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Best Haunted Graveyards in Pittsburgh

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(photo credit: thinkstock)

Cemeteries represent the unknown, the hereafter, and the culmination of mankind's greatest fears. For some, these serene stretches of rolling green lawns and markers of granite and marble are closely associated with peaceful rest. For others, they are an ideal place to spot spirits locked in perpetual unrest. As the Halloween season draws near, many amateur ghosts hunters celebrate the "eerie season" with a trip to some of the areas most haunted cemeteries. All you need to tour these haunted locales are a flashlight, a friend and a whole lot of courage. Here are the best haunted graveyards to tour Pittsburgh.

Restland Cemetery
990 Patton St. Extension
Monroeville, PA 15146

The Restland Cemetery in Monroeville is home to an apparition the locals affectionately refer to as "Walkin' Rosie." There is a monument atop her gravestone, and the legend goes that if you shine your flashlight on the statue, you'll see a vision of the girl advance toward you. There have been a number of paranormal investigations conducted at the site, and the findings have been inconclusive. However, photographs taken at the site have consistently produced "unidentified orbs of light" which many believers point to as proof of the cemetery's hauntings.

The Black Cross of Butler County
Sasse Road
Cabot, PA 16023

The story of The Black Cross of Butler County began after an outbreak of Spanish flu in the early 20th century that claimed many lives in the Butler and Kittanning area. The need to bury the dead bodies quickly, so as to prevent the spread of the disease, forced the locals to create a mass grave. After the grave was filled in, the survivors marked the location with a black cross. It has since been replaced by a memorial marker, but the tragic events and the accounts of continued hauntings there make it a truly chilling place to visit.

The Dravo Methodist Cemetery
Two miles north of the Buena Vista Entrance on the Youghiogheny River Trail

What started out as a family plot in Elizabeth Township grew to include more than 700 bodies, the last of which was laid to rest in 1942. In 1920 the adjacent Methodist Church burned down, and not long after, the reports of hauntings and "demonic hell hounds" started. To this day there are reported sightings of ghost children and two-headed dogs. Despite these ominous reports, the locals of Elizabeth Township hold autumn hayrides to the cemetery.

Related: Best Fall Festivals in Pittsburgh

Hankey Church Cemetery
Hankey Church Road
Murrysville, PA 15668

The spirit of a lynched minister is said to haunt the Hankey Church Cemetery. It is off-limits from dusk til dawn, but that has not stopped some from venturing onto the cemetery grounds in the middle of the night. Not only have they reported seeing ghosts and floating spirits there, but many of them have complained of experiencing feelings of pain in their joints, numbness and burning, watery eyes. Whether it's the ghost of an executed minister or merely the result of some overactive imaginations, there is something truly frightening about the Hankey Church Cemetery.

Snyder Cemetery
Burton Road
Portersville, PA 16051

The Snyder Cemetery is located on the grounds of Moraine State Park in Butler County. It was named after Conrad Snyder who many locals believe still haunts the grounds of his family cemetery to this day. There are a number of haunted reports associated with the grave site. Red eyes have been known to follow and frighten visitors of the Snyder Cemetery after dark. The most popular and frightening report to come out of the area involves a strange, green, glowing light over one of the few visible tombstones.

Related: Getaway Guru: Weekend Trip to the Wineries of Western Pennsylvania

Marcel Tourdot is a freelance writer from Pittsburgh. His work can be found at Examiner.com.

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