Written by: Ron Nagy

Category: History Topics

Published: September 27, 2022

INSPIRATION STUMP
I have attached pictures with an early progression of Inspiration Stump. Gretchen Clark was writing an article in 2007 for Light Bridges magazine and I gave her some of my information to add to what she already had. She wrote a beautiful article and I have attached that also….
Just a few time line dates: Since the late 1870’s, mediums from the Alden Grove spiritualist meetings used the area of Inspiration Stump for practicing their mediumship. They possibly walked the old trail from the Alden Grove that now joins the woodland trail. Most likely the tree was at it’s full height when it was hit by Lightning before 1899, then cut, the old rot dug out and then cement filled.
The tree was possibly a hardwood. The inner rot was eventually cleaned out. [notice the picture with the small child] pped flat–probably circa 1899…. Around 1933 the steps were added along with the first memorial stones.