Barclay Cemetery
photo taken from rootsweb.com
Barclay Cemetery is located in the old abandoned mining town of Leroy, Pennsylvania. The town was wiped out by the Black Plague and the Industrial Revolution. Due to the crippling of the townspeople from these events, the once bustling town became a ghost town. Greg Newkrik first discovered the cemetery with Ghost Hunters Incorporated in 1999. Apparently, the cemetery has a history of strange happenings, although unrelated to the paranormal. including well-known accounts of grave robbings and murders.
The front of the cemetery is marked by a large gate with the name of the cemetery across it. Once going past the gate, one notices how large and vastly spread-out the old cemetery is. It is here where people have claimed to hear sounds of human footsteps, sounds of tunes being whistled, and ghostly apparitions of women dressed in long white gowns walking around the grounds. Children’s laughter is also part of the paranormal phenomena that exists within these gates.
One of the most consistent events experienced at the cemetery is the sound of pickaxes hitting the ground. The town hasn’t had any miners for over 100 years, but inside you can hear the unmistakable sound of metal clanging against the ground. The cemetery is almost as if going back in time, since it is up among the hills seemingly in the middle of no where. The people that once lived in this town went through a lot of heartbreak. The ghosts of this cemetery feel they have to make their presence known to anyone who happens to stumble by.
(Source: Belanger, Jeff. Encyclopedia of Haunted Places. 2005.)
are people even allowed to go up there?
this cemetery isnt located IN Leroy is located NEAR Leroy in the abandoned mining town of Laquin. I grew up in the area, yes people are allowed to visit.
Hi,
My great great grandfather bought the mine in barclay, laquin, bradford, PA after it shut down. He died in 1929 from pneumonia, but had 12 children, one of which was my great grandfather.
Barclay is a beautiful place…and the cemetary is so peaceful…in summer it is covered in lovely ferns. As far as ghosts…well that may be your imagination. Also, I am not sure that your reference to the Plaque is correct. It may have been TB…I would contact the Bradford County Historical Society in Towanda PA for more information. There are publications available on Barclay Mountain. It certainly is one of the most beautiful spots in Bradford County.
Footnote: The cause of death for many of young children there was Diptheria. Refer to the book The Romance of Old Barclay for more information.