The
"Maco Light"





As a young teenager, I recall hearing about the "Maco Light" .  One night, some other teenage friends and I left our community of Atkinson to go to the town of Maco, about 15 miles West of Wilmington.  I remember walking down the railroad tracks and waiting for what seemed to be just a very long time. We did indeed see the light that night!  Was it really the ghost of the conductor waving his lantern and searching for his head? I don't know. It was spooky, dark and drizzling rain and I was just as happy to be back in the car and away from the tracks.

The legend goes that a train conductor, named Joe Baldwin was in the last car of the train and it had come uncoupled and was slowing down.  Down the tracks, Joe could see another train approaching and tried to stop it by using his lantern as a warning.  The other train did not stop and crashed into the uncoupled car in which Joe stood with his lantern.  Legend has it that Joe's head was severed from his body and that it is he on the tracks with his lantern searching for his head.

The stories about this light have varied a bit in the telling, but noone has ever been able to explain the light although there have been studies and scientists over time involved and researching it.





Read articles on the "Maco Light" - go to links


Welcome to NC = The Maco Light


American Hauntings - The Maco Light