About 30 years ago, those living near Jerome noticed... something new.
"As we watched it being made, you just wondered," laughs Madeline Cardin.
When Larry Baggett bought the piece of land, he planned to make a campground, but that changed. Instead, he started creating.
"I don't know what all them meant to him or what he really had in mind in them. I just thought they was neat when he done them, and a lot of work was involved there," says George.
What he built is a tribute to the Trail of Tears. In the 1830's, the U.S. Government forced the Cherokee Indians off their land. They had to move, on foot, to Oklahoma.
"It was just a brutal and very horrendous ordeal," says Missouri State University history professor, Larry Burt.
"If they would get sick, couldn't keep up, elderly, etc... There wasn't a lot of mercy shown. So, there were simply a lot of tragic experiences," says Burt.
That trail runs through southern Missouri.
"It would have been a likely place to have camp for overnight and go on," says George.
The story is... Baggett said a spirit visited him in the middle of the night, telling him his home was blocking the trail. That's why he built stairs through his property and a memorial.
"Driving it every day, by it, I didn't realize, that that's what it was," says Madeline.
Baggett died in 2003, but you can still see much of his work from the road.
In 2005, North Carolina resident Marie Ryberg bought this property. While not much has changed over the past 5 years, she does have plans for it. She says she'll turn this into a herbal garden and natural healing center. She plans to incorporate all of Baggett's works, preserving what he created.
Whatever inspired the work, those living near it are happy it's there.
"I hate to see stuff like that go," says George.
And... happy to know it will be taken care of.
So, is there any truth to the story about the Cherokee spirits?
The new owner of the property tells KSPR paranormal experts have also shown interest in the land, to see if they can find anything.
Contact: dmagditch@kspr.com
