Mysterious lights floating in the air. What are they? Something supernatural? Or something more mundane? Uncover the mystery of the Paulding Lights in Michigan.
We have a similar story in South Carolina. My mother told me about the Summerville Light. I don't know if the phenomenon is still occurring but I think it first appeared in the 50s and 60s. According to my mother's story, a railway worker on a train leaned out to catch the mail bag as they were going through Summerville, but the hook from which the bag hung caught him around the neck, decapitating him. And, of course, they never found his head. The light is either the worker looking for his head or the worker's wife doing the looking. Supposedly, some drunk sailors once mocked the light and it responded by setting their car on fire, burning them all to death.
I went to Michigan Tech and have seen the Paulding Lights. The car hypothesis seems the most likely as distances at night and the brightness of lights can be confusing.
Some Michigan Tech guys took video with a telescope that shows it’s just cars. It’s still really cool though. And I think they mention that it’s odd that you can see headlights that well at that distance.
Can't a gal go out with a flashlight to find her car keys that she dropped on her way to the house without anyone make a big spooky legend about it? And no, I didn't find the car keys. Sigh.
This happens in the UK too. There’s a spot near where I used to live in Lancashire and though they look like lights in the sky they are actually car headlights from the M6 motorway reflecting in clouds.
It seems to be a world-wide occurrence. I love the various lore that goes with these lights and even if they end up just being car lights, it's still fun.
It's interesting that some part of us wants there to be a supernatural explanation, no matter how rationally we operate in our daily lives. Maybe our subconscious--which is emotional rather than logical--likes the idea.
Fascinating and spooky. I'd love find out if someone delves into this mystery and turns up a natural phenomenon explanation, or if it remains in the realm of the mystical.
Fascinating and spooky. I'd love find out if someone delves into this mystery and turns up a natural phenomenon explanation, or if it remains in the realm of the mystical.
“You do NOT want to say the words gas furnace and fireball in the same sentence. Especially when talking about the house you just bought.” Indeed. Priceless, or rather …really fucking expensive.
It was pretty expensive, but when we viewed the house, we knew it had an old furnace that we would end up replacing. We just didn't expect to have to replace it ASAP. At least I got a funny story out of it.
Those fun little surprises make the stories of our lives. We recently had an actual shitstorm in our house. By which I mean…you know those chocolate fondue fountains? It was like that, except it was raw sewage spouting from the downstairs shower drain. I’ll still be telling stories about that long after I have forgotten my own name.
Oh no. I recently watched an episode of Dirty Jobs where they had to clean a shitstorm up. Excuse me while I go find some wood to knock on in the hopes of keeping that particular disaster at bay in our home.
The Marfa Lights came up when I was researching this as the most famous example.
We have a similar story in South Carolina. My mother told me about the Summerville Light. I don't know if the phenomenon is still occurring but I think it first appeared in the 50s and 60s. According to my mother's story, a railway worker on a train leaned out to catch the mail bag as they were going through Summerville, but the hook from which the bag hung caught him around the neck, decapitating him. And, of course, they never found his head. The light is either the worker looking for his head or the worker's wife doing the looking. Supposedly, some drunk sailors once mocked the light and it responded by setting their car on fire, burning them all to death.
That is a horrifying way to go in a legend! o.o
I went to Michigan Tech and have seen the Paulding Lights. The car hypothesis seems the most likely as distances at night and the brightness of lights can be confusing.
My little sister lives over at that end of the UP and went to check them out one night. She said it was pretty cool to witness.
Some Michigan Tech guys took video with a telescope that shows it’s just cars. It’s still really cool though. And I think they mention that it’s odd that you can see headlights that well at that distance.
https://youtu.be/YKIQ8DpWC_Q?si=uA9hgYv8B4kpYVN-
That's the one I was thinking of.
I think that's the nearby college I reference in my post.
It must be! It was a cool video, I’m glad you sent me down that rabbit hole😝
Can't a gal go out with a flashlight to find her car keys that she dropped on her way to the house without anyone make a big spooky legend about it? And no, I didn't find the car keys. Sigh.
LMAO! I want to write a story where that happens and becomes a paranormal phenomenon now.
I'm just passing along the favor. Hubby gives me great ideas all the time.
You got yourself a good hubby there. =)
Oohhh, makes me think of a the Brown Mountain Lights!
Cool. Mysterious lights seem to be all over. What's the story behind those?
If I remember correctly there's a few theories. Wendigoon over on YouTube actually made a very interesting documentary on it with interviews!
Cool. I go find them and check it out.
This happens in the UK too. There’s a spot near where I used to live in Lancashire and though they look like lights in the sky they are actually car headlights from the M6 motorway reflecting in clouds.
It seems to be a world-wide occurrence. I love the various lore that goes with these lights and even if they end up just being car lights, it's still fun.
It's interesting that some part of us wants there to be a supernatural explanation, no matter how rationally we operate in our daily lives. Maybe our subconscious--which is emotional rather than logical--likes the idea.
I'm not sure I'd say it's our subconscious that wants that but our conscious mind that often wants that.
We have a similar thing in my country. Hang tight, and I’ll post about it for you. :)
Cool! I can't wait to read about yours.
Fascinating and spooky. I'd love find out if someone delves into this mystery and turns up a natural phenomenon explanation, or if it remains in the realm of the mystical.
Fascinating and spooky. I'd love find out if someone delves into this mystery and turns up a natural phenomenon explanation, or if it remains in the realm of the mystical.
I think natural phenomenon are just as interesting as the idea of it being ghostly lights or something supernatural.
Well, you can disregard my message. I guess my comment was posted after all.
“You do NOT want to say the words gas furnace and fireball in the same sentence. Especially when talking about the house you just bought.” Indeed. Priceless, or rather …really fucking expensive.
It was pretty expensive, but when we viewed the house, we knew it had an old furnace that we would end up replacing. We just didn't expect to have to replace it ASAP. At least I got a funny story out of it.
Those fun little surprises make the stories of our lives. We recently had an actual shitstorm in our house. By which I mean…you know those chocolate fondue fountains? It was like that, except it was raw sewage spouting from the downstairs shower drain. I’ll still be telling stories about that long after I have forgotten my own name.
Oh no. I recently watched an episode of Dirty Jobs where they had to clean a shitstorm up. Excuse me while I go find some wood to knock on in the hopes of keeping that particular disaster at bay in our home.
Anyway, good piece, and I enjoy your sense of humor throughout.
Thank you. I'm glad to hear that as I sometimes shy away from adding humor because I'm never sure if people will get my sense of it.
Oh, you’re good!