Odd Temperature Anomaly at Anderson Cemetery

Chasing Shadows by Larry WilsonFrom Chasing Shadows by Larry Wilson.

That October, I returned to “Graveyard X” with a local central Illinois paranormal investigator named Ed Osborne. Ed is very knowledgeable and a good friend who I have a great deal of respect for. It was the Wednesday night before Halloween, and it was a cool (but not cold) evening. Ed and I had been in the cemetery for close to an hour taking pictures and checking EMF and temperature readings. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, and it was about 7:30pm.

The curfew for the cemetery is 8:00pm, and it is patrolled by the county sheriff’s department, so Ed and I decided to make a final pass through the cemetery and then leave by curfew. I scanned the cemetery for temperature using my laser-pointed digital thermometer. The average temperature that night was 44 degrees. Everywhere I scanned, the temperature read 44 degrees Fahrenheit, that is, until I passed by the cement bench.

As I passed by the bench, the temperature began to drop. First the temperature dropped below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, then it dropped below 30 degrees, then it dropped below 20 degrees. The temperature continued to drop steadily until it finally reached a low of minus 16 degrees below zero. Ed and I could not believe what we were seeing, so to make sure that there was not some type of malfunction, and to make sure that the thermometer was set to Fahrenheit and not Celsius, I shut it off and then turned it back on. It was definitely set to Fahrenheit.

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Exploring Anderson Cemetery (Graveyard X)

Chasing Shadows by Larry WilsonFrom Chasing Shadows by Larry Wilson.

Located not far from the small town of Palmer, Illinois is one of the most mysterious locations in Illinois, widely discussed by ghost hunters and paranormal investigators alike: Anderson Cemetery, or as many prefer to call it, “Graveyard X.”

For years, there have been tales of unexplained lights in the cemetery, and some of these lights, I have been told, have been recorded on video both during the daytime and at night. Some tell stories of hearing the sounds and voices of small children playing in the cemetery when no homes are located nearby to account for these sounds. Apparitions appear in photos and digital thermometers record icy cold spots with no scientific or logical explanations for the temperature fluctuations. I have experienced the extreme temperature fluctuations myself, which I will explain shortly.

In order to keep the location from others, various books and Internet postings have labeled it “Graveyard X,” leading to the perception that Anderson Cemetery is some kind of top-secret place. All the stories and legends about the “mysterious Graveyard X,” however, piqued my interest enough to compel me to conduct my own investigation at this location.

My first challenge was finding the allusive “Graveyard X,” because all I knew about the whereabouts of this mysterious location was that it was located in a secluded place in rural central Illinois. It seemed that other ghost hunters who had investigated Anderson Cemetery were not anxious to reveal its location. I do not think the reason for this secrecy was to prevent other legitimate paranormal investigators from investigating the cemetery, but to prevent those who may only be looking for a thrill and to possibly destroy, desecrate or litter the site.

As it turns out, Anderson Cemetery, or “Graveyard X,” is located in rural Christian County only 9.5 miles from my home in Taylorville. So there it was, right under my nose all the time and I did not even know it. Oh well, so much for the intuition of a former private investigator!

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“Cemetery x” – Real or Hoax?

Emmer1 Emmer: “Graveyard X,” or Thomas-Anderson Cemetery in Christian County, is a hoax. Aside from a few blurry pictures and photographs of moisture or dust in the air (orbs), all we have is the testimony of some dubious characters. Testimony is not evidence.

Furthermore, the fact that it’s called some spooky code name doesn’t help its credibility. A cornerstone of science is the ability for evidence to be verified by independent observers. Why hide the cemetery’s location unless you are trying to prevent other people from being able to investigate the truth or falsehood of your stories? If your testimony isn’t B.S., why not let other people come and see for themselves?

What is more likely: that this cemetery is haunted, or that whoever “discovered” this place just wanted to sell some books?

Mike1Mike: Those are all decent points, but you are forgetting that more than one person has been to “Cemetery X” and reported similar phenomenon. These visitors came independently and didn’t discuss their experiences with each other, so one wasn’t influenced by the other. Surely that lends some credibility to their stories? And who is to judge whether a person’s character is dubious, you?

Also, although I agree with your suspicions about the naming of “Cemetery X,” or whatever you want to call it, vandalism is a valid concern. Sometimes when these places are publicized they attract bad characters who might not care as much about them as we do.

Emmer1Emmer: You’re an idiot.

No one who goes to a cemetery looking for ghosts is going to vandalize the place. In this case, I’d say personal liability was the concern. If something bad did happen there, the person telling everyone how haunted this cemetery was didn’t want to be held responsible. In that case, I’d say he shouldn’t have made it public to begin with. If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the fire.

What do you think? Download our controversial issue on “Cemetery X” and decide for yourself!

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