In June 2014, I received an email from a property owner in Cullman County, Alabama concerning odd activity in the woods behind their house. I soon contacted an investigator (Blaine Grant - Huntsville, AL) who was able to interview the witness and explore the location. I received their final report this week:
At the time I was contacted, the family had noticed bright white lights intermittently flashing from deep in the woods.
The house and property was developed and built in 1970 and located in Cullman County, Alabama. The nearest post office is Crane Hill. The witness' family has resided there since 1999. The property is 3.2 acres in size which includes a large yard and woods that surround the house. The property is within 1/2 mile of Lewis Smith Lake.
The activity had started in the Winter of 2011 and was occurring year round. They attempted to capture the light on camera for almost 2 years, but were unsuccessful. Then by chance one of the witness' daughters captured a partial light flash while taking photos in the backyard with a cellphone. The image was unremarkable other than it came from the area of the woods where all the other flashes had emanated. The witness walked throughout the woods several times, but never found the source of the light.
A neighbor who lived approximately 600 ft on the other side of the woods, was asked if they ever noticed any activity. They couldn't recall seeing any lights. After the inquiry, the neighbor started to concentrate on the wooded area. To this date, they have not reported anything unusual.
In early April 2014, while working in the yard one late afternoon, the witness heard "drumming" sounds emanating from the woods. Other members of the family confirmed hearing the same sounds. This continued for almost two weeks. There was also an occasional smell of burning wood, similar to a campfire. No smoke was ever seen.
I have visited the location on 3 occasions, attempting to find evidence for the light flashes and "drumming" sounds. Many digital photos where taken throughout the woods. There were no remarkable artifacts found on the images.
I conducted historical research of the area and concluded that the activity may be connected to Native American spirit energy. In December 2014 I received a reply to a request I made to the Echota Cherokee Tribe. I was told that they believed that the activity was related to the spirits of their ancestors and that they would be willing to investigated.
I was contacted on April 12, 2015 by the property owner who informed me that he met with two members of the Echota Cherokee Tribe at the location. A ritual was conducted at an area where the tribal members thought the activity was emerging.
The witness states that, as of May 15th, all activity in the woods has ceased.
I promise to keep you updated. Blaine Grant
NOTE: I was glad to see that this situation may have been resolved. The names and specific location of the witness and their family (including photos of the property) has been withheld at their request. If I do receive any indication that the activity has resumed, I will revise the post. Lon
Cherokee Voices: Early Accounts of Cherokee Life in the East (Real Voices, Real History Series)
Cherokee Thoughts: Honest and Uncensored
Meditations with the Cherokee: Prayers, Songs, and Stories of Healing and Harmony
The Cherokee Full Circle: A Practical Guide to Sacred Ceremonies and Traditions
