Self-Guided Visit
Daytime cemetery visit
Self-guided daytime walk through a Civil War-era Catholic cemetery with gravestones dating to the 1840s.
- Duration:
- 30 min
Aerial survey · USDA NAIP · public domain Cemetery / Burial Ground
Harrison Cemetery
A pioneer Catholic burial ground (also called St. Joseph Cemetery) behind Harrison High School in West Lafayette, where visitors report feeling watched, hearing crying and moaning, and being touched by unseen hands.
5701 N 50 W (behind Harrison High School), West Lafayette, IN 47906
Research updated May 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Free to visit during daylight hours; an active historic cemetery.
Access
Limited Access
Grass with older, settled sections; uneven ground around 1840s-era stones.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1840 · Pioneer Catholic burial ground (St. Joseph / Lafayette Catholic Cemetery) in Tippecanoe County · Gravestones dating to the 1840s; burials of early settlers and veterans · Located in the region of the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe
Harrison Cemetery is a historic Catholic burial ground in West Lafayette, Indiana, also recorded as St. Joseph Cemetery and Lafayette Catholic Cemetery. According to local reporting, the cemetery's roots reach back to the 1830s, with surviving gravestones dating to the 1840s, placing it among the older cemeteries in Tippecanoe County.
The grounds hold the remains of early Catholic settlers in the Lafayette area, including a number of military veterans. The cemetery is situated in a rural stretch of West Lafayette and today lies directly behind William Henry Harrison High School at 5701 North 50 West, from which it draws its common name.
The broader region carries deep early-American history: the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe was fought not far from this part of the county, and the cemetery is sometimes described as a Civil War-era graveyard given the span of its interments. The cemetery remains accessible to visitors during daylight hours and is documented in genealogical records and regional folklore writeups.
Because it adjoins an active public high school, the site sees regular daytime foot traffic and has become one of the better-known 'haunted' stops in the Greater Lafayette area, featured in coverage by the Purdue Exponent and local ghost-lore collections.
Sources
- https://www.purdueexponent.org/features/article_995be8f2-54a0-5183-bb65-0d86f52b84ef.html
- https://notebookofghosts.com/2016/01/28/indiana-cemeteries-greater-lafayette/
- https://www.indianahauntedhouses.com/real-haunt/harrison-cemetery.html
Sense of being followed or watchedCrying and moaning heard on some nightsShadow figures moving among the gravestonesReports of being touched and of objects being thrown
Harrison Cemetery has a long-standing reputation as one of the most reportedly active haunted sites in the Greater Lafayette area. According to a Purdue Exponent feature on local haunted locales, visitors 'say they feel like they're being followed or watched,' and some report that gravestones appear to shift positions over time. The article also notes the more dramatic claims that 'visitors have had things thrown at them while in the cemetery, and some have even felt the touch of hands.'
Regional folklore collections such as Notebook of Ghosts and indianahauntedhouses.com echo these reports, adding accounts of crying and moaning heard on certain nights and shadow figures seen stalking through the grounds. Some local retellings tie the activity to the area's Battle of Tippecanoe history, imagining spectral soldiers, though this connection is a folkloric embellishment rather than a documented one and is not supported by the historical record.
None of the reported phenomena have been independently verified. As with most rural cemetery lore, the stories are best understood as part of the local oral tradition. The cemetery remains an active, historic burial ground that should be visited respectfully and only during daylight hours.
Notable Entities
Shadow figures
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Harrison Cemetery family-friendly?
A historic cemetery fine for respectful daytime visits. Reported phenomena (touching, thrown objects) make it less appealing for sensitive children at night, and its location behind an active high school means visits should be daytime and considerate. Overall family fit: Moderate.
How much does it cost to visit Harrison Cemetery?
Free to visit during daylight hours; an active historic cemetery. This location is free to visit.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is Harrison Cemetery wheelchair accessible?
Harrison Cemetery has limited wheelchair accessibility. Terrain: Grass with older, settled sections; uneven ground around 1840s-era stones..