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Marfa, Texas -
The Marfa Mystery Lights
 The Marfa Lights are named
after
the town of Marfa, Texas and is a wonderful spot to spend
Halloween. Supported mostly by
ranching, the area is surrounded by vast mountain ranges.
The
Ghost Lights of Marfa still shine as bright as ever, and are
still as mysterious as they were when they were first seen
by early settlers who drove their herds of cattle into the
Marfa area in the late eighteen-hundreds.
 What
are these mysterious lights?
That is a mystery that is no closer to being solved now than
when they were first seen more than a hundred years ago. The Marfa Lights are reported to
be between one and ten feet in diameter.
They are spherical
and reddish-orange in color. They have been observed to vary
their size and fly from very slow to very high speeds. Numerous photographs and
video footage have captured these lights in action. Marfa
Lights are generally considered to be harmless.
 The lights appear at random,
during all kinds of weather, at no particular time, and
during no particular season. The ghost lights appear in many
different ways to different people. Some swear they have
seen them divide to form separate balls of light.
Others
claim that they have seen them move up and down. All agree
that they glow as softly as a star at times, then brighten
to the intensity of a spotlight. Sometimes they blink on and
off.
 There
are also accounts of people who say they have actually been
pursued by these strange lights, although we have never
heard of anyone being harmed.
Some believe that the lights are
nothing more than high-powered lights from local ranches or
that they are the reflected headlights from nearby cars and trucks, but
that doesn't explain why they have been reported since
the eighteen-hundreds, well before electricity or vehicles
ever reached the area.
 A Marfa lights viewing site has
been provided for the public on Highway 90, by the Texas
Highway department. It is located nine miles east of Marfa.
Ghost light watchers can park in the area and watch the
south-western horizon, looking toward Chinati Peak.
Using a
distant blinking red tower light as a marker, one can be certain that
any light to the right of the marker, is a Marfa ghost light. You will know them when
you see them. There is no mistaking them.
 Before
heading out for Marfa, it is important to remember that it
is a small community. There are several small motels for
lodging and restaurants for eating. If you go for Halloween don't
expect to find any commercial haunted attractions or big and
wild Halloween parties here.
What you can expect is good
hospitality from the locals, who love Halloween just as much
as anyone else. Have a great time and be sure to have your
camera ready at all times!
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When visiting or
investigating any spooky place be sure to
obey all local laws and always respect the
privacy of land owners and residents. Always
get advance permission to enter private
property. Never trespass on, take anything
from or damage anyone's private property.
Always show respect! |
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