Читать книгу Cincinnati Haunted Handbook - Jeff Morris - Страница 19

directions

Take I-75 north to I-275 west. Take I-275 to the Colerain Avenue/US-27 exit and take US-27 north. Follow this road for about ten and a half miles past Ross until you are almost to the traffic light in Millville. Turn left onto OH-129/High Street. Follow OH-129 for about six miles and then turn right onto Sample Road/OH-732. Follow this road for about three miles to take you into Reily.

The cemeteries are scattered throughout the area. When you get into Reily, if you turn left onto Main Street, you will find the largest two cemeteries in the area. At the fork in Main Street, if you go left, Reily Cemetery will be on your left; if you go right at the fork, Springdale Cemetery will be on your right. The other cemeteries are tougher to find because they are overgrown and now are hidden in the woods near the town.

history

According to some rumors and legends, in 1807, when the cemeteries of Reily were being built and their locations plotted, those responsible decided to arrange them according to their own religious beliefs—which were quite unusual for the time. These rumors state that the people involved were part of either a pagan or a satanic cult and set up these cemeteries in the shape of a pentagram for religious purposes. (See Reily Pizza chapter in the Businesses section of this book.)

The first thing you may notice when approaching the cemeteries in Reily is that there are a lot of them in a small area with a sparse population. At least four cemeteries are situated within a couple miles of the town’s limits: Reily Cemetery, Springdale Cemetery, Indian Creek Church Burial Ground, and Pioneer Cemetery.

Since there are only four cemeteries, the pentagram theory seems unlikely, at first, but there were at least two other cemeteries that have been removed to make room for farmland. While the setup of the known historic cemeteries and those that still exist do not make up a perfect pentagram, there are many ways to connect these cemeteries into a slightly flawed pentagram.

Through the years, these cemeteries have hosted several satanic rituals, and there have been rumors of rituals of witchcraft being performed in the woods near these cemeteries.

ghost story

Every cemetery in the Reily area is reputed to be haunted. Many people claim they simply feel uncomfortable when entering any of them. They say that they feel as if the entire area has been overtaken by a thick atmosphere of evil. People feel they are being watched or that there is a constant evil presence alongside them. This feeling occurs during the day but often is more pronounced at night.

People will also hear chanting from the woods nearby. Those who hear the chanting are never sure if these are ghostly remnants of the dark rituals that are rumored to have gone on or if rituals still go on here.

The spot that is reputed to be the most evil is within Reily Cemetery—a stone monument that is shaped like an angel. For some reason, the arms of the angel have been removed. People feel most uncomfortable near this angel and some suggest that the statue is possessed by some sort of demonic entity.

visiting

It is a terrible idea to enter any Reily Cemetery at night. First of all, the cemeteries all close at night, and this is clearly posted on signs. Local sheriffs know the rumors that these places are haunted, and they know that thrill seekers will attempt to enter the cemeteries after closing time. If you try to get in, you will probably be caught. The Indian Creek Church Burial Ground actually has two gates that you need to pass through to access the cemetery, each posted with warnings that they will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law if you pass these gates.

Many of these cemeteries are actually visible from the road, so while you may not get the full effect of ghosthunting them, you may see some strange things. And many people get the same dark feelings during the day as well. The town of Reily is creepy enough after dark; you don’t need to break the law and enter the cemeteries to truly experience the hauntings here.