Urban legends tell haunting tales all centered around places of the dead. In Knoxville, Old Gray Cemetery holds a story that is so scary it may just keep you up at night. It may be a beautiful place, but it also holds a dark entity that roams the grounds. Do you dare to look for ghosts at this haunted cemetery in Tennessee? If you dare read on and find out what might be lurking and watching from the shadows as you enjoy this place of rest. 

Knoxville's Old Gray Cemetery has many beautiful marble statues and headstones.
Shawn Bruzda/ Google
With 13 sprawling acres of lush green grass and beautiful blooming trees in the spring, it may seem surprising to hear of the sinister tales surrounding this place. The beautiful colors in the trees contrast nicely with the gray tombstones. There is always a sense of eeriness when it comes to graveyards, however, you can just get lost in the beauty but lest not forget what might be watching you nearby.
The graves in the cemetery date all the back to the 1800s, and, during the day, it certainly is a peaceful place near downtown Knoxville.
Alex Kiestler/ Google
This graveyard also serves as an arboretum, and I always love it when I get the chance to explore the unique flowers and plant life found in arboretums. You will certainly find plenty of that in the Old Gray Cemetery.
But as the sun goes down, there is a lurking figure who looms around the spreading shadows.
Wesley Ledford/ Google
The locals call him Black Aggie or Dark Aggie; he is a dark and shadowed apparition in a black robe said to watch travelers. Stories of this dark entity hiding around the tombstones and wandering around the property are very prevalent in The Old Gray Cemetery. It is common to see Black Aggie at dusk, but more common for him to see you first.

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No one knows why he is there, but he is always watching.
David Hancock/ Google
Some say he just wanders around aimlessly as if unaware of those walking through. Others, however, tell a different tale of a much more aggressive ghost. People have had countless stories of Black Aggie chasing them all the way out of the cemetery. This apparition makes sure to make unwanted guests run away screaming in terror, if you visit you might become just like them.
Investigators have speculated that he haunts the grounds after someone desecrated his tomb, but no one really knows for sure.
Marcy/ Google
Still, many visitors have felt uneasy walking through the graveyard. It is as if eyes are ever watching each step of those unfortunate enough to cross his path.
Teenagers have claimed to get a picture of this wandering apparition but it has been lost over time.
Marcy/ Google
Still, more stories were told of guests hearing their names whispered behind them only to turn and find no one there. Was this really the presence of Black Aggie, or just an overactive imagination?
Still, you may never know unless you go. Wander around the grounds in search of ghosts but they might find you first.
Old Gray Cemetery/ Facebook

You have to decide for yourself if you believe the stories coming from this haunted cemetery in Knoxville, Tennessee. Take a walk in this beautiful piece of history, but be aware of who, or what might be watching. 

For more information about Old Gray Cemetery, visit the website and experience this place for yourself — just be respectful of those laid to rest here — and the Black Aggie, too. Learn more about the history of this place of rest with this video from the Knoxville History Project.

If you need a place to stay the night while visiting Knoxville then make sure to check in to The Tennessean, and we even have a whole day’s itinerary for you with some of the best things to do in Knoxville. Then again you might not be able to sleep after visiting this cemetery…

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Old Gray Cemetery, 543 N Broadway, Knoxville, TN 37917, USA