1...The above information is largely condensed from the book "True Tales of the Unknown" edited by Sharon Jarvis. (http://www.busprod.com/michael/spooklight/BrnMtn.htm)
2...1941...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. (http://pa.essortment.com/mysteriouslight_rgks.htm)
3...The National Geographic mentioned them in their May, 1927 issue on page 517-8. I extracted the text at the Library of Congress 'Adams Building reading room' on May 1, 2002.
3...1922...Margaret Jordan of the Davenport Weekly Record of Lenoir, North Carolina, wrote in April of 1922 that "the mysterious light on Brown Mountain . . . has again been seen by the Burke County people." (http://www.invink.com/x308.html)
4...1937...The most popular legend came from Shepherd M. Dugger, author of "The Balsam Groves of Grandfather Mountain" in 1937, when at the age of 83 he related the following story and description of the "lights": (http://www.watauganet.com/anniversaries/brownmtn.html)
5...1926...National Geographic Magazine, 1926, vol 49, p. 51-78.
National Geographic magazine:
"Motor-Coaching Through North Carolina" May 1927 page 517-8
"From three points near Linville there may be witnessed a curious and, some North Carolinians insist, as yet unexplained phenomenon, known as the Brown Mountain Lights. These appear with fairly dependable regularity and at all seasons, especially on dark nights. They have been variously described as "globular, glowing red, like toy fire-balloons" or "a pale, white light with a faint halo around it" or "not unlike the star from a burning skyrocket".
As a rule, they appear singly in succession, rising over Brown Muntain's level ridge, then suddenly winking out. Often several lights appear simultaneously. While their average duration is from 15 to 60 seconds, they have been seen stationary over the ridge for 10 and even 20 minutes before extinguishment.
While the first journalistic account of the phenomenon appeared in 1913, the claim is made locally that these lights have puzzled observers since before the Civil War. In 1921 physicists of the US Weather Bureau suggested, without actual observation, that these glow-balls might be akin o the so-called Andes light. Other theories have cedited them to phosphorescent or radium emenations, lights from moonshine stills, St. Elmo's Fire, mirage, and locomotive or motor-car headlights.
Instrumental observations made by the US Geological Survey in 1922 from three points overlooking Brown Mountain resulted in the opinion that, of the phenomena then witnessed, 47 percent were caused by motor-car headlights, 33 percent by locomotive headlights, 10 percent by stationary lights and 10 percent by brush fires.
On the other hand, local opinion claims that the phenomena have not as yet been satisfactorily accounted for. Certainly, summer visitors at Linville and Blowing Rock find it a fascinating experience to watch, at evening, the spectacle of lights myateriously popping out and as mysteriously dissappearing, in the Catawba Valley".
Copyright (C) 2001 Dr. Sten Odenwald