Self-Guided Visit
Historic Cemetery Visit
Climb the famous stone steps to a quiet hilltop burial ground and find the 1862 Thankful Blackburn headstone at the center of the local legend.
- Duration:
- 30 min
Aerial survey · USDA NAIP · public domain Cemetery / Burial Ground
Pleasant Ridge Cemetery (13 Stairs Cemetery)
A rural 19th-century burial ground north of Palo in Linn County, widely known as '13 Stairs Cemetery' and the focus of one of eastern Iowa's most retold cemetery legends.
Pleasant Ridge Road (north of Palo), Palo, IA 52324
Research updated May 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Small rural cemetery; daytime visits only and respect posted hours.
Access
Limited Access
Hilltop cemetery reached by a flight of stone steps; uneven ground.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1860 · 19th-century rural burial ground documented in Linn County IAGenWeb records · Known regionally as '13 Stairs Cemetery' for its stone staircase · Burial of Thankful Blackburn (1810-1862), whose headstone anchors the folklore
Pleasant Ridge Cemetery sits on a wooded hilltop a few miles north of the small town of Palo in Linn County, eastern Iowa. It is a modest rural burial ground dating to the nineteenth century, documented in Linn County cemetery records maintained by the IAGenWeb genealogical project.
The cemetery is reached by a flight of stone steps climbing the hill, the feature responsible for its enduring nickname, '13 Stairs Cemetery' (also '13 Steps'). The exact step count is itself part of the lore, with some retellings insisting there are twelve by day and thirteen after dark.
Among the historic burials is Thankful Blackburn, born April 13, 1810, and died May 17, 1862, whose grave is verified through BillionGraves and the Linn County IAGenWeb cemetery transcription. Her weathered headstone carries a common nineteenth-century memento-mori verse — 'Remember friends as you pass by / What you are now so once was I…' — and over time became the centerpiece of the cemetery's witch legend, despite nothing in the historical record connecting Blackburn to any such story.
The cemetery remains an active rural burial ground. Its fame as a paranormal destination has made nighttime trespassing a recurring local problem, and visitors are asked to come only during daylight and to treat the graves with respect.
Sources
- http://iagenweb.org/linn/cemeteries/PleasantRidge.htm
- https://billiongraves.com/grave/Thankful-Blackburn/12496819
- https://ultimateunexplained.com/13-stairs-cemetery-iowa/
- http://42n.blogspot.com/2009/03/haunting-of-13-stairs-cemetery.html
EVP voices on tapeTouched by unseen handsHuman-like shapes appearing and vanishingRed-eyed dog and floating orbs (folklore)
Pleasant Ridge Cemetery is one of eastern Iowa's most-told cemetery legends. According to accounts collected by regional outlets and paranormal sites, visitors have reported recording electronic voice phenomena (EVP) that were not heard at the time, being touched by something unseen, and seeing human-like shapes appear and disappear among the stones.
The nickname itself is woven into the lore: while a flight of stone steps leads up to the cemetery, the well-worn legend claims there are twelve steps by day and thirteen once the sun goes down. Other embellishments include sightings of a red-eyed, growling dog and floating orbs of light along the dark hilltop.
The cemetery's 'witch' legend centers on the cracked headstone of Thankful Blackburn (1810-1862). Her stone's age-darkened memento-mori epitaph and its damaged condition made it a natural magnet for storytelling, and over the decades a witch tale attached itself to her grave. It is important to note that this is purely folklore: nothing in the historical record connects Blackburn — a 19th-century woman buried in a rural family cemetery — to witchcraft or to any of the phenomena reported, and the story should be read as legend, not as any claim about who she was.
Notable Entities
A 'witch' tied by folklore to the Thankful Blackburn headstone (no historical basis)A red-eyed phantom dog
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pleasant Ridge Cemetery (13 Stairs Cemetery) family-friendly?
A peaceful daytime cemetery visit with a memorable staircase. Visit respectfully during daylight; the legends are local folklore. Overall family fit: Moderate.
How much does it cost to visit Pleasant Ridge Cemetery (13 Stairs Cemetery)?
Small rural cemetery; daytime visits only and respect posted hours. This location is free to visit.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is Pleasant Ridge Cemetery (13 Stairs Cemetery) wheelchair accessible?
Pleasant Ridge Cemetery (13 Stairs Cemetery) has limited wheelchair accessibility. Terrain: Hilltop cemetery reached by a flight of stone steps; uneven ground..