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February 24, 2003Okay--working on the continued
The Legend of Old Fats and the Crossett Light Last night was a good night for a six pack and trip down to see Old Fats. Old Fats is a ghost. The locals report this is the kind of night when you’re most likely to see him—cloudy, overcast, another rain front moving in, the waning moon… Most folks down here call it the Crossett Light, but locals in Crossett tell that it’s the ghost of an old black man who used to work for the railroad. Apparently, it was his job to come fix any little mishap on the rail like a stave come out or something to that effect. Well one night Old Fats was heading out to fix a function of the tracks, he leaned way over and leaned down to inspect a section of track and somehow fell and got his overalls strap caught on the rail. Sure enough, in not too long a train came through. Old Fats feverishly tried to loose himself from the tracks, but alas, he failed. The train came on through and poor Old Fats lost his head. The legend has it that on certain nights you can park down this country road and watch down along the old rail bed. The trains don’t run there anymore and off in the distance you’ll see a curious orb of light about 6 to 7 feet in the air come bobbing and weaving towards you. It is speculated that the light is Old Fats carrying a lamp to find his old head that no one ever found and he was buried without. Of course, you signal him by flashing your lights three times and honking your horn thrice, eventually he’ll walk up to you. If the light settles on the hood of your car, your car will fail to start until it moves on. I suppose that's Old Fats taking a break from all his searching by having a seat on your hood. It will pass through the windows and even chase you a little bit. I guess he's checking to see if you might have his head in your car or on your person. Sometimes he’ll get 10 foot from you, disappear and reappear behind you. In any case, this is the kind of night Old Fats is supposed to like to go looking. I went down once to see if I could make his acquaintance, but Old Fats must have been resting that night, never saw a thing, but got to visit at length with some of extreme south Arkansas’ finest rednecks and a sheriff’s deputy. My good friend Michelle grew up down there and has seen him many times. Had the car stop and everything. There's also an abandoned cemetery just down the road and off in some trees. The locals report a small and secretive coven of witches and wizards use it for their ceremonies. Posted by Adam H at February 24, 2003 10:03 AM ~ Link Cosmos | Trackbacks (0)Comments
I am from a small town in Southeast Arkansas, Star City, and have travled to Crossett 2 times to see the light. I can report that I have seen it once, though not sure I believe the story, and did not see it the second. I have heard many different legends in my 23 years. I have also heard "Unsolved Mysteries" came down to check it out. There is also a light like it in Gurdon if you want to check it out. I have never went and tried to see it though. Posted by: ashley at January 7, 2005 03:05 PMPost a comment
 
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