The cemetery is the classic eerie site. Where else can you meet a spook or ghoul than in a spooky cemetery’s tightly packed corpses? Massachusetts has decades of eerie history, thus many cemeteries are reputed to be creepy. Here are six of Massachusetts’ most haunted cemeteries.
Concord’s Old Hill Burying Ground
With mole holes and overgrown vegetation, this spooky graveyard looks abandoned. The history of Old Hill Burying Ground is one of the scariest factual stories. For instance, the Pierce family crypt was broken into three times. In 1925, a gang of lads entered the dusty tomb, removed the corpses’ bandages, propped them up to look like they were lounging, and then ran about town in their torn clothes.
The 1985 second break-in was committed by youths who executed “unspeakable deeds” with the bodies. The third sacrilege was by a tomb volunteer. He used one of the corpse’s heads to scare a buddy before being arrested. The crypt entrance is bricked off to prevent vandalism and mischief. However, many believe the Pierce family spirits are vengeful and search the cemetery for tomb robbers.
Boston Granary Burying Ground
Paranormal researchers and many frightened locals say the Granary Burying Ground is one of Massachusetts’ most haunted. The graves of Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and John Hancock are on Tremont Street in Boston.
The ghost of local lawyer James Otis Jr., who asked God to kill him with a lightning bolt after a bar brawl left him mentally disabled, is also said to live there. Interestingly, Otis was killed by a lightning bolt shortly after his accident. He now haunts the graveyard and smells like burned flesh.
Oak Grove Cemetery, Fall River
Lizzie Borden is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery. This mystery woman, who was acquitted of axing her parents to death, is said to haunt this graveyard. While walking amongst the headstones, some have heard cries or felt watched.
Canton Corner Cemetery, Canton
Caonton Corner Cemetery is a great area to go to during the day but stay away after dark if you’re scared. Though less detailed than other cemeteries, this graveyard’s hauntings are just as eerie. A sinister-looking guy standing stationary in the distance is often seen, and those who remain after dark feel watched. Behind the burial section on the left side of this eerie cemetery, haunting laughter is supposed to echo.
Chestnut Hill’s Holyhood Cemetery
This beautiful yet ghostly cemetery is frightening at night. Designed by Patrick Keely and home to many Kennedys, ghostly youngsters have been observed running among the headstones after dusk. In the 1920s, some visitors heard a strange, frightening song in Gaelic from the north end of the cemetery. Whether this was the sorrow song of a local Irish mother whose kid was buried in the cemetery or an unearthly one is disputed. Both ways are scary.
Copp’s Hill Cemetery
Copp’s Hill, Boston’s second-oldest cemetery, was founded in 1659 and is home to Cotton, Increase Mather, former slaves, and Revolutionary War veterans. The ghost of Increase Mather, a powerful colonial preacher who damned numerous Salem witches, is said to haunt the site. Some visitors have seen shimmering orbs among the tombstones, while others have felt unseen bodies brush across them at night.
Conclusion
Massachusetts, steeped in eerie history, hosts haunted cemeteries that embody the state’s spooky tales. From Concord’s Old Hill Burying Ground with a haunted crypt to Boston’s Granary Burying Ground, believed to be haunted by historical figures, these graveyards offer ghostly encounters. Each cemetery has its own chilling stories, adding to Massachusetts’ supernatural allure.