The Incredible Moving Grave-Elizabeth’s Grave

When a gravestone began moving on its own accord within a cemetery in a remote section outside Chillicothe, Ohio, travelers once flocked to witness a ghostly form in its wake. This is one of the old legends of Elizabeth’s Grave.
The Mount Union-Pleasant Valley Cemetery is located along Union Lane, just outside Chillicothe in the Pleasant Valley Wildlife Area. This area was once remote, but new homes now surround the cemetery, where the old Presbyterian Church used to stand. Today, only the graveyard remains, with broken monuments and old headstones piled in the back. It looks like any other forgotten graveyard, but it is special because it holds many members of the McCoy clan, one of the first settler families.

Generations of the McCoy family lived and died on this land. Eventually, the state took over the surrounding property for a hunting area, leaving the graveyard neglected. Many gravestones have been damaged by vandals and are scattered about. The area is cluttered with litter like beer cans and trash from fast-food restaurants, discarded carelessly by passersby. Though the homesteaders are long gone, this cemetery holds a haunting legend known in Chillicothe—Elizabeth’s Grave.

For years, ghost hunters have traveled the damaged gravel road to the cemetery. They pause before entering, as going in after dark is said to bring bad luck and scare away ghosts. They often sit on their car hoods or by the road, waiting for a mist to rise from the woods behind the graveyard. On certain nights, some lucky visitors see a white figure appear, rising from the ground like fog. This ghost takes on the form of a woman, moving alongside the overgrown grass until reaching the spot where the old gravestones once stood beneath a large tree.

People who visit call her Elizabeth.

Old stories say that Elizabeth was buried next to her family by the church and the tree over a hundred years ago. However, a strong windstorm or rowdy vandals may have toppled her gravestone. The stone was later moved back to what was believed to be the right place but was instead tossed away with other debris. Each time someone moved the headstone, it mysteriously returned to its spot beneath the tree, where the ghost had been seen. Those who disturbed it experienced bad luck, and some suffered until the end of their days.

Hiking the Trail

Nearby Visits:

• Pleasant Valley Wildlife Area is a 1,469-acre state wildlife area located 1 mile northwest of Chillicothe. Area surrounding the cemetery.
• Ross Lake Wildlife Area is a 1,107-acre state wildlife area located 2 miles east of Chillicothe. Easy access is available from U.S. Route 35 via the East Main Street exit and Blacksmith Hill Road (C-238) Chilicothe, OH 45601