This is a rugged section of the Ozark Mountains in southwest Missouri. The present highway up the mountain is about 60 feet east of the old road. The old road passed within a few feet of these great limestone rocks.

The great limestone rocks stood beside the Springfield-Harrison Road near the top of the mountain. The outlaws hid behind these rocks with a perfect view of the road to the north and the south. Many travelers were held up and robbed here and several others were murdered by the gang.

During the Civil War, Bolin, along with his gang of about twenty men raided northern Arkansas and southwest Missouri. While all the able bodied men were off to war, the gang easily terrorized the farms left with only old men, women and children to defend them.  

Though Union soldiers were sent to capture the outlaw, Bolin and his band were hard riders and good woodsmen and the bandit eluded every attempt to capture him. Finally, the soldiers devised a plan to trap him instead. Held captive by the Union was a Southern soldier by the name of Foster who was from Bolin’s area. His wife, living near the Arkansas-Missouri state line about three miles south of Murder Rocks, was approached by the Union soldiers. If she would help to capture the outlaw, the Union soldiers would release her husband. Though a dangerous plan for Mrs. Foster, she agreed.

A union soldier by the name of Thomas, pretending to be a sick Confederate soldier, stayed at the Foster home for several days. As was Bolin’s practice when he was in the area, he often took his meals at the Foster home. Finally, Bolin came to the house alone for his dinner and Thomas upstairs, made a noise. When Bolin what it was, Mrs. Foster explained that he was a poor Southern soldier making his way back home. Bolin demanded that the man come down from the attic, threatening to kill him.

Appearing weak and hardly able to move about, Thomas joined the pair at the dinner table. Still suspicious, Bolin laid his pistol on the table as he ate his meal. However, as time passed the outlaw apparently calmed down and when he turned his back to Thomas, the union soldier struck Bolin with a fire poker. Though his death was not immediate, Thomas continued to hit him until he was dead. It was February 1, 1863. Bolin was 21 years old. When Bolin’s body was brought to Forsyth, Missouri, his head was cut off and taken to Ozark where it was placed on a pole. The entire area rejoiced at the death of Alf Bolin.