The Miles Mausoleum

This interesting spot I just happened to notice on the way home from my day of exploring at the quarry in Valmeyer, Illinois. For many miles, bluffs had risen to my right side far above the flood planes that I was driving on. Always one to admire my surroundings, I noticed something strange high atop one of the bluffs. I was tired from walking many miles through many tunnels and caverns, but I didn't know when I would be back in this area, and I hate feeling like I missed out on something. I parked my car and set off on my own to find a way up the bluff to this "thing."

As I began my trip, I wasn't sure what exactly I was looking at up there, and I definately didn't know of its history. What I had accidentally stumbled upon is known as the Miles Mausoleum, and is one of the most infamously haunted and eerie spots in southwestern Illinois. Stephen Miles was a veteran of the War of 1812, and used the land given to him in return for his military service to begin running his very own farm. Legend has it that many other soldiers would claim land in the surrounding countryside for their military service as well, but all soon disappeared after strangely signing over their claims to Mr. Miles. In a few short years, he owned and operated several thousand acres of the fertile farmland of the region.

The family mausoleum was built in 1858 by Stephen W. Miles, son of the elder Miles. Despite his grand plans for the upkeep of the tomb, he later went bankrupt and only 11 of the 56 vaults were ever used. Local lore says that it once housed the bodies of Miles himself, along with his two wives, a few mistresses and a number of servants. Unfortunately, they would not be allowed to rest in peace.


In the early 1960s, the mausoleum was apparently rediscovered where it was hidden in the enveloping woods. It was broken into, and later visitor said that caskets and bones with dried flesh still clinging to them could be seen everywhere. It was rumoured that the tomb had been desecrated in search of the valuable jewels that had been buried with its occupants. A few years later, things continued to get worse. A cult group removed the remaining bodies from their vaults onto the grounds outside, and burned them in their attempt to "raise the dead." As you could probably imagine, stories of ghostly encounters at this site have been numerous and continue to the present.

As interesting as that would have been, I had no ghostly enounters during my visit. The site is covered with graffiti and other teenage vandalism, and the floor is littered with empty beer cans and bottles. During my brief visit (on a Sunday afternoon, mind you), I saw at least two different goups of teens with intoxicating beverages in hand examining the site. It is apparent that area teens don't find the idea of getting drunk in an old desecrated tomb unnerving at all. Well, thumbs up to them! Even in the daylight, the mausoleum is eerily beautiful, and from its perch atop Eagle Cliff, one can see miles of the surrounding Illinois countryside.

Much of the information I found about the mausoleum didn't seem to know exactly where it was, only the stories about it. I find that very strange, since I don't understand how one driving down the adjacent road with his or her eyes open could miss it. Many accounts said that there are no longer roads that lead to the cemetary, but I found out later (after hiking up the side of the cliff, which was quite difficult in my out of shape state) that the local roads do still take you to the cemetary entrace. If I decide to return, I'll probably opt to use those roads as opposed to sucking wind for a half mile up the side of a cliff.

I would be very interested to know how much of the legends of the Miles Mausoleum are actually true, and how many have been passed down over the years just because the idea of an empty tomb is kind of creepy. I would enjoy visiting this site again, but probably at night so that I can scare the pants out of the poor soul that I drag along with me.