Evergreen Cemetery is one of the oldest Protestant Cemeteries in Santa Cruz County – It is also, said to be one of the most “spiritually active”. Dating back to as early as 1850 the Evergreen Cemetery is home to numerous Santa Cruz original founding fathers.
Many have claimed to have witnessed the ghostly apparitions amongst the headstones at Evergreen Cemetery; from tales of an elderly lady with her hair in a bun, sweeping her doorstep outside her small shack, which upon second look, suddenly disappears. To the laughter and cries of disembodied children wandering the woods, perhaps indulging in a game of hide and seek - while still others have seen the dark shadowy image of the famed Andrew Jack Sloan, who was gunned down in 1863, while riding through Arana Gulch and who’s apparition is claimed to have been seen, as early as, 1902. Alas, the victims of old age, illness, murder and suicide, are laid to rest here, some whose stories are nearly 170 years old. Such is that of Julia Arcan, a 19 day old infant who passed away as their family crossed Death Valley – in fact it was Julia’s family who named this barren waste land its befitting epithet. Marie Holms a local prostitute is another tragic tale of woe. An immigrant from England, the twenty year old young lass, apparently felt very disconnected from life. She seemingly despised her existence and the life that she was leading; she was without family and very much depressed. Marie would often threaten to commit suicide and ultimately in May of 1898 she succeeded, by drinking an entire bottle of carbolic acid. Her peers within the house of ill repute paid for the burial of the young girl who, forever sleeps at Evergreen Cemetery. Many paranormal enthusiasts and even those of the occult have attempted to contact the dead at Evergreen Cemetery – with various results. Some may say, at this cemetery, it maybe best to let the dead rest - However, others will tell you to let them 'speak, as there ghostly apparitions continue to manifest throughout the twilight hours and make their presence known. To learn more about Evergreen Cemetery please visit the Museum of Arts & History website at https://santacruzmah.org/evergreen/ To uncover a fascinating tale about Andrew Jack Sloan we recommend Ghosts in the Gulch, an Evergreen Cemetery Mystery , written by S.L. Hawke. |
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