Cole Mountain, located in Moorefield, West Virginia, is known for the lore of the Cole Mountain Light, an Appalachian folklore that started in the 19th century. As the story goes, in the mid 1800s a man named Charles Jones, a wealthy raccoon hunter, took one of his slaves hunting with him, along with his hunting dogs. The dogs ran barking after a raccoon, and the slave took off after them. Later, he realized that Jones was not behind him, and had disappeared. The slave, who was loyal and close to Jones, organized a search party, but no one found him. Despite this, the slave continued to look for him, and after a year he went out once more with his lantern. After that night, no one ever saw him again, but stories began to circulate of a ball of light that could be seen on Cole Mountain.
Cole Mountain, an offset of the Appalachians, is known for its paranormal activity and folklore.
The tale of the Cole Mountain Light, with the disappearance of Charles Jones and his slave, draws many people to the area. As the story tells, after the slave went missing, people began to report seeing a ball of light bobbing up and down the side of the mountain. The light is still there today, and a clear view can be seen off of Highway 55. The color of the light has switched from yellow, to orange, to red, and it is said to sometimes be accompanied by loud screams. No one is able to get close to it. The light is known to chase away hunters and scare their dogs, driving them away from Cole Mountain. Locals believe that the light is the lantern of the slave, forever scouring the land for his master.
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