Haunted Spaces and Spooky Places: Dandridge Graveyards

This is the fourth entry in the Haunted Spaces and Spooky Places series.

Staff Photo by Elizabeth Lane

It wouldn’t be Halloween without talking about, what else in the mention of spooky places, a cemetery. This time we look at two of the oldest resting places in historic downtown and what might be lurking within them.

One of the oldest cemeteries can be found right in the middle of downtown, mere steps from the courthouse and other historic sites. At first glance there might not seem to be a lot stirring up behind the headstones. However, mere moments after stepping into the cemetery and onto the dark somewhat hidden path you find yourself under the shade of the trees. Suddenly, the pit of your stomach begins to feel uneasy. You are looking into the lives and legacy of some of the founding fathers and citizens of Dandridge. The roots of the town are underneath your feet. This cemetery takes on an entirely different vibe when the sun sets, and would be the perfect spooky place to take a walk on Halloween night. Who knows, you might not even have to walk alone. Perhaps some of the old founders and townsfolk might fancy a stroll down the dark and hidden road.

The other featured cemetery might be a bit harder to find. Found off Hopewell St., not far from the middle of downtown, sits another, less known cemetery. This cemetery is filled with headstones so old that many of the markings are indecipherable. This cemetery has just as much history as the town, as it dates back to the Revolutionary War, along with the founding citizens of the town. Sitting on the site of the original Hopewell Church in 1785, the grave yard has been around longer than many of our ancestors have even been in the area. On a dark night find yourself in the shade of the cemetery and goose bumps may just run up your arms. Could you perhaps hear the shouts of soldiers and the sound of battles long lost? Can you hear the wailing of children and widows as loved ones are carried off to their final resting place, or is the wind playing tricks on you? This cemetary has a notoriously haunting aura about it, with many locals refusing to visit it in broad daylight, letalone on a cool, dark Halloween night.

These cemeteries are great locations to enhance your Halloween season, so be sure to add seeing them to your list of haunting to-dos!