"There are dozens of mystery spots to be found around the U.S.,
and many more gravity hills - places where gravity itself seems to
be warped. Our perceptions of up, down, straight and crooked are
confused by what some say are powerful gravitational anomalies and
dizzying magnetic vortexes. Is that the case, or are our senses
being fooled by clever man-made and natural optical
illusions?
Here are just some of the more well-known locations:
The Mystery Spot - Santa Cruz, Ca.
Discovered in the 1940s, this site on Branciforte Drive in Santa
Cruz just might be the most well-known "mystery spot" in the U.S.
Tour guides walk visitors through the "Mystery Shack" that stands
on this spot and demonstrate the many weird effects that seem to
take place there. Balls roll uphill, brooms stand on end at odd
angles, people's heights seem to change as they walk about, among
other weird effects of perspective and gravity. Even the trees in
the area do not stand straight. Some visitors actually feel faint
within the shack.
Spook Hill - Lake Wales, Fl.
Located between Orlando and Tampa, this stretch of road off Hwy. 27
is said to have gravity-defying effects on cars. The phenomenon on
the sloping road is so well known that there is a sign on the
roadside explaining its legend:
"Many years ago, an Indian village on Lake Wales was plagued by
raids of a huge gator. The chief, a great warrior, killed the gator
in a battle... The chief war buried on the north side. Pioneer mail
riders first discovered their horses laboring down hill, thus
naming it 'Spook Hill.' When the road was paved, cars coasted
uphill. Is this the gator seeking revenge, or the chief still
trying to protect his land."
The story is local folklore, obviously, but drivers do attest that
when they stop their cars at a certain spot and shift their
transmissions into neutral, the cars do seem to roll up the incline
of the road.
The Oregon Vortex - Gold Hill, Or.
Some kind of magnetic vortex - a spherical field of force, half
above the ground and half below - is said to be responsible for the
peculiar effects experienced at this site's House of Mystery. Those
who visit the spot, it is claimed, cannot stand erect anywhere
within the vortex, but are always inclined toward magnetic north.
Distortions in perceived perspective are also affected, giving the
impression, in some spots, that as a person approaches you he or
she becomes shorter. There are other weird effects as well.
Gravity Hill - Bedford County, Pa.
It's a place where gravity goes haywire, says one article about
this hill near New Paris, Pa. A "GH" spray-painted on the road
tells you when you've found the spot where you can stop your car,
shift it into neutral, then sit in amazement as it seems to slowly
begin to roll uphill. If you're still in doubt, you can do as other
experimenters have done and pour water on the road - and watch as
it flows uphill."
