Nine miles east of the Texas city of Marfa, far out into the West Texas desert at the base of the Chianti Mountains lies or rather, floats an age-old conundrum. Small, ethereal, lights suspended in the air with no apparent source, no identifiable location. They float, they ebb, they glow and move . . . and they defy explanation.andThe Ghost Lights of Marfa, as they've come to be known, were first reported more than a century ago. Robert Ellison, one of the first settlers in the area supposedly witnessed these mysterious glowing orbs in 1883. Since then the legend, and the surrounding curiosity, has grown. What once was a Texas-based story of interest has captured national recognition.
Marfa, Texas is a small west Texas ranching community of about 2,000 folks, located near Big Bend National Park.From:Marfa is known primarily for two reasons. The classic movie "Giant", with Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, an incredibly clean-cut Dennis Hopper and James Dean®, was filmed in Marfa. Marfa is also home of the semi- famous Marfa Mystery Lights.
The Lights, which most people describe as spherical, appear south of Marfa each evening. They appear to bounce around, vanish, then re-appear elsewhere.
According to the legend, these lights have been observed since the 1800s.
The Lights have become an important tourist attraction in Marfa, a town that has seen much better days. On a nice evening, dozens of people will stop and view the Lights at the "official" viewing area, about 10 miles east of town on Highway 90.