The Spooklight: Oklahoma's Mystic Phenomena

Author: Breasia Young

In the chilling hills of northeastern Oklahoma just outside the town of Hornet, there was a strange glowing light that confused locals and visitors for centuries. It is known as the Spooklight, this supernatural phenomenon has been reported seen since the 1800s and no one really knows what this “thing” could be. The Spooklight is described as a small bright orb also called the “ball of fire,” that moves quickly along a four mile stretch of a road between Missouri Oklahoma. This mystic figure goes by many names such as Joplin spooklight, Tri-state Spooklight, and Hornet Spooklight. It is an enchanting mystery for the locals, leaving everyone in suspense. The most famous road in Oklahoma is a road called “The Devil’s Promenade near a small town in Quapaw, Oklahoma.

According to an expert researcher in supernatural and author Lisa Livingston Martin, the Spooklight is normally seen during midnight often appearing as an orange glowing orb following locals. It is described by one of the locals it ranges from the size of a baseball to a basketball, most of the sightings occur on the Spook Light Road a winding path that straddles the borders of Missouri. The orb travels to the east and west, sometimes darting across the roads at very high speeds in midair. Some eyewitnesses claim the orb will even sway side to side like the lantern may be carried by a invisible figure, casting this eerie glow across the empty roads. Some may even say the light “dances,” moving in a playful manner or random patterns. Despite all the numerous reports, no one has really been able to catch the orb’s true nature and figure out what exactly causes the strange movements.

One popular folklore about the Spooklight involves a miner who returns home one night to find his home turned into ashes and his family missing, which many people believe it was the Native Americans. There are whispers ghosts roam around the Spooklight’s Road with a lantern, searching for their lost family. Moreover, there were two young lovers from Quapaw tribe who went against her father’s wishes and fled together. They were chased by warriors and trapped at the edge of a cliff above the Spring River, ultimately leading the two couples to jump to their deaths. Many people believe the light’s glow is the spirit of lovers. However, nonbelievers argue that the light is just car headlights from route 66. A theory by Popular Mechanics in 1965 stated that lights could be found from miles away. While this theory explains some of the sightings, it does not account for the earlier suspicious activities when cars did not even exist. This leaves many wondering if there is more mystery than meets the eye.

“Raw and uncut footage of the Spooklight (Oklahoma), capturing the mysterious glowing orb in its natural setting.”

Works Cited:

Ashley. “This Spooky Unexplained Phenomenon in Oklahoma Will Give You Goosebumps.” Only in Your State, 2 Feb. 2016, www.onlyinyourstate.com/nature/oklahoma/spooklight-ok.

Crazy Mule. "The Joplin Hornet Spook Light - Best Video Footage Ever Captured." YouTube, uploaded by Crazy Mule, 2 Mar. 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7VG72cSNoA.

The Spook Light | Joplin, MO - Official Website. www.joplinmo.org/575/The-Spook-Light.

Links for further research:

1. Unraveling the mystery of the Joplin Spooklight: A 4-state legend
Unraveling the mystery of the Joplin Spooklight: A 4-state legend | 4-States in Depth |koamnewsnow.com
The Joplin Spooklight is a mysterious phenomenon in a 4-states area, it has intrigued locals for many centuries, with theories exploring lost souls and paranormal activity.

2. Hornet’s Spooklight has drawn the curious for decades
Hornet's Spook Light has drawn the curious for decades — Ozarks Alive
The Hornet Spooklight a mysterious orb, has puzzled generations with such an eerie
appearance, sparking legends of ghosts and tragic events ever since one fatal
investigation in 1946.

3. Devil’s Promenade & the Hornet Spooklight
Devil’s Promenade & the Hornet Spook Light – Legends of America
The Spooklight has shaken both paranormal investigators and scientists, with questions ranging from the natural gas and will-o-the-wisps to atmospheric changes, this ghostly origin tragic Native American love story popular.

Step into Madness: Unraveling the Mystery of the Dancing Plagues

Author: Jess Shumate

 Picture a busy street in Strasbourg during the summer of 1518, when the sound movement and laughter fills the air. As soon as Frau Troffea encounters the sunshine, she begins to dance uncontrollably. Within days, the city turns into a display of dancing and insanity as scores of people join in a mad dance. Why would so many people dance until they were nearly exhausted or even dead? Combining aspects of psychology, society, and the supernatural, the 16th-century dance plagues continue to be one of history's most perplexing mysteries. Come explore this intriguing phenomena that has had a lasting impact on our fascination with curious human behavior.

The Dancing Mania by Hendrick Hondius

(1642) after Pieter Brueghel

According to author Patricia Brauer, in a Britannica entry titled “Dancing Plague of 1518”, the dancing plague of 1518 was the best known recorded occurrence of a mysterious phenomenon that happened in the city of Strasbourg in the Roman Empire, which is now located in France. During the episode of 1518, hundreds of individuals are reported to have danced relentlessly beyond their own control and the madness continued for over two months, eventually stopping. This dancing plague began when in July 1518, a woman named Frau Troffea started dancing in the street and did not stop until she fell to the ground, seemingly unable to stop herself. After one week, 30 or more people were also experiencing uncontrollable dancing, After the council met about the strange happenings, they decided that the cure to this dancing plague was more dancing.

During medieval times dancing plagues were thought of as curses and were and spiritual diseases caused by the supernatural. Sin was blamed for the affliction of the cursed. Lynneth Miller, author of an article titled “Divine Punishment or Disease? Medieval and Early Modern Approaches to the 1518 Strasbourg Dancing Plague”, states that the church possessed the only treatment for dancing plagues or mania until 1518. Only a priest could heal the sinner from the affliction. Any person healed was considered to have been done so by divine intervention. People were, in fact, banned from the city for being “loose”. Cursed by the dancing plague, people were loaded and forced by wagon to journey to the shrine for divine healing.

Haunted by the Dance: In Kölbigk, 1021, a priest's curse condemned 18 villagers to dance wildly for a year, marking the earliest recorded outbreak of the mysterious medieval dancing epidemics.

By the mid-17th century, the episodes of mass dancing that had once gripped Europe had largely faded away, coinciding with a decline in intense supernatural beliefs. By the late 1600s, the term "St. Vitus’ Dance"  was repurposed to refer to a different medical issue altogether. These unusual occurrences are noteworthy, as they illustrate how our beliefs and expectations can significantly influence the manifestation of psychological distress. In a time when genetic explanations dominate our understanding, the dancing plagues serve as a reminder that the symptoms of mental health disorders are not fixed; they can evolve with cultural contexts. Furthermore, the dancing mania phenomenon highlights the lengths to which fear and supernatural thinking can drive human behavior.

Author John Waller, in an article titled Dancing “Plagues and Mass Hysteria”, explains the dancing plague as a condition of people being in altered states and question the causes. Some believe this phenomena should be labeled as a mass psychogenic illness rather than a dancing plague or dancing mania. The extenuating circumstances could be factors, for example, environmental, multiple disease outbreaks, and the plague. Demonic possession was highly reported in these times; however, the author shifts us back to the altered state again, suggesting psychological illness.

Doomed to Dance: In 1247, Germany’s Erfurt witnessed a frenzied outbreak where dozens danced uncontrollably, highlighting the eerie and recurring phenomenon of medieval dancing mania.

Author Dr. Pallavi Saxena, in an article titled “The Dancing Plague: A Glimpse into History’s Mysterious Dance Epidemics”, outlines four major occurrences of dancing plagues or dancing mania as well as the possible causes for the mysterious phenomenon. The events listed are as follows: Kolbigk, 1021, Erfurt and Maastricht, 1247, The Great Dance of 1374, and The Strasbourg Epidemic of 1518, On Christmas Eve in 1021, the earliest known account of a dancing plague was recorded in the German town of Kolbigk. After dancing, clapping, and chanting madly outside of a church where mass was being conducted, eighteen people were cursed by the local priests to continue to dance for year. In Erfurt, Germany in Maastricht people danced across the Moselle River on a bridge until it caved in, and they were drowned. 1374 was a year of vast reports on the dancing plague. Reports included: screaming, visions, agonizing dancing for various periods of time, begging of clergymen, and “an odd dislike of red or pointed shoes”. The Strasbourg Epidemic of 1518 may have killed up to 15 people daily due to heart attack, stroke, and exhaustion.

Works Cited:

Bauer, Patricia. “Dancing Plague of 1518.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 8 Jan. 2019, https://www.britannica.com/event/dancing-plague-of-1518 

Miller, Lynneth J. “Divine Punishment or Disease? Medieval and Early Modern Approaches to the 1518 Strasbourg Dancing Plague.” Dance Research, vol. 35, no. 2, Nov. 2017, pp. 149–164, https:// www.euppublishing.com/doi/full/10.3366/drs.2017.0199?role=tab 

Saxena, Dr. Pallavi. “The Dancing Plague: A Glimpse into History’s Mysterious Dance Epidemics.” Medbound, 20 June 2024, https://www.medboundtimes.com/medboundblog/the-dancing-plague-a-glimpse-into-historys-mysterious-dance

Waller, John. “A Forgotten Plague: Making Sense of Dancing Mania.” The Lancet, vol. 373, no. 9664, 21 Feb. 2009, pp. 624–625, https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736%2809%2960386-X/fulltext

Waller, John. “Dancing Plagues and Mass Hysteria.” The British Psychological Society, 16 July2009, https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/dancing-plagues-and-mass-hysteria

Links for further research:

BBC News, http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7608000/7608874.stm This source is an article that describes the Dancing Plague of 1518 and illustrates how the physicians of the time believed that the cure for the dancing phenomenon was more dancing

History.com, https://www.history.com/news/what-was-the-dancing-plague-of-1518 This source is about the Dancing Plague of 1518 and gives a detailed account of the citizens and their participation in the event

The Public Domain Review, https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/the-dancing-plagueof-1518/ This source is an account of the Dancing Plague of 1518 that lists information previously not found in other sources, such as the number of dead.

The Legend of The Tuatha De Danann

 Author: Dalton Riddick

The Tuatha De Danann are the most important figures in Irish mythology. They originally descended from the skies on clouds and inhabited Ireland. Time passes and eventually humans reach Ireland and fight the Tuatha De Danann. Humans claimed victory and the Tuatha De Danann became fairies to influence Irish folklore for good or for bad. The Tuatha De Danann are an example of the people that lived before trying to explain supernatural creatures.

The main figures of the Tuatha De Danann were Dagda, Brigid, Lugh and Morrigan. Dagda, often known as the “Good God,” is a character of duality. He is the largest of the Tuatha De Danann but wields a club that can kill and revive anything it touches. Brigid is known for fertility and flames associated with a forge. Lugh is craftsman and warrior. He is mainly associated with all of the victories that the Tuatha De Danann have won. and lastly Morrigan is usually represented as a crow typically on a battleground. They usually shape the outcome of conflicts and bring about death.

The idea of the Tuatha De Danann still hold relevance in modern day Ireland. For example there are multiple festivals held year round that some of the Tuatha De Danann are directly associated with. Lughnasadh is a festival that has been recorded to have been celebrated throughout Ireland, Scotland, and even the Isle of Man. The festival is typically held around August first and is held for the Tuatha De Danann, Lugh. 

Athletic events, feasting, and even trading were held during this festival. Lughnasadh isn’t particularly held anymore but some events like the “Puck Fair” share the same activities as Lughnasadh. Imbolc is another Irish festival that was celebrated throughout Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. Imbolc was celebrated because the Tuatha De Danann, Brigid. In Christian records Saint Brigid would do everything the Tuatha De Danann Brigid would do. How Imbolc would be celebrated was the night before everyone would weave a Brigids Cross and hang it on their door. It was said that Brigid or Saint Brigid would visit your home and protect it from disease, fire, and even evil fairies trying to invade your home. The tradition has of Imbolc has died but is considered a religious or a cultural holiday.

Even if the Tuatha De Danann don’t hold as much cultural signifigance as they once did they are still historically important from how much the communities of paegans benefited from the organized events. Though we may not be able to say that Lugh brought about the season of Autumn the paegan people of Ireland had a grasp on the events that happened with the Tuatha De Danann.

Works Cited:

“The Mythological Cycle: The Tuatha Dé Danann and the Origins of Ireland.” Irish History, The Mythological Cycle: The Tuatha Dé Danann and the Origins of Ireland -IrishHistory.com.

Sullivan, Kerry. “Tuatha De Danann, The Enchanting Predecessors of Irish Fairies and Elves.” Ancient Origins, 20 July 2019, Tuatha Dé Dannan, the Enchanting Predecessors of Irish Fairies and Elves | Ancient Origins. 

“Who Are The Tuatha De Danann? Demystifying The ‘God-Folk’ of Irish Mythology.” Irish Myths, 15 November 2023, Who Are the Tuatha Dé Danann? Demystifying the “God-Folk” of Irish Mythology - IrishMyths.

Ley lines in America

 By: Sarah Price  

Ley lines are found all over the world and are imaginary lines that connect historic places like graveyards, ancient sites, and landmarks. Ley lines were built and used for navigational purposes and are believed to hold magical powers. Some believe in the early 20th century that ley lines were lines of energy that they built structures Apon, and some believe they have vortexes on them. Later a man named Tony Wedd suggested that ley lines were used for alien spacecrafts and UFO sitings were always over ley lines and that's all. After all the research that has been done ley lines have been not proven to have any source of energy or any source of UFO sitings along them   

The man who founded Ley Lines Alfred Watkins says that Ley Lines are of great importance to the world and show different paths used to travel besides main roads and paths. He also states that the lines are trade routes founded by ancient societies. Watkins had gained a small following but his research was never taken in by big places like the British Archaeological Society. Ley lines were also called holy lines in Britain and these concepts we also founded in the USA and all over the world.   

There was a group of people who called themselves ley hunters and traveled all around Great Britain to try and track down ley lines because they believed they would transform human society. Because these people never truly found ley lines they believed them to not exist the only people who believed in them also believed in the supernatural and said that they would never truly be able to find ley lines because they were hidden from the naked eye and are used for sports and energy to travel from place to place and have portals to travel thru.   

Alfred has written many books about ley lines. One of his books, The Early British Trackways, was published in 1922. As I said earlier, he stated that ley lines were ancient trade routes. In his book, he cited an English astronomer who believed ley lines were oriented to sunsets. Later in times, the studies of ley lines were adapted into college studies this is when ley lines were known to not be studied anymore and this is also when believers believed that ley lines held mystic powers and this is where the idea of portals and spacecrafts. 

Works Cited: 

ley-line https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/ley-line  In this article they talked about ley lines and how they started and the beliefs behind them.  

https://www.iflscience.com/what-are-ley-lines-and-do-they-really-exist-71960 In this article they go over the creation of ley lines and how they created them and his ideas about it and the people that had other ideas about them Aswell. 

https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/unexplained-phenomena/ley-lines.htm They talk about the early times and ley lines and what they are and the scientific beliefs Aswell as the beliefs of how they connect and how they were traveled and the mystic beliefs about them.  

Further research: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ley_line 

https://allthatsinteresting.com/ley-lines 

41349-ley-lines.html 

The Devine Protector

 Author: Kevin Parada

The mythical creature known as the Thunderbird is a significant and powerful figure within Native American mythology. Often depicted as a large birdlike entity with Godlike powers and abilities with some cases claiming the entity is made of lightning and is practically Intangible. The thunderbird is believed to create thunder by flapping its whings and shoot lightning from its eyes. For these reasons this entity is depicted as a protector within Native American culture it is also a symbol of power and strength.

Thunderbird by windfalcon on DeviantArt

The Thunderbird is a very important figure and creature within many Native American tribes across the United States with some being located along the Pacific North-West coast, American South-East, The Great Lakes, and The Great Plains. Within these cultures the Thunderbird is associated with the coming of rain and storms and is also believed to have the ability to control the weather and the fait of their land as a whole.

Depending on the tradition the thunderbird can be seen as one of two things.

Option one: Within this tradition the thunderbird is seen as a protector and a guardian which protects mankind from evil spirits. It is also the symbol of change/transformation which leads it to appear within legends and stories as a powerful creature that bring about significant events. 

Option two: Within this tradition the thunderbird is more commonly known as El Demonio De La Tormenta (The Demon of The Storm) which is believed to be a destroyer by nature and is depicted as an evil entity destroying villages, fields, and killing livestock as well as human. It is seen as a symbol of destruction or death which lead the creature to be a main antagonist within many stories and folklore within the Palmar area. 

The Powerful Bird of Alaskan Folklore “A general recap of the thunderbird legend with images”

Ranging from version of the thunderbird legend the entity can either be a humanlike creature with the ability to turn into a bird made of lightning and granted God like powers. Or it can be a creature that was born with the first lightning strike also in some cases the thunderbird isn’t a single entity but a whole species with many specimens being spotted at a time. 

The legend of the thunderbird originated in the genesis of Native Americans. Across these tribes the thunderbird embodied a array of symbolic meaning with some representations being strength, courage, protection, pride, and unfaltering will. The original depictions varied from tribe to tribe but some of the things that remained consistent were the following: Colossal size and outlandish wingspan with vibrant plumage consisting of intricate designs. It was also believed to be able to penetrate the deepest part of the huma soul revealing the hidden truths and unlit roads.

Work Cited:

Mythical Encyclopedia. "Thunderbird (Mythical Creature)." Mythical Encyclopedia, Mythical Encyclopedia, 2024, https://mythicalencyclopedia.com/thunderbird/. Accessed 7 NOV. 2024

Britannica. “Thunderbird.” Encyclopedia 7 Nov. 2024, Thunderbird | Symbol & Facts | Britannica

“The Legend of the Thunderbird Native American Mythology.” MythologyWorldwide, 2 Mar. 2024, The Legend of the Thunderbird in Native American Mythology -. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

Seal-Skinned Mermaids Ameliorate the Seas!

 Author: Nessquickian

Imagine swimming along the coast of Scotland. While swimming you come across a beautiful woman. To the unsuspecting, she comes off as an average woman. However, in the blink of an eye, you see the maiden pull on a seal skin and dive into the sea. The beautiful woman before you has become a seal and disappeared without a trace. On the coast of Great Britain and The British Isles, these shape-shifting sea maidens called selkies supposedly ameliorate the seas. 

Selkies or Selchies are mythologically half fish, half human creatures. They are also types of fae that tend to have water elemental powers. When in the water with the help of seal skins they can shape-shift into seals. They can be found in Scotland, Ireland, and Iceland, and more often than not rural coastal areas. Mythology or History of Selkies

Historically the origins of selkies are unknown. However, their origins seem to be from contact made between the Scottish, the Irish, and the Sami and or Finnish people. Selkies aren’t known particularly for being dangerous, however, certain stories involve selkies luring their love into the sea as a way to be with them. In most cases, selkies are noted as helpful creatures. They’re often found helping sailors and drowning victims while also being kind to those around them.

Tales of these mysterious creatures are commonplace amongst natives and have endured for ages. One of the most well-known stories of selkies is known as The Selkie Wife. The story of the selkie wife follows a man who under the moonlight spots a group of dancing selkies. One Selkie catches his eye, and he takes her skin to stop her from leaving. Unable to return home the selkie maiden follows her manipulator home and eventually they be-wed and have kids. The maiden was forced to stay against her will and despite loving her kids and some semblance of her life she still craved the sea. One day her son came to her with her seal skin, and she was ecstatic. Now reunited with her seal skin the selkie didn't waste any time returning to the sea. As a result, she was never seen again.

On the opposite end of the Selkie spectrum are the forgotten Selkie men. Unlike Selkie women, Selkie men tend to have prosperous lives and aren’t usually forced to forgo their lives in the sea. One of the most well-known stories of Selkie men is called the Selkie and the Hunter. who takes pride in killing seals for profit. Early in the day, the hunter wounds an unsuspecting seal and heads in. Later, the seal catcher is commissioned by a rider and is taken to a grove of seals. Instead of being able to kill the seals, the hunter is pushed underwater and turned into a seal. Distraught after being turned into a seal, he’s met by the selkie relatives of the seal he harmed earlier. He’s brought to the seal he harmed earlier and is made to heal him in order to turn back into a human. As a reward for healing the seal or rather selkie he’s allowed to go home and is given gold as well.

Works cited:

1. Graeme “Traditional Scottish Selkie Stories” Scotland’s Stories. June 2022. https://scotlands-stories.com/traditional-scottish-selkie-stories/ Accessed 3 November 2024

2. lizzbythesea “Selkies – The Forgotten Seal-Men” staring-at-the-sea October 2020. https://staring-at-the-sea.com/2020/10/30/selkies-forgotten-seal-men/ Accessed 3 November 2024

3. Rainbolt, Dawn “Irish Folklore, Myth & Legend: Selkies of Ireland” Wilderness Ireland. March 2022. https://www.wildernessireland.com/blog/irish-myths-legends-part-4-selkies/. Accessed 3 November 2024.

4. todayinmagicalgirlhistory “The Magical Girl Guide to: Selkies” Tumblr. April 2022. https://todayinmagicalgirlhistory.tumblr.com/post/682970547205832704/the-magical-girl-guideto-selkies. Accessed 3 November 2024.

5. Peuffier, Aube “All the gifs about selkies” Tumblr. December 2014. https://64.media.tumblr.com/94db157235d0794b1bfd508467f6ad3d/tumblr_nhbhk2ahcx1rmiepwo4_1280.gifv. Accessed 3 November 2024.

6. “The Story Of The Selkie Wife | Shetland Folktales | BBC The Social ” Youtube. Uploaded by BBC The Social. July 2021. https://youtu.be/0fE11rw0s8w?feature=shared. Accessed 3 November 2024

7. “Scotland’s Stories: Story of a Selkie - Tom Muir“ Youtube. Uploaded by Scottish Storytelling Centre. May 2017. https://youtu.be/JugM395E0TE?feature=shared. Accessed 3 November 2024 

Links for further research

1. Celtic Myths - The Selkies: Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA3Mv-LIJ38 Youtuber Count Dankula goes into detail about selkies and talks about selkies. He talks about Female selkie stories and male selkie stories.

2. Living Liminally – Fairy facts |Selkies: Blog Spot https://lairbhan.blogspot.com/2024/04/fairyfacts-selkies.html This blog that seems to have lot’s of other articles about other types of fairiesgoes into detail about selkie misconceptions, folklore and other selkie facts.

3. Selkies, Sex, and the Supernatural: Thebottleimp https://www.thebottleimp.org.uk/2016/12/selkies-sex-and-the-supernatural/ This article is about the sexuality and other aspects of selkie culture.

Alnwick Gardens

Author: Emily Nelson

For years, lots of people in Northumberland, UK, have been talking about this “poisonous garden.” Known as “Alnwick Gardens.” Locals and tourists are left curious about how poisonous this garden truly is. But they are also excited about the many events this garden holds each year. Such as a “Halloween Spectacular,” this event brings out many lights, decorations, and spooky objects all through the garden for people to walk through and look at. You wear costumes and get many pictures. But after dark is when all the fun happens. The spookiness unveils itself and the haunted fun begins. It is for adults, but brave kids are allowed. The garden also hosts a ‘School of poison’ it was made for parents and kids to learn and have fun at a sweet and simple price of one adult ticket and 4 kids accompanied with them.

While yes, those events may sound fun, you must be cautious of the real danger they bring.

Alnwick Garden may be known for its beautiful and breath-taking views but do not let that fool

you. The plants can instantly kill you if you are not careful and follow the rules that are provided.

There is a big black metal gate located in the garden with many plants behind it. You may not

enter that section of the garden without a guide present and leading you through the section. The

two plants that are known for being behind the gate are “Ricin” (castor oil plant) which is the

most dangerous one I the garden and “Laburnum tree” which is the second most dangerous plant

in the garden.

Visitors and tourists are still astonished at the views and the dedicated challenging work that the

garden accurately expresses just by looking through the gates before entering the garden. Just by

doing the research on Alnwick Gardens I do not think the pictures you can find on the internet do

justice to how beautiful it really is.

The pictures below show one of the breath-taking views that Alnwick Garden demonstrates. The

other picture of the Black metal gate stating “These plants can kill” is the same gate that you are

not allowed to enter with a guide present leading you through that specific section of the garden.

By TSP - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 Wikimedia Commons

By Steve F, CC BY-SA 2.0 Wikimedia Commons

While they warn you not to touch, smell, or eat the plants inside the garden They rarely mention

how they maintain the garden to make it look the way it does. The maintenance people must

wear full hazard suits, mask, gloves full body suits before touching any of the plants that may

need maintenance. As shown in an earlier picture. You can see all the equipment they have to

wear before going that close to one of the plants. Especially if it is located behind the black gate.

Works cited:

Ian Smith. “Lilidorei’s Halloween Spectacular Launches at The Alnwick Gardens.”

Northumberland Gazette. 3 Oct 2024. https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/whatson/

arts-and-entertainment/lilidoreis-halloween-spectacular-launches-at-the-alnwickgarden-

4809516. Accessed on 30 Oct 2024.

Ryan Smith. “The Alnwick Garden: ‘School of Poison’ is Now Open for Summer Holidays.”

The Sheilds Gazette. 21 Jul 2024. https://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/the-alnwickgarden-

school-of-poison-is-now-open-for-the-summer-holidays-4707631. Accessed on 3

Nov 2024.

Mona Bassil. “The World’s Most Unique Garden Could Also Kill You Easily.” The Travel. 22

Jul 2024.https://www.thetravel.com/alnwick-castle-poison-garden-deadly/. Accessed on

30 Oct 2024.

“Lilidorei’s Halloween Spectacular Launches at The Alnwick Gardens.” Photograph of

spookydorei celebrations at Lilidorei Northumberland Gazette.

https://www.alnwickgarden.com/2024/10/04/halloween-at-the-alnwick-garden-andlilidorei/

.published on 3 Oct 2024. Accessed on 5 Nov 2024.

“Discover Alnwick Garden”. Photograph of Alnwick Garden. Choosewhere.

https://choosewhere.com/alnwick-garden . Accessed on 5 Nov 2024.

Further research:

“Inside UK’S Deadliest Garden- Simply Touching or Smelling Flowers Could End in Death.”

https://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/1889847/uk-deadliest-garden-Alnwick-Garden. New

reporter Christopher Sharp explains how deadly and serios this garden really is. He mentions the

Ricin plant (Castor Oil plant) which is the most poisonous there and the Laburnum tree, the

second most poisonous plant there. He also explains how important it is not to touch, smell or

taste any of the plants in the garden.

“Step Inside the World’s Most Dangerous Garden (If You Dare).”

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/step-inside-worlds-most-dangerous-garden-if-you-dare-

180952635/ . Natasha Geiling explains the history and how the Alnwick Gardens became a

thing. She also describes how the Percy family loses a family member and Jane Percy, and her

husband inherited Alnwick castle and 14 acres of land.

“Don’t Smell the Flowers: How Alnwick Castle’s Poison Garden Finds Beauty in the World’s

Deadliest Plants.” https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/648214/poison-garden-finds-beautyworlds-

deadliest-plants. Michele explains the story behind why the garden is what it is today

and how it it very dangerous to go in without an expert or guide there with you at all times.

Moon-eyed people

 Da’Myah Merritt

The Moon-eyed people are a short mysterious figure in Cherokee and Appalachian folklore, very often described as a pale-skinned, blue-eyed race sensitive to sunlight, living in the Appalachian Mountains before European settlers arrived. Legends say they inhabited areas like the Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains and built stone structures, including Georgia's Fort Mountain wall. Due to their sensitivity to light, they could only see at night, hiding during the day and working during the night fall. 

The Moon Eyed People were, according to legend, cave dwellers who only ventured out at night.

Cherokee stories talk about conflicts between the Cherokee and the Moon-eyed people around 1100-1200 AD, which drove them away. Some legends suggest they fled underground, disappearing from history. Theories on their origins vary, some propose they were an indigenous group or displaced settlers from Wales, tracing their origins to the 12th-century Prince Madoc legend. Now people add a paranormal twist, suggesting they may have been ailes, a theory transpired from their unusual physical traits and nocturnal-like habits. Some link the story to the 1955 Kelly-Hopkinsville "alien" encounter in Kentucky.

                                Legend of the Moon Eyed People, America's First Civilization

Today, the Moon-eyed people are a captivating part of Appalachian culture, where Native history, European legends, and supernatural tales merge. Their story, passed down through generations, continues to intrigue and inspire those drawn to the mysteries of Appalachia.

Works Cited: 

Carmichael, Tim. “The Moon-Eyed People of Cherokee Legend: Mysteries of the Smoky Mountains.” Echoes of Appalachia, 26 September 2024. Accessed: 6 Nov. 2024. https://appalachianmemories.org/2024/09/26/the-moon-eyed-people-of-cherokee-legend-mysteries

Hocker,Chris. “The Moon-eyed People”. Strange Carolinas, June 2012. Accessed: 6 Nov. 2024. https://www.strangecarolinas.com/2019/10/the-moon-eyed-people-effigy-murphy-nc.html. -of-the-smoky-mountains/. 

Wayne, Jordan. “Blue Ridge Tales, Maintain Life & Love: Tales of the Moon-eyed People”. 2012. Accessed: 6 Nov. 2024. https://blueridgetales.com/tales-of-the-moon-eyed-people/. 

Spooky Appalachia: The Story Of The Moon-eyed People.” Accessed: 6 Nov. 2024. https://www.spookyappalachia.com/the-story-of-the-moon-eyed-people/.

Vučković, Aleksa. “Exploring The Mysterious North American Moon-eyed People Legend.” Ancient Origins, 23 January 2022. Accessed: 6 Nov. 2024. https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-americas/moon-eyed-people-0016334. 

For Further Reference: Voyles, Bruce. “Moon-eyed People Legends Center In Area.” Cherokee Scout. Accessed: 6 Nov. 2024. https://www.cherokeescout.com/opinion/moon-eyed-people-legends-center-area This article work by James Mooney includes references to the Moon-eyed people and mentions Cherokee legends and folklore, providing valuable historical context. Mooney discusses how Cherokee oral tradition describes the Moon-eyed people as small, fair-skinned figures who lived in Appalachia before the Cherokee arrived.

Georgia Parks Division, Department of Natural Resources. "Historical Marker at Fort Mountain." 19, Sep. 2008. Accessed: 6 Nov. 2024 https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=11590 This marker, placed by Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources, commemorates the Moon-eyed people and their alleged connection to Fort Mountain’s stone wall. It includes the belief that the Moon-eyed people may have been a separate race defeated by the Creek. A notable example of how folklore has been recognized in historical landmarks, encouraging ongoing curiosity about local legends. Atlas, Obscura. “Who Were the Mysterious Moon-Eyed People of Appalachia?” by Hadley Meares, October 22, 2024. Accessed: 6 Nov. 2024. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/moon-eyed-people-appalachia This article explores various versions and theories about the moon-eyed people, diving deep into archaeological evidence, Cherokee legend, and speculative folklore. The author describes how the myth evolved through both indigenous and European storytelling, as well as modern alien theories.

The Atacama Skeleton

 Author: Ailyn Mendiola Romero

In 2003, Oscar Munoz was trailing around La Noria, in the Atacama region of Chile, which is where the name Atacama Skeleton or “Ata” originated from https://thelittlehouseof horrors.com/humberstone-and-la-noria/. While trailing around, he stumbled across a mysterious leather bag. Inside of the bag was a white cloth, wrapped in the cloth was a mummified 6-inch skeleton. According to several sources, “Ata” did not look like a human skeleton. It had several abnormal structures, a cone-shaped head and ten ribs, rather than the normal 12. This caught the media’s attention, naming it “The Atacama Alien.” In 2012, an analysis was conducted proving that the skeleton appeared to have been in the Atacama Desert for about 40 years. This intrigued scientists at Stanford University and UC San Francisco, Garry Nolan and Atul Butte, because this meant there was still DNA intact, which could be taken for new studies. With permission, Garry Nolan took a sample of Ata’s lip to run a DNA analysis. Their mission was to identify the identity of this Atacama skeleton.

Atacama Desert's Mummified Skeleton (Beyond Science informational video from 2018)

On March 22, 2018, almost two decades after the Atacama skeleton was discovered, Garry Nolan and Atul Butte’s research was released to the public in Genome Research https://genome. cshlp.org /content/early/ 2018/03/21/gr .223693.117. This gave everyone either a relief that it wasn’t an alien or a slight disappointment. The article stated not only was Ata not an alien but, most likely, was of Chilian descent. It is unsure the exact age of Ata, but she’s possibly either pre- or post-term birth. The reason for her death was a rare bone aging disorder such as cranioectodermal dysplasia and Greenberg skeletal dysplasia, which resulted in making her look older than her actual age. Although Ata was proven to be dead by birth, her bone age appeared to be 6-8 years at the time, suggesting a new possible form of dwarfism.

Mummified specimen from Atacama region of Chile 

(Sanchita Bhattacharya/University of

California San Francisco)

so, there was no alien baby, just a baby girl who was exploited at death and confused for an alien cause of her condition which killed her at birth. As we know now, the Atacama Skeleton is in private possession in Spain by Ramon Navia- Osorio.

Works Cited:

Beyond Science. “Atacama Desert’s Mummified Skeleton.” YouTube, 11 April 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXyiQeHSg84

The Little House Of Horrors. “Humberston and La Noria.” The Little House of Horrors. 7 November. 2024. https://thelittlehouseofhorrors.com/humberstone-and-la-noria/.

De Abreu, Kristine. “The Alien of the Atacama” Explorersweb, 7 June. 2023. https://explorersweb.com/the-alien-of-the-atacama/.

Garry Nolan. “The Atacama Skeleton” Genome Research, 22 March. 2018. https://genome.cshlp.org /content/early/ 2018/03/21/gr .223693.117

Bhattacharya, Sanchita. “ Mummified Spicemen” WEB. 8 November. 2024. https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/180322095103-001-atacama-mummy.jpg?q=x_2,y_0,h_1179,w_2096,c_crop/h_653,w_1160/f_webp

Other References for Research:

Genome Research: The Atacama Skeleton
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5932602/ This web source is from Garry Nolan, a Stanford University professor, and Atul Butte, a University of California San Francisco professor. They provide further information on their research studies conducted against the Atacama skeleton.

Stanford Medicine: Mysterious skeleton shows molecular complexity of bone diseases
https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2018/03/mysterious-skeleton-shows-molecularcomplexity-of-bone-diseases.html This web source provides insights of Garry Nolan, a Standford University professor.

CNN: Researchers finally solve the mystery of ‘alien’ skeleton

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/22/health/atacama-skeleton-mystery/index.html In this web source, Strickland provided direct quotes of the one-on-one conversation she’s had with Garry Nolan, providing exclusive details.

Kitsune: The Trickiest Kind of Fox

 Name: Lucy Hill

Kitsune may just be the coolest kind of fox you will ever learn about. Kitsune are mythological foxes or foxlike creatures, some people just call them foxes and others believe they aren’t enough like a real fox to be called one. Kitsune originated in Japan and are very important in all aspects of their culture like religion, entertainment, art, fashion, and more. (Encyclopedia Brittanica).

“Kitsune.” Mythical Creatures Information. 

There are thought to be two types of kitsune, good and bad. All possess many interesting characteristics. Kitsune are believed to live for hundreds or thousands of years and get wiser and more powerful as they age. The most prominent power kitsune are known for is metamorphosis or shapeshifting. It is believed by many that when kitsune reach one hundred years old, they gain the ability to shapeshift. The good or holy kitsune use their powers for good and are seen to be god’s messengers. They use their powers to protect people, give good luck, and get rid of evil spirits. Bad or wild foxes are kitsune that use their powers for evil or for pranking and tricks. They take the shape of certain people and trick the people close to them or just play around (Yokai). 

The myth of kitsune originated from a time when foxes were commonly seen in Japan in people’s everyday lives. These believed powers of foxes stemmed from people being near them and observing their behavior (Japan Primavera). Joshua Furr, an avid lover and researcher of all things Japan and Japanese culture, wrote an article about Kitsune on Edge of Niigata. In his article, he goes into three different parts of life in Japan that kitsune are involved in. These are the divine (religion), the delicious (food), and the legend (art and mythology). The divine refers to kitsune being associated with the goddess Inari of prosperity, because of this connection, kitsune are often found on shrines of Inari. The delicious refers to kitsune’s connections with food. Since the goddess Inari is associated with  agricultural bounty, so are kitsune. Farmers have a special relationship with kitsune, believing they kept pests away and as a peace offering would leave them dead mice to eat. The legend refers to the mythology around kitsune. In Japanese folklore, kitsune are the only foxes that can get married, this is often shown in art and myths written about them (Edge of Niigata). 

Overall, kitsune are very wise and interesting creatures. Whether they are working for good or evil, they are a large part of all aspects of Japanese culture.

Works Cited:

Ancient Origins. “Beware the Kitsune, The Shapeshifting Fox of Japanese Folklore.” Ancient Origins: Unravelling the Mysteries of the Past. 10 Oct. 2024. https://www.ancientorigins.net/myths-legends-asia/kitsune-0012027.

Furr, Joshua. “Tails of Kitsune: The Many Faces of Niigata’s Mysterious Fox.” Edge of Niigata, 28 June 2023. Tails Of Kitsune: The Many Faces of Niigata's Mysterious Fox | Edge of Niigata.

Martin, Roland. “Kitsune Japanese Folklore.” Encyclopedia Brittanica, 28 Mar. 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/kitsune.

Yokai Database. “Kitsune.” Yokai Database for Japanese Folklore, 17 September 2021. https://yokai.com/kitsune/.

Zaicek, Vladimir. “Kitsune- The Fox of a Thousand Appearances.” Japan Primavera, 10 Oct. 2024. https://www.japanprimavera.com/gb/blog/articoli-del-blog/kitsune-the-fox-of-athousand-appearances.

Links to further research:

Mythological Creatures Information: Kitsune - Japanese fox spirits | mythicalcreatures.info This source dives deeply into the origin of the mythological creature and the stories created around the creature.

Japanese Oni Masks: What is Kitsune? Types - Tales & Everything You Need to Know – Japanese Oni Masks  This sources dives deeply into all sorts of types of kitsune depicted in Japanese mythology and culture.

Bokksu: Kitsune: The Enigmatic Fox of Japanese Folklore – Bokksu This source dives deeply into how kitsune are involved in religion and spirituality in Japan.

Dangers of the Reptilian

 Author: Jordan Dicks

Reptilian Humanoids are known through many legends. One of their known origins is from the Book of Genesis , a part of the Bible, where they were known as the scholars and the renowned men. Throughout the years, Reptilian Humanoids, or Lizard people, have been sighted. Some have even said that their blood runs through our genes today. 

One of the most well-known cases is the theory surrounding the late Queen Elizabeth. David Icke has revealed that the royal family has the blood of Lizard people. Icke also believes that beneath the Earth's crust, there is a network of tunnels inhabited by a civilization of Lizard people who receive protection from the government. Even though there is no evidence to prove this claim, many people believe in Icke and his theories. 

Another well-known case of Lizard people is the story of Christopher Davis (the godfather of the story). In a town in South Carolina called Bishopville, the teenager discovered sightings of the Carolina Lizard Man on a summer morning in July 1988. Over the years, there have been many reports, and though there have been no first-hand sightings, people have reported damaged property left after the attacks. Sightings became so common that the story ended up on television shows like Good Morning America .

When interviewed, Christopher Davis stated that while driving home from his job, he ran over

something sharp, which caused a flat tire. When he finished changing the tire, he heard a noise

next to him. He looked across the field only to be met with a figure over 7 feet tall. Davis

explained that the creature was about 25 yards away, standing strong and with visible anger. This

creature had glowing red eyes, three large fingers, long black sharp nails, and rough green skin.

As Davis tried to escape, the creature, now identified as a Humanoid Reptilian, started running

toward him, eventually jumping onto the roof of Davis's car before falling off.

When his story was reviewed, he was later questioned again out of suspicion, this time with a lie

detector in use. During the questioning, all of his answers came out true, and he later brought the

damaged car he was driving as proof. After this incident, no major sightings were documented,

and the case was buried. The story remains a known mystery with no clear evidence of where the

Lizard Man is or who the Lizard Man could be.

Works Cited: 

“Fortean Times November 2015” Fortean Times, Dsfsdfsdfhttps://archive.org/details/Fortean_Times_November_2015/page/n27/mode/2up Accessed 1 Nov. 2024.

“Lizard Man of Lee County” Youtube, uploaded by ETVRoadShow, 25 Aug. 2008, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsRMcBuPnxs

“Reptilian” Cryptid Wiki, https://cryptozoologycryptids.fandom.com/wiki/Reptilian Accessed 1 Nov. 2024.

“Queen Lizard” The Wires Crossed, 9 Sep. 2022 https://m.mediaamazon.com/images/I/41hqhjtL7RL.jpg

Links for further information:

‘Lizard People’ Catacombs Discovered Beneath Los Angeles 

https://davidicke.com/2022/03/02/lizard-people-catacombs-discovered-beneath-los-angeles/

A discovery was made in the 1930s by mining engineer G. Warren Shufelt. Using an electrical

signal scan, he uncovered an expansive labyrinth of tunnels stretching for miles beneath the

surface of Los Angeles.

Legends: Lizard People

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1Me59VQpvE

A video by Lore Podcast that explains the lore and origins of Lizard people. Lore Podcast goes

in-depth about the different types and origins of these creatures.

South Carolina’s legend of Lizard Man reappears

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/south-carolinas-legend-of-lizard-man-reappears/

#:~:text=LEE%20COUNTY%2C%20S.C.%20%E2%80%94%20Lizard%20Man,the

%20creature%20crossing%20the%20swamp.

This article explains the sightings of The Carolina Lizard Man in 2015. A man named, Jim

Wilson, explains the terror he experienced when meeting the Lizard Man in the woods. The

story is similar to the story of Christopher Davis.

Fur-Bearing Trout

 Author: CrazyTheroiest0095

All over the world from Montana to Canada many people and fishermen know about the

urban legend myth about the fur-bearing trout. The fur-bearing is a creature that grows a thick

coat of fur to keep itself warm in cold waters. According to legends, the fur-bearing trout was

first encountered by Europeans when the Scottish settlers emigrated to Canada during the

seventeenth century.

The very rare fur-bearing trout is in Canada and some parts of the U.S. In the video, it says

that even though there is no real evidence of the fur-bearing trout, one article talks about how

you can ripe away the fur in one piece and use it for commercial purposes and you can also

eat it if you want to.

The Fur-Bearing Trout

This article talks about how in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, the fur-bearing trout come out

in the spring and warmer weather but if you try to catch it. It will be extremely hard because

it’s a myth that has been passed down throughout generations. There have been different

stories about the origins of the fur-bearing trout. In the article it says, “No matter how the

story behind the fur-bearing trout came to life, the one thing that is certain, is that the myth

still lives on, and probably will for decades to come.”

The fur-bearing trout is a creature that many people think is a myth or real. It is purportedly

found in the Arkansas River, northern North America, and Iceland. The tall tale about the furbearing

trout is that the waters of lakes and rivers in the area are so cold that they evolved a

thick coat of fur to maintain their body heat. The Saprolegnia will sometimes infect fish

which causes tufts of fur-like growth to appear on the body. A heavy infection will result in

fish death, and as the fungus continues to grow afterward, dead fish that are largely covered

in white fur can be found washed ashore. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fur-bearing_trout)

Works cited:

“The Fur-Bearing Trout”, Montana Wildlife, May 1929.

http://www.furbearingtrout.com/montanawildlife.html.

“The Fur-Bearing Trout”, Quickfire Cryptids, July 2, 2023, YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO1paSJWobI

“The Fur-Bearing Trout”, Quickfire Cryptids, July 2, 2023, YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO1paSJWobI.

“Discover the Origin of Lake Memphremagog’s Fur Bearing Trout”, William Alexander and

Scott Wheeler, Vermonter.com. https://www.vermonter.com/fur-bearing-trout/.

“Fur-bearing Trout” Wikipedia.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fur-bearing_trout

Further Research: 

“The fur-bearing Trout” Mythcrafts, June 15, 2017. https://mythcrafts.com/2017/06/15/the-furbearing-

trout/. The fur-bearing trout is one of the rare fish creatures that has a long history in

folkloric with rabbit fur attached to it.

The Fur-Bearing Trout of Lake Superior” Paul Lundgren, Nov 05, 2022.

Perfectduluthday.com. https://www.perfectduluthday.com/2022/11/05/the-fur-bearing-troutof-

lake-superior/. This article talks about the fur-bearing trout is a very rare species of fish. It

was caught while trolling in Lake Superior off Gros Cap, near Sault Ste. Marie, District of

Algoma.

“Legend of Ross C. Jobe furry trout lives on in Scotland”, Sootoday.com.

https://www.sootoday.com/columns/remember-this/legend-of-ross-c-jobes-furry-trout-liveson-

in-scotland-3573128. In this article talks about how the legend Ross C. Jobe caught the

very rare fur-bearing trout while trolling in a lake. The trout was mounted by Ross and

arrived at the museum by way of a donation by a returning tourist believing it was real.

The Legend of The Boggy Creek Monster

 The Boggy Creek Monster is a territorial cryptic being roaming the sulfur flats of

Texarkana Arkansas. The creature has never proven to exist but has numerous accounts predating

in the early 1900’s. Though the being has never been proven to exist the locals believe in the

monster, and many encounters unexplainable phenomena. According to the article “Fouke

Monster” by Amy Thompson, Sightings were reported before the “Legend of Boggy Creek”

(https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068837/), the movie describing the Ford family’s encounter with

the creature, causing more sightings to be reported from locals and tourists alike after its release.

Stories between hunters in the region vary, yet they all give about the same interactions

with the creature. According to the article “The Fouke Monster” by Jim Powell, The Monster

was around seven feet tall, while having a chest three feet across. Tracks were also discovered

believed to belong to the creature shown to have three toes instead of the traditional five. This

differentiated the Monster of Boggy Creek from its look like the Sasquatch. Another

distinguishing feature is the creature’s red eyes. Elizabeth Ford stated, “The creature's eyes

looked like coals of a fire…Real red.”. Bobby Ford, Elizabeth’s husband, ran after the creature shooting it seven times before it ran into the woods. There were no signs of blood from the

creature. When Bobby returned to the house, he was climbing the front steps when the creature

attacked him from behind as stated in “The Boggy Creek Monster” by B., Dunning. The news of

the attack spread bringing The Boggy Creek Monster to headlines in the area. This caused the

locals to have an uptick in sightings in the area. Grabbing the attention of local movie producers.

This uptick in public interest in this creature caught the attention of a beginner filmmaker.

He went on to create “The Legend of Boggy Creek” Filling drive-in theatres all around to get a

glimpse of the Ford family’s supposed encounter. The movie made 22 million in revenue and

grabbed the attention and imagination of millions. This brought what the locals would say as

unwanted attention to Fouke. Though some of the locals used this to their advantage, according

to “The Legend of Boggy Creek” by Nbj914. The locals opened shops and museums to profit

from the creature’s existence. These shops were run by locals who believe they have had

encounters with the creature themselves as demonstrated by “Searching for The Boggy Creek

Monster” by Austin Gelder. 

Works Cited

“Image of The Boggy Creek Monster.” Artist Depiction. Midwest Weirdfest. Retrieved 11 Oct.

2024, https://www.midwestweirdfest.com/boggy-creekmonster/

mnf55z55kfndfanqhxcigen9dx39gv.

Dunning, B. "The Boggy Creek Monster." Skeptoid Podcast. Skeptoid Media, 4 Mar 2014. Web.

27, Oct 2024. https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4404.

Powell Jim, "The Fouke Monster: A look at how the media recorded the reports of the 1971

alleged sighting of a large creature in rural Miller County, Ark." Texarkana Gazette.

archived from the original on 3 August 2003, retrieved October 30th, 2024.

Thompson, Amy M. “Fouke Monster.” Encyclopedia of Arkansas, 31 Oct. 2024.

https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/fouke-monster-2212/.

Nbj914, “The Legend of Boggy Creek.” Edited by SemiruralYeti, valerielea1980, northwoods63,

Obscurities, Martain, and delmonstro. Atlas Obsura, posted 12 October 2012.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/boggy-creek-monster.

Gelder, Austin. “Searching for the Boggy Creek Monster.” Arkansas Blog, 6 Oct. 2021.

https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2021/10/06/searching-for-the-boggy-creek-monster,

retrieved 31 Oct. 2024.

Further references

Dunning, B. "The Boggy Creek Monster." Skeptoid Podcast. Skeptoid Media, 4 Mar 2014. Web.

27, Oct 2024. https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4404.

The article described Elizabeth Ford’s chilling encounter with the Boggy Creek Monster while

resting in her Arkansas home. The article describes the terrifying encounters that the two

newlywed couples had experienced.

Powell Jim, "The Fouke Monster: A look at how the media recorded the reports of the 1971

alleged sighting of a large creature in rural Miller County, Ark." Texarkana Gazette.

archived from the original on 3 August 2003, retrieved October 30th, 2024.

This article is a newspaper describing the accounts of the attacks on residents and their exact

recounts. The paper stated the locals’ offering rewards for whoever could hunt down the monster.

Thompson, Amy M. “Fouke Monster.” Encyclopedia of Arkansas, 31 Oct. 2024.

https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/fouke-monster-2212/.

This article goes into detail on similar attacks on locals as the Ford family, involving sightings by

locals and deaths believed to have been caused by the creature. This article involves the sheriff’s

point of view on the situation and his personal beliefs on the monster based on the state of the

victims.

Nbj914, “The Legend of Boggy Creek.” Edited by SemiruralYeti, valerielea1980, northwoods63,

Obscurities, Martain, and delmonstro. Atlas Obsura, posted 12 October 2012.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/boggy-creek-monster.

This article states the sightings prior to the Ford family’s attacks and the local use to popularize

the monster for profit. The purpose is to inform the reader of the local effects and the further

history of The Boggy Creek Monster.

Gelder, Austin. “Searching for the Boggy Creek Monster.” Arkansas Blog, 6 Oct. 2021.

https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2021/10/06/searching-for-the-boggy-creek-monster,

retrieved 31 Oct. 2024.

This article goes into detail of the hands-on accounts of locals that are skeptical though their

accounts reforged their perspectives. This article details the hunt for the monster in early

September, a man with his son turn to locals after no luck and inspect the evidence from the

locals.

“Image of The Boggy Creek Monster.” Artist Depiction. Midwest Weirdfest. Retrieved 11 Oct.

2024, https://www.midwestweirdfest.com/boggy-creekmonster/

mnf55z55kfndfanqhxcigen9dx39gv.

Frog or Fish Rain

Author: Gavin Broos

Throughout different countries of the world, “Frog or Fish Rain” is a phenomenon where in the

event of a hurricane or a tornado, the winds could possibly be strong enough to pick up living

objects from the ground so that they fall out of the sky. This makes it possible for frogs or a

school of fish to get dragged from strong winds to rain out of the sky. It is more likely for smaller

living organisms (such as frogs or fish) to rain from the sky since they have smaller mass and

weight compared to larger organisms (cows or horses). In the article by the Science Reference

Section, Library of Congress entitled Can It Rain Frogs, Fish, or Other Objects, strong winds, such as those in a tornado or hurricane, are powerful enough to lift animals, people, trees, and houses.

Tim Osborn, NOAA photographer. National

Weather Service (NWS) Collection, NOAA Photo Library

The first report was made about this raining frogs and fish phenomenon on

July 12, 1873. Charles Fort was the individual who made the report about seeing frogs rain from

the skies. He made a collection of his reports in “The Book of the Damned”: “A shower of frogs

which darkened the air and covered the ground for a long distance is the reported result of a

recent rainstorm at Kansas City, Mo.”

Can it Rain Fish or Frogs? 

A video explaining the process of how frogs or fish can get picked up in strong wind

conditions presented by Aaron Shafer for WeatherBug Schools.

In 1901, a rainstorm in Minneapolis, MN produced frogs to a depth of several inches, so that

travel was said to be impossible. Fish famously fell from the sky in Singapore in 1861, and again

over a century later in Ipswich, Australia in 1989. Residents in southern Greece awoke one

morning in 1981 to find that a shower of frogs had blanketed their village. Golfers in

Bournemouth, England found herring all over their course after a light shower in 1948. In 1901,

a huge rainstorm doused Tiller's Ferry, SC, and covered it with catfish as well as water, to the

point that fish were found swimming between the rows of a cotton field. In 1953, Leicester, MA

was hit with a downpour of frogs and toads of all sorts, even choking the rain gutters on the roofs

of houses. RAINING FROGS AND FISH (https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4170) goes on and on:

More frogs in Missouri in 1873 and Sheffield, England in 1995, and more fish in Alabama in

1956.

Works Cited:

Brian Dunning, “It’s Rain Frogs and Fish”, Skeptoid, Podcast #170, 8 Sep. 2009.

https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4170. This article by Brian Dunning explains the reasoning

behind storms of frogs and fish falling from the sky.

Science Reference Section, Library of Congress, “Can it rain frogs, fish, and other objects?”

Everyday Mysteries, 19 Nov. 2019.https://www.loc.gov/everyday-mysteries/meteorology-climatology/item/can-it-rain-frogsfish-

and-other-objects/. This article by Library of Congress explains that severe winds

such as a tornado or hurricane are strong enough to lift animals, people, trees, and houses.

Science Journalist, “Raining Frogs & Fish: A Whirlwind of Theories” Science Atlas 29, May.

2021. https://science-atlas.com/culture/raining-frogs-fish-a-whirlwind-of-theories/. This

article by Science Journalist, states that Charles Fort was an early collector of reports

about strange phenomena of raining frogs and fish.

WeatherBug “Schools Can it Rain Fish and Frogs?” Youtube, 23 May. 2012.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnFKGja2Vz0 . In this video by WeatherBug Schools,

Meteorologist Aaron Shafer explains the process of how frogs and fish can fall out of the

sky.

Dr. Joseph Golden “Multiple waterspouts off the Bahamas Islands” National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration. https://www.noaa.gov/digital-collections/search/item?f

%5B0%5D=ngdl_affiliation%3A2240&f

%5B1%5D=ngdl_category_level_1%3A2409&page=18. This Photo taken by Dr. Joseph

Golden shows multiple waterspouts off the Bahamas Islands.

For Further Research:

Brian Dunning, “It’s Rain Frogs and Fish”, Skeptoid, Podcast #170, 8 Sep. 2009.

https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4170. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024. The author talks about how

newspapers and books have published information of people from all over the world

being hit by large numbers of frogs and fish from the sky. Dunning states that in the

weather conditions could be during heavy rainstorms or during clear blue sky in

Minneapolis, MN in 1901, Tiller's Ferry, SC in 1901, Leicester, MA in 1953, Ipswich,

Australia in 1989, Missouri in 1873, Sheffield, England in 1995, Bournemouth, England,

Alabama in 1956. The purpose of this podcast is to show that in many different parts of

the world there are reported cases of fish and frogs falling from the sky due to the

combination of migration or grouping of the animals and heavy storms and winds.

Edward Green, “How can it rain fish?” BBC News Friday, 20 Aug. 2004.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3582802.stm. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.

Edward Green provides an interesting weather phenomena where there have been

sightings of raining fish from strong tornadoes and hails frogs in the United Kingdom.

The purpose of this website is to show people raining frogs and fish can happen all

around the world including Britain.

Sam Mauhay-Moore, “Anchovies are reportedly raining from the sky across San Francisco”,

SFSGATE, 28 June 2022. https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/raining-fish-in-sanfrancisco-

17272717.php. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024. The author provides readers with

evidence of Fish falling from the sky in areas of San Francisco due to the increase of

Anchovy populations. The purpose of this article is to inform readers that environmental

changes seabirds’ predation is leading to large numbers of fish in the area being picked up

and falling from the sky.

Science Journalist, “Raining Frogs & Fish: A Whirlwind of Theories” Science Atlas 29 May.

2021 https://science-atlas.com/culture/raining-frogs-fish-a-whirlwind-of-theories/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024. The author provides historical information recorded back in the

1800’s about the strange phenomenon of frogs, fish, or worms raining from the sky. The

purpose of this article is to show the reader that raining animals and other objects is more

common than you think and that it is mainly the smaller animals that can get swept up by

strong winds, tornadoes, and hurricanes.

Science Reference Section, Library of Congress, “Can it rain frogs, fish, and other objects?”

Everyday Mysteries, 19 Nov. 2019.

https://www.loc.gov/everyday-mysteries/meteorology-climatology/item/can-it-rain-frogsfish-

and-other-objects/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024. The author explains the crazy

phenomenon where it can rain frogs, fish, and other objects. The article includes good

summaries of how this event can take place. The summaries are included with visual

descriptions as proof of what individuals were reporting. The purpose of

Tale of the Cottingley Fairies

 Author: Mesha

Fairies, what are fairies? As we would normally describe, fairies are mythical creatures that can take the form of many creatures like, dwarfs, spirits, or mischievous creatures. The are reported looking like tiny humans who have wings, magical abilities, and playful nature. They found in European cultures like the French, Slavic, Germanic, and Celtic. Fairies are rarely spotted and when they are, mostly children report having seen them.

One of these phenomena is the story of the Cottingley Fairies. It started of as one young girl Frances Griffith playing by the creek and her shoes getting dirty then she confronted by her mother. Her explanation was she was “playing with the fairies.” Her cousin Elsie Wright wanted to help her, so she suggested to her father to hold his camera to capture the fairies Frances were playing with. In the image below it shows Frances surrounded by dancing fairies.

Frances and the dancing fairies

Shockingly the girls came back with two photos to show the family, they could not believe it. But the photos were there. Two years later Elsie’s mother took the photos to a fairy talk which was being taught by Edward Gardener and the photos the girls took then caught his eye. The photos then got back to Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, who took an interest in the supernatural. From then Doyle was adamant about proving wither the photos were fake or not, so he had many experts look at the photos and get their input before publishing them in 1920.

After the publishing of the two photos, Doyle wanted more photos so he bought cameras for the girls so they could produce more evidence. They went on to capture three more photos.

As time went on the story would fade then come back, and the cousins would say the same thing every time, “the photos were real.” Then in the 1980’s Frances and Elsie had an interview where they admitted the photos were fake and how the fairies were made.

They said they did not trick anyone because the people choose to believe, they wanted to believe in the supernatural. One mystery still remains, the two cousins say all the photos were faked, all except the fifth and final photo.

Wright, Elsie. The first Cottingley captured on photo. Photograph. BBC News. 4 December 2020. Web. 7 November 2024

Wright, Elsie. “Frances and the Leaping Fairy.” Photograph. Wikipedia.org. 26 September 2024. Web. 7 November 2024

HistorianR42. “Story behind the Cottingley fairies (includes interview with Frances Griffiths and Elsie Wright).” YouTube.com. 15 July 2022. Web. 30 October 2024

Links to further research:

The story of the Cottingley Fairies hoax.

This YouTube video goes into depth of life during that time and the people involved with making the story so big.

The Cottingley Fairies.

https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/The-Fairies-of-Cottingley/.

This article tells us why Doyle was so easy to believe in the photos because of this belief of the supernatural.

1976: COTTINGLEY FAIRIES: FACT or FANTASY?

https://youtu.be/1Z7zSGzdgTU?si=kJ4_M6FDQUERWa5k

This YouTube video has a first had video of Elsie Wright giving an interview in the very place the fairy photos were taken