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Old Salem Cemetery

 

The rural deep-South is a place of legend, particularly for those with an interest in the things that go bump in the night. It seems that the ancient woods and swamps are infested with spirits from a past life. One such place is a little secluded cemetery in northern Mississippi called "Old Salem". It lies a good 10 miles out of town, far back in the woods with the only path leading to it being a one lane gravel road with huge, tangled trees encompassing both sides. Over the years legends have cropped up, some involving shadow men darting through the cemetery, to black masses and demonic spirits.

In the summer of 2011 myself and a group of friends went to the Old Salem cemetery. It was around 3 am when we entered the cemetery gates. The air was warm and seemingly calm, and above us shone billions of bright stars. Were it not for the ominous feeling associated with "Old Salem" it would have been a perfect and peaceful summer night. We were not very far into the graveyard when we heard a noise in the distance that, at first, sounded like coyotes but we quickly realized it actually sounded like children laughing. The volume of the noise began to slightly increase and was followed by the sound of a woman screaming. The sounds were not coming from the cemetery itself but rather from the areas surrounding it. The dark trees echoed with the cries of children and some unknown lady. Being an amateur group armed only with a single flashlight, it was inevitable that our courage would fail us. We departed the cemetery quickly.

Since then we have furthered our knowledge of the paranormal and created an arsenal of equipment needed for hunting spirits. After several investigations elsewhere, we returned to "Old Salem". This time sporting a video camera, audio recorders and EMF meters. We steeled ourselves for what could be waiting beyond the gates and entered, prepared for anything. As we ventured to the center of the graveyard our EMF readings began to spike, especially near a iron-fenced area with an obelisk that had been knocked over and dragged. While we did not see anything with our own eyes, our equipment caught every investigators dream. On the audio recorders several undiscernable EVPs are captured but the most incredible being a voice hiss my name. Our camera captured what appears to be a hooded man standing in the distance between some headstones, watching us as we moved about the cemetery. The video camera captures an arm seemingly reach out between the same headstones where the hooded figure was standing. This investigation was enough to completely convince me that the area was haunted and it at first caused me to refrain from returning for quite some time.

While it is small, "Old Salem" is one of the greater hot-spots of paranormal activity in north Mississippi. Just the simple isolation of the area is enough to cause ones hair to stand on end. However far I venture, its eerie gates, surrounded by dark ominous trees, always call me back. The thrill of the unknown, waiting amongst the dead.

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The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, GhostbustersMississippi, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

joanne1002 (1 stories) (1 posts)
 
6 years ago (2018-10-29)
I have been to Old Salem several time. I have a friend who will never go back there with me due to what we felt and saw. The 1st time I went by myself and thought maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me since I had heard the stories of it being haunted.

Then I took my mom (now remember all of my trips were in the 90s before everyone had cell phones lol!) and yes my mom knows I went and has had many haunted experiences growing up. If anyone is a believer it HER. She also saw shadow figures and ghosts walking around the graveyard.

When I took two friends one being the guy who won't go back we all 3 felt cold spots on a hot humid southern night, again saw a shadow figure and he was in the back seat where his sister was in the front seat and I was driving. His sister and I at the same time felt hands start and the top of our heads and go down our necks to our shoulders (my left her right) to which we both accused her brother in the back seat which he could not have reached both of us at the same time sitting directly behind me. I had an old boat of a car not a small one where he could have reached both of us.

I have been back a couple of more times but not recently. The old church which became a Satanic worshippers spot has since been torn down but it is still at hot bed of paranormal activity. Anyone want to go back with me? And this time armed with cell phones and cameras.
GhostbustersMississippi (1 stories) (6 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-29)
RabbitHeartedGirl:
I'll work on trying to get the photographs onto the computer. It will be difficult since they are old polaroid photos. I do, however, have the soundclips of a couple of the EVP's. I will put them on my groups website (you can find a link to the site on my profile.)
GhostbustersMississippi (1 stories) (6 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-29)
Zeta: No problem. I'm sorry about leaving out so many details. Writing is obviously not my forte'.
zetafornow (4 stories) (447 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-28)
One more thing...I'm with rabbit; I'd love to see the evidence that you collected...maybe, maybe?

Thanks, zeta.
zetafornow (4 stories) (447 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-28)
Thanks for clarifying that for me ghostbuster...also, for the correct spelling of obsolete! 😊

Zeta.
RabbitHeartedGirl (2 stories) (19 posts)
+2
12 years ago (2012-08-28)
GhostbustersMississippi

You can't share a story as interesting and exciting as that, tell us you caught evidence, and then just don't share it.
You really have to upload these pictures and EVPs. It's just not fair!
😢

Xx
GhostbustersMississippi (1 stories) (6 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-28)
Zeta: I rushed myself in writing this story and I apologize. We carried both a video camera and a Polaroid camera for taking photographs, along with an EMF meter and a couple of digital audio recorders. Most of our equipment is pretty obsolete because, to put it plainly, we're all broke haha. The video camera is as old as I am at least and still takes cassettes.
zetafornow (4 stories) (447 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-28)
Ghostbusters:

You state that your video camera captured an arm on it. You mention nothing about a polaroid camera... That of which I thought was pretty much obselete. Something isn't sounding right here. Not saying that I don't believe your experience. Please explain.

Thanks, zeta.
GhostbustersMississippi (1 stories) (6 posts)
+2
12 years ago (2012-08-28)
And Gabriella, I would be glad to read your stories. I'm very interested to hear what your experience in Quebec was like
GhostbustersMississippi (1 stories) (6 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-28)
And Zeta, I agree wholeheartedly. However, I forgot to specify the reason for me not wishing to return for some time. We had heard of Satanic rituals being performed inside the cemetery, and so my colleague asked if there we're any malevolent spirits or demons that wanted to make themselves known. It was just after that when we captured the EVP of my name being called out. While I have a great love of seeking the paranormal, I do not wish to become entangled with any kind of demonic activity. That was my reason for not returning for some time. However, I, along with my team, have returned to the field recently.
GhostbustersMississippi (1 stories) (6 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-28)
The photos were taken with my friends old Polaroid so we don't have any digital copies. The only thing we have on the computer is the sound clip of something hissing my name.
mellybarr (4 stories) (46 posts)
+2
12 years ago (2012-08-27)
I agree with zeta.

I am not a "ghostbuster", but am and have been intrigued by the unseen ever since I can remember. If I found a place that gave me that creepy feeling along with evidence of spirits lingering in the darkness I would be scared, but you can guarantee I'd be back the next weekend with my group to see what else we can find. It's like spicy food - damn painful to eat, but you'll keep coming back for more!
zetafornow (4 stories) (447 posts)
+2
12 years ago (2012-08-26)
Interesting story but something bothered me about it. You state that you brought out an investigation team with a lot of equipment and subsequently got an EVP and camera footage. Then you state that it caused you to refrain from returning for some time. Isn't that what you "ghostbusters" are looking for? It should be a dream for your team to capture something like that and it really shouldn't have frightened you so. Just wondering.

Thanks, zeta.
LindaG (3 stories) (32 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-26)
Can we see those photos? There is a way to post them to this site. Sounds interesting.
GabrielladeLioncourt (5 stories) (71 posts)
+2
12 years ago (2012-08-26)
Wow! I experienced almost the same but in a cemetery in Quebec, Canada! I will share my story, and hope you read it! 😊

Is there any program that you could share the EVPs? I would love to hear 😲

I understand your curiosity of the unknown, I do the same!

All the best 😊

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