The Story Behind This Haunted Cemetery In New Jersey Is Truly Creepy
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Kristen
Author
New Jersey has been called the crossroads of the American Revolution, and many sites in our state reflect this fact. From the Old Barracks in Trenton to Washington’s headquarters at the Ford Mansion, there is no shortage of Revolutionary War history here. The Civil War, however, is something we tend to think of as being associated solely with the South; this isn’t necessarily the case. While no major Civil War battles were fought in New Jersey, we do have several ties to the nation-dividing conflict. One of these ties comes in the form of a haunted cemetery.
The Garden State was a major source of troops and equipment for the Union. Over 88,000 soldiers from New Jersey served, with around 6,000 men losing their lives. Cities including Paterson and Camden thrived, producing supplies and ammunition. We also housed several stops on the Underground Railroad. This isn't the end of our Civil War story, however.
On the Delaware River, just off the coast of New Jersey, lies Pea Patch Island. The island, part of New Castle County (Delaware), housed a prison for Confederate soldiers.
Conditions at the prison left much to be desired. The site was overcrowded and disease ran rampant. Nearly 2,700 prisoners died from illness, malnutrition and neglect; almost 2,500 of these prisoners were buried at Finn's Point National Cemetery in Pennsville Township, New Jersey.
Conditions at the prison left much to be desired. The site was overcrowded and disease ran rampant. Nearly 2,700 prisoners died from illness, malnutrition and neglect; almost 2,500 of these prisoners were buried at Finn's Point National Cemetery in Pennsville Township, New Jersey.
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Where there are marked graves at this cemetery, many bodies were simply thrown into a pit. The 115-acre site, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is essentially a mass grave. Jersey Unique Minds Paranormal Society (JUMPS) has detected paranormal activity in several different locations throughout the grounds. Pictured above is the monument to the 135 Union soldiers who died while on duty at Fort Delaware.
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This 85-foot obelisk commemorates the Confederate soldiers who died at Fort Delaware. An impressive site, one of the largest concentrations of bodies can be found buried in this area. The cemetery is also the final resting place of German POWs from WWII.
Perhaps most chilling is the murder that occurred in the cemetery in 1997. Serial killer Andrew Cunanan, notorious for the murder of designer Gianni Versace, took the life of his fourth victim here. Andrew killed the 45-year-old caretaker, William Reese, and stole his truck.
From murder to mass graves, this cemetery is certainly an eerie location, though few know it even exists. Finn’s Point National Cemetery can be accessed through Fort Mott State Park’s main gate at 454 Fort Mott Road. It is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to sunset.
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