Everett’s got its fair share of ghost stories. But there’s one that always stands out, looming over Evergreen Cemetery like a pyramid pulled straight from a horror comic: the Rucker Tomb.

Built in 1907, this massive granite mausoleum is hard to miss. It’s 30 feet tall, shaped like a step-pyramid, and crafted from red granite shipped in from Vermont. The Rucker brothers, Wyatt and Bethel, built it as a tribute to their mother, Jane Morris Rucker, the matriarch of the family that helped found Everett. She was the first to be laid to rest inside.

And that’s when the weirdness began.

But before we get into the curses, hexes and ghostly shenanigans, Ghostly Activities Club member, Amy, had some spectral encounters at the tomb.

Amy’s Ghostly Communications

Going forward, I’ll add in Amy’s experiences at the beginning of each section. Here’s the first video clip:

The Curse Of The Pyramid

Local residents whisper that the tomb is cursed. Not just haunted, actually cursed. The stories say Jane Rucker didn’t go peacefully. She died in 1907 after a long illness, but some believe the illness was brought on by the betrayal of her business partners. Rumor has it, she made a vow on her deathbed: “Everett will never know peace.”

Note: This tale is totally an urban legend … but salacious death bed curses deserve mention!

Within months, businesses started folding. The dream of a booming port city faded. Investors, like John D. Rockefeller himself, pulled out. And the Rucker family? Their fortune slowly crumbled, despite all their best efforts.

Today, townies say the curse lingers. The grass around the tomb never grows quite right. People report sudden headaches, dizziness, and nausea when they get too close. A few have even passed out … right there on the steps! Cameras glitch. Batteries drain. And at night? The air feels electric. Charged. Like the space around the tomb watches you.

Jane Rucker’s Ghost

Then there are the sightings.

A pale woman in a black dress has been seen near the tomb at twilight, standing perfectly still under the shadow of the pyramid. Witnesses say she’s transparent, her face contorted with sorrow. If you try to approach, she vanishes.

Locals believe this is Jane Rucker, still mourning the city she hoped would rise. Still tied to the land she helped settle.

And it’s not just the cemetery.

For decades, folks have claimed to see Jane at the Rucker Mansion, the family’s opulent home on the hill. One caretaker swore he saw her drifting through the ballroom upstairs, weeping. Another guest, years earlier, saw a woman in Victorian clothing staring out from an upper window, though no one else was home.

The Mansion On The Hill

Let’s talk about that mansion for a sec. It’s a beauty in Queen Anne style with 10,000 square feet of architectural splendor. Bethel Rucker gave it to his wife, Ruby, as a wedding gift. The place has fireplaces in nearly every room and a wraparound porch that overlooks Port Gardner Bay.

But behind the glamour? Heartbreak.

Bethel and Ruby’s daughter, Margaret, was born just after Jane died. She grew into a talented poet; brilliant, sensitive, and well-loved. But tragedy followed her. Her husband died by suicide in 1950. She followed in 1959, at the age of 51. Her ashes were placed in the family tomb, beneath her grandmother’s watchful gaze.

Some say Margaret’s spirit still lingers. A few investigators have claimed to hear soft sobs echoing from the back of the tomb. Others hear poetry whispered on cold, clear nights.

Rucker Hill’s Paranormal Hotspot

Let’s not forget the tomb itself has become a magnet for paranormal activity.

Over the years, ghost hunters, vandals, and curious teens have been drawn to it. In 2008, someone caused $12,000 worth of damage, busting stonework and spray painting the entrance. The city fixed it up, but ever since then, the activity has intensified.

Visitors report cold spots, shadow figures, and a strange sensation that something is watching from the upper tiers of the pyramid. Psychics have described the tomb as a “spiritual battery,” charging up all the grief and trauma from the Rucker line.

There’s even a theory that the pyramid shape, used in ancient cultures for energy manipulation, might be amplifying the spirits trapped inside.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to believe in curses to feel an oddness around Rucker Tomb. Whether it’s the grief of a founding family or something much darker, one thing’s for sure: the Ruckers left their mark on Everett.

And maybe, just maybe, they’re not quite done yet.

Want to visit? You’ll find the Rucker Tomb inside Evergreen Cemetery in Everett, Washington. Be respectful. This is a real resting place. But if you go near dusk? Bring a flashlight. And maybe a friend.

Because Jane might be waiting.

Sources

“Assassins (1995) – Filming & Production.” IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112401/locations. Accessed 2 June 2025.

Brooks, Diane. “Is Mansion Home to Rucker Ghost? ‘Absolutely No Ghosts,’ Owner Says.” The Everett Herald, 30 Oct. 2014, https://www.heraldnet.com/news/is-mansion-home-to-rucker-ghost-absolutely-no-ghosts-owner-says. Accessed 2 June 2025.

“Everett and Monte Cristo Railway.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everett_and_Monte_Cristo_Railway. Accessed 2 June 2025.

“Margaret (album).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_(album). Accessed 2 June 2025.

“Rucker Brothers.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rucker_Brothers. Accessed 2 June 2025.

“Rucker Mansion (Everett, Washington).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rucker_Mansion_(Everett,_Washington). Accessed 2 June 2025.

“Rucker Tomb: The Giant Granite Wonder of Everett.” The Everett Herald, https://www.heraldnet.com/news/rucker-tomb-the-giant-granite-wonder-of-everett. Accessed 2 June 2025.

“Top 5 Reasons to Tour Evergreen Cemetery.” Live in Everett, 6 June 2016, https://www.liveineverett.com/blog/2016/6/6/everett-top-5-reasons-to-tour-the-evergreen-cemetery. Accessed 2 June 2025.

“Rucker’s Tomb: A Tribute to a Mother’s Love.” PNW Adventure Sisters, 12 May 2018, https://pnwadventuresisters.wordpress.com/2018/05/12/ruckers-tomb-a-tribute-to-a-mothers-love-2. Accessed 2 June 2025.

---

Have you had an experience at Rucker Tomb? If so, let me know about it in the comments.

Thanks for reading Ghostly Activities. Much appreciated and take care!