History of the Park:
While the Alabama Paranormal Research Team has not conducted a formal investigation of this location.
We have visited regularly and had many experiences. The Horseshoe bend national military park has
much history. The site is one of both triumph and heartache. Before the days of the civil war President
Andrew Jackson whom at the time was "General Andrew Jackson" was in charge of the relocation of many
native American tribes threw out the south east. Jackson worked with many allies to include natives
among the Cherokee Nation, and Lower Creek Indians. In March of 1814 General Jackson sent General
John Coffee and 700 mounted infantry along with 600 native Indian Allies to Bombard The Red Stick
tribe located there under Chief Menewa. By dark at least 800 of Chief Menawa's 1,000 Red Sticks had
been brutally slain. Chief Menewa himself was severely wounded in the battle but escaped. I Huge price
to pay for the unfortunate acts of humanity. The Red Sticks had been crushed at Tohopeka, the village
that is located in the heart of Horseshoe Bend Park. Though the remaining Red Sticks did hold out until
August 1814, they finally surrendered to General Jackson near Wetumpka, Alabama and what is now
present day Fort Jackson/Toulouse. With the official end of the Creek conflict The Creeks where forced to
give up more then 20 million acres of land. Which was more than half of there ancestral territory. After
Jackson was elected president he signed the "Indian Removal Bill" which forced all tribes east of the
Mississippi river to make the perilous journey of the "trail of tears" to Oklahoma. Where so many Native
Americans died due to starvation, illness, and fatigue. Though these acts helped build the America we
know today it did not salvage the rich Native History that ties into pre-American history. The land
belonging to so many cultures before white settlers was in my opinion lost for all time, all we know now is
what we are taught in history books written by white men, and the battles fought to build this country.
While I am very patriotic and support our military 100% it's hard to swallow such blood shed and hatred
for a man who skin may be darker then your own. In time all wounds may heal but aren't forgotten and
the many souls who where slain in the Horseshoe bend location do linger.........
Personal Experiences:
While many of our members have had personal experiences here at the park that range
from strange feelings to sightings of apparitions, smells, and hearing voices that come out of
no where. We do have evidence to prove our experiences. My own personal experience
happened just a few years ago while conducting an exercise with our Junior Investigators. I
was showing Junior investigators Jay-Bo and Co-Co how to properly take pictures to
evaluate for paranormal activity. In the aspect of using 4-8 frames taken seconds apart to
see if any anomalies where present in one shot as apposed to another. While taking photo's
at the village (Tohopeka) location I ran across a photo without explanation. While the day
was light with visitors and few folks wondered the open fields. The sun was bright and high
and the perfect day for taking pictures. While in the picture I did notice a man and small
child just atop the hill. It's easy to see the location they where they were in the photo. As Jr.
Investigator Jay-Bo walked down the step sloping hillside. I took several photo's in
succession of 4 only milli-seconds apart. At first when I saw the strange white image within
the picture I thought maybe the man and child had come down the hill along side Jay-Bo
and I did not see them. Not paying much attention and marking the photo for review. We
continued to film with our mini DV and headed back to our car. As we walked back so did
the other guest that where in the location as they were parked just behind us. Packing
equipment and watching the other car leave I knew we where alone at the location. I crossed
the street to where to bend in the river was just to get some good footage and hoping for
something great to happen. Nothing could prepare me for what I was about to experience.
As I stood filming the running river, I was captive to the beauty and the sound of nature and
a warm but gentle breeze blew just slightly. As I stood watching and filming the trees, I felt
the calm sensation I was experiencing turn slowly to a feeling of heartache. As I stood in this
beautiful location, I wondered why I felt the urge to cry, and then to run. To run as if I was
being chased by something unseen. A force I could not control. I stood there for a second or
two longer and in that instant felt as if I was under attack. Suddenly out of the clear blue sky
a scream heard by myself and our Junior investigators present at the time came roaring out
of the village area. What sounded like the scream of a woman or child. Fearing for the safety
of another visitor and thinking we where alone. I immediately cut off the camera and ran in
the direction of the scream, across the street, to the village location. I found no one. Not a
soul.....that I could see. There was no one there. I walked around the location for a minute or
two to see if maybe I had missed someone or something, and found nothing. I even called out
to see if there was anyone who may have been on the trail who had been hurt. There was
Nothing! With this I decided it was time to go. After arriving home and settling down I sat at
my work desk to analyze the data gathered from our trip and was once again caught by total
surprise. The white figure I had captured earlier and marked for review was only found in the
3rd of 4 pictures taken less than second apart. Baffled I reviewed the image further and see if
I had missed something. There was no way I could have captured a moving person and them
moved out of frame so quickly as to be picked up in only one frame and knowing our junior
investigator Jay-Bo was alone on the hillside. Made me rethink what I had heard at the
location as well. After reviewing the mini DV, I noticed the scream we had heard was also
captured on the audio of the video. While I can't say that the two are tied together it did seem
like a sort of message being relayed to us. Was the scream that of a villager slain in the battle
there? Was the image of the white figure that of a child trying to communicate with our Jr.
Investigators? What had happen that day at Horseshoe bend? What had we all experienced
in broad day light? What is the message? This we may never know but with this experience
we continue to look for answers.
1. Bystanders within the park, you can
clearly see them without any problem.
2. Junior Investigator: Jay-Bo.
3. Strange white apparition?
This photo has been cropped
and enhanced for a better look
at the strange apparition
captured at the Tohopeka
Village at Horshoe bend national
military park.
See photo's and video below of evidence captured at Horseshoe
Bend National Military Park. I encourage you to read the story
below of my experience at Horseshoe Bend
To See our Video
Footage captured at
Horseshoe Bend Park
of the "Screaming
Village" and more see
our video's on YouTube.
Click Here!
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