In the news has been the historic Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip IL, a cemetery outside of Chicago. It is the scene of a gruesome and unsettling series of cemetery crimes. Four cemetery workers allegedly dug up existing graves and dumped the bones in a mass grave to make space for others to be buried. This was grave robbing for profit. I know someone who has relatives buried there, I just talked with him. He told me that since the cemetery has been closed, he does not know the status of his relatives’ graves. I wished him good luck with this. What a terrible thing, who would have imagined such a thing could ever happen?
Here is a link to the complete story:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/1659213,four-charged-graves-profit-cemetery-070909.article
Here is a NBC news video summing up the event.
I will approach this ghoulish story from a different perspective. Can a cemetery’s desecration cause it to become haunted? There is a belief that by ruining a cemetery the spirits of the dead will become unsettled leading to a haunted environment. A prime example is the infamous Bachelor’s Grove, an old cemetery that has long been abandoned. It suffered terrible desecration over the decades and developed a reputation for multiple hauntings experienced by first-hand witnesses.
Will the dark deeds at Burr Oak Cemetery give it a similar dark reputation in the future? Shall it become the source of ghostly legends years from now? Will Burr Oak Cemetery become haunted?
I’d suggest that the idea of a haunted cemetery is misunderstood. A cemetery is actually the last place we’d expect to encounter the ghost of a deceased human. Ghosts behave as we would in life, but often act as if they are trapped in a dreamlike state, with varying levels of consciousness. A ghost is most likely to be present at the source of the trauma that resulted in their unwillingness to disconnect from the physical world. Ghosts frequent places they were intimately familiar with in life. Just like you or I would not want to roam a cemetery, neither would a ghost. Once a ghost truly “dies” and leaves this world, they leave it permanently and don’t come back. Outside of human criminals, Burr Oak Cemetery is safe.
However, there is another side to the concept of the haunted cemetery. A handful of cemeteries are actually haunted. What is going on with those? Bachelor’s Grove is a perfect example. In these situations, I believe we are not dealing with human ghosts, but with non-human negative entitles. Cemeteries that suffer from desecration are usually abandoned. What happens with these abandoned cemeteries is they attract the attention of those who wish to use the cemetery for their own purposes. This includes practices such as necromancy and the darker visions of sorcery. If an abandoned cemetery is frequently used as a location for the evocation of the demonic, it could eventually create something like a portal where negative entities will linger. The same idea could apply to some other locations like a “haunted” house where an imprint, a stain was left behind.
The state is taking over Burr Oak and it will not be abandoned. The authorities will make sure the cemetery is properly managed. The grave robbing crimes at Burr Oak are terrible and disturbing, but in themselves won’t awaken the dead, nor cause a gateway to lower spiritual entities. Unless the criminals responsible also practiced necromancy or even worse over the years. Then we might have a problem. I wonder if there is more to this story then meets the eye.
I talked with my friend Brad. His mom and other relations are buried in Burr Oak, and he has no idea what is going on. He is really disturbed. He is getting calls form his relatives from out-of-state asking, “What the hell is going on in Chicago?” He has no answer. He is watching the situation in the news, but the cemetery is closed now. Here is a video that someone took before the cemetery was closed. It shows how important we value our deceased loved ones.
July 18th, 2009 at 4:25 am
I love to roam cemeteries! Oh-oh!
in Europe they have dug up old bones to bury new ones for centuries. Look at the famous ossuaries with altars made of human bones. Also, the dead are buried on top f each other which is why, in the churchyards of London, the ground of the graveyard is so high.
Thee are always more dead than living, and when the dead need space, the other shave to move over.
Cheers, Dave!
July 18th, 2009 at 4:54 am
Hi Arlene,
I like old cemeteries with great stones and statuary, with character. Nice places to visit, but I don’t want to live there yet! There really is nothing scary about a cemetery. They are places of peace and contemplation. The living are very scary, not old stones. No ghost can ever be as frightening as our fellow mankind.
July 19th, 2009 at 10:01 am
That is so sad. I do know that I would not want to be the one that did tamper with those graves.
July 29th, 2009 at 3:49 am
If it wasn’t haunted before, it probably is now.
In one dream in early June I dreamt of the name Carolyn, Oak tree leaves, digger machines, search dogs digging in tall grass, a female searcher wearing an orange vest. One dog brought a baby and laid it at my feet. Someone says, “There are bunches of them in boxes.” Other voice calls out “Help!”
I doubt I was the only person who got the message.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:13 am
Hi Kasi,
That is an interesting dream. I am a believer in dreams of premonition. I have heard too many firsthand stories. I wonder if the souls of the dead are offended by such horrible deeds, if they care? The living sure care, a great deal. A cemetery really is a place for the living, not the dead. A place for memmories and respect.
August 6th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
interesting stuff!
October 12th, 2010 at 6:30 pm
David, So sad. I have enjoyed this and my views are very close to yours on this subject. I once believed that nothing of the undead would want to seat at a grave yard. What would b the point. Until 5 years ago. At this time I found a old grave yard. Interesting graves and it was just beautiful except for the feeling that someone was standing behind me the whole time. I even tried to laugh at myself. God is with me and why would anything hang out here:) O how wrong I was I wanted to stay and look but dark was coming and something inside me was screaming for me to leave. So i did. When I saw my boyfriend later which is from the area he gasped and laughed that I was there by myself. Explaining people were scared of the place. Witch craft was practiced along with other things there often. I still laughed and asked if he would join me that night and go see if we saw anyone coming and going from the grave yard or the old church next to it. As we sat in perfect view of the area my dog that I had never heard growl started growling and I could not control him. I was scared to death which is very unlike me (just not the way I was raised)and since i was still not beleiving this could b a something unhuman I was trying to laugh but couldnt. With out asking my boyfriend pulled away. Feelings are not a good way find true proof. But since this day I have asked many people that could be believed what they had saw in this place. Many things have happened and been seen here. Many are now believers when they once were not. If you are ever near Chattnooga TN plz visit deer head cove cemetery it is next to Trenton GA. I do believe you would find it very interesting. The stones r crazy old and some pretty and differnt.
October 12th, 2010 at 6:46 pm
My story makes it sounds as if i now believe undead does roam near their grave. I do not I believe young and unknowing people try to do witch craft and other things and that there is something because of that…..
October 20th, 2010 at 2:36 am
Hi Kimmie,
Thanks for the great story!
Dave
May 12th, 2012 at 4:06 am
kimmie be careful there its way worse then what you think witch craft is the least of your worries there just protect your soul if you go back… make sure you protect it