Mystery Hill or America’s Stonehenge is known for the incredible astronomical alignments it has been recognized to incorporate. It’s an extraordinary site with stone structures, walls, and other features of mysterious origins. The Stonehenge part of its title takes after the famous landmark named Stonehenge in the UK, which is also known to integrate unmistakable alignments to the skies. Both Stonehenges are enigmas to us today, albeit unrelated to each other.
America’s Stonehenge’s construction and dating is a bit of a controversial topic. Simply because there is a lack of concrete data to conclusively answer questions posed by the site. No one can say for certain who created the site, when the site was first constructed, or why the site was crafted. However, since the late 1950’s, when the site was taken over by Robert Stone and family, much research and study has been done to shed light on some of this Hill’s secrets. Questions are being answered and discoveries of exceptional value are now being made.
Before Robert Stone’s possession of the land, rumors of the area referred to the site as ‘Pattee’s Caves’. This name stems from past ownership of the land by the Pattee families from 1734 to 1863, and again from 1902 to 1927. Even though it was known there were mysterious stone edifices on his land, no one knew or cared much more about them. It was speculated he might have even created them.
Interestingly, between Pattee ownerships, during the latter part of the 1800’s, Mystery Hill was lumbered off and was used as a favorite picnic spot by locals. The view and fun from the stone crevices for kids to run around created a popular attraction for a day’s retreat.
It wasn’t until 1937, when William Goodwin, a renown antiquity collector, took title of Mystery Hill that serious attention or thought was given to the site. Goodwin’s excavations and research led him to propose the theory Culdee Monks traveled westward from Ireland and settled on Mystery Hill. He based this premise on very loose groundings, but news of Mystery Hill spread. It was news possibly confirming pre-Columbian contact and habitation from the Old World which therefore gained other interested parties.
Although excavations, studies, and research were conducted before Stone’s arrival to the site, much was done haphazardly, and artifacts found at those times have since been lost. Intrigue for the whole site took a remarkable turn when Bob Stone began to ponder the large standing stones surrounding the central site of the ‘caves’. He felt they were deliberately shaped and positioned on the land, and suspected the numerous standing stones aligned to the skies (stars, sunrises and sunsets) at important times of the year.
In 1970, after various failed attempts because of unreasonable weather conditions, Stone witnessed the sun setting behind one of the enigmatic stones on Mystery Hill. The day was the winter solstice, and instead of marking a time of oncoming darkness, it marked the oncoming of a brand new light shining on what this mysterious place could be.
Over the next several years, numerous other alignments with carefully honed and positioned stones were recognized. Because of the Earth’s movements over time, these alignments helped determine a date for when the stones might have been erected.
For instance, the believed ‘North Stone’ of America’s Stonehenge indicates it denotes the North Star of Thuban when it was such 4000 thousand years ago. This dating for positioning this Key Stone is supported by carbon date findings of 2000 BC for Mystery Hill as well. It would seem proof for a mysterious and much older people was beginning to be realized.
Other artifacts and carvings on stones (on location and in vicinity) were also discovered to support the growing theory that a sophisticated culture once roamed Mystery Hill. Ogham writings on a stone slab was found that suggested the possibility a Celtic origin for the site.
Continued study into the mystery is being done. Visitors to America’s Stonehenge are welcome to stroll around the stone edifices, walls, and standing stones of alignments. It’s an amazing location. One which lures you in to wonder ‘who was here before us?’
Here is a video of MW exploring the site:
I have an old picture of myself sprawling on the sacrificial table. Not very respectful, maybe but I was young then. I lean toward a Pattee origin for the place but it would still be an almost unthinkable effort to build it and the question of why can probably never be answered now-
Hi Madesquare….how cool! Young fun..all good :). The sky alignments, like what has been noticed for other ancient sites across the ocean, are what really makes me consider other origins than that of Pattee. And like you say, it’s difficult to imagine Pattee creating and taking the time to build so many structures. It’s quite extensive. One, maybe, but so many and such work put into them. Plus then we have the ‘speaking tube’ and other features of the site that just seem much more than playful fun of building…..it seems to suggest there was a major purpose for it all…. but yes, I suppose it will always remain true to its name- Mystery Hill- which is just as wonderful! 🙂
Mysterous Writings from Mysterous Hills what more could an attentative audience ask for:) I gotta say it’s always a pleasure when you two road trip, you never know where things might end up. Thanks for sharing.