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| George Buster Singleton |
(For decades, local historian and paranormal investigator
George “Buster” Singleton published a weekly newspaper column called “Somewhere
in Time.” The column below, which was titled “Rock formation resembles huge
monster” was originally published in the Jan. 15, 1976 edition of The Monroe
Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)
As I roam the countryside and observe the wonders of
natures, there are times when it seems that the Creator of all beautiful things
might grow tired of making everything pretty and pleasing to the eye.
He does, at times, make things that make us notice that
everything is not beautiful – some things are different, odd and sometimes even
ugly.
Such was the case of the odd-shaped rock formation that I
came across in lower Monroe County. This odd phenomenon seemed to me as a huge
prehistoric monster, frozen in time but ever waiting to pounce on any unsuspecting
prey who entered his domain to despoil it.
A sixth sense
Man has developed a sixth sense. When he is being observed
by unseen persons, he is aware of it, in most instances. This is the feeling
that came over me as I walked around the huge, odd-shaped formation. It seemed
as through the sightless eyes were following me everywhere, I went.
The atmosphere seemed thick, and each movement or sound was
magnified to the point that I found myself trying not to make any noise that
might awaken the monster and cause it to become angry. And always I would turn,
expecting the eyes to be moving in my direction.
The trees and brush around the rock formation were empty of
birds, as though they felt as I did. They, too, seemed to keep their distance.
I knew that this was only a large pile of volcanic rock, but
the feeling that came over me is hard to explain.
I know that all these things are His creations and can be
appreciated if received in the right perspective, open-mindedness and imagination.
But I found it hard to cast the feeling from me that this thing was not really
alive and watching.
As I returned to my Jeep through the woods, the temptation
to turn and look into the sightless eyes was overwhelming.
[This column included a photo taken by Singleton that had
the following caption: South Monroe County rock formation resembles monster.]
(Singleton, the author
of the 1991 book “Of Foxfire and Phantom Soldiers,” passed away at the age of
79 on July 19, 2007. A longtime
resident of Monroeville, he was born to Vincent William Singleton and Frances
Cornelia Faile Singleton, during a late-night thunderstorm, on Dec. 14, 1927 in
Marengo County, graduated from Sweet Water High School in 1946, served as a
U.S. Marine paratrooper in the Korean War, worked as a riverboat deckhand,
lived for a time among Apache Indians, moved to Monroe County on June 28, 1964
and served as the administrator of the Monroeville National Guard unit from
June 28, 1964 to Dec. 14, 1987. He was promoted from the enlisted ranks
to warrant officer in May 1972. For years, Singleton’s columns, titled “Monroe
County history – Did you know?” and “Somewhere in Time” appeared in The Monroe
Journal, and he wrote a lengthy series of articles about Monroe County that
appeared in Alabama Life magazine. It’s believed that his first column appeared
in the March 25, 1971 edition of The Monroe Journal. He is buried in Pineville
Cemetery in Monroeville. The column above and all of Singleton’s other columns
are available to the public through the microfilm records at the Monroe County
Public Library in Monroeville. Singleton’s columns are presented here each week
for research and scholarship purposes and as part of an effort to keep his work
and memory alive.)
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