Guest Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Selma Alabama Restaurant On Grumbles Alley 1300 Water Avenue, Selma, AL 36703-3871 (334) 872-2006 ‎ http://urbns.pn/YGMB The story behind this 7 foot tall skeleton is that a local physician took care of a poor family member for several years. When the patient died the family gave the physician a skeleton of what the family believed to have come from an Indian. Back then most people were shorter, and for an Indian to reach the height of 7 feet was considered an oddity. I do not know how nor where the skeleton was obtained by the unable to pay for medical care family. Years ago I saw the skeleton each time I entered the restaurant,and IIRC the skeleton was named Major Grumbles. The skeleton was draped over a chair on the left inside the front entrance to the restaurant. I wonder if this skeleton could be from a BF? How often did Indians reach 7 feet tall back several decades ago? If a bone fragment were obtained could there be a way of verifying it came from an Indian, or from something unknown? What do you guys and gals think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Selma Alabama Restaurant On Grumbles Alley 1300 Water Avenue, Selma, AL 36703-3871 (334) 872-2006 ‎ http://urbns.pn/YGMB Years ago I saw the skeleton each time I entered the restaurant,and IIRC the skeleton was named Major Grumbles. The skeleton was draped over a chair on the left inside the front entrance to the restaurant. I wonder if this skeleton could be from a BF? Is the skeleton still there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 (edited) ... How often did Indians reach 7 feet tall back several decades ago? ... At least once. http://www.thetallestman.com/johnmiddlesky.htm Plains Indians were the tallest people in the world, taller than "whites" http://www.albionmonitor.com/0105b/plainsindians.html http://www.thetallestman.com/miankokaroo.htm Appears it would be more unusual for an older skeleton to be shorter than "normal" if it were an American Indian (plains Indian). Edited May 28, 2011 by Ace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Is the skeleton still there? Yes, To my knowledge, it still graces the entry of the restaurant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 (edited) At least once. http://www.thetallestman.com/johnmiddlesky.htm Plains Indians were the tallest people in the world, taller than "whites" http://www.albionmonitor.com/0105b/plainsindians.html http://www.thetallestman.com/miankokaroo.htm Appears it would be more unusual for an older skeleton to be shorter than "normal" if it were an American Indian (plains Indian). What about Indian tribes living in lower Alabama, Georgia,and Mississippi areas? Thank you for posting those interesting articles. I had no clue. I thought that the NA races at that time were shorter than white men. I was wrong. Edited May 28, 2011 by SweetSusiq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TooRisky Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 At least once. http://www.thetalles...hnmiddlesky.htm Plains Indians were the tallest people in the world, taller than "whites" http://www.albionmon...insindians.html http://www.thetalles...miankokaroo.htm Appears it would be more unusual for an older skeleton to be shorter than "normal" if it were an American Indian (plains Indian). The average adult male Plains Indian stood 172.6 centimeters tall -- about 5 feet 8 inches. The next tallest people in the world at that time were Australian men, who averaged 172 centimeters. European American men of the time averaged 171 centimeters tall, and men living in European countries were typically several centimeters shorter. 5' 8" does not come close to 7 foot tall... As for the bones being tested, i am by no means a Taxidermist, but do they not have to treat the bones (Bleach) to preserve them...??? It would be neat to know the truth behind this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Is the skeleton still there? It's still there when I called about it over a month ago. The hostess I spoke with seemed to think it was made in Taiwan so I never followed up with my request for a bone fragment to send to Dr. Ketchum or the BFF host. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I did a quick Google search and came up with a couple burbs about it, but unfortunately no pictures. You would think that if it was a Sas skeleton, then the skull would be quite distinct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BlurryMonster Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 My thoughts so far (keeping in mind I know nothing about the skeleton besides what's in this thread): If this skeleton was widely known an anthropologist in the area might have already studied looked into it. Or at the very least a bigfoot researcher. If it was purported to be a Native American, or if there was suspicion that it was, then the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation act would get involved. Under NAGPRA, it's illegal to posses the remains of a Native American, which means the restaurant would be breaking the law by having the skeleton (if it's a Native American) and would need to give it to the individual's decent community. If authorities or a local tribe were made aware of this skeleton, it would need to be looked into to ensure compliance with NAGPRA. It is possible to see if bones are from a human or not; it's done all the time when people find bones. DNA testing can also be done to determine the ethnicity of the person the bones came from, this also happens all the time. In addition to apparently not having been looked into before, it's a bit strange that there aren't any pictures of this skeleton out there. Not a huge point against it, but I find it strange, especially paired with everything else. Jodie's statement that a hostess of the restaurant thought it was fake (made in Taiwan) could be a good indication that the restaurant knows the remains are fake. Maybe even bones from different animals arranged to look like a big person. It's not unheard of for a business to use something strange as a gimmick or a mascot - a few pubs in Ireland feature arrangements of chicken bones they say are leprechaun skeletons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 I saw the skeleton, touched it, and as far as I could tell it was real. I'm a nurse, and I have handled human bones. It could have been switched, but it was the real deal when I was there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 ... 5' 8" does not come close to 7 foot tall... ... Does that mean no person has reached 7' tall if some of the tallest people (average height) did not? If their average height was 5'8" could there not have been someone 7' tall? Wouldn't it be more likely that the tallest people in the world reached 7' tall than some people that averaged a shorter height? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 (edited) One note I wish to make is that I thought that the skull looked a little off somehow. Now this was 20 years ago, and I thought that the skull looked a little odd and it could be because it was an Indian and an Indian race may have a slightly different look to their skull. I am in no way dissing any race of humans, I'm just describing my thoughts at that time while examining the skeleton..I've never seen a skeleton with legs that long, and the head shaped the way it was. The arms were remarkably long also. It was a Large long skeleton. Edited May 29, 2011 by SweetSusiq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 But you know what I think is weird about this issue, why in Heaven's name would a physician take a skeleton for payment for the care he gave someone? Back then people swapped food and horses for payment, not skeletons. How did they have an Indian skeleton to begin with? Over 7 feet tall to boot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 My thoughts so far (keeping in mind I know nothing about the skeleton besides what's in this thread): If this skeleton was widely known an anthropologist in the area might have already studied looked into it. Or at the very least a bigfoot researcher. If it was purported to be a Native American, or if there was suspicion that it was, then the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation act would get involved. Under NAGPRA, it's illegal to posses the remains of a Native American, which means the restaurant would be breaking the law by having the skeleton (if it's a Native American) and would need to give it to the individual's decent community. If authorities or a local tribe were made aware of this skeleton, it would need to be looked into to ensure compliance with NAGPRA. It is possible to see if bones are from a human or not; it's done all the time when people find bones. DNA testing can also be done to determine the ethnicity of the person the bones came from, this also happens all the time. In addition to apparently not having been looked into before, it's a bit strange that there aren't any pictures of this skeleton out there. Not a huge point against it, but I find it strange, especially paired with everything else. Jodie's statement that a hostess of the restaurant thought it was fake (made in Taiwan) could be a good indication that the restaurant knows the remains are fake. Maybe even bones from different animals arranged to look like a big person. It's not unheard of for a business to use something strange as a gimmick or a mascot - a few pubs in Ireland feature arrangements of chicken bones they say are leprechaun skeletons. Hubby and I talked to the physician who received the skeleton in payment. The physician was elderly at that time 20+ years ago. Our children were babies, so it was over 20 -25 years ago when I saw it.The skeleton had been in the physician's office until it went into the restaurant .. I imagine the skeleton could easily be over 50 years of age, even more.. It was real once upon a time.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest squatchrider Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Hubby and I talked to the physician who received the skeleton in payment. The physician was elderly at that time 20+ years ago. Our children were babies, so it was over 20 -25 years ago when I saw it.The skeleton had been in the physician's office until it went into the restaurant .. I imagine the skeleton could easily be over 50 years of age, even more.. It was real once upon a time.. This is a fascinating story and interesting bit of history regardless of the origin of the skeleton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts