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Are you looking for ghosts? Start with haunted cemeteries. Many of them aren’t just haunted… they’re very haunted.
This video will help you learn the basics and find haunted cemeteries near you.
Tips for Finding Haunted Cemeteries
- People drive by cemeteries every day and don’t notice them. The more ignored the cemetery is, the more likely it is to be haunted. Abandoned cemeteries and neglected graveyards are among the best for your research.
- Haunted cemeteries are often in the middle of nowhere or — at the opposite extreme — they’re near strip malls, motels, home improvement superstores, and used car lots. Always look in back of malls and superstores. You may be surprised at what’s behind them or nearby.
- For some reason — I don’t know why, yet — the left side (or back left corner) of haunted cemeteries is often odd. The fence is broken, or that corner of the cemetery is neglected, or it’s strangely dark in that corner.
- You’re also looking for 19th-century graves or evidence that the cemetery was at its peak in the 19th century. Those cemeteries and graves are often the most haunted.
(If you’re looking for information about specific cemeteries online, remember that people sometimes misspell “cemetery” as “cemetary,” “cemetry” or “cementary.” Use those spellings at search engines and you may find ghost stories, too.)
Once you’ve identified a cemetery that might be haunted, it’s time to explore the graves and headstones (usually in daylight, at first) for places to research.
How to Find Haunted Graves
Here’s a video with real-life examples, to help you find haunted graves.
More tips for finding haunted graves.
- Gravestones that indicate money, power, tragedy, or drama. Inscriptions and artwork can reveal a lot about the person and the circumstances of his or her death.
- Graves with multiple spouses, especially if the gravestone is unusual.
- Family plots that are missing some headstones, or have one or more unmarked graves.
- Grave markers that aren’t aligned with the other headstones in the cemetery. Generally, headstones in 19th-century cemeteries (or earlier) are aligned in an east-west direction. If one or more aren’t, investigate why.
- Look for unmarked, neglected, abandoned, and old, vandalized graves. (Avoid recently vandalized graves. They’re not worth the potential trouble from the living and the dead.)
- Generally, look for anything odd about a grave or a family plot.
Haunted cemeteries can be the best places for paranormal research. Though “creepy” cemeteries can be worth checking, some of the best haunted graves are in cemeteries that are simply overlooked or neglected.
The photos in this video are from a cemetery on Rte. 3, just north of the Tilton (NH) outlet malls, and a nearby cemetery at Arch Hill in Northfield, NH.
For more videos about ghost hunting, see my YouTube channel, Ghosts and Haunted Places, with Fiona Broome.
If you’re interested in learning more, read my book, Ghost Hunting in Haunted Cemeteries.
In that book, you’ll discover:
- How to find “forgotten” cemeteries in your area.
- Exactly what to look for (and where the “hot spots” usually are).
- What gravestone inscriptions and artwork can mean, and…
- How to uncover the ghosts’ real stories.
You’ll also learn tips to help your ghost hunting team get the most from each investigation.
Haunted cemeteries are among the best investigation sites for beginners and pros, alike. It’s where the ghosts are!