The Haunted White Oak Flats Cemetery

Posted: 09.30.2024 | Updated: 09.30.2024

There’s an old adage among fans of the spirit world. “If you’re looking for a ghost, then look in a graveyard,”

Well, the White Oak Flats Cemetery in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is just the place to do that. Hidden away in the mists of the majestic Smoky Mountains, this cemetery dates back 250 years to the very beginnings of Gatlinburg, then known as White Oak Flats. It’s the final resting place for many of the town’s founders, residents, and, as some would rightly tell you, the spirits of the dead. 

Over the years, the cemetery has been shrouded in a veil of mystery and folklore. Today, it is recognized as the hotspot for otherworldly activity in Gatlinburg. It's the kind of place that spooks even the most intrepid ghost hunter.

Is The White Oak Flats Cemetery The Most Haunted Cemetery In Gatlinburg?

The White Oak Flats Cemetery is undoubtedly the most haunted cemetery in Gatlinburg. Nothing else even comes close. Visitors and locals alike have experienced the strange goings-on that seems to occur daily for over two centuries. Ghostly apparitions that wander among the gravestones. Shadow figures crawling straight up walls. Frightening orbs floating through the air in a macabre dance. Eerie voices echoing on the wind. A mysterious lady in black. A Smoky Mountain witch. A poltergeist. 

All of that should serve as a warning to those brave or foolish enough to venture into the cemetery after dark or, in some cases, even in broad daylight. After all, the unfortunate lost souls of White Oak Flats Cemetery aren’t exactly on a time clock. But the spirits are restless. And angry. They are angry that their peaceful resting place is now in the middle of the hustle and bustle of a premier tourist destination. They’re not afraid to make that anger known. Physical altercations abound between the living and dead. Pushing. Shoving. Scratching. Rocks flying through thin air.

The infamous cemetery is simply not the kind of place to explore alone. Book a ghost tour with Gatlinburg Ghosts to discover more of Gatlinburg’s haunted history. 

Ghostly Tales 200 Years in the Making

The White Oak Flats Cemetery is one of those spooky gems that are actually hidden in plain sight. It is located behind, and just up the road from, Fannie Farkle’s, one of the hundreds of tourist shops in the village. The cemetery has a gloomy yet peaceful atmosphere, contrasting heavily with the strip's bright colors and high energy. 

Its origins date back to 1830 when the town’s founders established it. Today, the cemetery serves as a testament to the evolution of the sleepy little Smoky Mountain community into a thriving tourist attraction that draws millions of visitors annually. Of course, the cemetery is an attraction of its own - for those trapped between the worlds of the living and the dead.

The cemetery is estimated to be home to over 4,000 graves, of which 1,000 are unmarked. This only adds to the cemetery’s mysterious aura as lost souls wander the grounds, desperately attempting to reveal who they once were. The unmarked graves are unmistakable. Most are just chunks of stone protruding from the ground. We may never know the identity of these unfortunate souls unless they decide to tell us.

A Tale to Tell

What truly sets the White Oak Flats Cemetery apart is the sheer volume of spectral activity. The presence of unexplained happenings has been commonplace since the cemetery’s founding. And it shows no signs of stopping.

Consider the tale of the cemetery’s most famous resident - The Gatlinburg Witch. This full-body apparition appears only at night, walking back and forth by the rear fence. As the sun rises, she finally sits on the fence, slowly fading into thin air. She is known to be blonde and gaunt, wearing a cloak and a horrific mask constructed from a bird’s skull. But her most distinguishing physical characteristic is the massive scars all over her body, the result of repeatedly cutting herself to release the spirits she is carrying inside. No one knows who she is or was. Perhaps she’s buried in one of those unmarked graves?  

Let's not forget the Lady in Black. According to eyewitness accounts, she’s seen wandering the grounds, her long black hair blowing in an otherworldly wind, as she examines the headstones. Perhaps it’s a fruitless effort to let others know her own identity. She is also known to be very protective of her final resting place. She has supposedly scratched disrespectful tourists who find their way into the historic burial ground. 

The Lady in Black’s somewhat violent interactions with the living aren’t all that rare. Other restless spirits sometimes make their presence known through direct physical contact. Sometimes it’s for fun. Other times, it’s definitely not. Some people have observed a shadow figure during the day. The figure quickly disappeared, and some unseen force shoved and scratched the man who witnessed it. A group of boys snuck into the cemetery only to be forced to dodge rocks mysteriously hurled by some invisible force. 

Rest in Peace … If You Can

There's nothing spookier than a place filled with dead people. Ask anyone who’s paid a visit to the White Oak Flats Cemetery. Book your spot on a ghost tour with Gatlinburg Ghosts to hear more haunted tales. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more real Tennessee hauntings.

Sources:

https://thefearmythos.fandom.com/wiki/The_Witch_of_Gatlinburg

https://bluemountainmist.com/dt_rooms/white-oak-flats

http://southernghoststories.com/tennessee-ghost-stories-oak-flats-cemetery

https://www.wate.com/haunted-tennessee/the-unnamed-spirits-of-white-oak-flats-cemetery