NC Gazetteer

Brown Mountain

A mountain in Burke County and Caldwell County
… on the Burke-Caldwell county line approx. 1½ mi. W of Wilson Creek. Alt. 2,725. Noted for mysterious lights, known since 1833 in many popular legends. Many explanations have been offered for the lights, among them burning marsh gas, foxfire, and light refraction by the atmosphere of train, automobile, or city lights.