North Carolina Ghost Lights and Legends

A guide to the luminous phenomena of ghost lights in North Carolina—their settings, origins, and the legends surrounding them.

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North Carolina is considered one of the US headquarters for ghost lights—that is, for spooky and unexplained luminous phenomena. Nearly half of all reported ghost lights shine, blink, burn, dance, or float somewhere in the state. These ghost lights are well known in their localities. There are scary and fascinating stories associated with them, and they attract many visitors, each hoping to see a ball of fire floating over a cemetery or a jack-o’-lantern illuminating a corner of the Great Dismal Swamp or a long-dead railroad man swinging his lantern in search of his severed head.


Author Charles “Fritz” Gritzner has been chasing ghost lights for many years. A geography professor and luminous phenomenon buff, he has visited the sites, researched possible scientific explanations for the lights, and recorded the legends surrounding them. In this charming and fascinating book, he does not seek to debunk these phenomena, but to illuminate them as a part of the folk culture of North Carolina.

This book—organized by the regions of the state—contains maps, site descriptions, and related stories for 54 separate ghost light locations. Written for a general audience, it is the perfect guide for a ghost light seeker or for those fascinated by ghost stories and local folklore.