Horizons Park "Heebie-Jeebies"

I hope everyone had a Happy Easter. I did the usual and headed out to a local park to scout for photo opportunities. This weekend's park of choice had an unusual piece of history hidden in the back of the park away from the hiking trails.

Horizons Park has the typical features of something you would find in most any city park: picnic shelters, playground, ballpark, etc. are amenities to be enjoyed. Amongst one of those amenities was a series of nature trails that all disappeared into the forest. I opted to walk the 45 minute nature trail loop. This forest resembled something I would find in Florida - tall trees that form an overhead canopy, a good variety of bugs, butterflies, squirrels, and small streams with tiny foot bridges. My curiosity, as always, led me to the outer perimeter of the park. Somewhere near the halfway point of the hike I decided to veer off of the trail and head towards the edge of the forest. In Florida, due to constraints on open space and property, most parks border houses or development. This particular park bordered an empty plot of land I would have to assume was either privately owned or maintained by the state's park department.

Along the way to the backside of the park I photographed the usual: green leaves, plants, rotting wood, a couple of butterflies, and even a tree engraved with the names "Rita & Tim" in the middle of a heart with an arrow through it. They were probably some young kids on one of their first dates together. The engraving had been there a while because the tree was slowly erasing the marks from the growth. I say, if you're gonna "tag" something at least put a date next to the mark for other people to see.

On this particular spring day I did not see to many birds in the forest although I heard a lot of singing and chirping high in the canopy. Every now and again a brave finch made its way to the forest floor probably to snag up a worm or insect. Perhaps I'll read a book on birding sometime to determine the best strategies for photographing birds. I did see a few finches here and there up in the trees, but they were way to skittish and quick for me to even get in frame. The squirrels here did not see to like the presence of humans either.

The majority of my walk tended to turn more into a relaxing hike. Most of the features of the forest were consistent throughout and at times I was beginning to bore of the scenery. Only twice was I able to sneak up on a butterfly willing to hold still long enough for me to snap a photo. Unfortunately, like the birds and squirrels, they too moved quickly for me to artistically compose. In one frame, I actually captured the butterfly in frame, but in the other there were too many blades of grass and tree branches to distract from the main subject.

Park walks are always great for relaxation, but since arriving in N.C., it feels as if it has been a while since I have gotten out and photographed anything of substantial matter. I guess midway through the hike I became a little frustrated that I had not seen anything exciting, colorful, or memorable. So, somewhere around the halfway point I started to look beyond the pathway and out towards the edge of the forest hoping to stray towards something more interesting. As it would turn out, the edge of the forest withheld a secret from the casual nature trail hiker.

Every now and again the wind would blow enough to reveal an open field. The field looked as plain as any other I might find in Florida. My brother has warned me on several occasions that N. Carolina still lives by the same laws of the land as back in the early 1900s. If you wander onto another man's property you are bound to encounter an old man with a shotgun - "trespassers beware." I was too interested in the open field that I decided the risk was worth the thrill of "exploring" some backwoods part of a park in rural Winston Salem. I wandered off trail for a good 100 yards or so until I made my way to the tree obscurring the clearing.

The breeze on this particular day was excellent. Between the sounds of the trees, watching the grass in the field sway, and realizing that I had not seen another hiker in over 40 minutes, a feeling of eeriness rushed over me at once. If you have ever seen the movie "Deliverance" then you might know where I am coming from. Just as soon as I had realized I found a great hidden section of the park my eye caught a black iron fencing to one corner of the field. Camera in hand, I walked over to investigate what I thought was probably a garden or maybe a protected nesting area for owls - hell, I'm a city guy. I did not know what to expect. Within a few yards of approaching the fence I noticed the stones and realized immediately that I was walking towards a makeshift cemetery. At this point the sounds of leaves, snapping twigs, or birds rustling were accentuated. Thoughts of scary movies and the disappearances of tourists in the forest briefly skated across my mind. Still, I was enjoying the day and I had found the excitement I was looking for. The fence that was erected around the cemetery had obviously been placed there by the park or surviving family to protect the grounds from park patrons. Prior to stumbling onto this gravesite, my only experience with cemeteries was with maintained cemeteries where the landscaping is manicured and the plots neatly arranged. I could go on about how bizzare this place was, but the most striking fact was how old the headstones were.


There was one stone just at the front of the gravesite that read "Children of Jackson Guthrie and Edward Marshall." There were about 7 headstones total with the youngest of the children being a 14 year old girl, one 18 year old girl, and two 19 year old girls. I realize people did not live as long in 1857 as we do these days, but 19? Overall, I wondered if some sort of accident or untreatable disease took their lives. It was sobering to see a cemetery filled with nothing but the children of two families.

I took my photos, reflected on my chance encounter in the forest, and moved on. Easter Sunday was memorable this year. I look forward to many more walks in the forest and perhaps other exciting finds. I live in a state surrounded in history and wouldn't be surprised to find more headstones, historic houses, or relics of a time past.