Every state has places that are said to be haunted by the spirits of those who met an untimely death. Some are legends that grow in the telling while others are enhanced by a historical record of the tragic and violent deaths. And we imagine that some were just made up out of whole cloth. But they are fun to tell people who visit your area. Here's one from Mississippi:
At the center of the historic section of Glenwood Cemetery, Yazoo City’s public burial grounds, there’s a grave surrounded by a chain link fence. Local lore claims that the grave belonged to a witch who lived along the Yazoo River, who used to lure fishermen to the shore to torture them. When the Yazoo County sheriff came to arrest her, she fled into the swamp and fell into quicksand. The sheriff found her half sunk. Before she drowned, she swore to take revenge on Yazoo City. No one thought much of her threat, but they fenced in her grave just in case. Then, on May 25, 1904, a fire nearly wiped out the entire city, spreading quickly on unusually fierce winds. After the fire, Yazoo City residents found the chain link around the witch’s grave cut open.
How does your state's scariest ghost story stack up against that one? Read a ghost tale from each of the 50 states at Mental Floss.
(Image credit: Flickr user Natalie Maynor)