Diphtheria Hill
Clay Center, KS
Reports of Paranormal Activity
• Sounds of babies crying
• Sounds of children playing
• Unexplained lights and orbs
• Feelings of being watched and dread
History
Reports to this team say
that the cemetery known as Diphtheria Hill in Clay Center
Kansas served as a resting place for the victims of the
disease during the 1800s. The residents of the area at
that time were frightened that the bodies of the people
that died from diphtheria would spoil the water supply
for the healthy people, so the dead and dying were
carried to the “hill” and buried. Rumors say that some of
the buried people were not quite dead yet when
deposed.
The C.O.P.S. team observed
that there were headstones that dated back to the
mid-1800s. The cemetery grounds were recently mowed and
was surprisingly well maintained due to its remote
location. It was obvious that this site holds many
special memories for the residents of the area, and the
feeling that this location should be held in the highest
respect and admiration to all who visit.
The headstones were carved
with fine artisanship for the time, and could be of much
interest in people who do gravestone rubbings.
Note to anyone who chooses
to visit this site, please use caution when driving to
this location, for it is located on a curve of a busy
stretch of highway. The drive into the cemetery is not
paved or graveled, so if it is rainy or wet season there
may be difficulty with driving up the hill, parking and
turning around. As with all sites of this nature, please
leave it exactly as you found it.
Investigation
C.O.P.S. team members present: Tony & John
Guest present: Alicia (former proud resident of Clay Center and good friend of C.O.P.S.)
C.O.P.S. arrived on the site
on July 21, 2007 around 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon to
photograph the site in daylight. John left an audio
recorder hidden in the bark of a tree on the perimeter of
the fence line. Shortly before midnight, the team
returned to continue the investigation. The weather was
warm and humid. Many tree frogs, birds and insects were
making noises in the nearby tree line as well as traffic
noise from the roadway that was about 100 feet away from
the cemetery. At first there were no odd feelings,
unusual kinetic disturbances, or unexplained equipment
activations. Shortly after starting an I.R.C. session,
John mentioned that he was experiencing chills in his
back. Alicia stated that she was seeing what she thought
was someone or something by and behind a tree near a
fenced in family plot area. After closer inspection, John
noted that he observed what appeared to be a figure
resembling an outline of a “glowing” person peering
around a tree trunk. He described it as though it was a
white plastic bag in the shape of a silhouette of a
human, filled with air and illuminated to cause it to
glow, peeking furtively around the tree trunk. Tony began
taking photographs of the area where the figure was
observed. The pictures taken at that time included
unexplained balls of light.
The team continued to investigate the site without any other unexplained events.
C.O.P.S. cherishes the privilege of having an opportunity to experience what this site had to offer and wishes to thank the citizens of Clay Center Kansas for the opportunity to visit.
Equipment
• Sony digital voice recorders
• Sony Handycam video recorder with NightShot
• Kodak EasyShare C643 digital camera
• K-II EMF detector
• IR Thermometer