Paulding Light: Fact or Faked Investigates

Fact or Faked Paranormal Files recently investigated the Paulding Light in Paulding Michigan. The light, it seems, has been making a regular appearance in Paulding for decades, with the first recorded appearance in the 1960s. According to the sign posted by the US Forestry Service at the observation point, the legend of the light is thought to be the lantern of a railroad brakeman who suffered an untimely death as he was crushed between two trains. According to the legend, the Paulding Light is the brakeman's lantern as he walks the tracks to warn others of the danger of an oncoming trains.

Witnesses Report Paulding Light Appears Every Night
Witnesses claim the light "walks" the area changing from white to red and sometimes green. Some reports include more than one light. Other observers claim the Paulding Light travels down the valley illuminating the earth. One thing remains constant. The Paulding Light appears every night, at varying times and remains for a duration of minutes to hours at a time.

While the Paulding Light is observed from one point, those who have visited the site claim that if another witness walks to the location of the light it disappears, even though it remains visible from the original observation point. Fact or Faked investigators tested this theory and confirmed that the light remains visible at the observation site and mysteriously disappears from view for those who approach its "assumed' location.

Solving the Mystery
Attempts to solve the mystery of the Paulding Light have been inconclusive at best. Although some groups claim to have solved the mystery, questions remain. Theories that the Paulding light is merely car lights from nearby road prevail; however, the theory is wrought with inconsistencies.

Fact or Faked Paranormal Files Investigates the Paulding Light
The Fact or Faked Paranormal Files team investigated the possibility of car lights causing the Paulding Light. During their investigation, the road was closed off and attempts to recreate the light were made by driving a car down the stretch of road commonly belived to be the origin of the light. According to their televised investigation, the lights from the car were not visible and did not produce the Paulding Light.

During the experiments, the Paulding Light appeared and was clearly visible to members of the team stationed at the observation point. When the driver of the car turned the lights of the car off, to "test" whether the observed light was indeed the car's headlights, the Paulding Light remained, debunking the common theory that car lights are the source of the Paulding Light.

Other Research
Further research revealed that in 1986, Dale Kaczmarek, author and president of the Ghost Hunter's Society and his team of investigators claim to have produced conclusive evidence that the Pauling Light was indeed the result of car lights. Wondering why Fact or Faked would overlook conclusive evidence or why their results would reveal opposing results, I contacted the original group for further information. I received a personal email response from Mr. Kaczamarek indicating that his team performed a 3-day investigation of the Paulding Light in 1986.

Dale Kaczmarek Explains Discrepancies
Further research revealed that in 1986, Dale Kaczmarek, author and president of the Ghost Hunter's Society and his team of investigators claim to have produced conclusive evidence that the Pauling Light was indeed the result of car lights. Wondering why Fact or Faked would overlook conclusive evidence or why their results would reveal opposing results, I contacted the original group for further information. I received a personal email response from Mr. Kaczamarek indicating that his team performed a 3-day investigation of the Paulding Light in 1986.

He attributed the discrepancy in the results to: "We acquired topographical maps, spoke to actual eyewitnesses, dug into local lore and legends, watched the light itself while the road was open which they did not (they closed off the road) so they never saw the natural flow of normal traffic along the road, and we actually conducted an experiment having a car come down the road and flash the bright lights every 5 seconds which we picked up from the observation point on a camcorder."

At face value, his assessment is logical and lends credibility to his investigation; however, it does not tell the whole story. He is correct in his statement that Fact or Faked closed off the road, however, the fact that Fact or Faked were unable to reproduce the light with their own vehicle and observed the light when the road was closed off (while their car lights were turned off) seems to contradict his findings.

Other Theories
Other theories, such as "swamp gas" causing the Paulding Light are wrought with difficulties. Fact or Faked measured
the amount of gases in the area and concluded there was not enough released gases in the area to produce the light seen in
Paulding. Residents have also pointed out that the Paulding Light exists
throughout the winter when the land is frozen, making swamp gas implausible.

Some claim the lights are the result of pranksters hidden on side roads or amongst the forested areas. Although a possibility, others argue that it would require an elaborate hoax involving many individuals throughout all hours of the night, 365 days a year. Although not impossible, it is unlikely that a group could, or would, continue the hoax in subzero weather and multiple times in one night.

Theories of iron or mineral deposits under the earth causing the appearance of the Paulding Light have been unconfirmed.

It appears that for now, the Paulding Light will remain a mystery.

SOURCES:

Fact or Faked Paranormal Files
Unsolved Mysteries: Michigan's Paulding Light
Unexplained Research: Paulding Light
A Ghost Light Debunked by Dale Kaczmarek
Email from Dale Kaczmarek