Photos by Larry P. Holdaway
Standing on a hilltop in North Salem, New Hampshire is one of America’s most ancient and most mysterious sites. A series of stone chambers, walls, secret underground passages, and strange inscriptions, this very strange spot is known as America’s Stonehenge. Not a series of standing monoliths like its English namesake, this site consists of a number of enclosures constructed using stacked stones in conjunctions with existing natural rock formations. Some have speculated that the site dates back 4,000 years.
Also known as Mystery Hill, the site lies on 20 acres of hills and features 22 stone enclosures that have been given names like “Oracle Chamber,” and the “Watch House.” The origin of this strange lithic structure has been debated for years. Some say that the area was the outpost of a group of Irish Culdee monks who landed in New Hampshire after fleeing the Vikings. This theory purports that the structures were built as a Christian monastery sometime in the tenth century, although most have dismissed it as highly unlikely.
There is very little about the area revealed in local Native American lore. Apparently these people did not use it and it is therefore not touched upon heavily in their histories or folklore.
What is known of this odd spot is that it has been adapted for many uses since the colonization of New Hampshire. In the 1830s, local farmer Jonathan Pattee owned the land. Rumors abounded that he was a moonshiner and used some of the more hidden chambers to hide his wares.
The spot was also said to be a stop on the famous Underground Railroad. Shackles have been unearthed by archaeologists--it is believed that these are mementos left behind by slaves on their flights to freedom in the north.
The stones have a few miraculous properties. It was discovered that the formations of stones could be used to track various astrological, lunar, and solar movements. This has given rise to rumors that it was an ancient place of worship. Another feature that has fueled this idea is the presence of the “Sacrificial Stone,” a flat rock with a deep groove thought to allow the blood of victims to run off.
Estimates regarding the age of America’s Stonehenge are hard to calculate, being that many stones were removed, displaced, or damaged by early European settlers who plundered portions of the site for building materials. However, some have hazarded the guess that the site is over 4,000 years old, which would mean it was existed even before Native Americans inhabited the area.
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