Spook Hill

Spook Hill is located in Lake Wales, FL and is a gravity hill (an optical illusion where cars appear to roll uphill).  After the Seminole Indians left the Cherokee nation they settled in central Florida.  One chief, Cufeowellax, settled on the lake now known as Lake Wailes.  It was close to Iron Mountain, the highest point in Florida, and was the sacred land to the Indians' Sun God.  A bull alligator kept attacking the village until one night a brave chief went out to conquer the evil spirit which he did.  The next morning the tribe noticed a small lake had formed near the big lake.  It was called Lake Ticowa.  Eventually the Indians lost their land to the white settlers.  Circuit riders carrying mail noticed that their horses always labored going downhill on this one part of the a trail near Lake Ticowa.  They called that part of the trail that goes downhill "Spook Hill".  Over the next several years the land of Lake Wailes became orange groves and the citrus workers would notice their mule teams struggled in the same area of the lake going downhill with their load.  It was paved years later and has become an attraction to Lake Wales.  I had heard about Spook Hill and have been wanting to visit it.  It really does work and it is fun, killing a few minutes, trying out the hill a few times.  An Elementary school was built near the hill and is called Spook Hill Elementary School.  The school's mascot is Caspar the friendly ghost.
Lake Wales, FL is located in Polk County.  Its population is 11,882 with a median income of $20,884 and a median age of 37.  Established near Lake Wailes in 1911 the town's name is Lake Wales with the spelling being different from the lake Lake Wailes.  The lake was named by a surveyor, Sidney Irving Wailes, in 1879 from it's then current name Watts Lake to Lake Wailes.  Lake Wales is considered the "Crown Jewel of the Ridge" and is known to be the friendliest small town in Florida.  In 1925 the railroad built a depot to join lines from Haines City to the Everglades.  In 2004 Lake Wales endured the affects of three hurricanes, Charley, Francis and Jeanne, that brought hurricane forced winds to the Lake Wales area within a space of 44 days.  We had lunch at Woody's BBQ and if the wait staff is any indication of the towns people then I would say that Lake Wales is a friendly town.  It is a nice town that happens to have some good attractions in the area.   It is a nice place to visit with a spooky twist!

I did post a video on Facebook of Spook Hill.  So check it out!