Pennsylvania is known for its ghostly tales, and it’s not surprising that many of them originate in cemeteries. The most haunted cemetery in Pennsylvania just might be Gettysburg National Cemetery, where more than 3,500 Union soldiers have been laid to rest. Whether you believe in the paranormal, are a history buff, or just want to visit one of Pennsylvania’s most beautiful cemeteries, a visit to Gettysburg National Cemetery belongs on your bucket list.
Part of Gettysburg National Military Park, the site of the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, Gettysburg National Cemetery is known for its rich history and its beauty.
Google/DeCarlos The National Cemetery is also the final resting place of soldiers of other wars, including the Vietnam War.
A visit is a solemn experience. After all, the cemetery and the battlefield saw the deaths of more than 10,000 Union and Confederate Soldiers during the three-day Battle of Gettysburg.
Trip Advisor/Anne C. An additional 30,000 soldiers were injured during the battle while 10,000 went missing or were captured by the other side.
The death toll was so high that the battlefield became a burial ground. Soldiers were buried in shallow graves; citizens did their best to keep track of the fallen by writing their names in pencil on wooden boards above the makeshift resting places.
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However, the names on the boards eventually faded due to the weather. Local residents raised the idea of a cemetery for the Union soldiers, which led to the creation of Gettysburg National Cemetery.
Google/Steven Smith
The majority of Confederate soldiers were not buried on the grounds of the National Cemetery. Instead, their remains were sent to cemeteries in nearby states, including Virginia and Georgia, for burial.
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Union soldiers, on the other hand, were buried at the new cemetery, originally known as the Soldiers’ National Cemetery.
Facebook/Gettysburg National Military Park
It was at the cemetery’s dedication that Abraham Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address.
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Today, visitors can explore both the cemetery and the battlefield, both of which are said to be teeming with the paranormal. Cemetery visitors tell of seeing orbs by the headstones.
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Visitors have reported hearing explosions, cannons, and gunfire in the distance. Don’t be surprised if your camera stops working. That’s also a common occurrence on these hallowed grounds.
Google/Matthew Smith Some visitors even claim to have seen soldiers marching in the distance as the sun goes down; others have sworn they could smell smoke from gunfire.
Learn more on the Gettysburg National Military Park website.
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What do you think is the most haunted cemetery in Pennsylvania? Have you been to Gettysburg National Cemetery? Did you experience the paranormal? Let us know in the comments! While you’re in town, you might want to visit the oldest restaurant in Gettysburg.
Google/DeCarlos
The National Cemetery is also the final resting place of soldiers of other wars, including the Vietnam War.
Trip Advisor/Anne C.
An additional 30,000 soldiers were injured during the battle while 10,000 went missing or were captured by the other side.
Trip Advisor/Jeffrey F.
Google/Steven Smith
Trip Advisor/CodyDC
Facebook/Gettysburg National Military Park
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Google/Matthew Smith
Some visitors even claim to have seen soldiers marching in the distance as the sun goes down; others have sworn they could smell smoke from gunfire.
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Address: Gettysburg National Cemetery, National Park Service Museum and Visitor Center, 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
