Located on Highway 50, about 50 miles east of Kansas City. The town was founded and laid out in 1850. Legends tell of a great tribal battle fought on the site of the two mounds. Following the battle, the tribes formed the mounds as either a monument or a burial site for warrios slainduring the battle. Others claim that an Indian treasure, the main portion of it gold, was carried to the mounds and buried. To this day many claim the area is haunted by the spirits of the Indians gurading the gold. Another legend involves a wagon train that was ambushed by the Osagian Indians in 1825. They were rumored to be carrying gold. They disappeared without a trace and the gold was never found. Could they have been killed for stealing the the treasure from the mounds?
A dour, unfriendly hermit lived on the hillsand would only descend to the town for groceries and other essentials. He was not well-liked and had a mean disposition. People generally avoided him when he came to town. He often sent his slave into town, which greatly relieved the townspeople because he was a pleasant man to talk to. Eventually the slave stopped coming and the old hermit resumed his trips to town. The townspeople figured he had beat his slave to death but were too frightened of him to investigate. One night a violent storm hit the area. Several of the townspeople saw a bobbing lantern light descending from the hill from the hill. A flash of lightning illuminated the hermit as he headed toward the safety of the town. But after the next flash occurred, the lantern light disappeared. The next day, some of the more brave townspeopleascended up the hillto check on the hermit. They found him dead with a frozen look of terror on his face still clutching his lantern. Today the local townspeople say that in a raging storm, you can see the ghostly lantern light of the hermit bobbing and swaying down the hill.