The Legend of Spook HillGravity-defying, Spook Hill, is one of Florida’s most unique roadside America attractions.. Centrally located in Lake Wales, Florida, Spook Hill‘s unique history has been recorded from eye-witness accounts spanning multiple generations.
Many things have changed through the years . . but this legend stands the test of time.
This is the story of the battle between the legendary Seminole Chief Cufcowellax, and a man-eating alligator. When the Seminole tribe broke from the Cherokee nation, they settled in central Florida. The chief was the leader of several villages surrounding the body of water we now call Lake Wailes. This site was chosen due to its close proximity to Iron Mountain, the highest point in peninsular Florida, believed to be sacred to the Seminole’s Sun God. The tribes were victims of nightly attacks by a beastly alligator. Eye-witness reports state that the bull-gator was over 17 feet long. Men, women, and even children, were plagued by the evil spirit that inhabited their lake. The tribe lived in constant fear.
The Chief’s heart was heavy because he had great respect for all animals great and small. Until now, he had only killed for food, but this battle was to save his people from certain death. He knew what he had to do. Spookhill is where Chief Cufcowellax and the man-eating alligator fought their final battle.
The Chief, being of great physical prowess, was a fearless warrior, and leader of his people. After the Chief was placed under the protection of the Great Spirit, by his tribal shaman and elders, he set out to conquer the evil gator that had been terrorizing his tribe.
The final battle lasted for several moons. The legend states that as the Chief wrestled the gator, he called upon the mighty Forces of Nature to assist him, and miraculously the chief pulled the monster down into the lake. The lake turned red with blood.
With fearful anticipation, the tribe watched the surface of the lake. Sounds of celebration rang out as the triumphant Chief rose from the lake of blood. The tribe also noticed something strange. The mighty battle had caused a second, smaller lake to appear, near the big one. Some say the smaller lake, Ticowa, was created when the Chief gathered the forces of Nature during his battle with the bull-gator. Years later, when Chief Cufcowellax died, he was buried on the shore of this site, which is sacred to the Seminole people.
The gravity-defying legend began when pioneers first settled Lake Wales. They noticed something mysterious about the hill itself. Circuit riders, carrying mail from one Florida coast to the other, used the old trail around the lake until they discovered their horses were laboring downhill. As time went on, the citrus industry grew and orange groves covered the hillside. Citrus workers driving their wagons around the lake were startled to discover their mules were struggling as they pulled their loads downhill. In later days, when transportation became modernized, a black fisherman whowas also a well-known merchant parked his truck on the hill, and was terrified to find the truck moving backwards and uphill on its own. He attributed the phenomenon to the action of “Spooks” and vowed never to return to the haunted hillside. The area became known as Spook Hill, as the reporting of paranormal events continued to spread like wildfire.
It seems that a shift in the earth’s gravitational field. has occurred at this historic site. The belief is that it originated when the Forces of Nature were evoked by the Great Chief during the final battle to defeat the evil gator.
Each year, visitors from far and wide, are drawn to this unique roadside attraction. Come to Spook Hill, park your vehicle on the marked, white line, place your car in neutral, and be amazed as your car rolls uphill and backward! Defy gravity and experience the legend of Spook Hill.
