In February 1997, a mysterious caller named Mel Waters contacted Art Bell’s Coast to Coast AM radio show, claiming he had found a bottomless pit near Ellensburg, Washington, with bizarre and supernatural properties.
Mel’s Strange Claims
Mel Waters described a mysterious “hole” on his rural property that, according to him, had no measurable bottom. He claimed to have lowered 80,000 feet of fishing line without ever hitting the bottom and noted the absence of any echo when objects were dropped in. Even stranger, Waters alleged the pit had the power to resurrect dead animals.
Government Involvement and Alleged Cover-Up
Waters elaborated that the U.S. government took over his land under dubious circumstances, using a fake plane crash as a cover story. He said they forced him to move to Australia and abducted him when he returned to the United States. However, no official documentation has ever supported these claims.
Investigations and Contradictions
Over the years, several investigations into Mel’s Hole have struggled to uncover any supporting evidence. No property records of a Mel Waters exist in Kittitas County, Washington. Additionally, there is no physical trace of the infamous hole nor have any credible witnesses verified his story.
- No official or geological records mention such a deep hole existing in the region
- Geologists agree that a 9-foot-wide vertical shaft would collapse under its own pressure at great depths
- Waters refused to give exact coordinates, preventing verification
Scientific Impossibilities
Beyond a lack of physical evidence, Waters’ claims openly defy the laws of physics and geology.
- A natural hole descending 80,000 feet (over 15 miles) would require extreme structural reinforcement
- The Earth’s crust is not known to support such a formation without engineering intervention
- Sound waves would produce an echo unless abnormal atmospheric or material conditions existed
Mel’s Hole in Modern Culture
Despite the lack of substantiation, Mel’s Hole remains a popular modern legend. It has become a frequent topic on Coast to Coast AM, and it continues to thrive across various digital platforms including YouTube, podcasts, TikTok, and online forums.
- Online communities dissect Mel’s appearances and theories in detail
- Podcasts explore whether the story represents classic American folklore or elaborate hoax
- Some enthusiasts continue to search Washington’s backcountry for the mythical hole
Ultimately, Mel’s Hole serves as a compelling case study in how fringe tales and urban legends evolve, leveraging mass media and the internet to reach new generations of curious minds.
A Man Called Art Bell’s Radio Show with an Impossible Claim
On February 21, 1997, a mysterious caller changed the landscape of American urban legends forever. The man identifying himself as Mel Waters dialed into Coast to Coast AM, Art Bell’s legendary late-night radio program known for exploring paranormal phenomena and unexplained mysteries. What Mel shared that evening would capture imaginations across the country and spawn decades of speculation.
The Location and Initial Description
Mel described discovering what he called a bottomless pit approximately nine miles west of Ellensburg in Kittitas County, Washington. According to his account, this wasn’t just any ordinary hole in the ground. He claimed the pit possessed extraordinary characteristics that defied conventional physics and understanding. The most striking feature Mel described was the complete absence of an echo when objects were dropped into the opening.
During his call to Art Bell’s show, Mel explained that he’d conducted numerous experiments with the hole. He reported dropping various items into the depths, from small rocks to discarded appliances, yet never heard the sound of anything hitting bottom. This claim immediately set the mysterious pit apart from known geological formations.
The Radio Show’s Impact
Coast to Coast AM had built its reputation on featuring discussions about urban legends, conspiracy theories, and unexplained phenomena. Bell’s program attracted millions of late-night listeners eager to hear about mysterious encounters and supernatural claims. Mel’s call fit perfectly into this format, but something about his matter-of-fact delivery and detailed descriptions resonated differently with audiences.
The caller’s refusal to reveal the exact coordinates of what became known as Mel’s Hole only added to the intrigue. This decision sparked intense curiosity among listeners who began their own investigations throughout the region. Amateur explorers and conspiracy theorists descended upon Kittitas County, searching for evidence of this allegedly bottomless pit. Despite numerous expeditions and investigations over the years, no one has definitively located the hole Mel described, leading many to question whether it exists at all or if it represents something far more extraordinary than initially claimed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV_Xz6Y6zXo
The Extraordinary Properties That Defied Physics
Mel Waters presented claims about his hole that challenged fundamental scientific understanding. According to Waters, he lowered 80,000 feet of fishing line into the opening without ever reaching the bottom. This assertion defied basic geological principles, as massive sinkholes typically have discoverable depths. To put this extraordinary claim in perspective, the Mariana Trench – Earth’s deepest known natural feature – reaches approximately 36,000 feet below sea level.
The alleged bottomless nature represented just one aspect of the hole’s supposed supernatural characteristics. Waters insisted the opening produced no echo when objects were dropped inside, contradicting basic acoustic physics. Sound waves should reflect back from any solid surface, yet Waters claimed complete acoustic absorption occurred within this mysterious void.
Paranormal Claims and Resurrection Stories
Perhaps the most extraordinary assertion involved the hole’s alleged ability to reverse death itself. Waters recounted a story about a neighbor who threw his recently deceased dog into the opening. According to this account, the animal later reappeared alive in the area, though with subtle differences that suggested something had fundamentally changed during its time below.
The paranormal attributes extended beyond resurrection claims. Waters described experiencing an electrically charged atmosphere near the hole’s edge, as if the opening generated its own electromagnetic field. He insisted this force field prevented birds from flying directly over the opening, creating an invisible barrier that wildlife instinctively avoided.
Energy absorption represented another claimed property that defied conventional physics. Waters suggested the hole consumed various forms of energy, acting like a cosmic drain that pulled in more than just physical matter. Some researchers have noted similarities between such claims and theoretical discussions about dimensional portals or wormholes.
The echo-less property particularly puzzled those familiar with acoustic science. Standard physics dictates that sound waves reflect off surfaces, creating echoes that help determine depth and composition. Waters’ insistence that no sound returned from the depths suggested either impossible acoustic dampening or a void that extended beyond normal dimensional boundaries.
These extraordinary claims positioned Mel’s Hole as something far beyond a simple geological formation, presenting it instead as a phenomenon that challenged established scientific understanding across multiple disciplines.
Government Cover-Up and Conspiracy Allegations
Mel Waters’ account took a dramatic turn when he claimed the U.S. government forcibly seized his property. According to Waters, officials used a plane crash as the official justification for taking control of his land, though he maintained this explanation was merely a convenient cover story. He described witnessing men in biohazard suits conducting mysterious operations around the hole, suggesting authorities were aware of the anomaly’s true nature and potential dangers.
Forced Relocation and Alleged Abduction
Waters alleged that government agents offered him substantial compensation to vacate his property permanently and relocate to Australia. He claimed to have accepted this arrangement, living abroad for several years before eventually returning to the United States. Upon his return, Waters described a terrifying encounter where government agents allegedly abducted him. He pointed to physical evidence of this ordeal, including unexplained IV marks on his arms and missing teeth, which he attributed to interrogation procedures.
The conspiracy allegations extended beyond Waters’ personal experiences. Early satellite imagery and online mapping services reportedly showed large blacked-out sections covering the general area where Mel’s Hole was supposedly located. This satellite blackout fueled widespread speculation among conspiracy theorists who viewed it as deliberate government censorship to hide the anomaly from public view.
Discovery of the Nevada Site
Waters later claimed he discovered a second bottomless hole in Nevada, this one featuring distinct characteristics that set it apart from the original Washington location. The Nevada hole allegedly contained a metal collar or ring lining the shaft’s opening, with the metal worn completely smooth from unknown forces or extended use. Waters described the atmosphere around this second site as feeling unusually heavy and thick, creating an oppressive sensation that differed markedly from his first discovery.
He attributed these unique features to local Native American and Basque cultural traditions, suggesting the metal collar might have been installed by indigenous peoples or early settlers for ceremonial or practical purposes. This second discovery intensified conspiracy theories about government knowledge of multiple anomalous sites across the American West. The smooth-worn metal collar particularly intrigued listeners, as it implied centuries of interaction between humans and whatever forces existed within these mysterious depths, raising questions about how long authorities might have been monitoring such locations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJHSBoxDOME
Investigations Found No Evidence of Mel’s Hole
When investigators set out to verify Mel Waters’ extraordinary claims, they discovered a complete absence of supporting evidence. Multiple searches and expeditions to the alleged location in Kittitas County have yielded nothing—no hole, no property records, and no trace of the mysterious site that captivated radio audiences.
Official records tell a compelling story of their own. No documentation exists showing a Mel Waters ever owned property in Kittitas County, despite his detailed descriptions of living near the supposed bottomless pit. This glaring absence of basic property records raises immediate red flags about the entire narrative.
A particularly thorough investigation in 2002 brought together reporters and skeptics who conducted an extensive expedition to find the hole. Their systematic search of the described area produced no credible witnesses, no physical evidence, and certainly no mysterious opening in the earth. Local residents, when questioned, had no knowledge of such a phenomenon in their community.
Scientific Reality Contradicts the Claims
The physics behind Mel’s story simply don’t hold up under scientific scrutiny. Engineers and geologists have pointed out that a hole approximately 9 feet wide cannot maintain structural stability at the depths Waters claimed. The earth’s geological composition makes such a formation impossible without extensive artificial support systems that would leave obvious evidence.
Consider the massive sinkhole with an ancient forest inside—even these dramatic natural formations have clear physical limits and observable characteristics. Earth’s deepest known excavation, the Kola Superdeep Borehole, reaches approximately 40,230 feet deep, yet Waters claimed his hole had no measurable bottom despite being supposedly natural.
The story fits a familiar pattern found in folklore worldwide. Tales of bottomless pits appear in cultures across the globe, from European legends to Native American traditions. These stories often serve as cautionary tales or explanations for mysterious local phenomena, but they rarely represent literal truth.
Every credible investigation has reached the same conclusion: Mel’s Hole exists only in the imagination. The complete lack of physical evidence, official records, and credible witnesses, combined with the scientific impossibility of such a formation, strongly indicates an elaborate hoax. While the story continues to fascinate listeners and internet enthusiasts, the overwhelming evidence points to a fictional creation rather than a genuine mystery.
The Enduring Legacy of a Modern Rural Myth
Mel’s Hole has become a fascinating case study in how urban legends evolve and thrive in the digital age. Unlike traditional folklore that spreads through oral tradition, this mysterious tale has found new life across multiple online platforms. Podcasters regularly feature the story in their paranormal episodes, while YouTube documentaries explore every angle of the supposed bottomless pit. Massive sinkholes have captured public imagination before, but few have achieved the lasting cultural impact of Mel’s tale.
Digital Storytelling and Social Media Amplification
TikTok creators have embraced the mystery with short-form videos that introduce new generations to the legend. These bite-sized retellings often add contemporary twists, incorporating modern conspiracy theories and pop culture references. The platform’s algorithm ensures that each new interpretation reaches audiences who might never have encountered the story otherwise. YouTube’s long-form content allows for deeper dives into the mythology, with creators analyzing radio recordings and examining photographic “evidence.”
The story’s adaptability has proven crucial to its survival. Each retelling introduces fresh elements while maintaining the core mystery of an impossibly deep hole with strange properties. Government conspiracy angles have woven themselves into the narrative, suggesting cover-ups and secret research projects. Some versions now include connections to alien activity, transforming the simple tale of a bottomless pit into something far more elaborate.
Academic Interest and Cultural Analysis
Researchers studying modern myth-making point to Mel’s Hole as a perfect example of how internet folklore develops. The story demonstrates several key characteristics that folklorists recognize in successful urban legends:
- It features an ordinary person encountering something extraordinary
- Includes specific but unverifiable details
- Taps into broader cultural anxieties about government secrecy and unexplained phenomena
Paranormal blogs continue to dissect every aspect of the tale, from analyzing the original radio interviews to investigating similar claims from other locations. Academic discussions about extraterrestrial presence have influenced how some interpret the story’s more outlandish elements. The lack of concrete evidence hasn’t weakened the legend; instead, it’s allowed the story to grow and adapt without being constrained by facts.
What makes this particular modern myth so compelling is its grounding in rural American experience. The story resonates with listeners who understand the isolation of rural life and the possibility that strange things might exist in remote locations. The tale plays on fundamental fears about the unknown depths beneath our feet while offering the tantalizing possibility that extraordinary discoveries might be hiding in plain sight.
The digital age has allowed for real-time collective storytelling, where each new version of the tale builds upon previous iterations. Forums and comment sections become collaborative spaces where people add their own details or offer explanations for the phenomena described. This participatory element transforms passive listeners into active contributors to the legend’s evolution.
Modern retellings often incorporate elements from other urban legends and conspiracy theories, creating a rich tapestry of interconnected folklore. The story has become a touchstone for discussions about how communities create and maintain shared beliefs, even in the absence of verifiable evidence. Its persistence across multiple platforms and decades demonstrates the enduring human fascination with mystery and the unknown.
The tale’s influence extends beyond mere entertainment, serving as a lens through which researchers examine how information spreads in the digital age. It illustrates how stories can gain legitimacy through repetition and how the medium of transmission affects the message itself. Each platform that hosts the story — from traditional radio to modern social media — shapes how audiences receive and interpret the tale, ensuring its continued evolution and relevance in contemporary culture.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV-UuzEznHs
Sources:
Ancient Origins: “The Curious Case of Mel’s Hole – Did it Ever Exist?”
Wikipedia: “Mel’s Hole”
Listverse: “10 Unbelievable Facts About Mel’s Hole”
YouTube: “Scientists Finally Solved Mel’s Hole Mystery And It’s Terrible” (Beyond Discovery)
YouTube: “The Pit to Nowhere – Uncovering the Mystery Behind Mel’s Hole” (Mr. DeMaio)
YouTube: “The Curious Case of Mel’s Hole”
YouTube: “The Mysterious Hole The US Government is Hiding (Mel’s Hole)”
TikTok: “Mels Hole Debunked”
