Laurel Grove Cemetery – Haunted Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia

Laurel Grove Cemetery is a sprawling Victorian-era burial ground where the living and the dead exist in an uneasy coexistence, separated only by the fading daylight and the crumbling monuments that mark over 160 years of Savannah’s deceased. Established in 1850, this massive cemetery is actually two separate burial grounds—Laurel Grove Cemetery North (for white residents) and Laurel Grove Cemetery South (originally for African Americans)—and both sections are haunted by spirits who seem unwilling or unable to rest peacefully, creating one of Savannah’s most actively supernatural locations where hundreds of ghost stories have emerged from beneath the Spanish moss and ancient oaks.

Historical Background

Year Built: 1850 (both North and South sections)

Original Purpose: Public cemetery to replace the overcrowded Colonial Park Cemetery, with segregated sections reflecting the racist policies of the era

Significant Events: The cemetery contains over 16,000 graves including Confederate soldiers, yellow fever victims, prominent Savannah citizens, and countless enslaved and free African Americans whose stories are often unmarked and forgotten. During the Civil War, the cemetery became a burial ground for soldiers who died in Savannah’s hospitals, and the mass graves from yellow fever epidemics created concentrated areas of death energy that paranormal investigators believe never dissipated—the sheer volume of suffering, disease, and death packed into these grounds has saturated the soil with supernatural energy that manifests in countless ways.

Paranormal Activity Summary

Shadow figures move between tombstones and monuments with disturbing frequency, appearing as solid dark masses that seem to observe visitors before sliding behind graves or dissipating when approached. The sounds of mourners crying, funeral processions, and even what witnesses describe as screaming or wailing echo through both cemetery sections, particularly near mass graves and areas where yellow fever victims were hastily buried during epidemic peaks.

Apparitions of people in period clothing from various eras—Civil War uniforms, Victorian mourning dress, early 20th-century attire—are seen throughout the cemetery, some appearing to visit specific graves while others wander aimlessly as if lost or confused about their deaths. Cold spots appear without warning even during hot Georgia summers, and visitors frequently report feeling invisible hands touching them, pulling their clothing, or experiencing the overwhelming sensation of being followed by unseen entities as they walk the grounds.

Ghost Stories & Reports

The Confederate soldiers’ section is intensely haunted, with witnesses reporting seeing men in tattered gray uniforms standing among the graves, sometimes appearing to be standing guard or conducting phantom military drills—these spirits seem trapped in their final moments of service, unaware that the war ended over 150 years ago. Some visitors report hearing the sounds of battle, drums, or military commands echoing through this section, residual energy from the trauma these men carried into death.

In Laurel Grove South, the spirits of enslaved people and African Americans buried in unmarked or poorly maintained graves are believed to haunt the grounds, their presence marked by overwhelming feelings of sadness, injustice, and anger. Witnesses describe seeing figures in simple period clothing moving between graves, sometimes appearing to be searching for something or someone they lost, and the sounds of work songs, spirituals, and voices speaking in Gullah Geechee dialect have been reported by multiple visitors and investigators.

A “Lady in White” or “Lady in Black” (descriptions vary) is one of Laurel Grove North’s most famous ghosts, seen mourning at various graves throughout the cemetery—witnesses describe a woman in elaborate Victorian mourning clothes who appears solid and real until she vanishes or walks through monuments. Some believe she’s the collective manifestation of all the grieving mothers, wives, and daughters who visited the cemetery, their combined sorrow creating a singular spirit entity.

Children’s spirits are frequently encountered throughout both cemeteries, their laughter and playful sounds creating an eerie contrast to the solemn setting—these are believed to be the souls of young yellow fever victims and children who died from diseases common in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Some visitors report seeing small figures playing hide-and-seek among tombstones, and a few have claimed to feel small hands holding theirs or tugging at their clothing.

The ghost of a cemetery caretaker or groundskeeper has been reported in both sections, appearing as a man with tools who seems to be maintaining graves before vanishing—some believe this is a former employee so dedicated to his work that death didn’t stop his duties. Witnesses describe him nodding at visitors before fading away, and some graves that were overgrown or damaged are allegedly found mysteriously cleared or repaired despite no official maintenance having occurred.

Most Haunted Spot Inside

The Confederate soldiers’ section in Laurel Grove North is considered exceptionally active, where military spirits seem most concentrated and where visitors report the most frequent sightings of uniformed apparitions and sounds of phantom battles. In Laurel Grove South, the oldest sections with unmarked graves and poorly documented burials are intensely haunted, where the collective energy of forgotten souls creates an oppressive atmosphere that sensitive visitors find overwhelming—these areas carry profound sadness and anger from those whose names and stories were erased by history.

Can You Visit?

Open to the Public? Yes—both Laurel Grove North and South are open to visitors

Entry Fee: Free

Tour Availability: Some Savannah ghost tours include Laurel Grove Cemetery as a stop or focus, particularly tours that address the city’s African American history and haunted locations; the cemetery can also be explored independently during daylight hours. Historical societies occasionally offer guided tours that include both the history and paranormal reputation.

Photography Allowed? Yes, though visitors should be respectful

Visiting Hours: Generally open from dawn to dusk; after-hours trespassing is illegal and the cemetery is actively patrolled

Best Time to Visit

Paranormal activity is reported most intensely during the late afternoon as sunset approaches and during early morning hours just after dawn—these transitional times between day and night seem to create optimal conditions for supernatural manifestations. Foggy mornings are particularly active, with witnesses reporting that mist seems to amplify the paranormal phenomena, making apparitions appear more solid and sounds carry with disturbing clarity.

First-Hand Accounts & Eyewitness Reports

A photographer visiting Laurel Grove North in 2017 reported capturing images that show translucent figures of soldiers standing among the Confederate graves that weren’t visible when she took the pictures—when she reviewed her photos later, approximately a dozen distinct uniformed figures appeared in various shots. A local resident walking through Laurel Grove South in 2018 reported hearing what sounded like a full church congregation singing spirituals, the voices so clear and beautiful that he initially thought a funeral was taking place—when he walked toward the sound, it faded completely and he found the area empty.

A paranormal investigator team exploring Laurel Grove South in 2019 reported that multiple team members simultaneously felt invisible hands pushing them away from a particular section of unmarked graves, the force strong enough that one investigator stumbled backward—they interpreted this as spirits protecting their resting place from perceived intrusion. A couple visiting in 2020 captured video on their phone showing what appears to be a child-sized shadow figure running between tombstones in Laurel Grove North, visible for approximately ten seconds before disappearing behind a monument.

Paranormal Investigations & Findings

Laurel Grove Cemetery has been investigated extensively by paranormal research teams who consider both sections to be among Savannah’s most active haunted locations. Investigators have recorded hundreds of EVPs throughout the cemetery, including voices identifying themselves by names that match burial records, conversations between what appear to be multiple spirits, and in Laurel Grove South, voices speaking in Gullah Geechee and African languages—audio evidence suggesting that spirits retain their cultural identity beyond death.

Thermal imaging cameras have detected dozens of human-shaped cold spots moving through both cemeteries, with some investigations capturing multiple cold spots in a single frame, suggesting groups of spirits manifesting simultaneously. EMF detectors show dramatic spikes throughout both sections, particularly in areas with mass graves or concentrated burials from yellow fever epidemics—these readings often respond intelligently to investigators’ questions, lighting up on command when spirits are asked to indicate their presence.

Full-spectrum cameras have captured shadow figures, partial manifestations of people in period clothing, and what appear to be translucent human forms standing among graves or walking cemetery paths. One investigation team recorded video showing multiple orbs moving in deliberate formation through the Confederate section, following what researchers later discovered matched the burial layout of a specific military unit.

Spirit box sessions have produced remarkably clear responses throughout both cemeteries, with entities answering questions about their lives, deaths, and reasons for remaining—one particularly emotional session in Laurel Grove South captured a female voice saying “remember us” and “we mattered,” suggesting spirits of marginalized people seeking acknowledgment. Audio recordings made during investigations have captured the sounds of funeral processions, mourning, and in the Confederate section, what sounds like wounded men calling for help.

Local Legends & Myths

The most persistent legend claims that on certain foggy nights, entire phantom funeral processions can be seen moving through Laurel Grove, complete with horse-drawn hearses, mourners in period clothing, and pallbearers carrying coffins—witnesses describe these processions as appearing completely solid and real until they vanish suddenly or pass through gates and monuments. Those who’ve claimed to see these phantom funerals report feeling compelled to follow them, only to find themselves in sections of the cemetery they didn’t intend to visit, sometimes standing before graves with connections to their own family history.

Another enduring tale speaks of a “Gatekeeper” spirit who decides who may enter the cemetery after dark—according to legend, this entity (described variously as a tall man in a long coat or a woman in dark clothing) appears near the entrances and either allows passage or creates such overwhelming fear that visitors flee. Those turned away allegedly experience runs of bad luck for weeks afterward, while those granted passage report feeling protected from more aggressive spirits within the cemetery.

Local storytellers speak of “The Calling,” a phenomenon where people feel inexplicably drawn to visit specific graves they have no conscious connection to—upon researching these graves, visitors allegedly discover unexpected links to their own family history or past lives. Some psychics claim Laurel Grove cemeteries serve as a spiritual library where souls can access memories and connections across generations, explaining why sensitive visitors often have profound emotional experiences at seemingly random graves.

A darker legend warns that anyone who steals from Laurel Grove—taking flowers, decorations, or worst of all, disturbing graves—will be cursed by the spirits of the dead, experiencing misfortune, illness, or haunting until the stolen items are returned and proper apologies made. Several people have allegedly returned stolen items to the cemetery after experiencing terrifying paranormal activity in their homes, leaving them at the gates with notes of remorse.

Safety Warnings & Legal Restrictions

Visiting Laurel Grove Cemetery after posted hours is trespassing and illegal—the cemetery is patrolled and visitors found after closing have been arrested. The grounds are vast and can be disorienting, with uneven terrain, hidden holes, and unstable monuments creating physical hazards—visitors should watch their footing and avoid climbing on or leaning against old tombstones that may be fragile.

Both sections of Laurel Grove contain areas that are overgrown or poorly maintained, harboring snakes, fire ants, and other natural hazards common to Georgia—visitors should stay on established paths where possible. Some people report feeling physically ill, experiencing panic attacks, or having difficulty breathing in certain areas of the cemetery, particularly sections with mass graves—anyone experiencing severe discomfort should leave immediately.

Visitors must show respect for the cemetery as an active burial ground where people still visit their deceased loved ones—paranormal investigation should never disrupt grieving families or damage property. The cemetery asks that visitors avoid using Ouija boards, conducting séances, or performing rituals that could be considered desecration of sacred ground.

Cursed or Haunted Objects

Certain monuments throughout both cemeteries are believed to be focal points for paranormal activity—Victorian-era statues of angels, mourning figures, and children allegedly move slightly between visits, change expressions, or weep real tears according to local legend. Some visitors report that specific angel statues appear to follow them with their eyes, creating an unsettling sensation of being watched by the stone figures.

The ground itself throughout both cemeteries is considered spiritually charged due to the sheer number of burials and the concentration of death energy—paranormal investigators warn against digging or disturbing the soil, claiming this directly connects you to the spirits buried beneath and can result in attachment or haunting. Some areas where the ground has sunken due to grave collapse are said to be particularly dangerous spiritually, as these spots represent literal breaches between the world of the living and the dead.

Original iron fences, gates, and markers from the 1850s are believed to carry residual energy from everyone who touched them across 170+ years—some psychics claim that touching these metal surfaces allows them to receive impressions from funeral processions, mourners, and the countless people who passed through the cemetery’s gates. Certain graves with elaborate iron work or gates allegedly act as spiritual prisons or anchors, trapping entities who cannot move beyond the physical barriers even in death.

Photographs taken in Laurel Grove frequently show anomalies that weren’t visible when captured—faces in trees, figures among tombstones, mysterious mists, and orbs appear with such regularity that many investigators consider both cemeteries to be among the most photographically active haunted locations in Georgia. Some visitors report that their cameras or phones malfunction in specific areas, batteries draining instantly or devices shutting off without explanation, allegedly because spirits are drawing energy from electronics to manifest more fully.