Leaving a light on

Joplin, Missouri has some claims to fame. It’s been mentioned in the script of The Music Man, on The Beverly Hillbillies, and it’s the filming location for Trick My Truck.

But it’s also been home to a unique legend for more than a century.

Now known as the Joplin Spook Light, a small “ball of fire” was first spotted by Indians traveling the Trail of Tears in 1836. In 1881, a publication titled The Ozark Spook Light made the first “official” report.

The Spook Light is still reportedly seen to this day, and is often described as an orange glowing ball ranging from the size of a baseball to the size of a basketball. It is said to spin or dance down the center of the road, hover above treetops, and then retreat. Others have said it appears to swing side to side, like a lantern being carried. Locals say that the time between 10 p.m. and midnight is prime Spook Light viewing time.


The light is said to be seen along a four-mile stretch of gravel road called Devil’s Promenade by many locals. Although it’s most widely known as the Joplin Spook Light, other nearby communities also lay claim to the enigma. Some in Quapaw, Oklahoma have claimed to have seen the light. The light is also known as the Hornet Spook Light; Hornet is a small community near Joplin.

A Spook Light postcard...seriously!

For years, people have been trying to find out just what the Spook Light really is. Countless paranormal investigators, scientists, and even curious locals have gathered on the gravel road near Hornet to try to catch a glimpse. Even the Army Corps of Engineers has tried to find an explanation for the mysterious light.

Some theories have been presented to attempt to explain the light’s origin, such as escaping natural gas, reflections of car lights, and even rotting organic matter. Even atmospheric electrical charges have been offered as an explanation.

But local legends were used to explain the light years ago. One of the oldest legends tells of a Quapaw Indian woman who fell in love with a brave, but her father wouldn’t let her marry him. The two eloped, but were followed by warriors. They joined hands above the Spring River and leaped to their deaths. Legend has it that shortly after this event, the light began appearing, and was attributed to the lovers’ spirits.

Needless to say, I find the Spook Light incredibly interesting, and about a year and a half ago, I set out with a friend to try and catch a glimpse. We traveled all the way to Joplin, with directions we printed off the internet.

We eventually were led past the tiny town of Hornet, and to the four-mile stretch of road where the light is usually seen. We parked at a dip in the road, because our directions told us that was the best kind of place to see the light.

We quickly realized that we weren’t the only ones looking for the light. I guess I expected a desolate gravel road, with only my car searching for the Spook Light. But that’s not what we got. There were cars parked along both sides of the road, people standing out in the October chill with binoculars, and little kids running around with flashlights. A couple of times, I thought for a moment I saw something, but it was just a car coming over a hill maybe a mile away.

Although I didn’t get to actually see the Spook Light, I don’t think I can count it out as swamp gas or something. And I really want to get back out to Joplin and try spotting the Spook Light again sometime soon. If you’re ever in the area, it could be a fun adventure, and you can decide for yourself what the Spook Light might be.