Haunted Kentucky: Kasey Cemetery in Elizabethtown AKA The Gates of Hell
Many people who live in Kentucky or around Elizabethtown know Kasey Cemetery, even if they don't know it. This historic cemetery is home to what some claim is the Gates of Hell, which led to its nickname the Gates of Hell Cemetery.
Also known as the Kasey Family Cemetery for the family who established it, it has plenty of rumors and tales surrounding it. The most common is about a group of Satan worshipers. According to legend, a local group would often come to practice their rituals. Something went dangerously wrong one night, leading to the group summoning a witch. The with supposedly still haunts the cemetery.
While I'm not a believer in demonic witches, it does seem like the Kasey Cemetery has some bad mojo. A few local papers reported on teens using the graveyard for their own rituals. Visitors would occasionally arrive to find poor dogs and cats dead on top of the graves. As someone with more than her fair share of black cats, the stories make me sad.
Established in 1795, Elizabethtown is one of the region's largest cities with nearly 30,000 residents. Colonel Andrew Hynes was one of the first people to move to the area. The city was named in honor of his wife. I didn't have a lot of luck finding information on the Kasey Cemetery. Some reports say it has graves dating back to the 18th century, while others say it opened in the 19th century. I also learned that some call it Grandview Cemetery and that it's close to Bethlehem Academy, another haunted Elizabethtown site.
Orbs are commonly seen both in the cemetery and in photos taken inside. Many visitors feel as though someone is watching them from nearby, just out of sight. A friend who ventured into Elizabethtown said she could almost feel the eyes burning into her back. She felt so uncomfortable she only stayed there long enough to snap a photo before taking off.
A common story that pops up online says a group of young people headed out to the Kasey Cemetery to have a late-night party. While hanging out, they saw a small green ball of light that rose into the air and stood as if suspended in mid-air. As they tried to figure out what caused the light, it abruptly sped off, up and out of sight. At least a few photos I saw online featured a strange green orb, too.
Others had issues with their vehicles, especially the electrical systems. Whether they stayed for a few minutes or longer, they would return to find the car battery dead. Shadow people and screams are equally common.
In an article for WKDQ, Leslie Morgan recalls her visit to the Kasey Cemetery. She remembers finding a headstone separate from the rest and with its front facing the back of the graveyard. As soon Morgan touched the stone, she felt a wave of emotions before looking down to discover a bite mark as if something she didn't see stung her. Morgan never returned to the cemetery.
So where does the name the Gates of Hell Cemetery come from? Some locals point to the Satanic ritual story, claiming the witch summoned here has a strong dislike for children. She refuses to let any of them move into the afterlife. I've even heard warnings you should never visit without bringing some type of gift for them. That certainly explains why so many stones have toys, party favors, and even coins on them. If you do not leave an offering, the children will keep your car from working when you try to exit.
It's more likely that the nickname came from the old iron and stone gates outside. While they liked looked quite impressive when first installed, they're not in the greatest shape today. That brings me to another concern, vandalism. Rural exploration is just as popular in some areas as urban exploration, which led to some nefarious visitors. The cemetery has broken headstones and others that people knocked over. If you do visit, please impact the environment as little as possible.
The Gates of Hell Cemetery is on St. John Road in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.
Kasey Cemetery - Photo from Find A Grave
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