The Akasa Diaries

The Stone Mountain Witch House Mystery

In 1979, Stone Mountain Georgia, My girlfriend and I visited what several locals described as a witch house hidden in the woods. Or rather the ruins or remnants thereof. It was described as a large pit, possibly the remaining foundation of a house. One guy claimed he'd witnessed devil worshipers down in this pit conducting a human sacrifice. I suppose he was either pulling my leg or imagining things. Whatever the case, this mysterious structure was only a few miles from my apartment, and I was compelled to investigate. So off we went, one dreary rainy day.

I was 17 at the time, didn't own a camera, and cell phones hadn't been invented. All I took from my experience was a fading memory.
I remembered the grounds were wooded, a small nearby lake, and the structure itself was a large kidney shaped stone pit, with a curved ramp leading down. Faces carved along the ramp wall, a dagger shaped receptacle or platform at the bottom, and words carved into the far end granite wall. A credo which read; "This world is too small for less than brotherhood ... Too dangerous for less than Truth"

I remembered those words throughout the years, though the memory faded into the back of my mind. But recently in 2025, I finally decided to dig online in an attempt to learn more about that property and pit. I learned the property may have belonged to acclaimed artist Steffen Thomas, Not a witch. Hah.

I emailed the site for more info, and to request a full size copy of a compelling image I found online. Unfortunately the photo was shot by an Atlanta Journal and Constitution photographer, and AJC holds the copyright. However, my email did receive an enlightening reply from Lisa Thomas Conner, Steffen Thomas' daughter.

I'm honored and grateful for Lisa's gracious reply, and through her I learned the place my girlfriend and I visited, was formerly Steffen Thomas' home property and studio. There, he created the Monument to the Brotherhood of Man, which once housed a 40 foot welded steel sculpture titled;
Mother Earth and the Child of the Future. That is the pit in which we stood. Long ago relegated to relic status, and the grounds leveled and paved over. This would be a 50 acre patch of land off Juliette rd. in Stone Mountain. Pretty sure that's the little lake I saw. As for the whereabouts of this sculpture, I do not yet know.

Update from Lisa Thomas Conner: "Unfortunately, the Mother Earth sculpture was lost. It was moved to Snapfinger Woods Center around the time that the Stone Mountain property was sold. It was placed in a green space at an arts and crafts center, but the development’s owner eventually filed for bankruptcy. The property was left untended for many years, and nature grew back and engulfed the sculpture. Later a new developer bought the property for redevelopment. The sculpture was damaged in the process and was buried on the property."

Steffen Thomas carving credo at Brotherhood monument. This world is too small for less than brotherhood ... Too dangerous for less than truth

Gratitude and credit to:
Lisa Thomas Conner
Steffen Thomas Museum of Art
4200 Bethany Road, Buckhead, Georgia
steffenthomas.org