There is a cemetery in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park that is believed to be haunted by the spirits of the people buried there. Some people have witnessed a ghostly white figure while hiking the nearby trail. Others have seen a man's face glaring at them from one of the headstones.
History
Originally known as Cassidy Cemetery, the Mater Dolorosa Cemetery was first used by the Doud and Cassidy families for their family plots. The Irish families eventually donated it to the Bishop of Cleveland. The Bishop later gave it to the Mother of Sorrows Church for the church's congregation to use. The cemetery was officially established in 1869 and renamed by the church.
A few decades later, the government began taking most of the land in the area by eminent domain. The land was used for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Adjacent to the cemetery is the park's Happy Days Visitor Center. It was built in 1938. Due to the Helltown stories and legends, people have been trespassing and vandalizing the cemetery for decades. There are over twenty burials but some of the headstones have been vandalized and destroyed.
Haunted History
A lot of park visitors and hikers believe that the cemetery and nearby trail is haunted. Strange lights have been seen at night. Fleeting shadows and a ghostly white figure are the most common phenomena witnessed. A ghostly face on one of the headstones seems to glare back at people when they look at it.
Location
The Mater Dolorosa Cemetery is located next to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park's Happy Days Visitor Center, off of Route 303, in Peninsula, Ohio.
Be sure to check out John's other columns:
Akron Paranormal Examiner
Cleveland Haunted Places Examiner
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