historical-interest-society

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Sometimes our ghost adventures inspire me to create artwork… this print was inspired by a photo I took at Zion United Church of Christ Cemetery in Poland, Indiana. You can see the original photo here. Please follow my other blog, www.shemakesinthemidwest.tumblr.com, and check out my Etsy shop selling prints of my orginal artwork!

This spooky print, inspired by a supposedly haunted cemetery in Indiana, is just the right amount of creepy. Display it for Halloween or all-year round– whatever strikes your fancy.

#historical interest society #zion united church of christ #poland #poland indiana #cemetery #graveyard #creepy #illustration #painting #indiana #midwest #she makes in the midwest #shemakesinthemidwest #haunted #tombstone #headstone #zion united church of christ cemetery #clay county #clay county indiana

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Baby Lester’s grave in Stepp Cemetery, located within Morgan-Monroe State Forest in Martinsville, Indiana.

#historical interest society #baby lester #martinsville #martinsville indiana #indiana #midwest #morgan-monroe state forest #morgan-monroe #morgan county #monroe county #cemetery #cemeteries #graveyard #graveyards #spooky #creepy #haunted #graveyard girls #stepp cemetery

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This page is interesting.

Thanks! 😊

[historical-interest-society]

Some more photos from Stepp Cemetery, which is located within the Morgon-Monroe State Forest in Martinsville, Indiana.

#historical interest society #stepp cemetery #cemetery #cemeteries #indiana #midwest #martinsville #martinsville indiana #morgan county #monroe county #morgon-monroe state forest #morgan-monroe #graveyard #graveyards #spooky #haunted #graveyard girls

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Offerings left at Baby Lester’s grave. Baby Lester, 1937. Located in Stepp Cemetery in Martinsville, Indiana. For more information regarding this supposedly haunted cemetery, please visit the original posting.

#historical interest society #baby lester #indiana #martinsville #midwest #martinsville indiana #grave #tombstone #graveyard #graveyards #cemetery #cemeteries #morgan-monroe state forest #morgon-monroe #morgan county #monroe county #spooky #haunted #creepy #graveyard girls #historical #stepp cemetery #stepp

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Interesting tombstone in Stepp Cemetery in Martinsville, Indiana. 

Vera E. Busch, 1919-1976.

#historical interest society #grave #tombstone #martinsville #indiana #midwest #martinsville indiana #graveyards #cemeteries #graveyard #cemetery #morgan-monroe #Morgan County #monroe county #Morgon-Monroe State Forest #graveyard girls #stepp cemetery #stepp

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Ethel M. Enterline, 1903-2004. “The violets are resting.”

Herman G. Enterline, 1904-1962. “We emerge afresh in plants, animals, & the lives of men.”

#historical interest society #indiana #midwest #spooky #creepy #cemetery #cemeteries #graveyard #graveyards #graveyard girls #Martinsville Indiana #Monroe County #Morgan County #Morgon-Monroe State Forest #morgon-monroe #Stepp #Stepp Cemetery #tombstone

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#historical interest society #Midwest #Indiana #road trip #corn #cornfield #country #sunset

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Pictures from Stepp Cemetery in Morgon-Monroe State Forest in Martinsville, Indiana.

#historical interest society #stepp cemetery #stepp #cemeteries #morgon county #monroe county #morgon-monroe #Morgon-Monroe State Forest #cemetery #graveyard #graveyards #spooky #haunted #creepy #graveyard girls #Indiana #Midwest #Martinsville #Martinsville Indiana

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So, I think my favorite cemetery that we have visited so far is Stepp Cemetery in Martinsville, Indiana, which is located within the Morgon-Monroe State Forest. Once you park, it is just a short hike back to where the actual cemetery is. Now, I haven’t counted the graves, and I’m sure some of them are unmarked, but I would guess there is less than fifty tombstones within the whole clearing. A lot of them are pretty interesting, so there will be multiple posts to follow with pictures and perhaps information I’ve found. We have visited the graveyard a couple of times, and it is just such a cool and creepy place. The surrounding forest gives the graveyard itself an ominous and eerie feeling, but it is also quite a peaceful place to be. Stepp Cemetery is also, apparently, haunted.

There are numerous different stories and folklore that surround the cemetery, but nearly all of them focus on a spectral lady in black that watches over the graves. Many have claimed to see her, and she is supposedly always found near or sitting upon an old tree stump in the clearing, mourning over her lost loved one(s). One of the stories says the woman in black came to the area with her husband from the east. Upon settling, her husband found work at a local quarry, and they soon welcomed a daughter into the world. However, their happy days did not last. One afternoon, her husband was killed in a dynamite explosion at the local quarry where he worked. He was buried in Stepp Cemetery. Upon her husband’s death, the woman in black put her life and soul into her and her late husband’s daughter. When the daughter grew up, she met a young man and they fell in love. Coming home from a date one rainy night in a hurry, they crashed the car they were driving and tragically lost their lives. The daughter is said to be buried in Stepp too. Finding the pain too much to bare, the woman in black went mad with grief and frequented the graveyard night after night, mourning over her dead husband and daughter, and talking to them both for hours as though they were still alive. The stump her ghost is often seen near or sitting on is where she also supposedly sat during her life when she visited their graves. When locals would see her in the cemetery and try to approach her, she would run and hide in the woods until they were gone. Eventually, she as well died, and is also said to be buried in the cemetery. Unable to find peace, her restless ghost still haunts the cemetery. They say you can still see the grieving woman on nights when the moon is full. She is often described as having white hair.

There are numerous variations of the story regarding the ghostly lady in black, but that is probably one of the more well-known tales. I have also read that the spectral woman is actually connected with a particular grave in the cemetery, which is simply labeled “Baby Lester” with the date of 1937. The first time we visited the cemetery we were unaware of Baby Lester and somehow missed the grave completely. I have no idea how, because upon visiting it the second time, it was hard to miss. It’s decorated elaborately with baby toys, knickknacks, and coins, which serve as offerings to Baby Lester. FindAGrave.com says Baby Lester was the infant of O’Leatha Pryor Lester (Walls) and Harley Lester. Baby Lester was, according to the website, stillborn, and had just one other sibling-- a sister. The website says that O’Leatha remarried James Walls (there are Wall and Walls buried in the cemetery) after the death of her first husband. It could, perhaps, all be connected, or it could all just be local legend. Either way, I have read that if you bring two candles with you and place one lit on Baby Lester’s grave and the other lit on the old tree stump near the grave, you will see the lady in black. We haven’t tried this yet, but I will let you all know if and when we do... and survive!

Along with the legends of the hauntings associated with the cemetery, the story of the establishment of the graveyard itself is a little strange. No one really seems to know when or by who the graveyard was started. Forest rangers will tell you the graveyard was started by family members within the local area, which makes sense... however, numerous sources online say that there is more to the story. Apparently, local rumor says that a now defunct religious cult called the Crabbites were once connected to the cemetery. The strange sect are said to have participated in snake handling, speaking in tongues, and sex orgies! Wow.

Needless to say really, but Stepp Cemetery has a lot to offer not only in legends and ghost stories, but in other ways as well. It has a strong historical and cultural relevance to the area, and it’s really lovely. I can’t wait to go back and visit in the fall. It is a shame, therefore, that the cemetery has been vandalized throughout the years. Officially, the cemetery closes at 11pm, I believe, so if you visit after then, please be aware that forest rangers monitor the area, and that you may be asked to leave or punished legally in some way. I’m not sure of the usual protocol regarding those kinds of situations, so please just keep it in mind and be respectful, as always, when visiting.

As always, if you know of any further information regarding this location or the legends surrounding it, please don’t hesitate to send us a message!

If you would like to visit this location yourself, you can follow this Google Maps Link for directions.

More posts and pictures to follow...

#Stepp Cemetery #Stepp #Indiana #Midwest #Martinsville Indiana #Martinsville #Monroe County #Monroe County Indiana #Morgon-Monroe State Forest #Morgan-Monroe #Morgan County #spooky #cemetery #graveyard #cemeteries #graveyards #graveyard girls #historical interest society #haunted

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Zion United Church of Christ Cemetery in Poland, Indiana.

#historical interest society #indiana #poland #poland indiana #zion united church of christ cemetery #zion united church of christ #haunted #cemeteries #cemetery #graveyard #graveyard girls #clay county #spooky #creepy

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View from Boone Hutcheson Cemetery in Greencastle, Indiana. From here, you can see the famously haunted Edna Collings Bridge.

#historical interest society #boone hutcheson cemetery #boone hutcheson #greencastle #greencastle indiana #indiana #midwest #cemeteries #cemetery #haunted #spooky #creepy #graveyard #graveyard girls #putnam county #putnam county indiana

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Zion’s Church, 1889. Auf Deutsch.

#historical interest society #indiana #poland #poland indiana #midwest #cemeteries #cemetery #graveyard #graveyards #graveyard girls #clay county #zion united church of christ #zion united church of christ cemetery #spooky #creepy #haunted

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This blog is kickass.

Thank you!

#messages

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Grave of Louisa C. Baumunk at Zion United Church of Christ Cemetery in Poland, Indiana.

#historical interest society #graveyard #graveyards #cemetery #cemeteries #baumunk #indiana #poland #poland indiana #midwest #creepy #spooky #graveyard girls #clay county #clay county indiana #zion united church of christ #zion united church of christ cemetery

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Here are some more pictures from our visit to Zion United Church of Christ Cemetery in Poland, Indiana. For more information regarding this supposedly haunted cemetery, please visit the original posting.

#historical interest society #cemeteries #cemetery #graveyard #graveyard girls #zion united church of christ #zion united church of christ cemetery #poland #poland indiana #indiana #midwest #clay county #clay county indiana #haunted #spooky #creepy #paranormal #ghosts #ghost hunting #graveyards

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I know our blog is still fairly new, but I wanted to post a note regarding visiting graveyards. When we visit graveyards, we always try to be very respectful of the dead and their families, and we encourage you to be as well. We would never, ever graffiti, damage, or take anything from a cemetery. In fact, we support the preservation of these beautiful locations, particularly historical cemeteries, as they are in the most need of the help! It makes us very sad to see stones kicked over or spray painted on, and we have even heard stories of people taking gravestones! We think all of that is awful. On most occasions, we only visit cemeteries during the daylight hours. We usually try to arrive just before the sun is setting; that’s our favorite time to go. We do this for two reasons: 1. We are squares and do not want to get into trouble, and 2. We wouldn’t be able to take good pictures at night! Sunset lighting makes for beautiful pictures. We do go to cemeteries after dark occasionally when we are feeling a bit mischievous, but it is whatever you are comfortable with, honestly. I know it is generally frowned upon and that most cemeteries close at dusk, but I don’t think it is something you would necessarily get arrested for... don’t take my word for it though. I would think that if you were caught, then you would probably just be asked to leave. Always use your best judgement. All in all, if you visit any of the locations we post about, please be respectful!

#historical interest society #graveyards #cemeteries #indiana #midwest #graveyard girls #cemetery #graveyard