Migrating Mound Builders

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

Great Fort Ancient in

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.

Orbs? Ghost? I wonder...

Located at Chester Cemetery in Chester, AR.

This was the only photo out of 200+ photos I took at this cemetery that theses orbs showed up.  It can not possibly be dust because it had just finished raining and everything was wet. So I wonder what it is.

James Nathan Cradduck

Dec 29, 1878

Nov 14, 1943

Springfield National Cemetery

This is the gate going into the Springfield National Cemetery located in Springfield, MO.

This is one of two statues located here.  Found on the Union side of the cemetery. It is placed high on a pedestal and I was unable to photograph the whole thing at once.

This is the information I found on this monument:

The Union Memorial, sometimes referred to as the T.J. Bailey monument, was erected in 1907.

This is the inscription that was on the bottom of the pedestal for the above statue.

Paranormal Experience And A Sad Story Of Murder All In One Cemetery.

My First Paranormal Experience In A Cemetery

My friend Theresa and I set out one blustery and cold morning in December for a day of explorations in the local cemeteries. Little did I know this would turn into an experience of the paranormal kind. 

We pulled up to the gate at Stone Cemetery in Noel, MO.  We sat in the van for a few minutes trying to decide weather or not we wanted to brave the cold for this small of a cemetery or come back when it was warmer.  We decide what the heck we were here might as well. 

Armed with a warm hoodie, a pair of fingerless gloves and my camera I climbed out of the van. As I approached the gate I got an odd feeling, like I was being watched.  I turned around to see if Theresa was watching me.  Nope, she was busying herself by getting her belongings from the back seat.   I swung open the gate and head towards the back of the cemetery. Glancing about half way through the cemetery, trying to determine my route, I noticed these stones.

(Located at Stone Cemetery in Noel, MO.)

Ghosts/Spirits?

What do you think? Ghost, dust or glare? This showed up only in this one photo out of about 200.

Haunted Stone?

I photographed this stone at Fairview Cemetery located in Joplin, MO.  While posting it on Find A Grave there was a story about it being haunted. The poster said "The reports say that cameras jam up and cars stop running and will not start again, and that you feel an errie presances around this stone".  Even though I did not experience any of the things that are said to happen. I do find the stone very beautiful.