The Story Behind This Evil Place In Illinois Will Make Your Blood Turn Cold
By Elizabeth Crozier|Published September 14, 2017
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Elizabeth Crozier
Author
An Illinois transplant who grew up and went to school in Indiana for 22 years, Elizabeth holds a BFA in creative writing and has enjoyed traveling across the country and parts of Europe. She has visited half of the states, as well as parts of Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, and regularly travels home to the Hoosier State to see friends and family. With more than five years of writing experience, Elizabeth’s articles have been featured on several websites, and her poetry and short stories have been published in multiple literary journals.
Illinois is home to many haunted places, but nothing is more evil than the events that shaped this frightening cemetery. Ancient and creepy, this graveyard is disturbing even without its ghosts.
If ghost hunting is your game, this haunted land is the place to be. Keep scrolling to learn why there’s so much activity.
Greenwood Cemetery in Decatur is one of the most haunted sites in the entire country. Many have reported ghost sightings and other strange activity throughout the graveyard.
No one knows exactly when this site began being used for housing the deceased, but graves began appearing as early as the 1820s. It was dedicated and became a recognized cemetery in 1857.
It is likely that this was previously an Indian burial ground. These graves have since disappeared though.
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The cemetery fell into ruin and was often robbed in the mid-1900s. One of most impressive mausoleums had to be torn down because it fell into decay - not to mention reports of hearing screams and seeing lights from inside.
Though the structure is gone, reports of strange occurrences near where it stood have not ceased.
One of the most evil parts of the graveyard is the Civil War Memorial. It is said that a prison train carrying Confederate prisoners to camps went through this area and that many died from Yellow Fever while on board.
The departed were dumped into a mass grave near this spot, but it is believed that not all the soldiers were completely dead when buried.
Those soldiers walk the grounds of the cemetery. Visitors have reported seeing a man in tattered uniform who is unsure of where he is. Before any help can be administered, the apparation disappears.
Like many haunted places, a love story fuels paranormal activity. The Greenwood Bride is a figment of a woman in a white wedding dress looking for her fiance.
The graveyard is well-cared for today and features manicured lawns, hills, and trees. Despite the landscaping, there is still a creepy feeling that tingles your spine when you visit.
