Cassadaga: Cassadaga Spiritualist Settlement
We’d heard good reports of Cassadaga for ghost hunting. It has a long history of Spiritualism… and spirits. However, during our visit, the Cassadaga did not seem profoundly haunted. We will visit Cassadaga for another investigation. Sometimes an area offers more on a second visit.
The Cassadaga visitor center has some good material, including free literature in their conference room (just before you reach the rest room entrances). And, it is a lovely setting if you’re in the mood for a leisurely walk, browsing New Age shops and consulting psychics.
We took many pictures at Cassadaga on a rainy day, and what’s notable is what we didn’t get on film: Orbs. With that kind of moisture in the air, we should have had dozens–if not hundreds–of orbs. Is that an anomaly? We don’t know.
If you walk to the edge of Spirit Lake towards the middle of town, you’ll see a wooded area with trails to your left. If any part of Cassadaga remains haunted, it’s probably those woods.
While you’re visiting Cassadaga, there is a cemetery just outside the town line, due west, possibly on Kicklighter Road. We had just a few minutes to visit it, and plan to return to collect more information, but–on our first visit–this cemetery seemed far more haunted than nearby Cassadaga.
Cassadaga Spiritualist Settlement is about 30 miles north of Orlando, just off Hwy 4.
Orlando area: Rouse Road Cemetery
Legend claims that the small, rural cemetery on Rouse Road and nearby woods are haunted by a ghost from the 1840s, Benjamin Miles, whose nightly presence is signalled by an owl screeching. Mr. Miles, often in tan-colored work clothes, was buried in an unmarked grave, and is an angry ghost. We visited this cemetery during the day, and while our photos didn’t capture anything significant, we can confirm that there is a strong, unsettling presence there.
In our photos: On the top left, even the cheerful flowers couldn’t seem to lift the heavy energy in this cemetery. The center photo shows some of the toppled headstones, now sunken into the ground. On the lower left, there is a huge tree in this cemetery, and it seems to hold some strange energy. The area around it feels angry and perhaps even malicious.
Individuals who scare easily, or new ghost hunters, should probably avoid this location. It feels profoundly hostile.
Click any photo to see a much larger image.
Rouse Road Cemetery is in a rural setting, between 3400 & 3621 Rouse Road, Orlando, Florida, on the MapQuest.com maps. It is a gated cemetery, and we recommend a daytime visit. Check local laws and cemetery hours before planning a night visit.
Orlando theme parks
Almost every theme or amusement park has urban legends, including attractions that supposedly have ghosts. We cannot verify these tales, but include them as anecdotes:
Universal Studios theme park, Orlando: Reports of a small, hooded ghost with glowing red eyes, at one attraction.
Disney’s Magic Kingdom: At least two different reports of ghosts at–of course–Disney’s Haunted Mansion. Also, a ghost in slightly-dated clothing, strolling in front of the castle at the end of Main Street.
Disney/MGM Studios: At least one ghost reported at Disney’s Tower of Terror, in the lobby. Watch for fluttering movements in areas not affected by the fans.
If you can add more to these legends, let us know. We’re looking for first-person sightings only. (In other words, we want to know what you have seen or witnessed, not a story that you heard from someone. Thanks.)
Orlando: I-4 “Dead Zone”
There’s an overpass on I-4 that’s supposed to be very haunted and have more than an average number of accidents. It’s just north of Orlando, at the St. John’s River in Seminole County. According to legend, the highway was built over the graves of Yellow Fever victims, who lived (and died) at St. Joseph’s Colony, established on this site in 1887. In the daytime, the intersection has some strange energy, but how much of that is due to it being a shabby neighborhood? (Or, is it a faltering neighborhood because it’s too haunted for businesses to thrive there? It should be prime real estate.)
If anyone has more first-person information, let us know. We do not recommend investigating this area on your own, and particularly not at night. And, do not slow down, drive irregularly, or park on the road (or roadside) and contribute even more to the high number of accidents at this intersection.
i love this information i do believe in spirits and the supernatural too
I deeply beleive in spirits I think i have a spirit in my house im really scared
rouse road is freaky place to b lol but if u realloy want to go somewhere creepy go to pine hills off of hiawassee and silver star and its in some church place but its the old sunland mental hospital where it gave me really bad creeps last night when i went for the second time
I have been to and in sunland back in the 90′s when it was still standing and i can confirm to you yes it was haunted.
nah man i jus got back from the rouse cemetery and i got the eary and hostile feelings by the tree nd i didnt kno any of this before i went there the hostile feeling by the tree is no joke i couldnt get to close it felt so irregular and crazy
not to mention there is most defiantly more then one ghost at rouse cemetery not all hostile but you would know if you went yourself
I was thinking of going there with a buddy of mine. I want to check this out. what time is best to go to this cementary. Is there anyone working there during the day?
Dave,
Most cemeteries are maintained during daytime hours, but not every day. So, you might see someone working there, but you probably won’t.
My general advice for cemeteries is this: See if signs indicate when the cemetery is open. If there are no restrictions, I usually recommend arriving shortly before dusk. That’s partly so you can see what’s there, including hazards such as deadly spiderwebs and dangerous holes that you might step into. It’s also because dusk can be a very active time at many haunted sites.
If you enjoy visiting haunted cemeteries, be sure to read my book, Ghost Hunting in Haunted Cemeteries: A How-To Guide. It’s full of useful tips for the most intense paranormal experiences. Your public library may have a copy.
i just got back from I-4 there is a very strange energy of pain an sorrow an a strange force that trys to keep you there my advice do not go by your self or exsplore this place on your own an be care full definetly at night there have been numerous accidents over the years so be very carefull i would hate to see you in a news paper as the next person I-4 claimed.
I went to Rouse Road cemetary on Saturday 8/14/11. We got there about 10 p.m. When I first walked into the cemetary, I noticed a black shadow to my left darting away from some headstones and just disappearing. We had a digital camera with us and of all the photos we took, we had 4 photos that you could tell had definite “orbs” in them and not just bugs flying. We brought a digital recorder with us and we had one area of a growling type whisper that we couldn’t account for. All in all, it was pretty exciting and we are looking forward to returning there to investigate again.
I do believe that there are thing’s we can’t explain. Both my friend & I went to the Rouse Road Cemetary on a Full Moon, Friday the 13th & Halloween nights. From 11p.m.- about 1:30a.m. When we went there we noticed it had a gate but it was unlocked so we parked down the road & walked inside. I had a camera & took some pictures each time we went.My friend & I walked around the cemetary calling for Miles to come out but he never did. We did hear Owls screaching but its only natural that you will hear them since they are nocturnal creatures hunting at night. Each time we went we never felt anything weird, saw anything weird or experianced anything weird at all! And each time I reviewed the pictures that we took, there was nothing abnormal on them. I was always hopeful that there would of been something more but nope, nothing. Just because you can hear an owl screaching (and we did) does not mean “Miles” is around. I was very let down & dissappointed that we wasted our time on the trips. I have been drawn to the supernatural because when I was a kid I saw a ghost but it seems the more I search for them now, I don’t find anything. I think it’s when people don’t look for them, then it happens…So, in my own opinon, don’t waste your precious time in at ROUSE ROAD CEMETARY. I think this was just a rumor started by some college kid(s) many years ago. It’s like an urban legend & not nothing more.
My husband and I were in Orlando this past week (10/24 – 10/29, 2011) and visited Rouse Cemetery. We went during the day on our first visit. My husband had an experience by an infant’s grave. He was standing next to it and suddenly smelled (what he described) as an old barn or house smell from like the 30′s or 40′s. He was skeptical about ghosts and paranormal but — open-minded. When he walked over to me to tell me about it – he had a strange look on his face. He said as soon as he walked a couple of steps, the smell just disappeared. We both walked back by the grave – but never smelled it again. We decided to go back at night. Went before dusk. He set up our camera on top of a grave and recorded a video. As it got darker, we felt the creepiness factory move in on the cemetery. After about 40 minutes, when it got pitch black out, we retrieved the camera and headed out. We had very interesting results when we reviewed the video. We caught three different white streaks that appeared to come out of the graves. We ruled them out as bugs, because of their size and speed. There were a lot of bugs (mostly mosquitoes) and we would have seem them constantly in the video. Also, we had moved our car to the back of the cemetery (at one point) and didn’t realize we were in the camera’s view. My husband got out to talk on the phone. After about 1 min., the video picture starts to shake (as if an older person is holding it and trying to focus on hubby – I still get chills when I watch it). It continues to do this until he gets back into the car — and then stops. It never happens again as the video continued. Very strange. We could not figure out what would cause this to happen because there was absolutely no wind at all – completely still night. We went back about the same time 2 nights later, videotaped again – caught one more (what we believe is a ghost that manifests itself in a white swirl moving extremely fast) – but there was no shaking of the camera. We definitely believe this place is haunted – but not evil in any way. It is extremely creepy when its pitch dark. We always felt as if we were being “watched” mostly after darkness fell. We had some cool experiences and even bought and left some American flags at some soldiers stones that did not have one. It’s sad, because there are many infants and children also buried there. Please visit this cemetery with respect. We hope you have some of your own experiences. We will never forget this place.