Spook Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Spook Hill
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Spook Hill, looking north
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | North Wales Dr. between Burns Ave. and Spook Hill Elementary Lake Wales, Florida |
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| Built | 1960 |
| NRHP reference No. | 100003585 |
| Added to NRHP | April 5, 2019 |
Spook Hill is a super cool place in Lake Wales, Florida. It's famous because cars seem to roll uphill all by themselves! This amazing trick is called a gravity hill. It's not magic, though. It's actually an optical illusion, which means your eyes are being tricked by the way the land is shaped. People love to visit this spot to experience the mystery.
What is a Gravity Hill?
A gravity hill is a place where the landscape makes it look like things are rolling uphill. If you put your car in neutral, it seems to roll backward, going up the slope. But really, it's rolling downhill! Your brain gets confused by the surrounding land. The trees, hills, and buildings around you can make a gentle downhill slope look like an uphill climb.
Where is Spook Hill Located?
Spook Hill is found on the Lake Wales Ridge. This area is very old and important for its geology. It has sand and limestone hills. Millions of years ago, these hills were actually islands! This happened when the sea level was much higher than it is today.
Right next to Spook Hill is Spook Hill Elementary School. The school even chose Casper the Friendly Ghost as their mascot! Also nearby is Bok Tower Gardens, a beautiful place with a big tower and lovely gardens.
Spook Hill in the News
Spook Hill became very famous in 1990. An article about it was on the front page of The Wall Street Journal on October 25. Then, on November 5, it was featured on CBS Morning News with Charles Osgood.
Because of its unique history and interesting illusion, Spook Hill was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019. This means it's recognized as an important historical site in the United States.
