This is the site to reference the story of Burnt Church Road Cemetery:
**Also scroll down and read through the anonymous comments. While I think some of them are complete BS... some are interesting-- ill let you make your own assumptions.
The actual town of Lakeland is very small town (the gas stations don't have debit/credit card options to pay at the pump, lol), but it is also very pretty. I wouldn't say it is a spooky little town at all. Though I always do find it spooky when I cannot get cell service for an entire 20mi radius, so that was a little unnerving. Driving to a small town I've never been to that is 30 minutes off the free way, by myself, and no cell service to top it off. Kind of freaky, but I was going in the middle of the day though, so freaky- but not scary.
The road gets really curvy just before you get to the cemetery, and at first sight it is kind of spooky, go around a curve and then boom- out of no where- boarded up church and cemetery hidden behind bushes... I drove past it the first time and up the road. There are houses and a closed up boy scout camp just past it. Any boy scouts that are willing to spend the night there after all the spooky stories are brave. Really brave.
After turning around and getting parked I got out and walked around. The old church is boarded up and fenced in and once you get in to the grave yard you understand why. Vandalism is apparently very common here. So many tombstones are broken! Even flower pots are turned over and shattered. It's very sad. Some people have no respect for anyone or anything.
The graves are all very old. Most graves date from the 1800s to early 1900s. It looks as though some of these tombstones were replaced because some look brand new with these dates on them, but with all the vandalism I'm sure family members in the area must maintain these graves. There are a TON of unmarked graves as well.
I took some videos, and I did hear people talking, but it was in the distance-- and they were men's voices. Since there are plenty of houses around I wouldn't think twice about it. I took many pictures and didn't see any orbs, shadows, cats, etc. The church was boarded up so there was no one to see in a window, and I am not one to drive around trees to entice spirits, or say "Bloody Mary" three times in a dark bathroom. So I think a lot of the comments on the website (see link above) are just a bunch of stories kids tell each other to freak themselves out. Which is always a lot of fun.
I am not going to lie though- I did get spooked. I walked around for about 30 minutes and I was taking a video on my iPod- I was bent over reading a tombstone and I felt someone behind me. (My husband bends over my back without touching me whenever I'm reaching for something and when I turn my head he yells or screeches at me. Even though I know he's about to do it- it makes me jump and scream every time. He thinks he's hysterical.) I kind of froze and really hoped I was not about to experience what my husband does to me-- because in fact my husband was not with me.... So I turn very slowly... and nothing is there. Instant relief. So I stop the video and start taking random pics hoping to catch something. This is when it happens. The iPod is lifted out of my hands for a split second. Literally a split second. Like the weight of it was in my hand and then it wasn't and then it was. I kind of just stood there for a minute like-- hmm... did my hands go numb for a second? What happened? NO idea. I wasn't scared, just intrigued. I walked around a few more minutes, but decided it was time to go. After all I am in the middle of no where, no cell coverage, and by myself, and of course I have exceeded my maximum limit of horror movie consumption in my lifetime (one was my limit). I am always expecting the worst in small towns, or in the middle of no where... especially when there is no cell phone coverage-- too much horror movie potential.
Later after I met up with my parents we drove past the cemetery again so they could see it, and it was even less spooky seeing it with other people around me. We went to the McDonald's (the only restaurant we saw) in town for lunch, and the people were all normal and friendly-- no horror movies came to mind.
Overall, it was a very interesting cemetery to walk around. I love reading through the names and dates of people who lived a hundred years ago. The church isn't really spooky- it is rebuilt, and it's boarded up and fenced in-- not much potential for spooky vibes unfortunately. Maybe going at night with someone else would be a little spookier, but since it is so far out- I most likely wont be making another trip out there. If you live closer and take a venture out to Burnt Church Road Cemetery let me know what you think and/or experience.
Here's some pics of the church, grave yard, and surrounding area:
Until my next adventure, happy travels!
My boyfriend and our neighbor decided to take a trip to Burnt Church last Halloween. First we decided to take a look at the old church building. Of course, it was boarded up and we were behind the fence, so we couldn't do much investigating. In one of the trees that is planted near the church, we heard an odd noise coming from it. It sounded like something swinging from a rope (I say this because the only sound I can compare it to, was the sound my tire swing made on the tree when I would play on it as a child). After we heard this, our neighbor told us that one of her friends that who visited one night, saw a black, shadowy mass hanging in it. One of the rumors I heard is that they use to hang people in that tree, but you can only take these "legends" with a grain of salt. Still a very strange sound since there was absolutely nothing in that tree that would create such a noise. Next, we decided to explore the cemetery. Its a very spooky place at night when most of the tomb stones are over 100 years old. We were walking along the path (our neighbor in front, followed by my boyfriend, then me in the back). all of a sudden our neighbor snaps her head back to my boyfriend, who then whips back to look at me. Confused, I asked what was wrong. "was that you?" our neighbor asked the 2 of us. I didn't hear anything, but she said she heard somebody whistle and it was so close, she though one of us did it. My boyfriend replied "it sounded like a bird to me". He is one of the most skeptical people and will find anyway to debunk it. (It was not until the drive home that he admitted he heard the whistling and thought that I did it. He just said he though it was a bird because he didn't want to freak himself out). As we were heading to the car to go home I remembered I had my camera and wanted to snap a few pictures. Took a total of 3 pics, back to back, when my "low battery" icon began to flash and shut my camera off. I didn't think anything of it since the camera had not been charged in over 6 months. It wasn't until the next day that I really freaked out. I went to turn on my camera and 100% BATTERY!!! I reviewed the pictures I took. First 2, very normal Just pictures of a graveyard at night. The last one however was full of orbs and it was also the last pic I took before m battery died. We did not see anything too creepy, so our experience was all sound, the pic, and the dead battery. Would like to make another trip one night.
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting, I live in Lakeland GA, and been to Burnt church many times, in fact, I'm about to go there now. I go into the cemetery just trying to figure out what's haunted about it, I have never seen or heard anything spooky about it. i am a Christian, and believe what the bible says about it, it said absent from the body, present with the Lord. Maybe it's because of my faith that, I've never had an encounter. I'm going to shoot some pictures, enjoy.
DeleteI drove by on November 2,2013 headed to the Boy Scout camp to see my boyfriend who is a scout leader and his kids. It was after 9pm an it was really creepy. I got a cold chill over my body as I drove by and call me crazy but I saw something moving around
ReplyDeleteHi....My name is Kimberly. Although I live near Atlanta now, I was born and raised in Lakeland. I went to church a few times at Burnt Church. My grandfather, and my grandmother are also buried in the cemetery. Believe me....I have been out there at ALL times of the night-day-morning-evening--whenever as you will...and there are no horror stories---nor haunted stories to be told. People go out there looking around to see if they see or anything that might happen so its already in their perspective mindset--which in reality end up playing tricks on you. We used to have get togethers on the church grounds long after the church closed it doors. Kids ran around-playing tag while the older folks gathered and talked...and sometimes til 12-1am in the morning on the week-ends... I have heard alot of stories about that old place but yet have I ever heard of a horror-haunted story from someone who actually was born-raised from Lakeland. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing--I dont know...lol...but in all honesty...I truly believe its just trick of the mind. I would still to this day do as I have done many times before...walk in the graveyard at 2-3am in the morning....BY MYSELF......Lol....and think the same as if i was in a Wal-Mart store at 12pm during the day.
ReplyDeleteNot everyone can see the spititual sidw
DeleteI too was born, raised and lived in Lakeland all my life...never heard any tales of strange goings on in or around burtn church or the cemetary...until some writer of ghost stories put one in the internet years ago...a take of witches, vehicles students and and the church burned to kill them all....lies as far as I'm concerned...I have family who were early founding members...and nothing was ever passed down the grapevine...there are rarely any secrets in small communities and such a tale of evil and woe could not have been buried in history! Btw we had self pay debit/credit card pumps long before 2012 and I'm left wondering how it is the author missed the local Huddle House, just across the road from McDonald's or Hardees, just down the road from the cemetary!
DeleteI live 20 mins from the brun out church the is alot of things that goes on there and some say there someing will follow you home
ReplyDeleteI use to live in Lakeland and believe me burnt church is not haunted... I use to swim in the river when it was hot. Nothing is there it's just an old graveyard. If you want a haunted graveyard in Lakeland there's one hidden just off of river road. It's in a trailer park call oak ridge. It's a private graveyard. I know first hand that it's haunted, I have evps from the graveyard. The spirits are nice and won't hurt you, I know that because I use to live directly next door to the place. There is an older woman and a tall man that wears a top hat called the gatekeeper.
ReplyDeleteI was once in a paranormal group and went there several times and we did have experiences there. I have since left alone anything to do with the paranormal. Its a sin to talk to dead people as its in the Bible as necromancy. If you go after spirits, you will get them and they are the spirits of satan, not your dead relatives. They can sound nice and some even thing they are relative. The Bible says they can disguise themselves as angels of light. If you seek evil, you will find it. Believe me, we found it. I know its fun to do things like that but it will draw you into other things if you play around with it too much.
ReplyDeletewhats this story I hear about a church in Lakeland,ga...that was burnt to the ground by the townpeople...who said the teacher was satonic...teacher was teaching ,with class one day..the people barricaded the door and burned it down with her and the kids still inside....supposedly the kids are buried in the graveyard with just a wooden cross marking their grave...the teachers is marked by a pile of bricks....any truth to this story
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DeleteThe stories are true! None bull! I'm from lakeland ga and I live near the old butcher shop and went to laneir county highschool. The stories are true and they've recently found a burnt body being the church a few months ago. The identity was never found
ReplyDeleteI live 26 miles away and I have family the this is not just a folk tale before the windows where all boarded up you could ride pass and see lights come on and there is no power in there.... Night fall it is very foggy and gives off a very sinister feeling. There is so much more to that land and the river that flows behind it, but some have to really see to believe.
ReplyDeleteI usually never leave comments on the internet but having direct ties to the old Church and its people I feel compelled to set the record straight. I am from Lakeland, Georgia and I am related to the majority of the people buried in the Cemetery as my Family were some of the original founders and were members for generations all the way until the Church finally closed. To start let me say that I have been in and out of the actual Church itself many, many times when I was a younger man including the Church grounds, the old Indian trail, the banks of the Alapaha river which runs behind the Church itself and of course the infamous graveyard during both the day and at night. At no time did I experience any paranormal or supernatural phenomenon (Sorry.). I have no idea where those ridiculous stories came from and contrary to earlier postings I read no "burnt body" has recently or ever been unearthed there nor was there satanism or witchcraft involved. What I will tell you though not as fun IS the actual truth and history behind the name. The Church lands were originally donated by a Mr. Jesse Carter around 1822 at which time a log community building was erected which was known at that time as Carters Meeting House. f Having no formal church nearby in1825 the building was chartered and renamed Union Baptist Church. The original Church stood until 1836 when a band of Creek Indians heading south to join the Seminole Nation set fire to it. The Church was only partially burned so when the congregation rebuilt the church in the same year they used as much of the charred beams and lumber as they could salvage or repurpose and ever since it has been nicknamed Burnt Church. Some places close by that is supposedly haunted is the old Berrien County Jailhouse/ Now the Chamber of Commerce. It was built in 1903 and came complete with a gabeled tower where they hung inmates using a steel ring in the ceiling to secure the rope and trap doors operated by a lever system. Adjacent to this is the old Carter/Clarke house built in 1901( or 1905 as some people believe) by a predominant Nashville physician who ran his practice from his house.and who was present at the executions that was preformed literally from behind his home. After dying from consumption some years later his youngest daughter lived there with her husband until she passed on in the 1960s. Among others her ghost is said to haunt the home especially the upstairs bedroom facing the courthouse which was her room from childhood till her death. Both properties are located in Nashville, Georgia. The Chamber of Commerce/Old jail is open to the public but the Carter/Clarke home was recently sold in 2013 to new owners and is their private residence. Happy hunting!
ReplyDeleteIm from lakeland, born and raised. Its haunted. There are some trapped souls, but theres also something evil out there.
ReplyDeleteLowndes county paranormal
ReplyDeleteI have visited the burnt church cemetery and i was drawn to the back of the cemetery a mount glowed as bright as a sun to me and it told me go to the tree behind the church but on the way out of the cemetery i had to stop to a childs grave the closer i got to the grave the grave it seemed like it had a light on it where theres no light i touched the grave and for some reason i jumped up and went straight to the church as soon as i got there i walked around the fence that is behind the church its self ibsat beside the tree and i began to ask questions and everytime i asked a question im thinking this tree im sitting beside i believe had something to do woth witchs or the hanging of slaves it semmed like everytime i asked a question it draws me farther into the woods but before i got to that point the cops showed up and drawed me off the property and said this isnt nothing he let me go but in the back of my head i still feel like i was helping somebody and still now im talking for somebody else they told me not to come back but i feel like im obligated to help somebody and i still wont give up until i find out what happened there im sitting at home and i still think about what is there for me to find and im saying this with tears in eyes i dont know why thats what i got to fiqure out i know there is something there it has something to do with that tree
Have taken a few photos a few months ago and just went thru them. What I caught is mind blowing. I got a mans head that was larger than the tombstone itself. long curly hair and you can make out the facial features. Also something that looks like the reaper.
ReplyDeleteThis was from the church on Burnt Church Road, I had to sage my house because some weird things were happening. I luv going and exploring the paranormal, just wish I can share my photos.
ReplyDeletedon't know how true or untrue this is, but from what I have heard the legend of the towns folks thought that the teacher was teaching the kids witch craft, they went there one day and started to burn the church down. From what I understand the teacher and children were in the church and had died. On the stone outside it states that it did indeed burned down. Nobody was convicted and it was hushed.
ReplyDeleteI have never experienced ghostly lights or disembodied spirits but I did once encounter a large amount of dog excrement in the church/cemetery grounds that could only have been produced by supernatural means!!! Could it have been the witch who due to some past unforgivable transgression placed a hex on this poor creature to shuffle off huge butt truffles upon these premises then and throughout all eternity? Perhaps these stinky brown ground rounds are the earthly manifestations of other worldly entities who had "unfinished buisness" in their previous existences. Ecto-poo? Cursed Ca-Ca? Spooky Dookey? All I know is I smell a mystery! (But if course this could all just be just plain dog crap) Nahh, just to be safe someone call in Mulder and Skulley!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful place to visit with some old history behind it. Many of the graves are very, very old. This area was the location of many skirmishes between the natives who were already living here and the European settlers. The area of the cemetery did give off a very sad, but not threatening in any way, vibration. Take a walk down the trail on the left of the church to the river and you will see where the Native Americans traveled and stayed. This is also where members of Union Baptist were one baptised. It's beautiful and relaxing. Some people still go fishing down there. Do listen for alligators though!
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ReplyDeleteMy family is buried there I go and clean the graves and plots.I have never seen anything there. I believe in hauntings. I got a ppiece of land down the road from the church. It is very haunted I will not stay there after a certain time because there are things there that are very old and you will see and hear stuff that it's not natural. The only time to experience this is winter, because the summer is to hot,and the mosquitos are bad.Lots of Native American artifacts laying around the ground and old moonshine stills the stills have been crushed or rusting away.In the early 1900s people went there to do things that they didn't want other people see.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for taking the time to comment. I have several other stories since this posting that I will have to take the time to share soon as well. It's been a while since I have had time to take a venture to somewhere spooky, but after reading all of your comments I am inspired to go soon. Any recommendations? Thanks for sharing your opinions and experiences! Happy 👻 hunting! ✌️
ReplyDeleteI would like to speak to someone about this cemetery.
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