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Modern Mysteries

Mystery surrounds Great Island stone marker

By T.K. Randall
June 21, 2016 · Comment icon 3 comments

Who placed the marker in Middlesex Fells and why ? Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0 Melikamp
The origins of a granite marker on an island in Massachusetts have remained a mystery for years.
Situated on a small island in the Middlesex Fells Reservation, the mysterious marker, which was erected over a century ago, bears the intriguing phrase "WHERE SHUTE FELL".

Despite being a well-known landmark on the island, the words inscribed upon the stone have long remained something of an enigma to both visitors and historians alike.

So who exactly was Shute and what happened to him ?


One theory, which was put forward by The Medford Historical Register all the way back in 1915, suggested that Shute was a colonel who was shot and killed during a duel on the island.
An earlier article from the Boston Evening Transcript in 1889, by contrast, maintained that Shute was probably a local drunk who was famous for falling in to the water surrounding the island.

A third theory, one published in 1884 in the Boston Daily Globe, suggested that Shute was neither a colonel nor a drunk but was instead a celebrated strongman who was known for tossing opponents on to the ground during wrestling contests held on the island.

But are any of these stories actually true or was Shute someone else entirely ?

"It's a lot of speculation at this point," said researcher and author Douglas Heath. "His stone memorial is all we've got. It's a kind of rabbit hole."

Source: Boston Globe | Comments (3)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #1 Posted by 3.0 8 years ago
Tombstone?
Comment icon #2 Posted by paperdyer 8 years ago
Or a historical marker denoting something of importance happened at a spot.
Comment icon #3 Posted by Podo 8 years ago
It's a save point for an adventurer.


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