Unique Tombstone

The grave marker for Thomas Toberman in the historic Prairie du Chein Evergreen cemetery has a lot of speculation about the stone and its origin. One speculation is meteorite. According to an article published in a local newspaper the marker is a meteorite that fell as a fireball on Toberman's farm. The second speculation is a rare stone formation that can only be found in two or three places in the world (St. Croix valley in Wisconsin, China, and possibly a place in Arizona). The theory it is made of limestone that eroded into its current shape by swirling vortices of water. Along with this story it states that Toberman discovered the rock in the St. Croix River valley while working there as a lumberjack. Before dying, Toberman requested that this unusual rock be placed as his grave marker in the cemetery. The permission was denied by Evergreen cemetery board because it was not a "real" grave maker. Mysteriously though the rock showed up in the cemetery the following week. (Photos taken June 17th while camping in Pairie du Chien, Wisconsin)