The spooky season is officially upon us! If you’re anything like me, who will purchase absolutely anything if it has ‘pumpkin spice’ on the label, or my husband, who works on our Halloween cemetery yard display all year long, the most wonderful time of the year has officially arrived. As a funeral director, odds are you either embrace this time of year with open arms or roll your eyes every time you have to hear the Monster Mash. There doesn’t seem to be much of a middle ground.
Some funeral directors are drawn to the gothic aesthetic, appreciating its dark elegance, and for some, this fascination may have even played a role in drawing them to the funeral profession. The allure of the macabre—creaking coffins, misty graveyards, and shadowy figures—can feel like a natural fit for those who are intrigued by the mysteries of death. On the other hand, many deathcare professionals feel that an overemphasis on horror and the macabre can detract from the solemnity and dignity that funeral services require. The focus, they argue, should remain on honoring the deceased and supporting the grieving families, without the theatrics that often come with horror-themed depictions of death.
No matter where you stand on the Halloween spectrum or what you believe about the supernatural, it’s undeniable that many people love the thrill of a spooky tale, especially during this time of year. There’s something about the eerie atmosphere of autumn—the crisp air, falling leaves, and long, dark nights—that makes it the perfect season to dive into stories of haunted cemeteries and mysterious happenings. And while you don’t have to believe in ghosts or curses to appreciate a good scare, even skeptics can acknowledge that sometimes unexplainable things happen. Join us as we explore 9 spooky gravesites that have sparked imaginations and sent shivers down spines for generations.
1. The Tomb of Marie Laveau
She has one of the most visited tombs in all the world, and yet, no one seems to know very much about the famed Voodoo priestess. While many of the details of Marie Laveau’s life may be shrouded in mystery, even more mysterious are the origins of the legends surrounding her death and final resting place. Over the years, there have been many reported sightings of Laveau walking through the cemetery. Others have reported experiencing strange sensations such as feeling as though they are being touched, hearing voices or becoming unexplainably ill.
Many visitors flock to Laveau’s reported final resting place in hopes of having their wishes granted, even going so far as to engage in a ritual involving leaving three XXX marks on her white marble tomb. It is not known where this tradition originated by many sources claim it has been going on for decades. The act of leaving marks on the tomb has been condemned by cemetery caretakers who say it damages the stone’s integrity. As a result, the cemetery is now closed off to visitors except for licensed tour groups. This has made Laveau’s tomb one of the biggest draws for the many “Haunted History” tour groups in the city.
2. The Cursed Grave of Jonathan Buck
We’ve all heard the phrase, “get the boot” used as a euphemism for firing someone, but this story will make you wonder if the origin of the phrase goes back even further. Legend has it that Bucksport town founder Jonathan Buck, who was also the justice of the peace, once executed a woman for witchcraft sometime around the mid 1700s. The story, which dates back as far as an 1899 newspaper clipping, is that before her death, the woman placed a curse on Buck that his gravestone would permanently bear the mark of her leg so that his memory would be stained for all time by this deed.
While in some versions of the story, the woman is hanged, in other more gruesome versions she is burned alive and her burning leg actually comes out of the fire. While that may sound a bit farfetched, the legend of the spooky gravesite curse has remained due to a seemingly permanent boot-shaped stain on the stone that cannot be fully explained. According to the legend, no matter how many times the tomb has been cleaned or replaced, the leg stain always reappears in the same spot. However, many historians have pointed out there are no records of any witches ever being executed in the state of Maine and descendants of Buck’s have disputed claims about the stone being replaced. Nevertheless, many continue to visit Bucksport today to see the infamous “cursed gravestone” with their own eyes, keeping the legend alive.
3. The Grave of Carrie Frances Kiene
We love the idea of taking time to honor the memory of someone you never met, and we also love a good mystery, so this story is one of our favorites. For more than two decades, an unknown person has been secretly visiting the burial plot of Carrie Frances Kiene, a child who died at the age of five in 1885, and dressing up the child statue that adorns her grave. Since the 1990s, the Little Carrie statue has been seen wearing different hats, scarves and other seasonal accessories. No one knows why someone would so devotedly decorate a memorial site for a child who lived over a century ago. There are even some who are convinced Little Carrie is dressing herself. However, most including the cemetery workers believe this to be a beautiful and respectful act that someone has taken it upon themselves to help ensure this child is not forgotten.
4. Jim Morrison’s Grave
In 1997, rock historian Brett Meisner visited the grave of Doors frontman Jim Morrison at Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France. Meisner asked a tourist to snap a photo of him at the burial site, and years later when the photo was rediscovered by Meisner’s assistant they were surprised to discover a ghostly apparition in the background. The figure appears to be of a man with his arms outstretched, very similar to the same posture Morrison had on the Best of the Doors album cover. When Meisner had the photo analyzed, it was authenticated by multiple sources who found that it had not be doctored in any way. When you look at the image, it is undeniably haunting. The iconic ghost photo has led many to believe that Morrison stalks his own grave.
5. The Haserot Angel
The Angel of Death Victorious, commissioned by canning magnate Francis Haserot, stands as the final sentinel over his family’s plot in Cleveland’s Lake View Cemetery. Sculpted by Herman Matzen, the bronze angel grasps an inverted, extinguished torch—an unmistakable symbol of life’s end. The angel’s stoic, emotionless face already conveys a sense of somber finality. However, what makes this figure truly chilling is the appearance of black tears streaking down her face. Over time, the natural oxidation of the bronze has produced these dark stains, giving the impression of eternal mourning. This eerie visage, with its weeping black streaks, evokes a profound sense of unease, as though death itself is both grieving and watching, forever present. Many have visited the cemetery specifically to seek out the spooky gravesite because of the statue’s haunting nature.
6. The Mysterious Grave of XYZ
The story goes that a bank robber was shot and killed while trying to rob a bank in Deep River, Connecticut. No one knew who he was, and he carried no identification, so the town decided to bury him in a donated plot near the railroad tracks. Shortly after the burial, the cemetery received an anonymous letter requesting the gravestone be marked with the letters XYZ and they complied.
Local legend has it that every year, a woman in black would arrive in town on the train, speak not a word to anyone in town, and walk to the gravesite. In some versions of the story, she would leave a single rose, and in others, a wreath of flowers. In all of the versions, she would then walk back to the train and leave without speaking to anyone. Over time, the woman came to be known as the “Lady in Black.” There are many local legends about people who have claimed to have seen her ghosts at the burial site. A quick search on TikTok or YouTube and you will find plenty of homemade videos of people visiting at night in hopes of seeing something otherworldly. The spooky gravesite is often decked out with pennies as it is believed you should leave coin so as to avoid being cursed. We aren’t sure about the cursed part, or about the “Lady in Black”, but it does seem fitting that a bank robber’s grave should be covered in coins.
7. Ochobamba
What is it about grave curses that captivates our imagination? Since the time of Egyptian mummies and the tomb-raiding grave robbers, history is rife with stories of tombs believed to be cursed. Here’s one you may not have heard before: In Japan, a woman named Ochobamba gained fame for her remarkable healing abilities, particularly for curing cholera. After her death, a permanent grave marker was erected in her honor, and though her story faded over time, the stone endured. Today, in Chigasaki, where her grave stands, local residents fear the small stone, believing it to be cursed. Some even think that merely touching it could bring about misfortune, or worse—cholera itself. This tale, however, seems less like a ghost story and more a reflection of human paranoia.
8. Black Aggie
You know a gravesite sculpture is pretty spooky if it has to be moved due to urban legends surrounding it. That’s precisely what happened to the statue, known by many as “Black Aggie’, that once adorned the burial plot of General Felix Agnus at Druid Ridge Cemetery in Pikesville, MD. The statue depicts a woman seated and draped in a shroud. The image of the draped figure was meant to be a replica of the famous “Grief” statue located at Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington, D.C. but somewhere along the way, the statue in Pikesville began to take on a life of its own with a whole host of legends surrounding it almost from the time it was first installed in 1925.
The most prolific of these folktales was that if one were to spend the night on the lap of Black Aggie, they would forever be haunted by the ghosts of the people buried at Druid Ridge. There are also tales of ghost meetings near the statue and rumors of the statue moving on its own or its eyes glowing red. As the legends grew, so did the number of curious individuals who would sneak into the cemetery at night to view the statue and spooky gravesite. There were even instances of the statue being covered with graffiti. Eventually, the decedents of General Agnus decided to have it removed from the grave due to the unwanted attention it garnered. Today, you can still visit Black Aggie in the courtyard located behind the Dolly Madison House in Washington D.C. The somber statue looks woefully (no pun intended!) out of place amongst the lush rhododendron bushes that now surround it.
9. The Marchant Ball Grave
While many of the gravestones on this list were believed by some to have moved on their own, this is the only one that has been proven indisputably to do so. In Ohio, at the top of Charles Merchant’s grave monument in Marion Cemetery, a 5,000-granite ball that has been slowly rolling for over 100 years. While you can’t visibly see it rotating, the unpolished spot where the ball once rested on its stand gives away its secret. It is estimated to move about 2 inches every year. While people have attributed the phenomenon to everything from ghosts to alien activity, the most likely explanation is that the ball moves as a result of moisture being trapped, freezing and then melting.
Which burial site on our list do you think is the creepiest? Are they any graves in your town with mysteries surrounding them? Share in the comments below what you think about our list of spooky gravesites.
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One Response
That was a very interesting story. I remember as a child going out to a very small Chinese cemetery just outside the town I grew up in. It was always erie feeling.