Ghost Hunting In Haunted Cemeteries
Not every cemetery is haunted, so find out where you’re likely to meet one after the jump.
Not all cemeteries are haunted
According to Fiona Broome and the book, ‘Ghost Hunting in Haunted Cemeteries,’ very old cemeteries (over 300-yrs. old) are rarely haunted. She hypothesizes the spirits have simply figured out they were dead and moved on.
She also believes above ground cemeteries, like in New Orleans, do not attract hauntings. In her theory, she states ashes do not leash the spirit to the earth. It’s the traditional burial that likely to keep a ghost around the cemetery grounds. There is one place to check for spirits, the receiving tomb.
Receiving tombs
These tombs are generally used in northern climates. In the winter, the ground freezes and it’s very difficult to dig a new grave. The groundskeeper uses them to store the bodies until the spring thaw. You can check the area around it for EVP and EMF. Never go into the receiving tomb: The police could/would/should/will arrest you.
Rules to use when ghost hunting in a cemetery
- Most cemeteries are closed at dark – get permission for an after-hours hunt.
- No gate doesn’t mean the cemetery is open to the public.
- Don’t investigate a grave with the family present or mourning.
- Respect the dead.
- Never take anything out of the cemetery.
- Never investigate an open crypt/tomb.
How to Prioritize Locations for a Ghost Hunt in a Cemetery
Before we get into prioritizing plots, there are a few things to know about ghost hunts in a cemetery:
First – You can hunt during the day. The place is still haunted and you can get good results for EVP collection.
Second – New plots usually do not have activity (since the 1990s) and old plots (over 200 years old) rarely have activity. The ‘sweet spot’ tends to be plots over 50-years-old and under 150-years-old (the 1860s through 1960s).
Third – Look for graves outside the cemetery walls. We’ll explain the reason why after the jump.
In general, you can hunt as long as you want during visiting hours, which is usually sunrise to sunset. You’ll probably get some weird looks from visitors – don’t worry about them. We have some previous posts on ghost hunting in cemeteries, so go back and review those, too.
This is how you should prioritize your plot investigations:
- Visit plots with a documented history of activity
- Graves outside the cemetery walls – These tend to be people that were considered ‘trash.’ This means prostitutes, transients, suicides and criminals. They weren’t ‘good’ enough to have a proper burial or their families didn’t want to claim them. This type of trauma usually leads to some ghostly activity.
- Neglected graves (for example, the headstone is knocked over or it’s old and damaged)
- Graves with a lot of inscriptions, engravings and symbols – There’s usually a good story behind all the markings. Check the family genealogy, if you can, to see what you discover.
- Victorian-era graves have great details engraved on them and some are strongly related to the Spiritualist movement.
You may want to bring a psychic along with you. They can give you real-time feedback on the plots and you can focus on a location with their guidance.
We also recommend using cemeteries for training. If you’re new to ghost hunting, a cemetery is an easily accessible location. You can spend your time perfecting your research methods, testing equipment and honing psychic abilities.
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