Posted in Arkansas
October 25, 2021
The Mystery Grave In Arkansas Has Spurred Some Of The South’s Most Intriguing Legends
It’s quite possible that no unidentified grave has caused as much of a stir as the Mystery Grave in Arkansas. The occupant’s identity has been a mystery for years. And while there’s still no definite answer as to who is buried in the mysterious gravesite, there are lots of interesting theories.

First established in 1816 as a private burial ground, it’s Crawford County’s oldest cemetery.

It’s the final resting place of hundreds of Confederate soldiers as well as some of Van Buren’s first settlers and prominent leaders from the Arkansas River Valley.

Eye-catching to say the least, it’s made of four stones, which have been strategically placed to form a rectangle. At one time, a fifth stone sat atop the other four, forming a roof, but it’s since been removed.

One of the most common theories is that he was a soldier from the Hernando de Soto expedition. Hernando de Soto and his men were in Arkansas in 1542.

The Viking theory came about in the 1970s, and was, in part, based on the fact that one of the Mystery Grave’s stones looks similar to the runestones used by Vikings between the 4th and 12th centuries.

The Mystery Grave's stone structure might seem strange now but it was actually pretty common around the early 1800s. Back then, people used durable items, like stones and logs, to build enclosures to protect graves from wild animals. Also, the grave is positioned in a traditional East-West manner AND is aligned with other graves in the plot of the Thompson family, a pioneer family of Van Buren.

More likely than not, it’s the grave of a frontiersman, but it’s still fun to imagine the possibilities.
Want to learn more about the historic Fairview Cemetery? Check out the Friends of Fairview Cemetery Facebook page.
So, did you know about Fairview Cemetery? What about the Mystery Grave? Heard any other stories about the grave? Have you ever visited it? Tell us!
This isn’t the only historic graveyard in Arkansas. Click here to read about a ghost town cemetery in Arkansas that will chill you to the bone.
Address: Fairview Cemetery, Van Buren, AR 72956, USA