The Best Haunted Graveyards In Minnesota
If you're looking for a good scare this Halloween, what could be spookier than a haunted graveyard? Pass on the gimmicky haunted houses this year and visit a graveyard. You might just get a real scare from beyond the grave.
Lakeview Cemetery
Intersection of Township Road 7936 and Morse Road
Buhl, MN 55713
The Lakeview Cemetery in Buhl is a paranormal hotspot of sorts with many visitors reporting supernatural occurrences. The cemetery first began burials in 1913 and the nearby Shaw Hospital was believed to have used a plot to bury patients who passed away. One of the most commonly reported occurrences is a man dressed in 1920s era clothing, believed to be a cemetery gatekeeper, who has been seen walking among the gravestones. Other apparitions include a white misty figure who jogs across the neighboring dirt road. Try taking a walk along a gravel path and you might just hear footsteps keeping pace alongside you in the grass. Perhaps the most interesting phenomenon about the paranormal activity at this location is how readily apparitions have been caught on tape. Visit MinnesotaGhosts.com to check out a video tour of the Lakeview Cemetery and take your own tour, if you dare.
Roselawn Cemetery
803 W. Larpenteur Ave.
Roseville, MN 55113
(651) 489-1720
www.roselawncemetery.com
The Roselawn Cemetery was built in the beginning of the 20th century. Beautifully crafted headstones, statues and mausoleums occupy the cemetery, paying tribute to loved ones who have passed on. This well-kept and manicured cemetery is perhaps best known for one of its supernatural occupants who has been dubbed "Smiling Jack." Rumor has it that the Roseville Police Department would regularly receive calls stating that there was someone locked inside one of the mausoleums. After repeated investigations never turned up an actual person inside the mausoleum in question, it was decided that it must be haunted by a ghost. The nickname "Smiling Jack" came about because a smiling, stained-glass image of the man buried there can be found at the back of the mausoleum. Seasoned police officers used to take rookies there to scare them with "Smiling Jack" lore (but such acts of hazing are, of course, frowned upon by the police department). "Smiling Jack" has reportedly been caught on film, so check out these photos provided by mnparanormalinvestigators.com and decide for yourself whether or not it's haunted.
Loon Lake Cemetery
Intersection of County Road 75 and County Highway 4
Middletown, MN 56143
The Loon Lake Cemetery is an old, now abandoned cemetery located south of Lakefield. There is no longer a road out to the cemetery, so those who want pay it a visit must traverse the swampy grounds. However, its remote location on top of the urban legend of the witch who haunts the cemetery deters most. Legend has it that in March of 1880, "an 18-year-old girl by the name of Mary Jane Twilegar was beheaded by citizens of Petersberg, Minn." because they believed she was a witch. Her body was buried in the Loon Lake Cemetery along with the axe that was used to decapitate her. In the years following her death, it is believed that two additional women met a similar fate and also haunt the cemetery along with Mary Jane. Rumor has it that if you step over Mary Jane's grave, you will die shortly thereafter. Simply avoiding her grave is no longer an option as her tombstone was removed years ago by the Jackson County Historical Society for fear of vandalism, so be sure to watch your step if you dare to pay the Loon Lake Cemetery a visit.
Ferguson's Cemetery
Intersection of County Road 34 and Yale Ave.
Plato, MN 55397
This small, isolated cemetery is believed to be the site of large amounts of paranormal activity. Perhaps the most commonly reported occurrence is an apparition of a little boy who is usually seen peeking over a tombstone. In the southwest corner of the graveyard, there is one visible grave separated from the rest. It is believed that this particular grave belongs to the ghost of the little boy that haunts the graveyard. Urban legend also has it that if you visit the cemetery after midnight and count the number of trees at the center of the cemetery, then walk over to the boy's grave, there will be a different number of trees upon your return. The sight of orbs and the sound of a dog barking nearby are also commonly reported, along with a creepy feeling that one is being watched.
*When visiting graveyards, please be respectful of the deceased.
A Minnesota native that was born and raised Up North, Minneapolis is where Christina Kalinowski currently calls home. Christina appreciates irony, loves bacon, enjoys a hearty libation (drink responsibly, folks), and is an avid proponent of the Swanson Pyramid of Greatness. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
