When it comes to roadside attractions in the Hoosier State, this one is historical and sacred. There is a strange grave located in the middle of a road in central Indiana for which locals have many legends. Check it out:
Franklin, Indiana is a moderate-sized town just south of Indianapolis in Johnson County. It is admired for its lovely parks and history museum, but there is one other strange attraction you’ll want to see when you visit as well.
Wikimedia Commons/Mingusboodle
Grave In The Middle Of The Road is recognized as a legitimate cemetery that sits in the center of East County Road 400 towards Amity. For many years, locals believed the plot belonged to just one person, but a recent excavation uncovered some unexpected finds.
Google/Aaron Haney
Nancy Kerlin Barnett is who everyone thought was buried in the strange grave. She was married at the age of 14 in 1808, and when she died 25 years later, her body was buried on her favorite hill that overlooked Sugar Creek. Around 1900, though, the county decided it wanted to build a road right through her grave.
Google/Aaron Haney
Barnett’s kin fought tooth and nail to preserve their family’s grave site. Both her son and grandson are said to have objected to relocating the grave. The grandson even kept watch over her grave with a shotgun until the county put the idea to rest.
Google/Jody Veldkamp In 1912, a concrete slab was placed over the grave and the historical marker was added.
Nearly 200 years later, it seems enough of Barnett’s kin had passed on that there was no one to object when the grave site was excavated in 2016 in an effort to widen the road. What they found inside was absolutely unexpected.
Google/Claudia Heidelberger Instead of just one set of bones, the remains of seven bodies were actually discovered in what is believed to have been a family plot. Two women, four children, and a man were found. Maybe Barnett’s grandson knew something everyone else did not. The upturned remains were returned to the plot, each in its own brand new casket.
Grave In The Middle Of The Road is located at 6844 E 400 S, Franklin, IN 46131, and you can drive by anytime.
Wikimedia Commons/Mingusboodle
Google/Aaron Haney
Google/Jody Veldkamp
In 1912, a concrete slab was placed over the grave and the historical marker was added.
Google/Claudia Heidelberger
Instead of just one set of bones, the remains of seven bodies were actually discovered in what is believed to have been a family plot. Two women, four children, and a man were found. Maybe Barnett’s grandson knew something everyone else did not. The upturned remains were returned to the plot, each in its own brand new casket.
If you love graveyards, check out these nine creepy cemeteries in Indiana that will give you goosebumps.
If you’ve ever been by this strange grave, we’d love to hear from you. Please share your experiences and photos with us below in the comments.
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