The Legend Of The Ozark Spook Light In Missouri Will Make Your Blood Run Cold
By Beth Price-Williams|Published March 10, 2020
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Beth Price-Williams
Author
A professional writer for more than two decades, Beth has lived in nearly a dozen states – from Missouri and Virginia to Connecticut and Vermont – and Toronto, Canada. In addition to traveling extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., she has a BA in Journalism from Point Park University (PA), a MA in Holocaust & Genocide Studies from Stockton University (NJ), and a Master of Professional Writing from Chatham University (PA). A writer and editor for Only In Your State since 2016, Beth grew up in and currently lives outside of Pittsburgh and when she’s not writing or hanging out with her bunnies, budgies, and chinchilla, she and her daughter are out chasing waterfalls.
We all probably have our own favorite legend – and theories behind it – whether it’s the sudden appearance and rapid departure of Momo or it’s the Ozark Spook Light in Missouri. The legend of the Ozark Spook Light dates back more than a century, and the stories behind it may be just as intriguing as capturing a glimpse of the light itself.
People have been talking about the Ozark Spook Light since the 1800s. You may have heard of it called the Ozark Spook Light or one of its numerous other monikers – the Hornet Spook Light…
…the Joplin Spook Light, or the Tri-States Spook Light. It earned a nod as the Tri-States Spook Light as the light is believed to be in Quapaw, Oklahoma. However, it can be seen in Joplin and at the border where Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri meet.
Wherever it actually is, those who have seen the Spook Light claim it’s a bright light that’s somewhere between the size of a baseball and a basketball. It looks like a dancing ball of fire, and it disappears as quickly as it appears.
Legend has it that the Indians first caught sight of the Spook Light in the 1830s. However, the first documented sighting of the mysterious light didn’t occur until 1881.
Just what is the Spook Light? It really is anybody’s guess, but theories have ranged from escaped natural gas to the headlights of oncoming cars. (Cars, however, weren’t around back in the 1880s.)
Those, however, aren’t the only theories behind the Spook Light. Some believe that the light is the spirit of two Quapaw Indians who had fallen into love – a forbidden love – and together had jumped to their deaths in the Spring River.
Still others tell the tale of a beheaded individual – a miner or an Indian, depending upon to whom you talk – with a torch that’s scouring the area looking for his head.
Some motorists claim to have seen the light as they’re driving through Joplin. Still, others, who have been on foot when the light flashes, claim to have felt a rush of heat.
If you want to see Spook Light, plug these coordinates into 36°56'38.4"N 94°37'04.9"W your GPS or Google Maps, and it will take you approximately 11 miles from Joplin, where the light is most commonly seen.
What do you think is causing the Spook Light in Missouri? Have you ever seen it? Join the conversation in the comments! Have you heard of the Legend of Momo, a mysterious Missouri monster who first appeared in the early 1970s?
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