Posted in Arkansas October 25, 2021 by

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.

The Mystery Grave is in Van Buren’s Fairview Cemetery.
Eringrapejuice/Wikimedia
First established in 1816 as a private burial ground, it’s Crawford County’s oldest cemetery.
The cemetery is no stranger to interesting gravesites.
Valis55/Wikimedia
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.
Of all the gravesites in Fairview Cemetery, none are quite as intriguing as the Mystery Grave.
Friends Of Fairview Cemetery - Van Buren, AR/Facebook
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.
Over the years, there have been several theories regarding the occupant’s identity.
Jacques Reich/Wikimedia
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.
Others allege the grave belongs to a Viking.
Mike Yeakley/Google
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.
A more recent theory says that the grave isn’t that mysterious at all.
Mike Yeakley/Google
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.
So, what do you think? Does the Mystery Grave belong to a 14th century Viking, a 16th century Spanish explorer, or a 19th century frontiersman?
Mike Yeakley/Google
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