The Haunted History Of This South Carolina Cemetery Will Chill You To The Bone
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Robin Jarvis
Author
Hells Gate South Carolina: Four words that send shivers down our spines. Why? Oakwood Cemetery (better known as Hells Gate Cemetery), is a cemetery in Spartanburg, S.C. that’s riddled with more than just ghosts, and you may not want to keep reading if you’re easily spooked by actual events guaranteed to chill you to the bone. But then again, if you’re into macabre things – read on. But be forewarned: the history of this upstate South Carolina cemetery is not for the faint of heart and includes stories of downright evil acts.
Oakwood Cemetery, Spartanburg's oldest cemetery was chartered in the late 1800s.
At first glance, and for many deceased loved ones, this beautiful historic graveyard is a hauntingly peaceful resting spot.
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In fact, there are sections that are perfectly pleasing to the eye and seemingly filled with nothing but the quiet souls of those dearly departed Spartanburg area residents.
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But, head toward the back of this death sanctuary and you'll find something entirely different.
As you make your way there you may begin to get a keen sense of why Oakwood Cemetery is also widely known as "Hells Gate."
The usual paranormal strange things seem to happen in the older section of the cemetery.
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Apparitions, screams, and orbs are but a few of the weird goings on. Visitors often report their cell phones die, and they feel ill or are overcome with a sense of dread when they head to the "old" part of the cemetery.
There could be a couple of reasons for that. Firstly, Hells Gate in South Carolina was the potters' field more than a hundred years ago. Individuals who were prisoners, wards of the state, had no family, or were just too poor for proper burial were commonly laid to rest in Potters Field.
Secondly, in 1914 the city reportedly dug up more than 100 graves in another part of town and moved them to Oakwood Cemetery to make way for some sort of development. You could speculate that probably didn't sit well with the departed who were uprooted from the comfy spots they'd grown used to.
Secondly, in 1914 the city reportedly dug up more than 100 graves in another part of town and moved them to Oakwood Cemetery to make way for some sort of development. You could speculate that probably didn't sit well with the departed who were uprooted from the comfy spots they'd grown used to.
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But all of that pales in comparison to what happened at Hells Gate five years ago.
For decades, perhaps even centuries, Hells Gate has been thought to be the spot where satanic rituals have taken place in the secret of the night. Full-on SATANIC rituals. Let that sink in.
In 2012, the caretaker was making rounds and discovered a grave had been disturbed; its concrete vault had been broken into and the casket was pried open.
For decades, perhaps even centuries, Hells Gate has been thought to be the spot where satanic rituals have taken place in the secret of the night. Full-on SATANIC rituals. Let that sink in.
In 2012, the caretaker was making rounds and discovered a grave had been disturbed; its concrete vault had been broken into and the casket was pried open.
The vandals (satanists?) had removed the head of the body and nothing else. The culprits returned the head to the cemetery a month later, discarding it like used trash.
Hauntings, orbs, and even otherworldly screams seem to pale in comparison to this atrocity, but the creepy paranormal activity is still goose-bump, hair-raising stuff that'll make your skin crawl. Have you visited Hells Gate? And did you experience anything out of the ordinary? We'd love to know in our comments below!
See more of Oakwood Cemetery, including the old haunted part, in this video from YouTube user Kimberly Killeri:
Hauntings, orbs, and even otherworldly screams seem to pale in comparison to this atrocity, but the creepy paranormal activity is still goose-bump, hair-raising stuff that'll make your skin crawl. Have you visited Hells Gate? And did you experience anything out of the ordinary? We'd love to know in our comments below!
See more of Oakwood Cemetery, including the old haunted part, in this video from YouTube user Kimberly Killeri:
Did you know the history of Hells Gate Cemetery in South Carolina? Can you even believe it? For more haunted South Carolina cemeteries, check out this list of 11 of the most haunted in the state.
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Hells Gate Cemetery & Related Info
What are some other haunted cemeteries in South Carolina?
- Oakwood Cemetery, better known as Hells Gate, is one of the most notoriously haunted cemeteries in South Carolina - but it's merely a drop in the bucket.
- St. Philips Graveyard is another spook-filled spot; this graveyard in Charleston's historic downtown reportedly is visited by the apparition of a woman crying over a grave. Others have heard a small child, almost a baby, crying at this haunted locale.
- Duncan's Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery is another haunted Palmetto State cemetery; reports of crying, voices, and footsteps have been given by various people at different times.
- Blakeney Cemetery
- Cottageville Cemetery
- Rock Presbyterian Church Cemetery
- Rembert Church Cemetery
- Phillips Cemetery
Featured Addresses
Oakwood Cemetery, Spartanburg, SC 29302, USA