03/23/2025
Photo: wagons of cotton crossing Pontoon Bridge between Pope and Yell Counties.
Mysterious Norristown Mountain (Skyline in Russellville)
One of the largest Indian burial grounds in the entire continent extends east word from the foot of Norristown mountain for miles along both sides of the Arkansas river.
When Cherokee Indians moved into Oklahoma, they asked the “ great white father at Washington” to allow them to retain one small strip of land in Arkansas.
They would not say why, but they included in their request Norristown mountain, and a narrow strip, extending eastward along the shore of the Arkansas river. This was granted and for nearly a century they held title to this land, although few Indian Indians remained in the vicinity.
Every year, many tribes of Cherokee from the west return to the great Dardanelle rock. Protected from prying eyes of the white man on one side of the river, and by the mystery mountain on the other side, they held their ancient tribal ceremonies. For years and years, they came, to drink from freshwater springs of the mountain, but gradually the river took its toll on their campgrounds. One pioneer asked one of the Indians, the meaning of their annual pilgrimage, but was met with the typical rebuff “that’s a secret no d—- white man will ever know.”
One old squaw, many years later, said “ if the white man knew what is in Norristown mountain, their horses would wear silver shoes!”
Whether the Indians came to search for a treasure is not known, but it has been long believe that such a treasure does exist.
Mrs Persis Lovely told Jacob Harley, an early pioneer, who built the second cabin of the white settlement, just below, Crescent mountain, “ I can stand in my doorway and see the grave of a chief who was buried with half a bushel of silver beside him.”
When the settlers asked her to show them the grave, she refused, saying, “ I cannot tell you. You’d do just what any other white man would do — go and dig it up!” so, it was believed that Mrs lovely feared Indian revenge, if she divulged what she knew. On a huge rock near Russellville, called Cagle rock, is a great lizard painted in Vermilion ochre, with numerous bits of Indian picture writing on each side. The Rains of the ages have beaten down upon its gaudy coloring, and yet it remains unfaded. There is no other such mark for miles, and treasure hunters have dug diligently all around in the area.
In about 1926, a halfbreed Spanish prospector came quietly into Russellville. He employed two Negro helpers, and from an old chart, located a certain grave in a lonely spot about 3 miles from town. They worked at night, and finally while a dim lantern cast errie shadows above the departed spirits of the Red Man, their picks actually struck the clinking coin.
After removing the money, they swore to secrecy. The halfbreed telling them rewards they should receive when his employer saw what they had found. A white man owned the Negro each receiving their share.
The Spaniard told him not to tell anyone about their find until he returned, for perhaps their employer would pay them to dig further. The helpers agreed, the Spaniard left, and has not been seen since. After a period of time, these workers told their story, but the true mystery of the treasure, whether it was silver ore or whether it was Spanish money, is still to be unraveled.
- David L. Vance 
Story told as of the late 1970’s.
These stories reflect the time in which they were written and may contain language or portrayals that are outdated or offensive today.
