Once a hotbed for criminal activity, Red Banks, now better known as Henderson, Kentucky plays a big role in the nefarious conduct at Cave-in-Rock. Todd Carr, a member of the Hardin County Historical Society and Genealogical Society has mined historical accounts of the region, in doing so becoming the de facto expert for southeastern Illinois folklore and best transmitter of the region’s past. Monday night in Shawneetown, Carr gave another roomful of eager spectators a peak into some of the disreputable characters that spent their time doing crime up and down the Ohio.
Carr focused on Philip Alston, John Duff, well known counterfeiters as well as Samuel Mason, a river pirate, the Harpe’s, America’s first serial killers, and later the Sturdivants who operated in the 1820’s. All spent time operating out of the shelter cave.
You can see the entire presentation by Carr (later today) in another post via the Local News section of our website. Learn more about Carr and see his books for sale at https://www.amazon.com/Cave-Rock-Pirates-Outlaws-Todd/dp/1467140481)
