Historic Rural Cemetery with Paranormal Folklore
, Mattoon, IL
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Free access to cemetery grounds
Access
Limited Access
Unpaved cemetery roads, grass grounds, adjacent to highway
Equipment
Photos OK
Campground Cemetery is situated in rural Coles County, Illinois, approximately a few miles southwest of Mattoon, adjacent to Lake Road at the corner of Lake Paradise Road. The cemetery reflects settlement patterns and burial practices characteristic of 19th and early 20th-century rural Illinois communities. The location's proximity to a well-traveled highway suggests the cemetery served a local rural population during its period of primary use.
As a small rural cemetery, Campground Cemetery accumulated burials across multiple generations of local residents. The cemetery has been documented in paranormal folklore databases and included in regional paranormal research publications focused on Illinois haunted locations.
Sources
Campground Cemetery has accumulated paranormal folklore within regional paranormal culture. According to local accounts, people passing the cemetery have reported seeing individuals dressed in clothing from the late 1800s and early 1900s engaged in picnicking activities. When observers look away and then turn their attention back to the cemetery, the figures have vanished completely, leaving no trace of their presence.
These apparitions are interpreted as residual hauntings—manifestations of individuals from previous historical periods repeating recreational activities from their lifetime. The picnicking scenario suggests gatherings or social activities associated with the cemetery in historical periods.
Visitors to the cemetery have reported strange lights emanating from the grounds, particularly during evening and nighttime hours. These lights are described as appearing without obvious source and moving independently across the cemetery area.
Interestingly, multiple instances have occurred in which paranormal enthusiasts and visitors have contacted the Coles County Sheriff's Department to report suspected vandalism of cemetery grounds based on observed disturbances. However, law enforcement investigations have found no evidence of actual vandalism or physical damage. This pattern of false vandalism reports suggests either misinterpretation of natural phenomena or a distinction between perceived paranormal activity and documented physical evidence.
The cemetery is documented as one of the paranormal locations featured in Chad Lewis and Terry Fisk's research compilation "The Illinois Road Guide to Haunted Locations," which includes detailed historical context, eyewitness accounts, photographs, and investigation documentation.
Notable Entities
Media Appearances
Environmental data for this location is not yet available. Check back soon.
Visit Campground Cemetery, a small rural burial ground adjacent to Lake Road (a well-traveled highway) at the corner of Lake Paradise Road southwest of Mattoon. Walk among graves and observe the location where paranormal phenomena have been reported by visitors and paranormal researchers.
Drive past Campground Cemetery from the adjacent Lake Road and Lake Paradise Road intersection. The cemetery is situated near the roadside in a rural setting.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
Bloomington, IL
Blooming Grove Academy is a former junior high school in Bloomington, Illinois. The building has been preserved and now functions as an academy, offering educational and paranormal investigation opportunities.