Several weeks ago, one of my colleagues asked if anyone had ever “ask-vanced” me about the headstone in the woods at Shelby Farms that marks the grave of Robert and Mary Mann, who died in the 1890s. It was, she said, along a trail that runs close to an old barn that is falling to pieces and — another surprise — a couple of abandoned cars from the 1950s.
The truth is that in recent months, I have actually received several inquiries about this mysterious tombstone, the barn, and the cars. But I did nothing about it because delving into this would require superhuman physical effort — namely, walking in the woods — and the Lauderdales have never been known for their wilderness adventures. Also, none of the previous queries gave me the precise location of these oddities, and the idea of getting lost in the forest, covered with ticks and brambles, just made my skin crawl.
But one pleasant Saturday afternoon, my colleague offered to guide me to this strange site, so off we went. I can’t really tell you the exact location, except that it’s in the far northeastern corner of the park. You basically start from Gate 13, hike across a field, then plunge into the woods and trudge along a dirt trail for what seems like 40 miles. And if you look closely, you’ll start to notice many interesting things.
