Oregon Vortex facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Oregon Vortex |
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| Nearest city | Gold Hill, Oregon U.S. |
The Oregon Vortex is a fun and mysterious place in Gold Hill, Oregon, United States. It opened in 1930 and is known as a "roadside attraction." This means it's a unique stop for travelers. People visit to see strange things happen, like balls rolling uphill or people appearing to change height! The owners say these effects are due to special, unseen forces. Scientists, however, explain these effects as clever optical illusions.
Contents
Discovering the Oregon Vortex
The Oregon Vortex is located on Sardine Creek. Before anyone built anything there, local stories said that Native Americans called the area "forbidden." They believed their horses would refuse to enter this strange land.
Early History of the Site
In 1904, a gold assay office was built here. An assay office is a place where people test rocks for gold. This building later slid off its foundation. It came to rest at a very odd angle.
In 1914, a prospector named William McCollugh found the old office. He told his friend, John Litster, about it. Litster was a geologist and engineer from Alva, Scotland. Litster became very interested in the strange things happening there. He believed there was a "magnet radius" of 165 feet causing the unusual effects.
Passing Down the Mystery
John Litster passed away in 1959. His wife then sold the Oregon Vortex to Ernie and Irene Cooper. Their daughter, Maria Cooper, and her son, Mark, have kept the attraction open ever since. This makes the Oregon Vortex one of Oregon's oldest and most famous "Roadside Americana" spots.
The Strange Effects Explained
Visitors to the Oregon Vortex see many puzzling things. These include objects that seem to roll uphill. Also, people appear to grow taller or shrink depending on where they stand.
What Are Optical Illusions?
Scientists and experts say these strange effects are optical illusions. An optical illusion tricks your eyes and brain. It makes you see something different from what is really there.
For example, the Oregon Vortex uses "distorted backgrounds." This means the ground and walls are not flat or straight. They are built at unusual angles. This creates a "forced perspective." Your brain tries to make sense of the strange angles. It then makes you think objects are rolling uphill or people are changing height.
Famous Similar Illusions
The Oregon Vortex is not the only place with these kinds of illusions. You can find similar effects at:
- The Montana Vortex and House of Mystery
- Pennsylvania's Laurel Caverns
- The Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz, California
- A mystery spot near St. Ignace in Michigan
Experts Study the Vortex
Many experts have studied these mystery spots.
- In 1999, two researchers from UC Berkeley studied the Santa Cruz Mystery Spot. They said our brains use "spatial frames of reference." This means our brains use what we see around us to figure out size and direction. When the background is distorted, our brains get confused.
- They noted other famous illusions like the Ponzo illusion and the Zöllner illusion.
- James Randi, a famous magician, also explained the Oregon Vortex. In 1998, he used photos and math to show it was an optical illusion.
- Russ Donnelly, a physics professor, visited in 1966. He was also sure it was an optical illusion.
Maria Cooper, the current owner, agrees that what people see inside the main building is an optical illusion. However, she believes something else might be happening outside the building. She says that outside, people truly appear to grow and shrink.
