Loon Lake Cemetery is said to be haunted–and dangerous. According to local lore, three witches were violently executed and were buried here, but not before threatening to curse anyone who desecrated their graves. Mary Jane, beheaded in 1881, was said to be the most powerful of the witches. Legend has it that treading on her final resting place will warrant death within 3 days. But since her headstone no longer stands, it is hard to find her grave. Reports say many of the stones have been removed; in fact, of the 67 tombstones that once were here, only 18 remain, all badly weathered. Perhaps it’s a good thing that getting to the old cemetery proves a bit difficult, as reports say it is inaccessible by car.
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Geographic Information
- Address:
- County Road 75 and County Highway 4
Middletown, MN 56143
United States
Get Directions » - GPS:
- 43.52641373849811, -95.0935526489775
- County:
- Jackson County, Minnesota
- Nearest Towns:
- Orleans, IA (5.5 mi.)
Spirit Lake, IA (7.2 mi.)
Jackson, MN (8.4 mi.)
Superior, IA (9.9 mi.)
Okoboji, IA (10.1 mi.)
Arnolds Park, IA (10.7 mi.)
Lakefield, MN (11.1 mi.)
Wahpeton, IA (11.8 mi.)
Lake Park, IA (12.4 mi.)
West Okoboji, IA (12.5 mi.)
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Disclaimer: The stories posted here are user-submitted and are, in the nature of "ghost stories," largely unverifiable. HauntedPlaces.org makes no claims that any of the statements posted here are factually accurate. The vast majority of information provided on this web site is anecdotal, and as such, should be viewed in the same light as local folklore and urban legends.
There has only been one witch there as I have knowen her bay marry jane, her wiccan name her real name is marry yes but not her lastname … jane is her middle name an I scorn not to say her real name she is my ansester but she dose have sisters there to joesphena an ele anna … how ever I ask peopel to not go there she is dangerously wise an very experanced in dark witchcraft an voo doo magic I strongly advise only people that have family there or pay there reapect there should but people looking for a good scare or to be dumb should not play in that feild leave that to perfesonals
Your spelling identifies your intelligence level Mr. Beckman. Seriously…… Yup, golly geez wiz there is some bad mojo going on in that Cemetery….. Amazing how ghost hunters are able to talk to 1 1/2 month old babies…..Hmmm……good chuckle material though
Somehow, your comment is harder to understand then the original one Don’t go throwing stones in a glass house there Annie.
I have lived in the area many years and am very familiar with the area. The head stone was stolen so many times that it is now located in the Jackson Co. Museum. The rubbing I obtain from the head stone reads Mary Jane Dau. of J.P. Terwilliger, Died Mar.8 1881 age 18 yrs 1 mo. It reads as follows. Kind friends beware as you pass by. As you are now so once was I. As I am now, so you must be, Prepare therefore to follow me. She died of influenza.
Actually, Dan – She died of diphtheria. There were no beheadings, no witches, no ghosts. Rumors and stories started many years ago. During the 1980’s and 1990’s, much vandalism was done to this cemetery because of the myths and lies. It is now in the process of being restored. Please do not visit this cemetery unless it is in a RESPECTFUL manner. There are Civil War Veterans and a Veteran of the War of 1812 buried there. The facility is being monitored for vandals. For the sake of the people who have ancestors there, please grow up and leave this place alone.
It’s a tall tale about an old cemetery, the epitaph is a fairly common phrase for that Era and means absolutely nothing, in the late 1800’s they weren’t beheading anyone, she died of diphtheria, all the legend has accomplished is desecration of alot of Graves, total disrespect for the departed.
Visited here and posted about it on my blog here: http://ethanclerc.wix.com/abandonedminnesota#!Glowing-Grave-and-Loon-Lake-Cemetery/cgla/55ab407c0cf25466c2a3ba85
Another good try. Too bad your link doesn’t work for anyone to follow. Very creative though – glowing grave. LOL
I was there when i was about 15, read Mary’s gravestone. I still remember those words to this day, i do not remember coming back down from the grave site and 3 witnesses said i vanished for about 45 minutes. Then suddenly appeared in front of their car, eyes glazed and staring at them. Next thing i knew they were freaking out and we were driving back home. I went back some 30 years later, found what was left of the grave site. Took some rapid pictures thru out the cemetery. Captured clear images of 3 people standing by the grave, no one else was there but me and my friend. One of the images had no head, but caught a image of a head hanging from a tree. In the middle of the grave yard caught 2 more images, one of what appeared to be a woman in a black hooded cape type thing pointing to the witches grave. Standing next to her was what appeared to be a young child in early 19th century clothing. The image was glowing. Still have those pictures. There was also extremely cold areas in the places where i took the photos. This was in the middle of the day, but the hill was cold, windy and dark. Took several photos repeatedly rapid in same areas. Images only appeared in a few shots. Looked over the area very carefully to try and debunk the images, but could not. There is no logical explanation for those images to appear other than a paranormal phenomenon.
Wow. Nice Try Dan A. Nothing Paranormal in this Cemetery, but highly creative and imaginative minds trying to perpetuate the myths and lies. You certainly get an A for your effort!! LMAO
My dad told me his story about here…just saying he is not paranormal at all whatsoever…so him and a few friends were out there at midnight looked around and was walking back…they saw something move in the grass out of the trail…my dad walks out to it and a man that apparently had a long beard and old tattered clothes stands up and they talked…never shook hands or asked his name just asked what they were doing and my dad asked where he was from and all he said was “not from around here” so they said bye and walked about 10 yards and looked back and he was gone they walked to where he was and couldn’t see him anywhere…thwn they continued to Sprint back to their vehicles scared out of their minds….agin from my dad that isn’t paranormal at all..
It’s a tall tale about an old cemetery, the epitaph is a fairly common phrase for that Era and means absolutely nothing, in the late 1800’s they weren’t beheading anyone, she died of diphtheria, all the legend has accomplished is desecration of alot of Graves, total disrespect for the departed.
The abounding ignorance surrounding the grave stone of a young girl who died of diphtheria and subsequent destruction and vandalism of the graveyard is disgusting and has sites like this and the people who run it to blame.
In my twenties I went into this cemetery at night while intoxicated (carrying no alcohol in) but we carried all found garbage and alcohol bottles and cans out of the cemetery and righted stones if we could. It blows my mind that grown ass people still believe and spread these absurd rumors.
Not sure if it’s paranormal or truly a coincidence but around 20 years ago the boy scouts troop I was soon to join camped there. We visited the cemetery in the day. There wasn’t anything strange that happened then. That night a large gust of wind came out and the only things then ended up harmed were the propane lanterns at several campsites. Those were the only things broken that night.
I have been! We payed respects and sat an knowledged every one there we have videos of unexplained noises in the background along with one video pauses but the voice still carry on… upon leaving I looked back to cemetery it was a joke that they follow you back to your car. Well it’s not a joke when I got home that night I was changing an looked down at my side I had a bruised almost hand print from something grabbing me… we are headed back out today about 2 years later to go walk around at dusk