There’s something about the serenity of a cemetery that is just so alluring. Maybe it’s the historic grave sites of notable figures, maybe it’s the peace and quiet you find when strolling around, or maybe it’s the unmistakable energy that tends to swirl around cemeteries… it’s anyone’s guess. There’s one cemetery in North Carolina that’s not only one of the most beautiful, but it might just be one of the most haunted cemeteries in North Carolina. If you’re not a believer, you might just find yourself questioning everything after paying a visit to Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh.
Most people don’t think to visit a cemetery when they visit a new city, and that’s a shame.
Sally Price/Google Cemeteries are an important piece of our past, and you can learn a lot from a cemetery tour.
Oakwood Cemetery was founded in 1869 and is the final resting place of hundreds of notable figures throughout history.
Dena Whited/Google It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, and is truly a beautiful cemetery, no matter what time of year you visit.
The 102-acre cemetery features two special areas, the Confederate Cemetery and the Hebrew Cemetery.
Julio Delgadillo/Google As you stroll through the grounds, don’t be surprised if you recognize a few of the names on the head stones. Notable burials include several political figures, athletes, and fallen soldiers.
It’s not uncommon for older, historic places to have a ghost story or two, and Oakwood has its fair share.
Dena Whited/Google There have been many unexplained phenomena that visitors have experienced here that leads many to believe the cemetery is haunted.
Not all spirits are friendly, though.
Dena Whited/Google While the feeling of being watched or someone tugging on your shirt are more common experiences in these paranormal hotspots, here you might have a slightly more harsh experience. Many people claim to have been scratched, shoved, or even punched. In the Confederate section, people have heard the faint sounds of gunfire and disembodied shouting.
One of the most common ghost stores in Oakwood Cemetery is the statue at Etta Ratcliffe’s grave.
Mel Bramble/Flickr Etta was a young woman who lived in the area, but unfortunately died unexpectedly in 1918 at 38 years old. Known as the “Spinning Angel of Oakwood,” the legend that swirls around this statue has been passed down for years. Some say her eyes will follow you around, while others claim that her head spins around 12 times at the stroke of midnight on Halloween.
While there’s no camera footage of the statue’s head spinning, it does make you wonder how that story came to be. Many paranormal teams have investigated the cemetery and the statue, and while they’ve had their fair share of unexplained experiences here, the statue remained intact. If you find yourself in the cemetery, find her statue and see it for yourself.
Sally Price/Google
Cemeteries are an important piece of our past, and you can learn a lot from a cemetery tour.
Dena Whited/Google
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, and is truly a beautiful cemetery, no matter what time of year you visit.
Julio Delgadillo/Google
As you stroll through the grounds, don’t be surprised if you recognize a few of the names on the head stones. Notable burials include several political figures, athletes, and fallen soldiers.
There have been many unexplained phenomena that visitors have experienced here that leads many to believe the cemetery is haunted.
While the feeling of being watched or someone tugging on your shirt are more common experiences in these paranormal hotspots, here you might have a slightly more harsh experience. Many people claim to have been scratched, shoved, or even punched. In the Confederate section, people have heard the faint sounds of gunfire and disembodied shouting.
Mel Bramble/Flickr
Etta was a young woman who lived in the area, but unfortunately died unexpectedly in 1918 at 38 years old. Known as the “Spinning Angel of Oakwood,” the legend that swirls around this statue has been passed down for years. Some say her eyes will follow you around, while others claim that her head spins around 12 times at the stroke of midnight on Halloween.
Oakwood is just one of several haunted cemeteries in North Carolina. How many have you visited?
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: Oakwood Cemetery, 701 Oakwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27601, USA
