Marker No. 16, Fort Ancient

An Ozarks family is looking for others that share an ancient connection, and their interest in restoring and preserving a historic site. Chris Gray and his father, Jerry, have found the site known as Fort Ancient or Spanish Fort in Lawrence County. It’s where many of their ancestors are buried. It’s also on the National Register of Historic Places for what it was long before a cemetery.

“Being an ancient historic site, and being on the historical register, I think it’s important we take care of it,” said Gray. They hope others will want to share in picking up the pieces, and preserving this place for the future.

“Lawrence County was full of the Allen family, the Faucet family, the Gatton family and some other families that are buried here. We’re asking for everybody’s help,” Gray said.

The people who used to take care of the site are unable to do so anymore. Now the Grays, who actually live around the Cassville area, plan to start a serious clean-up effort at the site near Hoberg in Lawrence County. They want to straighten and fix stones and trim back limbs Oct. 30 and 31. They’re looking for descendents or anyone interested. Call (417) 342-0287 if you would like to help.

From the Springfield-Greene County Historical Markers Index

A small secluded cemetery, dating back to 1880, is located on an Ozark Mountain ridge in Lawrence County, about three miles southeast of Hoberg. Probably the cemetery site was selected because it was conveniently level; it had served earlier as the location of Fort Ancient.

On Sunday, October 12, 1930, an appropriate marker provided by the University Club of Springfield was dedicated. Dr. F. T. H’Doubler delivered the dedicatory address and the marker was unveiled by Dr. E. M. Shepard. Made of granite, it is six feet high, two feet wide and eight inches thick. Little if any vandalism is evident after more than half a century, probably due to the isolated location. The text on the marker reads as follows (pictured above):

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 ITS GREATEST CULMINATION. THIS TRIBE PROBABLY HAD ITS VILLAGE IN THE VALLEY AND USED THESE FORTIFICATIONS FOR DEFENCE. 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.

On the reverse side of the marker, possibly to placate the local folk, is inscribed: “Locally known as the Old Spanish Fort”. This refers to the fact that the site was formerly known as Spanish Fort, particularly by the local residents of the region. It was designated Fort Ancient after a study of more than 40 years by Dr. E. M. Shepard, an archeologist and geologist.

Dr. Shepard had been employed by the State of Missouri to write about the geology of the district. From his prolonged study, it seems probable that the Mound Builder Indians were the creators of Fort Ancient. They were early Indians who fashioned burial mounds, fortifications and other earthworks found in the Middle West and Southeast. The Lawrence County ruins are much smaller than, but otherwise almost identical with, the immense Fort Ancient (in Ohio) which was known to have been constructed by the Mound Builders. The Ohio site was four miles in circumference compared to only a few hundred feet at Hoberg, but both were irregular circles with gateway openings and moats. Early Missouri pioneers described the walls as about five feet high and the moat as two feet deep; however, it is believed that the original distance from the top of the wall to the bottom of the moat was at least 15 feet.

–Prepared by James Allwood

PIERCE CITY, Mo. — It’s a tough year to put a bond issue before voters but the Pierce City School District has more than the usual obstacles. If you take one look at Pierce City Middle School, anyone can see “we need to upgrade our facilities,” said Principal Gayla DeGraffenreid.

Each classroom has its own issues. In one, the floor is warped, for example. The problems extend beyond the crowded classrooms: “no hot water.” Even beyond the building, “we have kids who walk out to classrooms.”

DeGraffenreid and Superintendent Russ Moreland say the classrooms are overstuffed. So, this April, the district is turning to the voters, asking them to approve a bond issue for the construction of a new school, and the removal of the old one. “With the help of two structural engineers and an architect, we decided it would be best to build new,” said Moreland. Not everyone agrees.

“It appears to be structurally sound. We could save the building and a considerable amount of money,” said Jay Bierkortte, president of the Pierce City Historical Society. The society sees the building, constructed in 1921, as an integral part of the town. “Especially because so much of the city disappeared in the tornado (in 2003), this is one of the largest structures left,” said Bierkortte.

Bierkortte acknowledges the problems but still thinks there’s a better option. “We hope eventually they get to build, update and preserve the building at the same time,” he said. “We appreciate and respect that but our concern is looking at it as an educational tool and resource for our kids,” said Moreland. And, while the district says the graduating class of 1922 had a wonderful resource, that generation’s state of the art building isn’t working for this generation of students.

If the bond issue passes, and the district goes forward with construction, Moreland says they hope to start building late this summer, and move students in the following school year.

Video of the KY3 Interviews