For many, cemeteries instill feelings of fear, anxiety, and perhaps even haunted thrills for those with an affection for the paranormal. For others, they are places of solitude and remembrance.
Whatever your opinion, there’s no doubt that the marble and concrete expanse of a graveyard can elicit goosebumps no matter who you are, especially under the cover of darkness. But since Idaho is also full of history and eerie beauty, all of Idaho’s cemeteries are a must-visit in their own way. Love triangles, military sacrifices, and the very history of our state are shrouded here in hundreds of years’ worth of inscribed markers that preserve the lives of Idaho’s earliest residents. Here are just a few of Idaho’s most “haunted” and active burial grounds.
Historical records show that Ahsahka's first recorded burial was in 1895, and today it is owned by the Nez Perce tribe. The wrought iron and mountain background may give this cemetery a pretty facade, but stories of old tribal hauntings are rampant here.
Boise's central cemetery - one of the oldest in the valley - is home to dozens of Basque immigrant graves and a handful of haunting legends surrounding the large mausoleum at its core. But haunted or not, this old graveyard has hundreds of unique tombstones and intricate final resting places worth checking out.
With over 3,000 graves housed here, and very few resting here who died of natural causes, it's safe to say that Boot Hill is a rife with legends and ghost stories. Many of those buried in Idaho City are unidentified - a result of the constant turnover of the mining town in its prime. Of those, most passed from illness, mining accidents, and Wild West-style mayhem, so you can bet there are a few restless souls wandering around.
Silver City is filled with dozens of burial sites and the remnants of impromptu cemeteries: primitive grounds where fallen miners were laid to rest in haste. Now a ghost town striving to revitalize and refresh itself, the whole city is filled with tales of ghosts, its cemeteries included.
If there's one place that always tops lists of Idaho's creepiest, goosebumpiest places, it's the Penitentiary in Boise. That being said, the only thing spookier than an abandoned high-security, stone prison is the graveyard that houses the restless spirits of the those who lost their lives while incarcerated there.
The ghost town of Bonanza is host to a number of ghost stories, and its cemetery is no exception. This graveyard is home to the final resting places of a betrayed lover, the object of his affections, and her two husbands. There is also an incredible collection of wooden tombstones here.
If you remember our haunted road trip from a few months ago, you'll remember the spooky stories about what takes place in this cemetery at night. Strange sounds, apparitions, and ghostly chills will test even the bravest of hearts.
Feeling a few chills yet? Our state has such incredible history! Of course, not every cemetery is open to the public, so be sure to double-check visiting hours before diving into paranormal exploration.
What other ghostly stories or their historical cemeteries should be included on this list?
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