10 cemeteries in Pennsylvania that are reportedly haunted
These 10 cemeteries in Pennsylvania are said to harbor ghosts, restless spirits, and even supernatural creatures.
Cemeteries are places of memory and mourning, but they’re also fertile ground for folklore. Across Pennsylvania, burial grounds not only hold the remains of those who came before us, but they also inspire stories about restless spirits—some rooted in history, some in legend. From sweeping landscaped cemeteries to tiny family plots, here are 10 cemeteries in Pennsylvania said to be haunted by ghosts.
1. Laurel Hill Cemetery – Philadelphia
Laurel Hill Cemetery was one of the first “rural” cemeteries in the country, founded in 1836 as a scenic, landscaped burial ground for mourners to visit outside the hubbub of Philadelphia city life. Over the past two centuries, more than 77,000 people have been laid to rest at Laurel Hill—though, of course, some say that not all these souls are at rest. In fact, the cemetery hosts regular ghost tours so that you can learn some of the spookier stories about the cemetery’s residents—like that of Martha Drinnan, the caretaker’s daughter, who disappeared in 1904. Her body was found months later, her death unexplained, and she was buried at Laurel Hill in an unmarked grave. This year, the cemetery’s annual “Soul Crawl” events take place on Oct. 24 and 25.
2. Hans Graf Cemetery – Marietta (Lancaster County)
Shock Graveyard, commonly known as Hans Graf Cemetery, is a small, centuries-old family burial ground in Lancaster County marked by about 30 crumbling headstones. The entire burial ground is enclosed by a low stone wall, which announces to visitors, “Within this God’s Acre rest the descendants of Hans Graf.” The oldest known burial dates to 1797, but local lore suggests its spirits are still active today. According to one legend, those who dare to circle the graveyard will be chased away by the spirit of Swiss immigrant Hans Graf (never mind that Hans Graf himself isn’t actually buried in the cemetery). There are also popular tales of werewolf activity at the cemetery, with one story suggesting that if you make seven trips around the cemetery under the light of the full moon, you’ll be hunted and killed by a white werewolf. A Legends of Lancaster video about the graveyard further explores the folklore.
3. Mount Bethel Cemetery – Columbia (Lancaster County)
Mount Bethel Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Pennsylvania, having been established around 1730. As it has buried the dead of Lancaster County for nearly 300 years, the cemetery certainly has some ghost stories to tell. And each October, the cemetery hosts Columbia’s Haunted Lantern Tour, a performance and walking tour sharing some of the haunted lore behind Columbia’s history. While Mount Bethel isn’t infamously connected to hauntings like some of the cemeteries on this list, the interactive tours give visitors a rare opportunity to be fully immersed in the spirits of Columbia’s past.
4. Wildwood Cemetery – Williamsport (Lycoming County)
Wildwood Cemetery is divided by a road into east and west sides—and according to local legend, the road also splits the cemetery into its “bad” western side, where evil spirits dwell, and its “good” eastern side. The western part of the cemetery hosts the oldest graves, which date from the cemetery’s opening in 1863. It is here where a banshee, the Irish death omen, is rumored to wail at night. Meanwhile, the eastern side has a gentler supernatural reputation, with fairies said to flit between the headstones.
5. Gettysburg National Cemetery – Gettysburg (Adams County)
More than 6,000 soldiers and veterans are buried at Gettysburg National Cemetery, including more than 3,500 Union soldiers who died during the Civil War’s Battle of Gettysburg. (Confederate soldiers who died during the battle were mostly buried in southern cemeteries, though some of their remains, and those of some Union soldiers, are likely still buried on the battlefield.) Visitors have reported strange feelings and shadowy apparitions at the national cemetery. But one of the most famous resident ghosts no longer appears: according to the first volume of “Ghosts of Gettysburg,” the ghost of Captain William Miller of the 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry was often seen haunting the cemetery at night—until his Congressional Medal of Honor was finally acknowledged on his headstone.
6. Cry Baby Cemetery – Knox (Clarion County)
One of the most haunted places in Clarion County is known as Cry Baby Cemetery, though it’s officially called Saint Luke’s Triangle Cemetery. This cemetery is an old graveyard with a few dozen headstones, the oldest dating back to 1879. It’s called “Cry Baby Cemetery” because many children are buried there, including two of the cemetery’s youngest residents who are believed to still haunt the place. According to the story, infant twins died and were mistakenly buried on opposite sides of the cemetery. And at night, especially when the moon is full, you can hear the twins crying out for each other.
7. Allegheny Cemetery – Pittsburgh (Allegheny County)
One of the nation’s oldest cemeteries, Pittsburgh’s Allegheny Cemetery opened in 1844, and since then has been the final resting place of some of the city’s most prominent people, from politicians to industrialists. With more than 132,000 people buried on its grounds, it’s no surprise that locals swear the cemetery is haunted. One of the most popular stories involves the ghost of Harry K. Thaw, the son of an area railroad baron. In 1906, Thaw murdered a man in front of hundreds of people at Madison Square Garden and was condemned to an asylum, though he was later released. When Thaw died in 1947, he was buried in the family plot in Allegheny Cemetery. Visitors have reported seeing his ghost strolling the grounds near his grave.
8. Snyder Cemetery – Portersville (Butler County)
A handful of old cemeteries can be found on the grounds of Moraine State Park, not far from Pittsburgh in Butler County. One of these sites, Snyder Cemetery, was named for the Snyder family, whose patriarch Conrad Snyder is said to haunt the graves. According to the story locals tell, some visitors will see a pair of glowing red eyes near the Snyder family plot—supposedly the eyes of Conrad Snyder keeping people from disturbing him and his family. People have also reported seeing flashing lights in the area. The cemetery is located within the park off of Burton Road.
9. Dravo Cemetery – Elizabeth Township (Allegheny County)
Located in Elizabeth Township along the Youghiogheny River, historic Dravo Cemetery has more than 700 graves, which date from when the cemetery was first established in 1812. Originally a family cemetery, it grew when it was adopted by a church, but the graveyard was eventually abandoned in 1924 after Dravo Methodist Church burned down for the second time. Locals believe the cemetery is haunted and tell stories of seeing a two-headed dog among the headstones and hearing the sounds of a ghostly train. Dravo Cemetery is located along the Great Allegheny Passage, a popular bike trail, and there is a small hiker and biker campground adjacent to the cemetery if you think you can brave the night!
10. Erie Cemetery – Erie (Erie County)
Established in 1851, Erie Cemetery is home to more than 50,000 graves—but a few sites have gained paranormal notoriety. One is the “Witch’s Circle,” a ring of headstones around a tree in Section 34, believed to mark the resting place of two witches. Over time, these headstones have blackened with age, but if you believe the legend, they turned black when the devil came to retrieve the men’s souls. The cemetery also has a mausoleum—marked with no name but a symbol in the shape of a “V”—known as the “Vampire Crypt.” According to local lore, it holds the body of a vampire from Romania (OK, xenophobia) who haunts the cemetery at night. Visitors can learn more about these spooky legends and more on one of the Erie Cemetery’s Ghost and Legends Tours, led by lantern light throughout the month of October.
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