10 Haunted Cemeteries In Pennsylvania That Locals Swear Are Too Creepy To Visit Alone
Iron cages once covered certain graves in the state, and they weren’t built to keep anyone in.
They were meant to stop grave robbers. Or at least, that’s the polite version of the story.
Pennsylvania cemeteries carry legends that sound made up until you read the history.
One supposedly holds a vampire crypt marked with a single letter. Another one helped launch the modern zombie movie back in 1968.
I love that these spots are real places with real stories, not spooky theme park sets built for selfies.
A couple sit right on Civil War ground. A few more hide down quiet country roads where cell service feels optional.
Respect matters here, since families still visit loved ones at these sites.
Still, I can’t help asking one nervous little question. Would you walk these paths after sunset with nobody beside you?
1. Night of the Living D*ad Grave Marker, Evans City, PA
Zombie movie history started with a shambling stranger in a quiet western Pennsylvania cemetery.
The opening scene of the 1968 film Night of the Living D*ad was shot right here, and horror fans still make the trip.
Several recognizable grave markers from the movie remain inside Evans City Cemetery, including the headstone of Nicholas Kramer, which appears during one of the film’s most memorable scenes.
The cemetery is still an active burial ground. That means you’re visiting a real resting place, not a film set with a gift shop.
Fans often call it one of the most famous cemetery scenes in film. Honestly, it’s wild that a low-budget classic turned this small-town spot into a pilgrimage stop.
Families still come to see loved ones here, so keep your voice down and your zombie walk at home. A quiet nod to movie history fits the place far better than a reenactment.
Daylight is the best time to explore. It makes identifying familiar headstones easier while allowing visitors to respect the cemetery’s atmosphere.
Plan ahead before you go, because there are no restrooms or snack stands on site. Evans City is a small town, so grab what you need before heading over.
Check current visiting rules before planning your trip, and remember that the cemetery’s primary purpose is honoring those buried there.
Address: 8600 Franklin Rd, Evans City, PA 16033
2. Hooded Grave Cemetery, Catawissa, PA
Iron cages over graves sound like something from a Halloween prop store, yet they’re real here. The site near Catawissa is known for its unusual 19th-century hooded graves.
Two graves are covered by ornate iron enclosures dating to 1852.
They belong to Sarah Ann Thomas Boone and Asenath Campbell Thomas, whose unusual memorials have puzzled historians for generations.
Nobody knows for certain why the cages were installed. One theory suggests they were designed to prevent grave robbing, a genuine concern during the 19th century.
Medical schools needed bodies for anatomical study, and grave robbers sometimes supplied them illegally.
Local folklore tells a spookier version. According to legend, the cages were meant to keep restless spirits from escaping their graves.
Other explanations suggest the ironwork may have been decorative or intended to protect the graves from animals.
Which story do you believe? Either way, standing beside a grave wrapped in iron bars gives your imagination plenty of work to do.
The setting is rural Columbia County, so don’t expect a visitor center or tour desk. Bring a map app and some patience for the back roads.
Visit during daylight, park carefully, and treat the old stones gently. Snap your photos, then leave the bars exactly how you found them.
Address: 277 Longwoods Rd, Catawissa, PA 17820
3. Evergreen Cemetery, Gettysburg, PA
Gettysburg’s most famous ghost route runs right past this gate on Baltimore Street.
Evergreen Cemetery sits along the path that local ghost tours love to retell after dark.
The cemetery was here before the 1863 battle, and fighting swept across its hill. Cemetery Hill, the famous Union position, takes its name from these grounds.
During that summer, the caretaker’s wife, Elizabeth Thorn, stayed behind while her husband served in the army. She helped bury many soldiers in the heat while pregnant, and a statue on the grounds honors her.
Jennie Wade, the only civilian lost during the battle, also rests here. Her grave has an American flag that flies around the clock, a rare honor.
Gates are open from 7 AM to 7 PM daily, so plan your wandering before nightfall. That timing gives you golden hour light without any trespassing worries.
Ghost walks along Baltimore Street often mention hauntings near these grounds and share tips for spotting spirits.
Book one in town if you want the spooky stories, then return by day to explore.
Evergreen is still an active cemetery, so watch for families and services. A respectful pace keeps the visit feeling right.
Address: 799 Baltimore St, Gettysburg, PA 17325
4. Gettysburg National Cemetery, Gettysburg, PA
On November 19, 1863, Abraham Lincoln spoke for about two minutes and changed American history forever.
He delivered the Gettysburg Address at the dedication of this cemetery.
Today, the grounds hold 3,512 Union soldiers from the Civil War. Rows of white headstones curve in neat semicircles around the Soldiers’ National Monument.
Nearly a thousand of those soldiers were never identified. Walking past stones marked unknown hits harder than any ghost story could.
Still, Gettysburg’s legends are hard to ignore. Local guides love sharing ghostly tales of phantom soldiers keeping watch over their fallen comrades.
The National Park Service manages the cemetery, and it’s open daily from dawn to dusk.
Visitors can enter from Taneytown Road, where a nearby parking area provides access to the grounds.
The Museum and Visitor Center is roughly a mile away and offers exhibits and information about the battlefield.
Give yourself time to read the markers by state, since soldiers are grouped that way. Finding the Pennsylvania section feels personal if your roots run deep in the state.
Bring water, comfy shoes, and a quiet attitude. Respect comes first here, and the spooky chills tend to follow on their own.
Location: Gettysburg National Cemetery, Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, PA 17325. Visitor parking is available off Taneytown Road.
5. Easton Cemetery, Easton, PA
Victorian folks didn’t do subtle, and this place proves it with thousands of examples of funeral art.
You’ll spot Gothic Victorian and Art Deco styles across 84 acres. Founded in 1849, Easton Cemetery was planned as a romantic, parklike burial ground.
That was a trendy idea back then, when cemeteries doubled as places to stroll and picnic.
Local ghost walks wander among the elaborate Victorian graves. Carved monuments and weathered stones make a perfect backdrop when the stories turn spooky.
Gates open daily, holidays included, from dawn to dusk. That schedule is a polite way of saying the ghosts get the place to themselves at night.
With 84 acres to cover, you’ll want sturdy shoes and maybe a loose plan. Pick a section, wander slowly, and look closely at the stonework details.
Easton sits where the Lehigh and Delaware rivers meet, so you can pair your visit with a downtown stroll. A cemetery walk followed by lunch in town makes a pretty great Saturday.
Photographers especially love the variety of styles here. Just remember families still visit, so give them plenty of space.
Address: Historic Easton Cemetery, 401 N 7th St, Easton, PA 18042
6. Erie Cemetery Association, Erie, PA
One crypt here supposedly hides a vampire, and the only clue is a single letter.
Erie Cemetery’s mysterious crypt with a large V on the outside sits at the center of one of the area’s spookiest legends.
The story says one of the people inside suffered from consumption, an illness once linked to vampire tales. Afterward, rumors spread about strange neck wounds around town.
Legend claims the caretaker sealed the crypt for good. Nobody has proven the supernatural claims, but the story remains part of local folklore.
The Erie Cemetery Association oversees this historic burial ground along with two others, Laurel Hill Cemetery in Millcreek and Wintergreen Gorge Cemetery in Harborcreek.
Founded in 1850, the association manages cemeteries that preserve generations of local history. Erie Cemetery itself was dedicated in 1851.
Visitors should be aware that Erie Cemetery is currently closed following severe storm damage in September 2026. Fallen trees and damaged monuments have created hazardous conditions, and restoration work is ongoing.
The association’s office operates Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Contact staff for updates about when the grounds will reopen.
Once visits resume, the historic stones and vampire legend will offer plenty of reasons to explore. Until then, respect the closure and leave the garlic at home.
Address: 2116 Chestnut St, Erie, PA 16502
7. Allegheny Cemetery, Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh’s favorite songwriter rests here, and that’s just the start of the stories.
Stephen Foster, who wrote “Oh! Susanna,” is buried on these grounds.
Founded in 1844, Allegheny Cemetery is one of the oldest rural cemeteries in western Pennsylvania. It was designed as a peaceful landscape of rolling hills and elegant plantings.
Towering Gothic mausoleums and ornate weeping angel statues give the place serious atmosphere. Add some resident ghost lore, and your walk turns spooky fast.
The grounds are huge, at roughly 300 acres. Grab a map first so you don’t wander in circles.
The cemetery sits on Butler Street in Lawrenceville, one of the city’s busiest neighborhoods. You can go from coffee shops to century-old tombs in a few minutes.
The Butler Street gate opens at 7 a.m. daily. Closing time is 7 p.m. from April through August and 5 p.m. from September through March.
Office hours are different, running Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday until 4 p.m. The office closes on Sundays.
The cemetery describes itself as a living tribute to generations past. That idea fits, because the monuments tell stories about the families who built this city.
Take your time and keep your voice low near active burial areas. A respectful stroll here feels like a history lesson with a few goosebumps thrown in.
Address: 4734 Butler St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
8. Laurel Hill East, Philadelphia, PA
Founded in 1836, this hilltop spot above the Schuylkill River was one of the country’s first rural cemeteries. It’s now a National Historic Landmark.
Ornate tombs line the paths, including resting places of Declaration signer Thomas McKean and writer Sarah Josepha Hale.
Hale helped make Thanksgiving a national holiday and wrote “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”
Spooky fans come for the twilight tours and flashlight investigations. Buying tickets ahead is recommended, since popular events can fill up.
One haunting story centers on Martha Drinnan, whose family was connected to the cemetery’s early management.
She disappeared in November 1903, and her body was discovered months later in 1904.
The mysterious circumstances surrounding her disappearance and passing have become part of the cemetery’s ghost lore.
Ghostly riverbank sightings add to the stories. With the river below and mausoleums nearby, it’s easy to see why the legends stick.
The cemetery grounds are open daily, including holidays. Gates generally operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. during daylight saving time and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. during standard time.
Philadelphia packs a lot of history into a small space, but few spots feel this dramatic. Go for the stories and stay for the views.
Address: 3822 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19132
9. Mount Moriah Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA
Weekend-only hours make this place feel like a secret club for brave explorers.
The gates welcome visitors Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 AM to 4 PM. Mount Moriah is a sprawling 19th-century burial ground famous for overgrown woodlands and decaying Gothic family vaults.
Nature has taken back big sections, and the result looks straight out of a horror film.
Founded in 1855, it became one of Philadelphia’s largest cemeteries. It stretches into Yeadon too, so the city line literally runs through the grounds.
Volunteers with the Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery keep working to care for the place. Their effort is a big reason you can explore it today.
Wear long pants and sturdy shoes, since some paths get wild. Bring a buddy too, which honestly feels like the smart move here.
Free parking is available in a lot and on the street. That makes it easier to arrive early and use the full visiting window.
Decaying vaults and leaning stones create plenty of eerie photo moments. Keep your distance from damaged structures, because old stonework can be fragile.
Philadelphia has grander cemeteries, but few feel quite this wild. It’s a place for slow steps and wide eyes.
Address: 6201 Kingsessing Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19142
10. Providence Meeting House, Perryopolis, PA
Quaker Church Road might be the most talked-about ghost road in Fayette County.
The burial ground at Providence Meeting House sits along it, and regional folklore has kept its reputation alive for years.
Locally, it goes by the name Quaker Church Cemetery. Tales of strange sightings and paranormal activity along the road have turned it into a western Pennsylvania legend.
The site’s history reaches back to the late 18th century. Quakers established a meeting here in 1789, initially gathering in a simple log structure.
A stone meetinghouse followed in 1793, but the congregation eventually declined, and the building fell into disrepair.
In 1895, descendants of early Quaker settlers used materials from the old meetinghouse to construct the smaller stone memorial chapel that stands today.
The cemetery contains approximately 500 burials, although relatively few graves have surviving markers.
Families still have loved ones buried here, which matters more than any ghost story. Keep your visit calm, quiet, and respectful.
Visiting during daylight is the safest choice. Follow posted access rules, and avoid entering the property after dark without permission.
Perryopolis is a small town southeast of Pittsburgh, so the drive makes a fun spooky road trip. Just maybe skip the trip alone.
Address: 462 Quaker Church Rd, Perryopolis, PA 15473