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Since before the American Revolution, the mysterious lights of Brown Mountain in Western North Carolina have attracted attention - scientific and mythic. In 1771, Gerard Will de Brahm, a German engineer, wrote about the lights. He believed them to be the result of nitrous vapors carried on the wind. This theory of flammable fumes has been a popular one but there have never been recordable levels of flammable vapors, and it is hard to blame swamp gas when there are no swamps!
Brahm was not the only scientist to show an interest in the Brown Mountain Lights. There have been two investigations conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, one by the United States Weather Bureau, one by the Smithsonian and one by a group called ORION. What did these learned scientists decide?
In 1913, the first Geological Survey investigation decided the lights were caused by reflected light from locomotive headlights in the Catawba Valley, south of Brown Mountain. However, when the great Catawba Valley flood of 1916 knocked out power lines, roads and railroad bridges, suspending train traffic for weeks, the lights still appeared. Apparently, the lights were not caused by reflected light.
Dr. W.J. Humphries, of the United States Weather Bureau presented a paper before the American Meteorological Society in April 1941, which concluded that the Brown Mountain Lights were similar to the Andes light of South America. While not exactly an explanation, Humphries findings did let folks know that Brown Mountain had a cousin to the South.
The second U.S. Geological Survey returned to the flammable gas theory and pronounced that the Brown Mountain Lights were the result of the spontaneous combustion of marsh gas. Since there are no marshes on or near Brown Mountain, the report was met with some skepticism. They did, however, dispute a number of other theories about the Brown Mountain Lights stating the foxfire light was too feeble to be responsible for the sightings and that moonshine stills would not be in "sufficiently continuous operation to produce lights in the number and regularity of those seen at Brown Mountain."
In 1977, the ORION group conducted a test, which proved that reflected light could produce lights above the crest of Brown Mountain. However, they rejected the theory that the Brown Mountain Lights could be solely explained by reflected light since the phenomenon had been observed long before electricity. The ORION group tried to reproduce the lights through seismic activity but was unable.
Naturally, with a phenomenon as old as the Brown Mountain Lights, there are a number of folk explanations. One legend says that the lights are the spirits of Native American warriors killed in battle. Another romantic tale attributes the lights to the spirits of Native American women who were searching for their husbands who had died in a great battle between the Cherokee and the Catawba Indiana.
For those who like a scarier tale, one gruesome story dates back to 1850. A young woman disappeared in the area. A search was begun, during which strange lights appeared over Brown Mountain. The searchers concluded that the lights were the spirit of the young woman, come back to haunt her killer. Locals believed the woman was killed by her cheating husband and soon after, he disappeared as mysteriously as his wife. Perhaps he is still running from his wife and the lights that are seen are simply the torches of the vengeful spirit and her murderer, forever pursuing and being pursued on Brown Mountain.
These days, some people attribute the lights to the presence of extraterrestrials paying a repeat visit to the mountain. Whatever the cause, the Brown Mountain lights remain visible on any clear night to those who seek them. The best viewing spots are found near Morganton, NC. On Route 181, about 12 miles north of Morganton is a scenic overlook. From the overlook, the mountain is about 3.5 miles due east. Another good spot is at Wiseman's View on Highway 105, and cars often line up along the side of the road for a good view. From there, look southeast to see Brown Mountain.
Observer descriptions vary. The lights can appear red, blue, green or white and will disappear if approached. Some have described them as balls of fire. They may rise slowly and fade away, or seem to burst soundlessly in the air. All agree that the phenomenon is worth the drive to see one of America's mysterious places.
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