This was an unexpected find while visiting a cemetery. Which you can see in the back ground of the historical marker. On the back of this marker it says "Locally known as the Old Spanish Fort" but it was named Fort Ancient after a study of more than 40 years by Dr. E. M. Shepard, an archaeologist and geologist.
Located at Spanish Fort Cemetery aka Fort Ancient Cemetery in Mount Vernon, MO.
Fort Ancient believed to
have been constructed
by a group of eastward
migrating mound builders,
a band of Indians
probably long antedating
the Osages, on their way
to what is now Ohio.
These earthworks are a
small replica of the
Ohio, where this
prehistoric group reached
it's greatest culmination.
This tribe probably had
it's village in the valley,
and used these
fortifications for defense.
First pioneers describe
the walls as originally
about 5 ft high and the
moat 2 ft deep.
Springfield University
Club Historical Marker
No. 16 Erected Oct 1930
I was unable to get photos of the mounds due to the over grown grass. But I was able to find this photo posted on http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM1300_FORT_ANCIENT_Ozark_Mountians By GEO*Trailblazer1.
You can see the mound that runs along under the marker and turns and runs left from the marker. The marker says the mounds were originally about 5 ft high, some believe they were as much as 15 ft high.
Springfield - Greene County Library
A Fun Note: This cemetery is said to be haunted and many have witnessed glowing red lights that sometimes appear around the cemetery. Guess I should plan a night time trip back with a video camera. Sadly I did not experience any paranormal activity while I was there.
