Despite our best efforts, there are many mysteries in life that are beyond our grasp. One of these fascinating mysteries comes to us from Gurdon, Arkansas. Gurdon is a small city that was founded in 1819 by Captain Robert Tate and his family members.
Gurdon is also associated with a legend that dates back to the 1930s. For nearly 100 years, thousands of people have seen an unusual light described as either blue or orange-colored. It is said the best sightings occur on dark, cloudy nights.
There are many theories about its origin. But it’s often associated with the restless spirit of a murdered man named William McClain. The unusual thing is that McClain’s killer was captured and executed. This is a rare occurrence because many ghost stories involve unsolved homicide cases. The belief is the victims return as ghosts to seek justice.
Why would McClain stick around for nearly 100 years after his death? Is he seeking something? His story began in 1931. His job was as a foreman for the Missouri-Pacific railroad.
A heated argument broke out between McClain and another employee named Louis McBride. There are two alleged reasons for the argument. First, McBride wanted to work more hours, but McClain refused the request. It is also possible that McClain blamed McBride for a train derailment that occurred a few days earlier. Regardless, after McClain didn’t arrive home, his wife contacted the city marshal.
The marshal interviewed McBride about McClain’s disappearance. McBride confessed to killing McClain. He then took the marshal to the site where he murdered McClain. McBride admitted to using a spike maul to beat McClain to death. McBride was found guilty of murdering William McClain and sentenced to death. He was executed on July 8, 1932.
The execution of McBride was followed by a mysterious phenomenon. Over the stretch of tracks where McClain was killed, people began seeing a moving ball of light. Today, the tracks are no longer in use. One theory behind the mysterious light is that it was a decapitated railroad worker seeking his missing head. In any case, this is nothing more than folklore.
The most common belief is that the light is somehow related to William McClain. During his lifetime, he was often seen holding a lantern while walking the tracks. Could the mysterious light be the lantern McClain used to hold? Due to McClain’s documented homicide, this might seem plausible.
Is it possible McClain doesn’t realize he’s dead and still thinks he’s working on the railroad? This story is fascinating because the light isn’t the mystery. It’s been captured on video and witnessed by thousands for years. However, its source is the mystery. Some believe the mysterious light is coming from the freeway. A problem with that belief is the site is too far from the freeway meaning you would not be able to see the light from so far away. In addition, people have seen the eerie light for many years before the freeway was built.
For decades, the site has been the focus of numerous news stories and ghost hunts. Even the television program Unsolved Mysteries visited the site. Today, there is no logical explanation for the mysterious light.
According to tripsavvy.com, you can visit the light for yourself. The website states you can stop at any gas station in Gurdon and ask. The locals refer to the area as “ghost light bluffs.” This could be another destination to add to your bucket list if you’re into visiting creepy haunted sites.
Marc is a longtime resident of Clermont County and an avid reader. Contact him through his website at www.themarcabe.com or through Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Catchmykiller. Marc also has a podcast called Catch my Killer, where he interviews family members seeking justice for their murdered loved ones. You can listen at www.catchmykiller.com.