Mysterious Revolving Ball

One of the most unusual sights at Marion Cemetery is the Merchant family monument. Built in 1886, the striking memorial features a 5,200-pound polished granite ball resting atop a pedestal in the Merchant family burial plot.

Within two years of its installation, visitors noticed something strange—the massive granite sphere had begun to slowly rotate. The only unpolished spot on the ball had shifted, revealing that it was indeed moving. The original builders were called back to reset the ball, but before long it began turning again. Despite many theories over the years, no clear explanation has ever been confirmed.

The mysterious monument gained national attention in 1929 when it was featured in Ripley’s Believe It or Not. Today, it remains one of Marion Cemetery’s most intriguing landmarks, drawing curious visitors eager to see the slowly turning granite sphere for themselves.