The Story Behind This Ghost Town Cemetery In Kansas Will Chill You To The Bone
Are you itching for a good fright? Looking for somewhere to scare you at night? If you’re looking for a creepy place and don’t mind calling to make sure you’re allowed to be there, you should check out this ghost town cemetery in the middle of nowhere. It’s definitely a spooky place.
Note: We do not condone any trespassing or vandalism at this site. Be respectful, and always ask permission before you visit. The local police take trespassing very seriously.
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The unincorporated town of Stull lies within Douglas County, between Topeka and Lawrence. It was originally settled in 1856, around the same time many other towns in Kansas were becoming incorporated. It was first called Deer Creek, and started off like many other towns. There were six families living here, each with rich German and Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. They even built a tiny church for local service.
In 1899, a man named Sylvester Stull established a post office, and his name stuck as the new name for the town. That post office didn't last long, however, becoming discontinued in 1903. There were never more than about 50 residents, and it eventually was left to a state of disrepair and ruin.
What was once a community church and graveyard is most of all that's left of this little town. However, that's exactly what we're here for.
Though it looks tame in the daylights, as soon as night falls, this place allegedly becomes a danger. Rumors for years have told that Stull, Kansas is the location of one of the "Seven Gateways to Hell." While this church still stood, it was said that rain wouldn't fall within its borders, even without a roof.
According to the legend, twice a year the Devil himself appears in corporeal form. Of course, one of those nights is on Halloween, but the other is the Spring Equinox (March 20th/21st). The story grew wildly popular, and spread like a Kansas wildfire.
In an effort to keep away both odd worshipers and vandals, the church was bulldozed in 2003, but the legend couldn't be stopped. The rubble still stands from the church, and the nearby cemetery is the supposed location for the "stairs" of the gateway to appear on those two nights.
My advice? Don't trespass on this property without express permission, and leave the graves alone. Other than that, feel free to tell us what you've found at this spooky location!
Stull itself is located between Topeka and Lawrence, with not a lot of markers around it. Nevertheless, feel free to use this map to help you find it if you’re planning on a quick drive-through.
If you’re discouraged by the “keep out” signs and don’t want to intrude on this ghost town, why not check out these other places in Kansas where you can get a good scare?
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Born and raised Kansan, Clarisa has lived in both tiny towns and cities during her time here in the Sunflower State, mostly in the south central area. Clarisa is a stay-at-home mother of one crazy kid, two cats, and two geckos, and has been writing anything and everything since she's held a pencil, though Kansas and fantasy novels take up most of her time.
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