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The '''Mystery Spot''' is a [[tourist attraction]] near [[Santa Cruz, California]], opened in 1939 by George Prather.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lamers|first1=Chantal|title=Gravitational tourist draw|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/spot-22954-mystery-people.html|accessdate=March 9, 2017|work=The Orange County Register|publisher=The Orange County Register|date=July 22, 2007|ref=1}}</ref> Visitors experience demonstrations that appear to defy gravity, on the short but steep uphill walk and inside a wooden building on the site. |
The '''Mystery Spot''' is a [[tourist attraction]] near [[Santa Cruz, California]], opened in 1939 by George Prather.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lamers|first1=Chantal|title=Gravitational tourist draw|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/spot-22954-mystery-people.html|accessdate=March 9, 2017|work=The Orange County Register|publisher=The Orange County Register|date=July 22, 2007|ref=1}}</ref> Visitors experience demonstrations that appear to defy gravity, on the short but steep uphill walk and inside a wooden building on the site. It is a popular tourist attraction, and gained recognition as a roadside "gravity box" or "tilted house".<ref>News Advisory. Washington, DC: United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1991. July 30, 2014. Web. March 8, 2017.</ref><ref>McBroom, Patricia. "Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained." Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained. Office of Public Affairs, UC Berkeley, September 9, 1998. Web. March 15, 2017.</ref> The site is what is known as a [[gravity hill]] and was the first of its kind to be built in [[California]]. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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[[File:Illusion at mystery spot santa cruz california.jpg|thumb|right|165px|One of the many optical illusions at the Santa Cruz Mystery Spot.]] |
[[File:Illusion at mystery spot santa cruz california.jpg|thumb|right|165px|One of the many optical illusions at the Santa Cruz Mystery Spot.]] |
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The Mystery Spot was opened by George Prather in 1939. Prather was an electrician, mechanic, and inventor |
The Mystery Spot was opened by George Prather in 1939. Prather was an electrician, mechanic, and inventor who was born near [[Fresno, California|Fresno]] and moved to [[Santa Cruz, California|Santa Cruz]] in 1920. He owned a welding shop and repair garage in the area before he opened the Mystery Spot. One of several [[roadside attraction]]s that opened after World War II for new automobile owners, the Mystery Spot was featured on [[Art Baker (actor)|Art Baker]]'s television show ''[[You Asked for It]]''. |
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Prather was inspired to open the site by the popularity of the [[Oregon Vortex]], which opened to the public in 1930. According to a newspaper report, Prather bought three acres on the hill in 1940 after he felt slightly dizzy while walking and was interested in his dizziness. The newspaper also reported that during further exploration of his property he found his compass jittering. He built a "crazy house" and opened the site to the public in June 1941. Tour guides lead visitors through the attraction and perform various demonstrations to showcase the site's unusual effects.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bready|first1=Lowell|title=Mystery Spot - You Never Saw a Crazier Place - Opens Sunday for your Amazement|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=9075641&fcfToken=425a595a55356332624c376859346830442b5a7554416d374a424173674372617043314676643135356b5033656e514732486550376b335368334e4871536432|accessdate=March 8, 2017|work=Santa Cruz Sentinel|publisher=Santa Cruz Sentinel|date=June 13, 1941|ref=2}}</ref> |
Prather was inspired to open the site by the popularity of the [[Oregon Vortex]], which opened to the public in 1930. According to a newspaper report, Prather bought three acres on the hill in 1940 after he felt slightly dizzy while walking and was interested in his dizziness. The newspaper also reported that during further exploration of his property he found his compass jittering. He built a "crazy house" and opened the site to the public in June 1941. Tour guides lead visitors through the attraction and perform various demonstrations to showcase the site's unusual effects.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bready|first1=Lowell|title=Mystery Spot - You Never Saw a Crazier Place - Opens Sunday for your Amazement|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=9075641&fcfToken=425a595a55356332624c376859346830442b5a7554416d374a424173674372617043314676643135356b5033656e514732486550376b335368334e4871536432|accessdate=March 8, 2017|work=Santa Cruz Sentinel|publisher=Santa Cruz Sentinel|date=June 13, 1941|ref=2}}</ref> |
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Prather died in January 1946; his son Bruce inherited the land and continued running the Mystery Spot with his father's business partner Vaden McCray. The McCray family was photographed for the ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' magazine spread on the Mystery Spot for their November 15, 1948, issue.<ref>{{cite news|title=Grace Anestine (Osterberg) McCray|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/santacruzsentinel/obituary.aspx?n=grace-anestine-mccray-osterberg&pid=88252320|accessdate=March 9, 2017|work=Santa Cruz Sentinel|publisher=Santa Cruz Sentinel|date=May 22, 2007|ref=5}}</ref> McCray died in 2001; Bruce Prather died in 2015.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bruce Leonard Prather|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/santacruzsentinel/obituary.aspx?pid=176195421|accessdate=March 10, 2017|work=Santa Cruz Sentinel|publisher=Santa Cruz Sentinel|date=October 25, 2015|ref=4}}</ref> Christopher Smith now owns the property.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archive.boston.com/travel/articles/2004/03/28/a_pair_of_intriguing_stops_on_californias_magical_mystery_tour/ |title=A pair of intriguing stops on California's magical mystery tour |publisher=[[The Boston Globe]] |date=28 March 2004 |last=McQuaid |first=Cate}}</ref> |
Prather died in January 1946; his son Bruce inherited the land and continued running the Mystery Spot with his father's business partner Vaden McCray. The McCray family was photographed for the ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' magazine spread on the Mystery Spot for their November 15, 1948, issue.<ref>{{cite news|title=Grace Anestine (Osterberg) McCray|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/santacruzsentinel/obituary.aspx?n=grace-anestine-mccray-osterberg&pid=88252320|accessdate=March 9, 2017|work=Santa Cruz Sentinel|publisher=Santa Cruz Sentinel|date=May 22, 2007|ref=5}}</ref> McCray died in 2001; Bruce Prather died in 2015.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bruce Leonard Prather|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/santacruzsentinel/obituary.aspx?pid=176195421|accessdate=March 10, 2017|work=Santa Cruz Sentinel|publisher=Santa Cruz Sentinel|date=October 25, 2015|ref=4}}</ref> Christopher Smith now owns the property.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archive.boston.com/travel/articles/2004/03/28/a_pair_of_intriguing_stops_on_californias_magical_mystery_tour/ |title=A pair of intriguing stops on California's magical mystery tour |publisher=[[The Boston Globe]] |date=28 March 2004 |last=McQuaid |first=Cate}}</ref> |
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In July 2004, the Mystery Spot was nominated to be designated a [[California Historical Landmarks in Santa Cruz County, California|California Historical Landmark]], and received its designation (#1055) in August 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=2014 Annual Report|url=http://www.ohp.parks.ca.gov/pages/1067/files/2014%20SHRC%20Annual%20Report_web.pdf|website=Office of Historic Preservation California State Parks Natural Resources Agency State of California|publisher=California State Parks|accessdate=March 10, 2017|ref=3}}</ref> |
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==Geography== |
==Geography== |
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The site is |
The site is in [[Santa Cruz, California]] among the [[Santa Cruz Mountains|Santa Cruz mountains]], [[Oak trees]], [[Eucalyptus tree]]s, near [[Granite Creek (Tulare County)|Granite Creek]], and within the [[California Redwoods|California Redwood forest]]. It is home to a man-made [[dahlia]] garden along the [[hiking trail]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Clark|first1=Samantha|title=Santa Cruz Mystery Spot at 75: the Story, the Speculation, the Science|url=http://kazu.org/post/santa-cruz-mystery-spot-75-story-speculation-science#stream/0|accessdate=March 8, 2017|work=90.3 KAZU|publisher=90.3 KAZU|date=June 20, 2016|ref=5}}</ref> |
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==Explanation== |
==Explanation== |
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[[File:Leaning on a table.jpg|thumb|upright|The classic ''[[Titanic (1997 film)|Titanic]]'' pose is possible on a table at The Mystery Spot]] |
[[File:Leaning on a table.jpg|thumb|upright|The classic ''[[Titanic (1997 film)|Titanic]]'' pose is possible on a table at The Mystery Spot]] |
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[[File:Guide leaning on table at The Mystery Spot.jpg|thumb|upright|Guide leaning on top of a table at The Mystery Spot]] |
[[File:Guide leaning on table at The Mystery Spot.jpg|thumb|upright|Guide leaning on top of a table at The Mystery Spot]] |
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The Mystery Spot is a [[gravity hill]], tilt-induced [[visual illusion]]. The illusion experienced by visitors results from the oddly tilted environment as well as standing on a tilted floor. Inside the tilted room |
The Mystery Spot is a [[gravity hill]], tilt-induced [[visual illusion]]. The illusion experienced by visitors results from the oddly tilted environment as well as standing on a tilted floor. Inside the tilted room, misperceptions of the height and orientation of objects occur.<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.berkeley.edu/news/berkeleyan/1998/0909/spot.html|title = Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained|last = McBroom|first = Patricia|date = September 9, 1998|work = The Berkeleyan|access-date = September 7, 2015}}</ref> Even when people are standing outside on a level ground, the slant of the building in the background causes misperceptions as humans judge the height of people using the slant of the roof rather than the true horizon.<ref name="Shimamura">{{cite journal |doi=10.1111/1467-9280.00196 |author1=Shimamura, A. P. |author2=Prinzmetal, W. |name-list-style=amp |title=The Mystery Spot Illusion and its Relation to Other Visual Illusions |journal=[[Psychological Science (journal)|Psychological Science]] |volume=10|pages=501–507 |date=November 1999 |issue=6 |url=http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~shimlab/1999_Shim-Prinz_MystSpot.pdf |citeseerx=10.1.1.17.5835}}</ref> |
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These visual illusions include balls rolling uphill and people leaning farther than normally possible without falling down.<ref>"Paranormal and Transcendental Experience." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. March 19, 2017.</ref> Psychologists at Berkeley state that all of the misperceptions stem from the simple fact that the house is slanted at a 20 |
These visual illusions include balls rolling uphill and people leaning farther than normally possible without falling down.<ref>"Paranormal and Transcendental Experience." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. March 19, 2017.</ref> Psychologists at Berkeley state that all of the misperceptions stem from the simple fact that the house is slanted at a 20° angle.<ref>"09.09.98 - Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained." 09.09.98 - Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained. Office of Public Affairs, UC Berkeley, n.d. Web. March 19, 2017.</ref> Professor William Prinzmetal states, "When the perceiver's body also is tilted, the distorting impact on vision is greatly magnified—up to two or three times."<ref>"09.09.98 - Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained." 09.09.98 - Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained. Office of Public Affairs, UC Berkeley, n.d. Web. March 19, 2017.</ref> Another point he makes is that distorted orientation causes other senses to fall back while one's visual senses become heightened.<ref>"09.09.98 - Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained." 09.09.98 - Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained. Office of Public Affairs, UC Berkeley, n.d. Web. March 19, 2017.</ref> People standing at impossible angles and water flowing uphill are related to the angle at which the house sits. |
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Other suggestions have been proposed to explain the reason behind The Mystery Spot's odd gravitational rules and illusions. Tour guides suggest that "a [[meteor]] which fell in ancient days and left a magic circle" is the cause behind the mystery,<ref>Yamanaka, Sharon. "The Mystery Spot." Santa Cruz County History - Santa Cruz Public Libraries. Santa Cruz County History, n.d. Web. March 15, 2017.</ref> and suggest that an [[electromagnetic field]] on the hill deters [[wildlife]].<ref>Yamanaka, Sharon. "The Mystery Spot." Santa Cruz County History - Santa Cruz Public Libraries. Santa Cruz County History, n.d. Web. March 15, 2017.</ref> These are |
Other suggestions have been proposed to explain the reason behind The Mystery Spot's odd gravitational rules and illusions. Tour guides suggest that "a [[meteor]] which fell in ancient days and left a magic circle" is the cause behind the mystery,<ref>Yamanaka, Sharon. "The Mystery Spot." Santa Cruz County History - Santa Cruz Public Libraries. Santa Cruz County History, n.d. Web. March 15, 2017.</ref> and suggest that an [[electromagnetic field]] on the hill deters [[wildlife]].<ref>Yamanaka, Sharon. "The Mystery Spot." Santa Cruz County History - Santa Cruz Public Libraries. Santa Cruz County History, n.d. Web. March 15, 2017.</ref> These theories are proposed for entertainment, not scientific reasoning.<ref>Gullickson, Christina. "Top 10 Things to Do in Santa Cruz County before You Die: No. 6 Take a Tour of the Famous Mystery Spot." Santa Cruz Sentinel. Santa Cruz Sentinel, July 15, 2012. Web. March 16, 2017</ref> |
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==Cultural relevance== |
==Cultural relevance== |
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The Mystery Spot was the first "gravity-defying" tourist attraction in California and was the most prominent illusion-based tourist attraction in California in the mid-20th century.<ref>News Advisory. Washington, DC: United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1991. July 30, 2014. Web. March 8, 2017. |
The Mystery Spot was the first "gravity-defying" tourist attraction in California and was the most prominent illusion-based tourist attraction in California in the mid-20th century.<ref>News Advisory. Washington, DC: United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1991. July 30, 2014. Web. March 8, 2017. |
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</ref> |
</ref> It has been featured on [[BuzzFeed]], and in the ''[[Santa Cruz Sentinel]]'' and other newspapers, comic strips, and travel blogs for decades.<ref>"In The Press | Gallery | The Mystery Spot - Santa Cruz, CALIF." MysterySpot.com. N.p., n.d. Web. March 16, 2017. <https://www.mysteryspot.com/in-the-press>.</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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* [[Confusion Hill]], a smiliar roadside attraction in [[Piercy, California]] |
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* [[Oregon Vortex]], a similar roadside attraction in [[Gold Hill, Oregon]] |
* [[Oregon Vortex]], a similar roadside attraction in [[Gold Hill, Oregon]] |
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* [[The Wonder Spot]], a similar attraction in Wisconsin |
* [[The Wonder Spot]], a similar attraction in Wisconsin |
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Latest revision as of 20:29, 28 May 2024
| Mystery Spot | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | 465 Mystery Spot Rd, Santa Cruz, California |
| Coordinates | 37°00′45″N 122°00′06″W / 37.012601°N 122.001795°W |
| Reference no. | 1055[1] |
  Location of Mystery Spot in California | |
The Mystery Spot is a tourist attraction near Santa Cruz, California, opened in 1939 by George Prather.[2] Visitors experience demonstrations that appear to defy gravity, on the short but steep uphill walk and inside a wooden building on the site. It is a popular tourist attraction, and gained recognition as a roadside "gravity box" or "tilted house".[3][4] The site is what is known as a gravity hill and was the first of its kind to be built in California.
History
[edit]
The Mystery Spot was opened by George Prather in 1939. Prather was an electrician, mechanic, and inventor who was born near Fresno and moved to Santa Cruz in 1920. He owned a welding shop and repair garage in the area before he opened the Mystery Spot. One of several roadside attractions that opened after World War II for new automobile owners, the Mystery Spot was featured on Art Baker's television show You Asked for It.
Prather was inspired to open the site by the popularity of the Oregon Vortex, which opened to the public in 1930. According to a newspaper report, Prather bought three acres on the hill in 1940 after he felt slightly dizzy while walking and was interested in his dizziness. The newspaper also reported that during further exploration of his property he found his compass jittering. He built a "crazy house" and opened the site to the public in June 1941. Tour guides lead visitors through the attraction and perform various demonstrations to showcase the site's unusual effects.[5]
Prather died in January 1946; his son Bruce inherited the land and continued running the Mystery Spot with his father's business partner Vaden McCray. The McCray family was photographed for the Life magazine spread on the Mystery Spot for their November 15, 1948, issue.[6] McCray died in 2001; Bruce Prather died in 2015.[7] Christopher Smith now owns the property.[8]
In July 2004, the Mystery Spot was nominated to be designated a California Historical Landmark, and received its designation (#1055) in August 2014.[9]
Geography
[edit]The site is in Santa Cruz, California among the Santa Cruz mountains, Oak trees, Eucalyptus trees, near Granite Creek, and within the California Redwood forest. It is home to a man-made dahlia garden along the hiking trail.[10]
Explanation
[edit]
The Mystery Spot is a gravity hill, tilt-induced visual illusion. The illusion experienced by visitors results from the oddly tilted environment as well as standing on a tilted floor. Inside the tilted room, misperceptions of the height and orientation of objects occur.[11] Even when people are standing outside on a level ground, the slant of the building in the background causes misperceptions as humans judge the height of people using the slant of the roof rather than the true horizon.[12]
These visual illusions include balls rolling uphill and people leaning farther than normally possible without falling down.[13] Psychologists at Berkeley state that all of the misperceptions stem from the simple fact that the house is slanted at a 20° angle.[14] Professor William Prinzmetal states, "When the perceiver's body also is tilted, the distorting impact on vision is greatly magnified—up to two or three times."[15] Another point he makes is that distorted orientation causes other senses to fall back while one's visual senses become heightened.[16] People standing at impossible angles and water flowing uphill are related to the angle at which the house sits.
Other suggestions have been proposed to explain the reason behind The Mystery Spot's odd gravitational rules and illusions. Tour guides suggest that "a meteor which fell in ancient days and left a magic circle" is the cause behind the mystery,[17] and suggest that an electromagnetic field on the hill deters wildlife.[18] These theories are proposed for entertainment, not scientific reasoning.[19]
Cultural relevance
[edit]The Mystery Spot was the first "gravity-defying" tourist attraction in California and was the most prominent illusion-based tourist attraction in California in the mid-20th century.[20] It has been featured on BuzzFeed, and in the Santa Cruz Sentinel and other newspapers, comic strips, and travel blogs for decades.[21]
See also
[edit]- Confusion Hill, a smiliar roadside attraction in Piercy, California
- Oregon Vortex, a similar roadside attraction in Gold Hill, Oregon
- The Wonder Spot, a similar attraction in Wisconsin
References
[edit]- ^ "The Mystery Spot". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
- ^ Lamers, Chantal (July 22, 2007). "Gravitational tourist draw". The Orange County Register. The Orange County Register. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
- ^ News Advisory. Washington, DC: United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1991. July 30, 2014. Web. March 8, 2017.
- ^ McBroom, Patricia. "Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained." Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained. Office of Public Affairs, UC Berkeley, September 9, 1998. Web. March 15, 2017.
- ^ Bready, Lowell (June 13, 1941). "Mystery Spot - You Never Saw a Crazier Place - Opens Sunday for your Amazement". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
- ^ "Grace Anestine (Osterberg) McCray". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Santa Cruz Sentinel. May 22, 2007. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
- ^ "Bruce Leonard Prather". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Santa Cruz Sentinel. October 25, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
- ^ McQuaid, Cate (March 28, 2004). "A pair of intriguing stops on California's magical mystery tour". The Boston Globe.
- ^ "2014 Annual Report" (PDF). Office of Historic Preservation California State Parks Natural Resources Agency State of California. California State Parks. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
- ^ Clark, Samantha (June 20, 2016). "Santa Cruz Mystery Spot at 75: the Story, the Speculation, the Science". 90.3 KAZU. 90.3 KAZU. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
- ^ McBroom, Patricia (September 9, 1998). "Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained". The Berkeleyan. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
- ^ Shimamura, A. P. & Prinzmetal, W. (November 1999). "The Mystery Spot Illusion and its Relation to Other Visual Illusions" (PDF). Psychological Science. 10 (6): 501–507. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.17.5835. doi:10.1111/1467-9280.00196.
- ^ "Paranormal and Transcendental Experience." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. March 19, 2017.
- ^ "09.09.98 - Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained." 09.09.98 - Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained. Office of Public Affairs, UC Berkeley, n.d. Web. March 19, 2017.
- ^ "09.09.98 - Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained." 09.09.98 - Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained. Office of Public Affairs, UC Berkeley, n.d. Web. March 19, 2017.
- ^ "09.09.98 - Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained." 09.09.98 - Santa Cruz "Mystery Spot" Explained. Office of Public Affairs, UC Berkeley, n.d. Web. March 19, 2017.
- ^ Yamanaka, Sharon. "The Mystery Spot." Santa Cruz County History - Santa Cruz Public Libraries. Santa Cruz County History, n.d. Web. March 15, 2017.
- ^ Yamanaka, Sharon. "The Mystery Spot." Santa Cruz County History - Santa Cruz Public Libraries. Santa Cruz County History, n.d. Web. March 15, 2017.
- ^ Gullickson, Christina. "Top 10 Things to Do in Santa Cruz County before You Die: No. 6 Take a Tour of the Famous Mystery Spot." Santa Cruz Sentinel. Santa Cruz Sentinel, July 15, 2012. Web. March 16, 2017
- ^ News Advisory. Washington, DC: United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1991. July 30, 2014. Web. March 8, 2017.
- ^ "In The Press | Gallery | The Mystery Spot - Santa Cruz, CALIF." MysterySpot.com. N.p., n.d. Web. March 16, 2017. <https://www.mysteryspot.com/in-the-press>.
External links
[edit]- Mystery Spot official website (California)
- Video Tour of the Mystery Spot (California)