
Theories began to pour out as early as the 1770s. In 1771, a German scientist claimed that the lights were inflamed nitrous vapors. And, although this was later disputed, it is interesting that investigations began so early in time. Clearly, this was a mystery that captivated those in the area, and beyond.
In 1913, a U.S. Geological Survey reported that they were headlights from a nearby locomotive. However, then the tracks washed away in 1916 and the Brown Mountain Lights continued to appear, this theory was also thrown out the window. Others have since claimed they are some kind of distortion of headlights from the road...although this wouldn’t explain the reports dating back to the Cherokees.
Of course, like any good mystery, another popular theory is these strange lights are caused by swamp gas. While, normally, I’d be interested in further exploring this explanation...there don’t appear to be any swamps or swamp-like conditions in the mountains that would be capable of creating these lights.
The Argosy, an American pulp magazine, claimed that the lights were caused by UFOs and alien investigations.
One of the most promising theories seems to be the refraction theory: in cooler air, light moves more slowly than in warm air. Because of this, if a beam of light travels from warmer to cooler air, the light appears bent and strange...thus creating the spectacle of the lights.
Over the years, hundreds of reports have rolled in. Many who have seen the lights are quite reputable.
For example, CW. Smith, a law enforcement officer for over 25-years, told Blue Ride County’s website that he has seen the lights twice. “The first time was at least 15 years ago when a fellow officer and I were using binoculars to check on some forest visitors. I was gazing across the bottom up toward Table Rock and saw a different light- not so unusual-but different in the sense that it wasn't supposed to be there. When I turned to ask the other officer if he had seen it, he asked at the same time, 'Did you see that light?'. This all took place in a matter of seconds. So I said, 'yeah, it's probably just an airplane or something going across.' We watched for about two minutes while it moved around, then it was gone. It was a cloudy night and the light was like nothing I had seen before, doing a lot of dancing as people say. It was there just a short time. It wasn't a bright light and we wouldn't have seen it without binoculars.”
While the lights seem to have no direct pattern or follow a schedule, it is believed they are able to be seen best on clear, dry autumn nights. It is also said that particularly moonless lights can also aid one in being able to see the lights.
Thanks for Wren T. for your blogstonishing suggestion!
The blog image depicts: From left: Adams Mountain, Yellow Buck Mountain, Brown Mountain and was taken by Thomson200. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
