Origin of the Brown Mountain Light in North Carolina

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 646

By George Rogers Mansfield

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 646

Washington 1971 United States Department of the Interior ROGERS C. B. MORTON, Secretory

Geological Survey W. A. Radlinski, Acting Director

Free on application to the U.S. Geological Survey, Washmgton, D.C 20242 Brown Mountain--in the Blue Ridge country of western North Carolina--is the stage and setting for the intermit tent performances of the "mysterious lights" that have provoked legend and song since the beginning of the century. In 1922, responding t0 a general inter est in the lights, tt U.S. Geological Survey sent geologist George R. Mansfield to Brown Mountain to under take a thorough investigation of the reported phenomenon. Mansfield's meth od of study and his conclusions were released to the press in 1922. Because of the present interest in Brown Moun tain shown by visitors to this scenic area, George R. Mansfield's report to the press is reproduced here just as it was written a half century ago.

CONTENTS

Page Page Government investigations made--- 1 Proposed explanations------7 Aid receiv-ed in this The investigation in 1922------10 investigation------1 Methods employed------10 Topography of Brown Mountain----- 2 Observations at Loven's------12 Geologic features------2 Observations at Gingercake Records of earlier observations-- 2 Mountain------12 Review of earlier observations--- 5 Observations at Brown Places of observation------6 Mountain------14 Nature and appearance of the Conclusions------15 light------7

ILLUSTRATION Page Figure 1. Map of Brown Mountain region, N.C., illustrating or1g1n of "Brown Mountain lights"------3 v

Origin of the Brown Mountain light in North Carolina

1 By George Rogers Mansfield

GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATIONS MADE after another local investigator failed to discover their origin, the For many years "mysterious lights" mystery seemed to grow deeper. Final have been seen near Brown Mountain, ly Senators Simmons and Overman pre in the northern part of Burke County, vailed upon the Geological Survey to N.C., about 12 miles northwest of make a second and more thorough in Morganton. Some have thought that vestigation of these puzzling lights. these lights were of supernatural The present writer, to whom the task origin; others have dreamed that they of making this investigation was as might indicate enormous mineral de signed, spent 2 weeks near Brown posits; and many who have not had such Mountain in March and April 1922 and visions have looked upon them as a took observations on seven evenings, natural wonder that lent interest to on four of them until after midnight, all vacation trips to the region. from hillsides that afforded favor In October 1913 at the urgent re able views of the lights. The results quest of Representative E. Y. Webb, of of the work are reported here. North Carolina, a member of the U.S. Geological Survey, D. B. Sterrett, was AID RECEIVED IN THIS INVESTIGATION sent to Brown Mountain to observe these lights and to determine their The writer gratefully acknowledges origin. After a few days investigation his indebtedness to Messrs. R. T. Mr. Sterrett declared that the lights Claywell, A. M. and Charles Kistler, were nothing but locomotive headlights and H. L. Millner, of Morganton, who seen over the mountain from the neigh gave him much information and assist boring heights. This explanation was ed him in many ways in his investi too simple and prosaic to please any gation. Joseph Loven, of Cold Spring, one who was looking for some super and H. C. Martin, of Lenoir, accom natural or un4sual cause of the lights, panied him on some of the evenings of and when they were seen after the observation. G. E. Moore, of Lenoir, great flood of 1916, while no trains furnished valuable information. F. H. were running in the vicinity, even May, of Lenoir, organized a party to some of those who had accepted Mr. accompany him to the summit of Brown Sterrett's explanation felt compelled Mountain and generously rendered much to abandon it. valuable aid. Monroe Coffey and As time went on, the interest in the Theodore Crump, of the U.S. Forest lights became more general, and as one Service, extended to him the hospi tality of their camp on Brown 1rssued in 1922 as Press Notice Mountain and joined in the 14328. investigation.

1 Drs. W. J. Humphreys and Herbert of the mountain is composed of the Lyman and Mr. C. F. Talman, of the Cranberry Granite, a rock which also U.S. Weather Bureau, obligingly fur underlies many square miles on the nished correspondence and unpublished north side of the Blue Ridge. manuscript relating to the Brown The Caldwell Power Co. has drilled Mountain light, and W. W. Scott, of a series of holes, 50 to nearly 100 Washington, kindly lent a scrapbook feet deep, along the lower part of containing copies of his own and the east slope of Brown Mountain pre other published articles relating to liminary to the location of a tunnel. Brown Mountain. Through the kindness of H. L. Millne~ The writer is also indebted to his an officer of the company; the writer colleagues of the Geological Survey was permitted to examine the cores for helpful suggestions and discus taken from these holes. Most of them sions, particularly to Arthur Keith consisted of ordinary granite,· though for information about the geology of a few included masses of rock of the Brown Mountain region and to R. H. other kinds. The men who surveyed the Sargent, J. B. Mertie, Jr., and A. C. line for the tunnel reported local Spencer for aid in the interpretation magnetic attraction amounting to a of instrumental observations. deflection of about 6°, but though representative pieces of all the dif TOPOGRAPHY OF BROWN MOUNTAIN ferent kinds of cores were presented to the compass needle, they produced The shape and general elevation of no noticeable effect. Dip-needle Brown Mountain are shown on the ac tests made to determine magnetic con companying map. Its eastern ridge ditions at Brown Mountain gave read forms part of the boundary between ings of 41~0 , which is slightly Burke and Caldwell Counties. Its top greater than those made at Loven's or is plateaulike and reaches a maximum at Gingercake Mountain (40°) but less elevation of about 2,600 feet. It is than those made at Blowing Rock (43°) partly cut away by southward-flowing and at the Perkins place, near Adako branches of Johns River and is sep (45°). arated from more intricately carved uplands on the northwest, north, and RECORDS OF EARLIER OBSERVATIONS northeast by Upper and Wilson Creeks and their tributaries. Seen from a So far as the writer is aware the distance from almost any direction, first published account of the light Brown Mountain appears as a ridge was given in a dispatch from Linville having a nearly even skyline. (See Falls to the Charlotte Daily Observer, map , fig • 1. ) dated September 23, 1913, in which its discovery is credited to members GEOLOGIC FEATURES of the Morganton Fishing Club, who saw.it "more than two years ago" but The geologic features of the Brown who were "laughed at and accused of Mountain region are the southward seeing things at night." This account extension of the features seen far is quoted in part below: ther north, which are described and · .. The mysterious light that is seen mapped in the Cranberry-folio, No. 90 just above the horizon almost every of the series of folios of the Geo night from Rattlesnake Knob, near logic Atlas of the United States. Cold Spring, on the Morganton road There is nothing unique or unusual in * * * is still baffling all investi t~e geology of Brown Mountain. Most gators * * * With punctual regular-

2 ~ N i i~ .PROFILE FROM STA. B ON UNE IS, SHOWING METHOD OF LOCATION OF LIGHT BY USE OF A VERTICAL ANGLE.. ELEVAT..t:lo\!. VERT1CA/.. ANISLC,. ANO CVRVAnJRE ~!EO 4 T/Ma!;.

~1SKETCH OF BROWN MOUNTAIN FROM STA.A NEAR LOVENS. NOT~ hOW' THE VIEW AT THE' RltSHT IS CUT OFF.

------~~~~6~: - ~~"-4------

0 Z 4 6 8 10 MILES l__.l...... i---dd----4

Figure 1.--Map of Brown Mountain region, N.C., illustrating origin of 11 Brown Mountain lights. 11 ity the light rises in a southeasterly the lights and never heard of them direction from the point of observa until 1910. Similar testimony is tion just over the lower slope of given by Rev. Albert Sherrill, who Brown Mountain, first about 7:30 p.m. served two churches in the country and again at 10 o'clock. It looks much about Brown Mountain. In a letter to like a toy fire balloon, a distinct Dr. W. J. Humphreys dated January 25, ball, with no atmosphere about it. 1922 he says: * * * It is much smaller than the "For 4 years I traveled the roads to full moon, much larger than any star these churches and visited in the and very red. It rises in the far homes of the people all about this distance from beyond Brown Mountain, mountain. I held revival services day which is about 6 miles from Rattle and night, which gave me a chance of snake Knob, and after going up a short observation at night. This was from distance, wavers and goes out in less 1909 to 1912, inclusive. At no time than 1 minute * * *· It does not al in all these years did I see a light ways appear in exactly the same place, or hear of one * * * Two years but varies what must amount in the after I left there was the first I distance to several miles. The light ever heard of it." is visible at all seasons, so Mr. On the other hand, Col. Wade H. Anderson Loven, an old and reliable Harris, editor of the Charlotte Daily resident testifies * * *· There seems Observer, from which the first de to be no d6ubt that the light rises scription of the light, quoted above, from some point in the wide, level was taken, states in a letter dated country between Brown Mountain and the October 2, 1921, addressed to Senator South Mountains, a distance of about Simmons~ that "there is a record that 12 miles, though it is possible that it (the light) has puzzled the people it rises at a still greater distance." since and before the days of the In this article in the Charlotte Civil War." R. T. Claywell, of Daily Observer, the discovery of the Morganton, says that people used to lights is assigned to a date "more come to Burke County 60 years ago to than 2 years ago," but conversation see the lights. Joseph Loven, of Cold with B. S. Gaither, of Morganton, who Spring, says that he noticed the participated in the fishing party lights as early as 1897, when he mentioned, and who was the one who moved to his present home by Loven's first saw the lights, elicited the Hotel, but that he had heard nothing fact that they were observed in 1908 about them and paid no attention to or 1909. Rev. C. E. Gregory, who in them until Mr. Gregory came, in 1910. 1910 built a cottage on the little In October 1913, Mr. Sterrett of knoll near Loven's Hotel at Cold the U.S. Geological Survey made his Spring, presumably the Rattlesnake investigation, as a result of which Knob referred to, was, according to he decided that the lights were loco local oral accounts, the first to give motive headlights. He did not visit much attention to the lights and to Rattlesnake Knob but went unaccom bring them to public notice. panied to the Brown Mountain region, H. L. Millner, an engineer living at where he made his observations. Morganton, states that he did railroad A newspaper article on the lights, surveying all through the mountains by W. W. Scott, published November north of Brown Mountain in 1897, 1899 10, 1915, aroused much local interest to 1903, and in 1905. He afterward and started newspaper discussions, as spent many summer vacations in those a result of which several expeditions, mountains but says that he never saw made up of local observers, visited

4 Brown Mountain early in the winter of' of Rattlesnake Knob, yet during that 1915, and in the spring of 1916 and period the lights were reported to be attempted to determine the character seen as usual. This fact showed that and source of the lights. The members the Brown Mountain lights could not of these expeditions made some inter be ascribed solely to locomotive esting observations but did not sat headlights. isfactorily achieve their object. Late in 1919 the question of the Mr. H. C. Martin, of Lenoir, states origin of the Brown Mountain light that on April 11, 1916, he and Dr. was brought to the attention of the L. H. Coffey organized an expedition Smithsonian Institution and referred to study the Brown Mountain light. to the U.S. Weather Bureau. Descrip Mr. Martin's party went to Adams tions given in letters from trust Mountain. Dr. Coffey's party went to worthy observers led Dr. W. J. Brown Mountain. Each party subdivided Humphreys, of that Bureau, to decide into several groups and signals were that the light was an electrical dis arranged that whichever group first charge analogous to the "Andes light" saw the light should. fire a pistol. of South America. This Andes lig~t Dr. Coffey's party saw the light over and its possible ~elation to the the summit of Adams Mountain at 8:10 Brown Mountain light became the sub and again at 9:45, over a point some ject of a paper presented by Dr. what farther south. About 5:10 a.m. Herbert Lyman before a meeting of the they saw the light again over the American Meteorological Society held south end of Adams Mountain. None of at the Weather Bureau in Washington these appearances was seen by Mr. in April 1921. Soon thereafter the Martin's party, but about 11:52 his suggestions of the physicists of the party saw two lights (floating Weather Bureau were embodied in a globes), "apparently about the size bulletin on the Brown Mountain light of ordinary street lamps of Lenoir issued by the National Geographic seen from the distance of about 1 Society, in which this light was rep mile," flash out among the trees on resented as a manifestation of the the east side of Brown Mountain about Andes light. Neither the Weather one-eighth of the distance down from Bureau nor the National Geographic the summit. These lights moved hori Society, however, had sent an inves zontally southeastward, floating in tigator to Brown Mountain to observe and out of the ravines, along the the lights. mountainside past a dead pine tree in Mr. Martin's line of sight for a dis .. REVIEW OF EARLIER OBSERVATIONS tance estimated at 2 miles. Then they Those who have -seen the lights from returned northwestward about half the.south or east may with justice that distance, again passing the line contend that no locomotive headlights of the dead tree. At 12:13 the lights can be seen to the north and north disappeared as suddenly as they came. west. A good topographic map, howeve~ These lights were not seen by Dr. shows many roads on which an auto Coffey's party. mobile headlight might intervene In the summer of 1916, a great between an observer and Brown Moun flood swept down the valley of tain in such a way as to give much Catawba River, washing out bridges the same effect that one would get in and railroad tracks and suspending viewing it over the mountain from all railroad traffic in and about Loven's or Blowing Rock.

Morganton, so that for several weeks There are two buildings on the sum- 1 no trains came within 40 or 50 miles mit of Brown Mountain. One of these

5 is owned by the Brown Mountain Club being due to intermittence in the and the other is a Forest Service lights, but H. S. Barber, an ento station. Lights in these and the mologist of the Division of Insects fires of campers are the only lights of the National Museum, to whom the known to originate on Brown Mountain matter was referred, states that this and are the only lights that have explanation, though possible, is been seen on the mountain by observ improbable, chiefly because of the ers on the mountain. There are also lateness of the hour of observation. some buildings on the southern spurs of Brown and Adams Mountains. Seen .PLACES OF OBSERVATION from favorable viewpoints these might furnish lights that could be inter In the article published in the preted as manifestations of the Brown Charlotte Daily Observer in September Mountain light. 1913, it was stated that the lights For some years there have been lum were first observed from a place near ber camps in Upper Creek west of Loven's Hotel, at Cold Spring, and as Brown Mountain. Some of the buildings late as November 1915, Mr. Scott, in at these camps are on the sides of his newspaper article cited above, the valley or on Ripshin Ridge. states that "Mr. Loven's is the only Viewed from favorable positions place from which has been seen the lights in these buildings might be mysterious light that rises over ascribed to the Brown Mountain light. Brown Mountain." By the spring of Rare electrical discharges similar 1916, however, the lights were being to those reported from western Vir observed from several places near ginia may take place on Brown Moun Lenoi~. More recently they were seen tain or on other ridges on the Blue from Blowing Rock, which is visited Ridge front, but they could have by many tourists, who find accommoda nothing in common with the ordinary tions at several flourishing hotels. Brown Mountain light either in The lights furnish one of the many appearance or in regularity of attractions afforded by this remark occurrence. ably well situated and delightful The lights seen by Mr. Martin from little town. Among the other local Adams Mountain can probably not be ities from ~hich the Brown Mountain satisfactorily explained after so lights are said to have been seen long a lapse of time. There is no are the slopes of Gingercake Mountain, reason to attribute to them super about a mile and a half southwest of natural or unusual origin, and they Cold Spring, and the toll gate on the cannot be explained as due to mirage, Yonahlossee road, on the south slope which is Mr. Martin's idea. The sug of Grandfather Mountain. It is also gestion that they might have been reported that they have been seen caused by moonshiners carrying lan from Morganton and from other points terns has been rejected because of in the valley southeast of Brown the roughness of the east side of Mountain. Brown Mountain and because of the It is significant that, though many distance that the lights seemed to persons have from time to time camped travel in 20 minutes. They might be on Brown Mountain and have spent due to fireflies flying relatively nights watching for the lights, yet, near Mr. Martin yet appearing unduly so far as the writer has been able to large because his eyes were focused ascertain, no one has actually on the distant hillside, the appear observed the light on Brown Mountain ance of going in and out of ravines when he himself was on that mountain,

6 but, as in Dr. Coffey's observation, "We were impressed with the follow it has been seen from Brown Mountain ing facts: The region about Brown as apparently over Adams Mountain or Mountain and between our location and some hills farther south. Monroe the mountain is a wild, practically Coffey and Theodore Crump, of the uninhabited mountain region--a con U.S. Forest Service, have spent many fusion of mountain peaks, ridges, and nights in and about Brown Mountain valleys. Viewing the lights from a and have built a fire-control station fixed position our estimate of their on the summit of the mountain near location was most inexact; the vary the cabin of the Brown Mountain club, ing color (almost a white, yellowish, but at the time of the writer's visit reddish) may have been due to mist in neither of them had ever seen the the atmosphere; the view of the lights Brown Mountain light. was a direct one and not a reflection; there seemed to be no regularity in NATURE AND APPEARANCE OF THE LIGHT their time of appearance; they came suddenly into being, blazed steadily, In his letter to Senator Simmons and as suddenly disappeared; they already cited, Colonel Harris writes appeared against the sky and not as follows concerning the light: against the side of the mountain. "It is a pale white light, as one "Others who have seen this phenom seen through a ground glass globe, enon make very different reports of and there is a faint, irregularly their observation; and some who have shaped halo around it. It is confined seen it several times report that to a prescribed circle, appearing they have seen it in varying fashion; three or four times in quick succes sometimes the light appears station sion, then disappearing for 20 min ary (as was uniformly the case when utes or half an hour, when it repeats I saw it); sometimes it appears to within the same circle." move rapidly--upward, downward, Prof. W. G. Perry, of the Georgia horizontally." School of Technology, in a letter Rev. C. E. Gregory is reported to dated December 15, 1919, addressed to have noted upon one occasion that the Dr. C. G. Abbot, of the Smithsonian light appeared like a ball of incan Institution, describes the light as descent gas, in which a seething seen from the Cold Spring locality as motion could be observed. follows: "We occupied a position on a high ridge. Across several intervening PROPOSED EXPLANATIONS ridges rose Brown Mountain, some 8 miles away. After sunset we began to Many explanations of the Brown watch the Brown Mountain direction. Mountain lights have been offered. Suddenly there blazed in the sky, The principal ones that have come to apparently above the mountain, near the notice of the writer are briefly one end of it, a steadily glowing outlined below. ball of light. It appeared to be 1. Will-o'-the-wisp: A light called about 10° above the upper line of the will-o'-the-wisp is sometimes mountain, blazed with a slightly seen over marshy places and is yellow light, lasted about half a supposed to be due to the spon minute, and then abruptly disappeared. taneous combustion of marsh gas. It was not unlike the "star" from a There are, however, no marshy bursting sky rocket or Roman candle, places on or about Brown Moun though brighter * * * tain, and the lights seen by the

7 writer could not be ascribed to hydrogen sulfide and lead oxide such a cause. occur in Brown Mountain and that 2. Phosphorus: It has been suggested hydrogen sulfide will ignite in that the lights may be caused in th~ presence of lead oxide. Sul some way by the element phospho phur springs occur on the west rus. Phosphorus, however, is so side of Brown Mountain and lead easily oxidized that it does not prospects are reported on the occur in the free state. It is east side, but the possibility usually locked up in stable and that there is any direct rela relatively insoluble chemical tion between them is so slight compounds and therefore cannot as to be highly improbable. be a cause of the Brown Mountain 6. "Blockade" (illicit) stills: Many light. stills have been operated by 3. Phosphorescence (fox fire): Some "moonshiners" in the vicinity of organic bodies, such as stumps Brown Mountain. A man who claims or logs, become luminous or to have been an eyewitness phosphorescent by slow oxidation states that screens are placed and combustion in the course of about these stills to shut off their decay. Such lights are too the light from the fires but feeble to be seen at a distance that from time to time the fires of several miles and are unlike are raked out and the covers of the lights seen by the writer. the stills removed, so that the 4. Radium emanations: The late F. H. clouds of steam which arise from Hossfield is reported to have them are illuminated by the found a piece of pitchblende, an fires below. The "moonshiners" ore of radium, near the south are also said to use lights for west end of Brown Mountain, and signaling. It is possible that some therefore think that Brown the light with "seething motion" Mountain may contain a large seen by Mr. Gregory may have body of radium ore, which might been of this origin, but there by emanation produce the ob are not enough such stills and served lights. So far as the they probably would not be in writer has been able to learn, sufficiently continuous opera the material that was supposed tion to produce lights in the to be pitchblende was never so number and in the regularity of identified by actual tests, and appearance of those seen at the place where it was found is Brown Mountain. not accurately known. The speci 7. St. Elmo's fire: St. Elmo's fire men itself has been lost; but is a brushlike, luminous, elec pitchblende, even if it occurred trical discharge that sometimes in large deposits, could not takes place from masts, light give rise to lights like those ning conductors, and other seen over Brown Mountain. No pointed objects, especially known r~dium ore shows that kind during thunderstorms. In his of luminosity. correspondence with Messrs. 5. Chemical reaction between hydrogen Clark and Perry, the trustworthy sulfide aad lead oxide: In a observers already mentioned, Dr. letter received from Mr. E. C. C. G. Abbot, of the Smithsonian Ivey, of Hickory, it is suggested Institution, suggested that the that the lights may be so caused, Bro'ln Mountain light may be due and it is stated that both to St. Elmo's fire, but there

8 seems to be little in common be clear sky. tween the lights seen by the Dr. Guy Hinsdale, in the writer and St. Elmo's fire as Scientific Monthly for September usually described. In a second 1919, reports that in western letter to Dr. Abbot, dated Virginia, where there are "nu January 9, 1920, Professor Perry merous parallel ridges with states the case clearly when he intervening deep and narrow val says, "My own impression of St. leys, it occasionally happens Elmo's fire and similar phenom that an electric discharge takes ena was that it occurred at the place from the summits of these extremity of some solid conduc ridges into the atmosphere. tor instead of occurring, as in There is nothing audible, but the case of the Brown Mountain merely the sudden glow of the lights, in the air, at a great higher clouds in the dark. night:' distance from any object." The appearance of the Andes 8. Andes light: The name "Andes light, as shown in illustrations light," according to information given by Dr. Knoche and in the furnished to the writer by Dr. accounts of it already cited, is Herbert Lyman, of the U.S. totally different from that of Weather Bureau, is given to a the Brown Mountain light as seen very striking luminous discharge by the writer during his inves of electricity seen over the tigation or as described by crest of the Andes in Chile, others, and there appear to be where ordinary thunderstorms are no geologic conditions at or almost unknown. The mountain near Brown Mountain that would peaks appear to act as gigantic produce electrical discharges lightning rods, between which there rather than at Blowing and the clouds silent discharges Rock or Grandfather Mountain or take place on a vast scale. any other prominent point in The principal writer on the this region. Andes light is Dr. Walter 9. Mirage: Mr. H. C. Martin, in the Knoche, who was for several Lenoir Topic for April 19, 1916, years director of the Central and afterward in conversation Meteorological and Geophysical with the writer, has suggested Institute at Santiago, Chile, that the lights may be due to and who says that he has seen mirage. He thinks that air cur this light at distances greater rents of different temperature than 300 miles. Most of the dis and density may produce between charges appear to produce glim them reflecting surfaces, from mering lights that have circular which bright stars or other borders. The flashes are bright lights might be reflected in at their starting points but such a way as to produce the diminish rapidly in intensity effects commonly seen. According and then slowly disappear. The to this explanation the wavering area of this silent discharge is of the reflecting surface would at first small and lies over the cause the sudden appearance, main cordillera, but it soon ex wavering, and disappearance of tends far over the zenith and the light. sometimes reaches over the coast A mirage is a phenomenon of cordillera and out to sea. The the daytime rather than of the phenomena is best seen in a night. The requisite conditions

9 are that the air must be still "Conclusions." and that the lower layers, heat 11. Automobile headlights: Powerful ed by radiation from the under headlights on automobiles have lying surface, must become less been suggested as a source of dense than the overlying layers the Brown Mountain light. The and yet be unable to escape. objection made to this sugges With the least disturbance of tion is similar to that made to these unstable conditions the the suggestion that they are overheated air suddenly "spills" caused by locomotive headlights, upward and mirage disappears. and it fails for the same rea The conditions in a mountain sons. When seen at long dis gorge such as that of Wilson tances the two kinds of head Creek east of Brown Mountain are lights behave in a similar man entirely unfavorable to mirage, ner. Of the 23 lights recorded for as soon as the lower air by instrumental observation in becomes warmed it may escape up the investigation here reported the surface slopes, and at eve 11 were probably automobile ning there is likely to be a headlights. downward draft of cool air from the neighboring uplands. Yet Mr. Martin, in seeking in air cur THE INVESTIGATION IN 1922 rents of different temperature METHODS EMPLOYED and density an explanation of the light, has hit upon what the After a conference in Morganton writer believes to be a funda with men who are familiar with the mental element in the problem, lights the writer set out to take ob as will be more fully explained servations at the place near Loven's below. Hotel and at other places from which, 10. Locomotive headlights: D. B. according to reports, the lights Sterrett, of the U.S. Geological could be seen, Brown Mountain itself Survey, who investigated the being one of the places. The instru light on October 11, 1913, noted ments used consisted of a 15-inch that the headlights of westbound planetable (a square board mounted on Southern Railway locomotives three legs), a telescopic alidade, could be observed from Brown pocket and dip-needle compasses, a Mountain and that they were barometer for measuring elevations, a brilliant enough to be seen in fieldglass, a flashlight, and a cam the same straight line from era, besides topographic maps of the Loven's place, 6 miles beyond. region. He checked on the train sched In making the observations a topo ules and concluded that loco graphic map was fastened flat on the motive headlights were "beyond board, which was leveled and the map doubt" the cause of the Brown turned to a position in which the Mountain light. Objection to directions north, south, east, and this view has been raised on the west on the map correspond with the ground that a locomotive head same directions on the ground. Sights light casts a beam, which, like were then taken to known landmarks that of a searchlight as fre with the alidade, which is essential quently seen, can be readily ly a ruler fitted with a sighting identified. This objection is telescope, and corresponding lines considered under the heading were drawn along the ruler on the

10 map. The meeting point of the lines hazy for satisfactory photographs. thus drawn marked the location of the observer's instrument on the map. The train registers at Connelly From this location, which was deter Springs and at Hickory were examined, mined in the daytime, sights were and subsequently train schedules for taken at night with the alidade on the evenings of observation were ob the map. The telescope of the alidade tained from many station agents swings in a vertical as well as in a throughout the region. horizontal plane and can therefore be The observations obtained in the used for measuring vertical angles field were afterward adjusted on the along the lines of sight. The dip map. Many profiles along lines of needle compass is so arranged that sight were constructed, the vertical the needle swings in a vertical in angles were plotted, and corrections stead of in a horizontal plane. It is for the curvature of the earth's sur used to detect differences in magnetic face and for refraction were made. In attraction. this way the sources of some of the lights were approximately determined. Three stations were occupied--one The inset profile (fig. 1) illustrates on the knoll by the cottage formerly the method of locating a source of occupied by Rev. C. E. Gregory, near light by means of a profile and ver Loven's Hotel; one in a field on the tical angle drawn from station B east slope of Gingercake Mountain; along line 15. and one on the terrace in front of the summer residence of Miss Cannon, Space does not permit a detailed at Blowing Rock. These stations are statement of the individual observa marked on the map (fig. 1) by the tions made and of the inference drawn letters A, B, and C, respectively. from them. The geographic positions Two nights were spent on Brown Moun of the sources of light as determined tain, but the conditions were so un by instrumental observations are only favorable that no station was occu approximate because of the diffi pied there. At each station at which culties attending the use of the observations were made, vertical instruments in darkness. The stations angles to parts of Brown Mountain were from 1,000 to 1,500 feet higher were noted, dip-needle readings were than the summit of Brown Mountain, so made, and photographs were taken. that the lines of sight to the lights Vertical angles were also measured seen all passed several hundred feet when practicable from each station to above the top of the mountain as each light seen. The procedure adopt shown in inset profile (fig. 1). This ed was first to get a line of sight fact caused the lights to appear over to the light and then to note its the mountain rather than on or below time of appearance and measure its its crest, a feature noted both in vertical angle, but occasionally a the first published description of light remained visible for so short a the lights, in the Charlotte Observer, time that it had disappeared before and in Professor Perry's description,

1 the telescope could be trained upon ·already quoted. The appearance of the it and a line drawn to fix its direc lights as described in these two tion. Few records were kept of lights accounts, especially in that given by for which lines of directions were Professor Perry, agrees so closely not drawn, but the total number ~een with their appearance as observed by may have been nearly twice the number the writer that no additional de recorded. The atmosphere proved too scription of them need be given here.

11 OBSERVATIONS AT LOVEN'S At about 8:40 lights appeared suc cessively and nearly in the same line At station A (elev. 3,550 ft), near over the middle of the mountain. The Loven's Hotel, which is the place directions of those lights are shown from which the light was first seen, in lines 2a and 2b. Line 2a is tan the outlook is restricted on the south gent to a curve in the track of the by a projecting ridge (see inset Southern Railway about a mile and a sketch, fig. 1), which cuts off the half northwest of Conover. From train view of the region west of the east schedules it was determined that a ern part of Morganton, approximately ~estbound freight train passed this the region southwest of line 3 on the curve at the time noted. Line 2b is map. Northward from Lenoir the coun probably a poorer sight at the same try becomes rougher, and few lights light and may represent an error of from areas north of that place may be observation due to the writer's ina seen from Loven's, so that practically bility in the darkness to use the all the lights that originate beyond crosshairs of the instrument. It may, Brown Mountain and are seen from however, point to an automobile station A lie in an arc between Lenoir headlight. and line 3 and are therefore seen over The light at 10:45 on line 2a ap Brown Mountain. This fact accounts for pears from its vertical angle to have the original association of the ob originated about a mile and a half served lights with Brown Hountain and east of Conover. It is not accounted hence for the name "Brown Mountain for by the train schedule for that light." It also probably accounts for evening and was probably an auto the "prescribed circle" of appearance mobile headlight. of the light noted in Colonel Harris' Lines 3 and 4 are credited to auto letter to Senator Simmons. mobiles. Line 5 represents a loco On the evening of March 29, the motive headlight near-Connelly writer was accompanied to station A Springs. by Joseph Robert and Earl Loven, of The flares seen from station A all Cold Spring, and Robert Ward, of looked much alike and corresponded Morganton. The light on line 1, when closely with the description ·quoted viewed in the telescope of the ali from Professor Perry's letter. Robert dade, was accompanied by one or two Loven said that the lights as he had subordinate lights. Its position was usually seen them were so much bright unchanged throughout the evening, but er than these that he did not think it varied in brightness. At some the party had actually seen the Brown times, for long periods, it was so Mountain light. Joseph Loven, however, dim that it was practically invisible said that he had seen the lights both to the naked eye, though it was faint when they were brighter and when they ly shown in the telescope. At other were not so bright, and he was satis times it flared brightly, so that fied that the lights observed were·a Joseph Loven pronounced it a true fair average exhibition of the Brown manifestation of the Brown Mountain Mountain light. light. Its position and its relation to the accompanying lights were not OBSERVATIONS AT GINGERCAKE MOUNTAIN affected by the flaring. Two of the observers said that they could see it Station B, on Gingercake Mountain, waver or move, but as seen through is about 500 feet higher than station the telescope each time this statement A, and the arc over which the lights was made its position was found to be are visible is correspondingly in unchanged. creased. Brown Mountain covers about 12 half of this arc. The fellow observers order to get answers to two questions: at station B were Joseph Loven and First, could the headlight at Robert Ward. On the evening of April Connelly Springs be seen from the 1, the mist in the valley was so Gingercake Mountain station over dense that only one observation could Brown Mountain, and second, if the be made--the one on line 6, which is headlight could be seen, would it ascribed to an automobile on the look like the true Brown Mountain State highway near Drexel. The high light? Accordingly, about 10 minutes way runs for some distance nearly before train time the telescopic ali parallel with the railroad. dade was directed toward the curved The conditions for observation on track about a mile east of Connelly the night of April 2, though poor, Springs. All observers then waited were more favorable than on the pre for the train. At 12:33 a light ceding night, and sights 7 to 16, in flared over Brown Mountain and was clusive, were recorded on the corre seen in the telescope on line 16. sponding lines. At 7:35 a light ap Though the train was 8 minutes behind peared over Brown Mountain on line 7. its schedule all observers were con This line, when extended, coincides vinced that the light seen was the practically with the track of the headlight of train No. 35. To the Southern Railway about half a mile writer it looked much like the other west of Catawba station. The station lights that Mr. Loven had called the agent reports that on April 2 a west Brown Mountain light on this and on bound train left Catawba at 7:32 p.m. preceding evenings. Mr. Loven himself It is therefore clear that the source declared that it looked like the of this light was a locomotive head Brown Mountain light, though he light. At 7:45 and 8:55 lights flared thought it had a slightly more bluish out over the south end of Brown Moun tint. Upon later examination of the tain on lines 8 and 12, respectively. train register at Connelly Springs it When corrected these observations fell was found that train No. 35 had ar on the same line, near the station rived at the station at 12:35. Allow Drexel. A report from the station ing for the time required for the agent shows that westbound freight train to run from the curve to the trains on the Southern Railway left station at Connelly Springs the train Drexel at the times specified. Lights register may be confidently regarded 9, 10, 11, 14, and 15 are ascribed to as verifying the observation. automobiles • On this night, as on the first Throughout the evening a light, one night, all the lights seen looked of a small group, was seen on line 13. much alike, though some of the flares Its position remained the same, but were brighter than others. Mr. Loven it flared at longer or shorter inter was asked several times if he felt vals. Be'tween the flares it could be satisfied that the lights seen by the dimly seen with the naked eye. As party were actually the Brown Moun corrected, the position of this source tain light. He replied that he was of light seemed to fall near the dam satisfied and that it was a fair av at the foot of the big reservoir on erage exhibition. Linville River, not shown on the map. On April 3 station C was established Train No. 35, a westbound passenger at Blowing Rock, at an elevation of train on the Southern Railway, is due about 3,700 feet. Although not so at Connelly Springs at 12:25·a.m. The high as the station on Gingercake writer decided to remain on watch Mountain, this station commands a until the time for that train in wide, sweeping view of the country

13 to the south, a view through nearly a night; so the light probably came quarter of a circle, but Brown Moun from an automobile headlight. tain occupies only a small part of On the night of April 4, on account this space. The moon was shining of unfavorable conditions, only one brightly, but a heavy mist overhung observation (No. 21) was obtained. the valley and completely obscured This was ascribed to a locomotive Brown Mountain. H. C. Martin, of headlight. Lenoir, was present during part of With the exception of lights 17 and the time of observation and Robert 18, ascribed to brush fires, the Ward, of Morganton, during the whole lights seen from Blowing Rock were time. practically indistinguishable in gen A steady group of lights was dimly eral character and appearance from visible most of the evening on lines those that were seen at Loven's and 17 and 18. These lights were reddish at Gingercake Mountain and that were and were accompanied by what appeared said by Mr. Loven to be the Brown to be smoke. These lights appeared to Mountain light. A lady at Blowing originate on a ridge north of Rock declared that on a clear evening Mulberry Creek. Their smoky appear "you could go out on the hill and see ance suggests that they came from lights popping out all over the val brush fires. ley, all looking as much alike as so At 8:35 a reddish light appeared on many peas in a pod." Mr. Martin, on line 19. It flared brightly twice and the other hand, said that the Brown then, as seen by the unaided eye, Mountain light had distinctive fea apparently went out, but it contin tures and that the party had not seen ued for a time to show dimly in the it on either even,ing. The principal telescope. The line of sight cor distinctive feature indicated appears rected for curvature and refraction to be the lateral or oblique motion clears by a short distance the moun above referred to. tain mass at the county line and falls near a curve of the Carolina, OBSERVATIONS AT BROWN MOUNTAIN Clinchfield & Ohio Railway about a mile southeast of Sprucepine. No On April 5 the writer ascended agent is on duty at Sprucepine at Brown Mountain with a party organized night, and thus far the writer has by F. H. May, of Lenoir. Theodore been unable to learn whether or not Crump, of the Forest Service, kindly there was a southbound train on the placed at the disposal of the party track there at the time noted. his station on the summit of the Mr. Martin said that the light on mountain. Rain and fog interfered line 19 looked very much like the with the observations, but watch was Brown Mountain light but that it was kept from about 8 to 10:30 p.m. and too far to the right. When questioned again from 12:15 to 12:45 a.m. No as to wherein the two differed, he lights were seen. On the following replied that in the first place the day, April 6, several members left light was not seen over Brown Moun the party, but Monroe Coffey, of the tain and second, it did not trail off Forest Service, joined it. That eve laterally or obliquely as the Brown ning there was no rain, but fog pre Mountain light usually did. vented any extended view from the At 9:05 a light flared on line 20. summit of the mountain. Somewhat be The source of the light was deter low the summit, however, the fog was mined to be in the streets of Lenoir. less dense, and it was possible to There were no northbound trains that have seen any lights that might arise

14 over the Brown Mountain mass. About during the evening and hence in re 9:30 the party made a circuit from fractiveness. The denser the air, the the summit to the hill above Parke more it refracts light or bends waves Creek, in the south-central part of of light emanating from any source. the mountain, returning to the summit The humidity of the air affects its shortly before midnight. Had any density and hence its refractive pow lights arisen over the mountain mass er. Mist, dust, and other fine parti some member of the party would prob cles tend to obscure and scatter the ably have seen them, but none light refracted and to impart to it appeared. the reddish or yellowish tints so CONCLUSIONS frequently observed. Thus it is that the light is most active in a clear The writer feels confident that the ing spell after a rain, as noted by lights he saw were actually a fair many observers. When the mist is very average display of the so-called dense, the light is completely Brown Mountain light. He not only has obscured. Mr. Loven's word to sustain this con Lights that arise from any source clusion, but he is certain that the in the basin are viewed at low angles. lights he saw agree closely in ap Even those observed from altitudes of pearance and behavior with those 3,500 or 4,000 feet, the heights of originally described in the Charlotte the stations on Gingercake or on Daily Observer and by Professor Perry. Blowing Rock Mountain, had vertical The lights observed have nothing in angles of less than 3°. Thus, the re common with the Andes light or with fractive effect of the atmosphere St. Elmo's fire. There is no geologic through which the light waves must basis for the idea that the lights travel is at a maximum. seen are natural wonders of any sort, The effect of variations in the but there are certain interesting density of the atmosphere between the surface features and atmospheric con observer and the source of light is ditions that are effective in pro at one time to increase and at another ducing some of the appearances of the time to diminish the intensity of the light. light. This fact accounts for the By reference to the map it will be flares on lines 1 and 13. The diminu noted that the Catawba Valley east of tion of a light after such a flare is Marion is a basinlike area--an area so marked that to the casual observer nearly surrounded by mountains, of or to one without a fieldglass the which the Blue Ridge on the north, light may seem to be completely ex with its fringe of southward-project tinguished. In the telescope, however, ing spurs, is the highest and most it still appears in the same relative rugged part. After sunset cool air position, though it is somewhat begins to creep down the tributary fainter. Lights that are in view for valleys into the basin, but the air brief periods, such as the headlights currents come from different sources of automobiles or locomotives, which and are of different temperature and show only when they are turned density. The atmospheric conditions toward the observer, produce similar in the basin are therefore very un flares; but when they are turned in stable, especially in the earlier other directions, they become extin part of the evening, before any well guished so far as the observer at a defined circulatory system becomes given station is concerned. established. At any given place in Probably few if any basins on the the basin the air varies in density Blue Ridge front are so favorably

15 located as to show as well as this up his summer residence near Loven's one the atmospheric phenomena de Hotel, in 1910, the Brown Mountain scribed, and the opportunities here light began to acquire notoriety. for the observation of such phenomena Meanwhile, automobiles were coming are perhaps no less exceptional. into use throughout the country, and Loven's Hotel and Blowing Rock, which many of them were equipped with pow are resorts that attract fishermen or erful headlights. Within the last few tourists, are among the most favor years their number has been greatly able places of observation. The valley increased, and this fact is in keep is fairly well settled and has a net ing with the general deduction al work of roads, three railroads, and ready made--that on a favorable eve several large towns, so that the ning the lights are seen more fre possible sources of light are very quently now than formerly. numerous. During the flood of 1916, when As the basin and its atmospheric train service was temporarily dis conditions antedate the earliest continued, the basin east of Marion, settlement of the region, it is pos where the atmospheric conditions are sible that even among the first set disturbed, was still the scene of the tlers some favorably situated light intermittent flare of favorably sit may have attracted attention by uated lights. Automobiles were then seeming to flare and then diminish or in use in the larger towns and on go out. As the country became more some of the intervening roads, and thickly settled the number of chances their headlights were doubtless visi for such observations would increase. ble from Loven's over Brown Mountain. Before the advent of electric lights, One need only remember the network of however, it is doubtful whether such roads in the valley region (see top observations could have been suffi ographic maps of the Morganton and ciently numerous to cause much com Hickory quadrangles) to realize the ment, though some persons may have almost infinite number of possibil noted and remarked upon them. ities for automobile headlights to be According to local estimates elec pointed toward Brown Mountain and tric lights have been in use in the stations of observation beyond. It larger towns of the region for about should be emphasized, too, that auto 30 years. Lights from those towns mobile headlights and locomotive viewed from the locality near Loven's, headlights, when seen at distances which for a long time was the only and under atmospheric conditions such locality from which the lights were as those which prevail in this region, observed, are, with the exception of possess no characteristic that clear those from Morganton and Blowing Rock, ly distinguishes them from other all seen over Brown Mountain; hence lights. On the contrary, as stated by the "prescribed circle" mentioned by the lady at Blowing Rock, they look Colonel Harris. "as much alike as so many peas in a The use of powerful electric head pod," though this statement should lights on railway locomotives, which not be understood to mean that some began about 1909, furnished new may not be brighter than others. sources of strong lights in the val Col. Wade H. Harris, in his letter ley and introduced an element of reg to Senator Simmons already cited, ularity in their appearance, which says: "A locomotive headlight is eas may account for the "punctual regu ily and unmistakably distinguished as larity" noted in the first descrip such, not only by the rays it shoots tion. After Rev. C. E. Gregory took forth, but from its movements * * *·

16 It [the Brown Mountain ligh~ is as of Boston, nearly 25 miles away in a distinct in characteristics from a direct line. This light is identified locomotive headlight as a candle by a series of flashes that may be flame is to a naked arc light." Again, represented by the numerals 1-4-3. in an article in the Charlotte Ob There is no beam and there are no server for March 27, 1922, the same rays. The light cannot be seen unless writer adds that "a headlight has the air is fairly clear. Then it characteristics that distinctly and simply flashes once, four times, unmistakably identify it as such." three times, and it has much the same The writer's observations, made in appearance as the Brown Mountain company with persons long familiar light. with the light, failed to substantiate The supposed motion of the light at these statements. Of the 23 lights times may be due to errors of obser noted by instrumental observation and vation. Reference has already been recorded on lines 1 to 21, seven made here to the fact that two ob proved to originate from locomotive servers who were present with the headlights, and an eighth (No. 19) is writer at station A thought they saw probably of similar origin, though the light move when it was actually the data are insufficient to estab motionless as seen in the telescope. lish that fact, but none of these Some years ago McNeilly Du Bose, an seven lights cast a beam or possessed engineer then employed near Morganton, any special quality that distin tested observations made by himself guished it from the other lights ob and others by tying a cord across the served, and only one of them (No. 16) fork of a tree in a place where he was known at the time of observation could see the light across the cord to be a locomotive headlight. The and was surprised to find that the other six were identified as such light was stationary with respect to only after the lines and angles of the cord. Professor Perry, whose let the record had been plotted, profiles ter has been quoted, notes that the had been drawn, and train schedules light was uniformly stationary when had been checked some days after the he saw it. The eye is easily deceived observations were made. A locomotive at night as to the stability or mo headlight seen at distances such as tion of an object, and an observer's those from which the Brown Mountain impressions are to a considerable ex light is observed has no visible mo tent affected by his mental and phys tion and emits no "rays." When its ical condition at the time of obser line of direction coincides with the vation. It is not surprising that line of observation, the light flashes under the circumstances different on or, if the air is misty, it flares, eyewitnesses give quite different much as an incandescent electric accounts of the light, especially as light flares when it is turned on. the light may appear suddenly against When its line of direction leaves the a dark background with nothing near line of observation, the light dis by that can be used as a scale to ~ppears just as suddenly as it ·came. determine its size or its possible The behavior of headlights in the motion. Brown Mountain region in this respect There remains the question of the is comparable to that of the lights identity of the Brown Mountain light in the lighthouses on the Atlantic as seen from Blowing Rock. Mr. Martin Coast. From the seawall at Gloucester, specified two requirements: namely, Mass., the writer has repeatedly seen the light must be seen over Brown the light at Minots Ledge, southeast Mountain and it must have motion. The

17 element of motion has already been lights is certainly more than a considered. coincidence. The arc of view intercepted by It may be questioned whether a Brown Mountain is a little greater locomotive headlight could be seen than the arc between the lines D and for a distance so great as that be F on the accompanying map (fig. 1). tween Blowing Rock and Thermal City, Line D is drawn to a road that seems which is about 45 miles. The Minots to be a thoroughfare near Brindletown. Ledge light, already mentioned, is Line E is drawn tangent to the South rated at 75,000 candlepower by the ern Railway near Thermal City. Just Bureau of Lighthouses and is visible east of this line is a thoroughfare, for distances greater than 25 miles. and a short distance farther east is The writer was told by Mr. Chadwick, the track of the Carolina, Clinchfield of the Engineering Department of the & Ohio Railway. Line F is drawn to Southern Railway, that the headlights the same road and railroads a few in common use on that system are in miles farther northwest. candescent nitrogen lamps rated at 250 Automobile headlights on any of the watts and 32 volts. Fitted with 16- numerous roads that point toward inch silvered-copper parabolic re Blowing Rock within the area desig flectors, these lights yield about nated and south of Catawba River 600,000 candlepower. There is there would be visible from Blowing Rock fore no reason to doubt that the over Brown Mountain. headlights would be visible at a dis The writer was told at Blowing Rock tance of 45 miles. that a good time to see the light was The high power of these lights ac from 9:30 p.m. to 10 or a little lat counts for the brilliancy ascribed to er. The agent of the Southern Railway the Brown Mountain light by observers at Thermal City states that a north who have seen it when the air was bound train on that railway passes exceptionally clear, and it also ac that station at 9:30p.m., maintain counts for the fact that some of the ing approximately the same schedule lights seen are brighter than others. the year round. The agent at Glenwood In summary it may be said that the on the same railway reports that a Brown Mountain lights are clearly not train is due there at 9:53 the year of unusual nature or origin. About 47 round. Data for the other railroad percent of the lights that the writer are not available, but doubtless was able to study instrumentally were there are some northbound evening due to automobile headlights, 33 per freight trains on it. The agreement cent to locomotive headlights, 10 of the train schedule with the above percent to stationary lights, and 10 statement about the time to see the percent to brush fires.

18 1t U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1971 0- 440-354