Conecuh County roadworkers unearthed several Indian burial mounds in June 1956

From left, Paul Godwin, Ben Barlow and Marion Wilkins.

I was looking through some old newspapers the other day and ran across an interesting article related to Indian artifacts that was published on the front page of the June 21, 1956 edition of The Evergreen Courant.

Under the headline “Road Equipment Unearths Indians Graves,” readers saw a picture of Conecuh County Commissioner Paul Godwin, County Engineer Marion Wilkins and county foreman Ben Barlow, who were “standing near the site on the Repton-Burnt Corn Highway, where grading equipment unearthed several Indian burial mounds.”

The article goes on to say that some 200 to 300 yards into the woods from where the photo was taken there was an old Indian campground.

“It is said that on this spot a force of white settlers ambushed a group of marauding Indians and wiped them out,” the article said. “Where the new highway is being built, an old Indian trail existed. Before Alabama was admitted to the Union, the Federal Government made it a Federal Stage Road.

“The road was used by settlers and Indians alike to the south,” the article went on to say. “The band of Indians which was ambushed had come down the Stage Road, according to legend, and burned and pillaged. Among the buildings burned were a number of barns, which were stored with corn, hence the name Burnt Corn. The Indians continued on south to Pensacola.

“As the Indians came back north, the settlers banded together and ambushed the Indians as they camped beside a small stream. There are today visible many of the mounds where the bodies of the Indians were buried. Over the years, curiosity seekers have dug into many of the mounds in search of Indian artifacts.

“It is hoped by many that the spot can be marked on the highway, and at some future date a park be made of the site.”

Based on maps of the area, I gather that the Repton-Burnt Corn Highway being constructed in 1956 is the section of County Road 5 that runs from the Old Federal Road south to U.S. Highway 84 in Repton. This section of County Road 5 runs to the east and parallel to the Louisville & Nashville Railroad tracks, and much of this road is within the Town of Repton’s police jurisdiction. In fact, once you get into the Repton town limits, this road is called “Burnt Corn Street.”

One is left to wonder how many Indian mounds were destroyed during the 1956 road project and exactly how large those Indian mounds were. Indian mounds are relatively rare in Conecuh County, compared to other counties, and it would be interesting to know if there are any other existing mounds in that area today. Motorists might drive by them every day and just not realize what they’re looking at.

The article also mentions an old Indian camp that was located 200 to 300 yards off the new highway. Where exactly was this located and what’s there today? An Indian camp, especially if it was of any size, would have required a lot of freshwater, so maybe it was located alongside one of the small creeks or streams in that area.

My feeling is that the three men mentioned in the story – Paul Godwin, Marion Wilkins and Ben Barlow – have likely passed away in the 65 years since the event, but perhaps someone who worked on the road crew or lived in the area remembers more information about this incident. Perhaps longtime residents of this area will know exactly where these mounds or the old Indian camp were located. If so, please call me at The Courant at 578-1492 or email me at courantnewsdesk@gmail.com.