The Haunted History of Stull Cemetery: Kansas' 'Gateway to Hell' and Its Ghostly Legends

Sitting in quiet, rural Stull, Kansas—a ghost town that borders Lawrence—is Stull Cemetery, a place so replete with bad legend that it's been placed on the nation's most haunted places list. For decades, its name surfaced in whispers of hell gateways, witch curses, and spook spirits. But beneath the gaudy tales is a history steeped in fact and myth, creating an eerie tapestry that continues to attract thrill seekers and ghost hunters.

A Dark Legacy in a Forgotten Town

Stull's origins date to the mid-1800s when it was founded as Deer Creek Community by pioneers drawn to Kansas during the era of westward expansion. The village thrived reasonably well, with church, school, and post office, but its fate was altered when the railroad skirted it at the beginning of the 20th century. Stull was nearly abandoned by the 1920s. The cemetery endured, however. Constructed on land donated by the Stull family, it served as the final resting ground for early settlers, including children who succumbed to disease and hardship. Amidst the old headstones stands the bony remains of a church, built in 1867 and subsequently destroyed by a storm in 1913. Though rebuilt, it collapsed again and was finally demolished in 2002. But even in the absence of its material form, the church's history works towards spreading the cemetery's eerie reputation.

The "Gateway to Hell" and Other Legends

Stull's fame depends on a perpetual urban legend: that the cemetery—specifically the church remains—is one of seven "doorways to hell" on earth. The Devil himself visits twice a year, so the myth goes: Halloween and the vernal equinox. Myths claim that the crumbling church's staircase used to run directly to the underworld and that a Pope once diverted a flight to avoid flying over the location of the curse (a myth now debunked by historians, but one that persists). Another claims that a witch, Elizabeth, was supposedly lynched by the townspeople in the 1800s whose ghost still haunts the grounds. Her "cursed" grave marker, a weathered stone, is said to condemn anyone who disturbs her sleep.

Ghost Encounters and Claims of Paranormal Activity

Ghostly visitors and paranormal explorers have long reported strange occurrences at Stull. The most famous ghost is that of the "White Lady," said to be that of a woman who died from childbirth and was buried along with her child. Her spirit, typically carrying a baby, is said to vanish when approached. Others see a dark, horned figure with red glowing eyes in the vicinity of the church site—interpreted by some as an evil entity related to the "gateway" legend.

Physical phenomena also occur: unexplained temperature drops, disembodied voices, and malfunctioning electronics without cause. In the 1970s, an Emporia State University group allegedly fled the cemetery when their equipment malfunctioned and they experienced otherworldly growls. Skeptics attribute the experience to active imaginations or the effect of suggestion, but the stories are still etched into Stull's reputation.

Debunking the Myths

Local historians and clergy have worked to demystify Stull's sinister reputation. The Evangelical church that once stood there was never linked to occult rituals, and the Pope legend has been thoroughly discredited. The "witch's grave" likely is that of a woman named Gertrude Stull, who died of natural causes. Vandals and thoughtless tourists, drawn by the myths, have done much of the cemetery's damage, prompting the town to restrict access and fine trespassers.

Why the Legends Last

Despite dispelling, Stull Cemetery's aura persists. Its isolation, dilapidated graves, and eerie absence of the church offer a stage favorable to ghostly projection. The tales tap into shared fears of the unknown, blending history and horror. For some, Stull is a cautionary tale about how folklore can swamp reality; for others, it's a reminder of the enduring human fascination with the supernatural.

Now, Stull Cemetery is a paradox—a quiet, rural graveyard caught between its idyllic origins and its Hollywood-movie mythos. Whether haunted or simply haunted by legend, its status as an institution of American folklore is fixed.