The glowing tombstone. Most everyone who grew up in Kossuth County knows exactly what I am referencing. And most of you reading this likely have a similar spooky story about a graveyard structure in your hometown.
Our glowing tombstone was located in a cemetery in St. Joe, Iowa, just south of Algona on Highway 169 in the northern part of the state. As teenagers driving through the cemetery at night, one couldn’t help but notice a certain monument that would appear to glow in the dark. I don’t know whose tombstone it was, as none of us were willing to take a look, at least not at night. The closer we would drive to the tombstone, the more it would shine, until it would go black.
The skeptics said the “glow” came from a series of reflections of headlights that would shine on the marker. They were probably right, but that doesn’t make for a very scary story. And this was scary. The glowing tombstone was a popular place to take fellow teenagers and get a good laugh when hearing them scream, especially when another friend would hide behind the tombstone and jump out at just the right moment.
I was reminded of the glowing tombstone when I received a note from Mike Rowley, whom I have mentioned in this column previously. Mike and others are working on the 175th Anniversary of Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines, and he asked for some help on a popular monument commonly referred to as “Green Eyes” that was once there.
Mike shared two local newspaper articles with me that included information on a monument “that made passing motorists along the south side of the cemetery on Woodland avenue have gooseflesh.”
An article from 1935 in The Des Moines Tribune said the monument consisted of “a large ball atop a shaft, that when you pass it two eyes seem to stare at you from the ball.” These eyeballs, it appears, were created from a side reflection of light. Sure.
An article from 1990 in The Des Moines Register also referenced this “spherical, granite tombstone that gave the illusion of two cat’s eyes following foolish trespassers’ movements.”
The monument is no longer in place due to past damage, vandalism or other unknown reasons, but Mike wonders if anyone has knowledge of the stone, has a photo, would recognize it, or knows whose grave it was on. If you do, shoot him a note at MJR1825@gmail.com.
And if you have a glowing tombstone or similar story of your own, pass it along to me to share.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com
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