Ball Cemetery – Springfield
The Ball Cemetery began as a family cemeteryâits oldest grave marker is dated 1869. Over the years, the cemetery grew to include individuals such as William âRattlesnake Peteâ Liddiard, a United States Marshal and implement dealer who left his home of Springfield, Nebraska, to join up with William âBuffalo Billâ Cody. He had a large handlebar mustache and became known as one of the fastest on the draw of all the U.S. Marshals. When he later died on the West Coast, his body was brought back to Ball Cemetery for burial.
Various apparitions have been seen at the cemetery. The ghost of a tall male figure has been seen walking around the cemetery after dark. This ghostly apparition is known to have a rather bad temper, and there have even been reports of phantom, physical attacks dealt to some of the people who dare to visit this cemetery late at night. Other visitors have found unexplainable bruises on their arms and legs after entering the cemetery. Could this be the work of Rattlesnake Pete?
Another spirit roaming this cemetery by night is thought to be Mary Mumford, one of Ball Cemeteryâs interred residents. Visitors have reported hearing the faint voice of a woman emanating from somewhere in the cemetery, and some have even felt their clothing being tugged, followed by a womanâs laughter.
More strange reports from Ball Cemetery include those who say they have witnessed headstones tipping over and then rising back up on their own and strange Ectoplasm mists appearing in photographs taken among the gravesites.
Visitors beware! Ball Cemetery is guarded by its next-door neighbors, who wonât think twice about brandishing a shotgun if they catch you hanging out in this cemetery in the middle of the night.
Written by â David P. Rodriguez Founder and Lead Investigator, Paranormal Research & Investigative Studies Midwest
BALL CEMETERY
20999 SOUTH 176TH STREET
SPRINGFIELD, NEBRASKA 68059
Taken from the: Encyclopedia of Haunted Places -Ghostly Locales from around the World – Compiled & Edited by Jeff Belanger – Copyright 2005 by Jeff Belanger