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Dead Children’s Playground

Huntsville, Alabama
By Robin Wright

Founded in 1822 and reaching over one hundred acres of land, Maple Hill Cemetery is the oldest and largest cemetery in Alabama. Within the cemetery limits, tucked away in a peaceful cove surrounded by a rock cliff on three sides and picturesque paths leading through the woods, is the Dead Children’s Playground. Admittedly beautiful during the day, when dusk falls, the atmosphere changes into something quite sinister.

Some say that the spirits of the dead children come to the playground to play. Another legend has it that Huntsville suffered a rash of child abductions in the 1960’s, and sadly, the bodies of the children were found in the area of the playground. Since that time, there have been reports of swings moving on their own, children calling out, giggling, and when photos are taken, orbs of light believed to be the spirits of the children are captured. Much of this phenomenon occurs between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m., far too late for any live child to be out playing.

The most eerie of reports is the common occurrence of swings moving rhythmically and in sync by themselves, even when the swings have just been brought to a complete stop. Some have seen dust from the sand that covers the area rise as if someone had jumped off a swing. Others who have taken photographs see circles of light show up on their photos, some of which are the same height as a child.

In fall of 2007, the City of Huntsville tried to take the playground over in order to further increase the area of the cemetery for graves and tombs. This was done literally overnight, one morning the playground was there and the next day all of the equipment was torn away and the area destroyed. The public outcry that resulted caused the City to pull the work order for the cemetery and new playground equipment was installed. This disturbance has not stopped the mysterious occurrences at the playground, however.

In January of 2008, The Alabama Paranormal Society investigated the area known locally as DCP. One of the investigators heard a voice of either a woman or female child. She quickly snapped a photo of the area and when it was developed, a misty figure of a woman can be made out. Many of the photos taken that night are littered with orbs.

Thanks to the citizens of Huntsville Alabama, children, dead and alive, will still have a place to play in Maple Hill Cemetery.

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Kathy says:

October 14, 2009, 3:52 pm

Its a huge angel.basically the only one there and it has only babies or small children buried around her. Ive never witnessed her crying blood tho. Others have though

Paranormal Investigator in Alabama says:

October 19, 2009, 11:54 am

After reading this article I need to make clear that the group that was mentioned is not a legit Paranormal group in Alabama with known to do things that have gotten them such a bad rap..,I would like to make somethings clear about Maple Hill and Childrens Cemetery, You can not do investigations there at night! They do not allow it and if they catch you they will arrest you for tresspassing,on that note you can do an investigation with permission from Maple Hill and can only do it during the day. However being there during the day theres too much noise that takes affect on the Childrens Playground,however did get some interesting things back on the cemetery. This past weekend we were up there during the cememtery stroll and learned some much needed history of the place and the hauntings that seem to go on. I so suggest that people do their homework before going over there and doing it by law..I also suggest that people need to check for legit groups and history before going to this place.

Ashley says:

October 21, 2009, 2:47 pm

Me and a group of friends went 2 years ago and we couldn’t find anyway to get into the playground. Can someone tell me how to get into it?

Veronica says:

October 24, 2009, 12:43 am

….I wanna check that out with my camera. Sounds interesting.

HoldenK says:

October 25, 2009, 2:48 am

Im thinking about going anything anybody needs to tell me…like what to bring/look for

Brittany says:

October 30, 2009, 2:06 pm

Ok so I have live near Dead Childrens Playground all my life. I have been up there several times with different people each time not once have I ever seen anything like everyone is saying, I have heard every tale you can think of bout this place and never been able to prove that it is true. I mean it is gonna be spooky because its a playground right next to the cemetary. but theres no children or any other figures there. I believed it at one point but never saw anything and all the people i went with never saw anything either

amanda williams says:

November 12, 2009, 6:43 pm

i have been to the playground many times.i have seen alot of strange things happen there.and have many pics to prove it.i dont live far from there so i go all the time. it is quite spooky but very interesting if u know the history of the cemetary.

trinity says:

December 21, 2009, 2:48 pm

in nov2009 me 2friends an my 11yr old daughter went. we walked all around the graveyard befor we almost gave up an came back. but we did find it. as soon as we walked down to the swings i had to go back to the car for my camra. as i turn to walk back by myself, the guy that was with us started yelling at someone. someone or something was hiding under the slide. he came out alone. we ask what he was doing by himself at 1 am out there he said taking a walk. ok we talk for a minute more he walked on. haft 20 mintues i went on to get my camra. by the time i get it an start back there are my friends an daughter. there where worried with that man walking around. we sat down to get our breath. out of no where there is that man agin. he stoped looked to both sides of him (looking right at us but notlooking at us, like he didnt see all of us setting on the side of the road that goes through the graveyard) anyway we watched as he jogged up the little hill to the church. in the street light he just disappeared. gone we went up to the church an looked around. no one. we even drove around an couldnt see him agin. we went back to the playground an set an took pictures but nothing. all we said on the way home was how strange that was. the next day me an my daughterwas talking bout it. i ask her what she thought of the man? she said he was an angel! i ask “an angel? not a ghost?” she let me no real fast he was not a ghost. i ask if she was scared he he came out from under there, she said no. she would get alottle jumpy befor we found the playground walking through the graveyard, when the wind blew an the ballons an flags throughout the graveyard would blow with the wind she held on a little then but when we was standing there talking we the stranger she wasnt even holding my hand. so take it as you will she has been to the old bryce hospital with us an wasnt scared to go in it but when we went up to the nursing home part we walked up to the front doors to go in she pulled my hand back stoping me not wanting to go in there. she dont scare easy.
so was the stranger that night real? ghost? or just a man out for a walk at 1 am in nov.? may never no for sure i will be back

Heather Hillis says:

December 30, 2009, 1:52 pm

I grew up in Huntsville,but live in Chicago now, and when i was in high school we used to go up ther while skipping classes at Butler High.It was always a pretty creepy place, especially the trails and small caves surrounding the actual playground. While creepy as it was , or is, the only phenomena i ever witnessed was the icy cold temperature changes on or around the swing sets. Over all DCP is a fond memory for me, and i hope to move back to Huntsville one day and visit my old haunt.

Natalie says:

January 7, 2010, 6:33 pm

Hmm im happy for the children :) but the things people see like the swings swinging by itself and stuff like that is kinda creepy but not scary at the same time for some reason lol!!! But it’s still good that they still have a place to play on. :)

Jessica Door says:

February 1, 2010, 12:32 am

I lived in Huntsville from 1963-1969. During that time there were several children abducted which I know for a fact as the stories were in all the newspapers and on tv. I did not know about the Dead Children’s Playground until I read about it here tonight

Jackson Stone says:

February 20, 2010, 12:36 pm

Now we know where Michael Jackson’s spirit went. Hehehe

Dakota says:

February 28, 2010, 12:57 pm

I believe in ghosts. I love haunted places they are awesome.

ps.. spirts too

patricia hellums says:

March 7, 2010, 8:57 pm

i have read a bout the haunted school yard, man, what happened to those children. what did thay do wrong. it is soo horible. what happened to those beautiful babies.i hope who did this bad thing is paying for it now

ACT says:

March 8, 2010, 10:37 pm

i live about a mile from the dead kids playground. once my sister saw old shoe prints. to me i believe in ghosts and all. but to me the dead children playground well lets just say you haft to see it to believe it.

meagan says:

March 18, 2010, 2:21 pm

omg me and my bf and my friends are going there tongiht! i hope to see stuff there im gunna record evverything! wut is the ost dangerous thing there? is it the marry go round thingy?? wut happens!? someone tell e bc i wanna b prepared:)

sarah says:

March 25, 2010, 2:02 pm

i saw a show about the dead childrens playground and some pics that they showed were really freaky

Brittany says:

March 25, 2010, 8:37 pm

I am from Huntsville, Alabama and have been to this playground several times as a teenager. There is something else about this playground that should be known so I am going to tell you. About 9 years ago a few of us went to the playground to test out a few things about the area to see if the rumors were true. Everything that has been said is All very true. Also if you are swings you might be pushed out of the swing or if you put babypowder on the back bumper of your vehicle in the parking lot sometimes you will see tiny finger prints left in the powder when you go to leave from there. It is very freaky. The old playground is still under the new and there are bodies buried all around the playground including a little boy on the cliff.

Brittany says:

March 25, 2010, 8:44 pm

I live in Huntsville, Alabama and about 9 years ago a few of us went to the playground and one of the things that was experienced was being pushed off of a swing in mid air and a complete stop. We decided to put some baby powder on the bumper of our vehicle in the playground parking lot to see if anything happened and it did. We went down to the playground for a while and when we went to leave we noticed tiny finger prints in the baby powder so the next time you really want to get the creeps, mabe you could try this too.

Brittany says:

March 25, 2010, 8:47 pm

Other things happen too, but those you will have to find out on your own.

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