They are searching for an unexplained enigma, a puzzle that most of
them find. It has been seen along this road since 1866 and has created
such a mystery that even the Army Corps of Engineers officially
concluded that it was a "mysterious light of unknown origin". It has
gone by many names as it has made it's appearances here in a place
called the "Devil's Promenade", but it's most commonly known as the
Hornet Spook Light.
This light has appeared seemingly as a ball of fire for more than 130
years, varying in size from a basketball to larger. It spins down the
center of this gravel road at great speed, rises up high, bobs and
weaves to the right and left. It appears to be a large lantern, but
there is never anyone carrying it. The light has appeared inside of
vehicles, seems to retreat when it is pursued and never allows anyone to
get to close to it. Does the light have some sort of intelligence? That
remains just one of the many mysteries connected to this light...
No one has ever been injured by the light but many claim to have been
frightened by it while walking down this road at night. Sometimes it
just seems to come from nowhere and a few witnesses claim they have felt
the heat from it as it passed close by them.
There have been many theories that have attempted to explain why this
mysterious light appears here. Originally, a number of legends sprung up
around the place. One of them claimed the light was connected to the
spirit of two young Quapaw Indians who died in the area many years ago.
Another claimed the light was the spirit of an Osage Indian chief who
had been beheaded on the Devil's Promenade and the light was said to be
his torch as he searched for his missing head. Another legend tells of a
miner whose children were kidnapped by Indians and he set off looking
for them with only a lantern to light his way. The light is said to be
his lantern as continues looking for the children that he will never
find.
Over the years, the light has been studied, researched, chased,
photographed and even shot at... but what is it? While legends have
their own ideas of the origin of the light, science has others.
Could it be the ever-popular "marsh gas"? This is unlikely since even
strong winds don't seem to disturb the light.
Glowing minerals from mines in the area? Doubtful, since the light
doesn't always appear in the same place.
What about electrical fields that form in areas where earthquakes and
ground shifts take place? This is a possibility since the great Madrid
fault lies just north of the Joplin area. Four earthquakes took place
here in the early 1800's that had a devastating effect on this part of
the state. It is possible that the lights starting appearing around the
time of the earthquakes in 1811-12 and didn't get reported until the
population in the area grew around the time of the Civil War.
Other "experts" claim they have the mystery solved however. They
claim the light is caused by automobiles driving on the highway about
five miles east of the Promenade. They say the highway is on a direct
line with the gravel road but at a slightly lower elevation. When it is
pointed out that a high ridge separates the Promenade from the highway
the "experts" explain how refraction causes light to bend and creates
the eerie effect.
Let's take this theory and just think of the basics of the story one
more time.... If the light started to be reported in 1866, wouldn't that
sort of rule out the idea that it could be caused by automobiles?
Sometimes the arguments of the skeptics become so incredible that it is
easier to believe in a supernatural answer to the mystery they are
attempting to solve than in the ridiculous answers they are proposing!
The Hornet Spook Light is one of America's greatest mysteries. No one
has an answer as to why this light appears here.... only that it does
and it will probably continue to do so for many years to come.
For more information on the Hornet Spook Light, contact Ghost Research
Society founder Dale Kaczmarek. His website is accessible via the
"Haunted Links" section of "Ghosts of the Prairie". Dale has conducted
extensive investigations of the area and is probably the foremost
authority on the subject.
After posting this story, I was contacted by a web page visitor named
Steve Hale who writes: "I grew up in Miami, Oklahoma, graduating from
high school there in 1971. I have visited the spook light many times in
my life and most recently in July of this year (1998), when I saw the
light plainly and for an extended period of time."
Many people consider the spook light to actually be in Oklahoma, but
Steve raised an interesting point. " The spook light is really in
Oklahoma," he writes, "but can only be seen from the east. Why this is,
no one knows. Another mystery to ponder. I should also point out that
the museum is no longer there, so knowing where to turn onto Spooklight
Road can be tricky, unless you know what one it is.
"Also, before going out there last summer, I was told about patrols in
the area by the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office and how we would not be
able to park. However, we spent an hour on the road and did not see any
law enforcement personnel."
Steve also provided some updated directions to the site, which appear at
the end of the text.
New Information: I was also contacted by a website visitor named
Jason Patterson of Oklahoma, who has visited the location of the
spooklight several times. He had some new information to pass along
about visiting the site. Jason writes: "Although only a
couple of people mentioned it, we were also given a possible reason for
the name Devil's Promenade, which was actually a separate location that
the Spooklight proper, as it is further down the road. According to a
few local enthusiasts of the area, Devil's Promenade was originally a
rickety wooden bridge which connected Spooklight Road to the road back
to the highway (If I remember correctly). It was said that anyone who
walked back and forth across the bridge five times (or seven or three
depending on who you ask) very slowly and asking for the Devil to
appear, he would either answer three questions, grant three wishes or of
course, kill you. Again this depends on the version you hear. The
original bridge was torn down and replaced with a modern concrete one
and no other phenomenon has been associated with that area, thus the
story behind the name itself has fallen into obscurity."
The Devil's Promenade is located in southwest Missouri, near the
former village of Hornet and about twelve miles southwest of Joplin. The
area can be reached by taking interstate 44 west from Joplin. Just
before the Oklahoma border, take the next to last Missouri exit onto
Star Route 43, south away from I-44.
The Devil's Promenade Road crosses this road after about four miles.
There was once an abandoned spook light museum at the site. The badly
paved road is the location of the light sightings and parking along this
road in the late night hours can almost always result in a good view of
the Spook Light.
If you drive west on Spooklight Road, it turns south about a mile from
the end. It ends at an intersection with the paved road leading to the
Devil's Promenade. If you turn right on this road, it leads you to the
town of Quapaw, Oklahoma and across the new concrete bridge at Devil's
Promenade.
Just below the bridge is now a picnic area and park. Just up the hill,
and on the left from the bridge is the Quapaw Indian Pow-wow grounds,
where legend has it that the spook light was first seen by Indians at an
annual gathering.
Thanks to Dale Kaczmarek, Steve
Hale and Jason Patterson for their information.
Copyright 2001 by Troy
Taylor. All Rights Reserved.
