Real Haunted House
The Witch’s Grave
Old Mesilla, New Mexico
By Robin Wright
Old Mesilla and the area around it has had a dubious history, even before anyone officially settled there. The city of Las Cruces, the second largest city in New Mexico and a mere 6 miles from the quaint town of Old Mesilla was so named because of an 1830 massacre of a wagon train headed west along the trail known as El Camino Real. When the survivors buried their dead, they put up the requisite markings of crosses. Those following used it as a landmark, calling it “La Placita De Las Cruces”–the place of the crosses. Those who settled along the trail shortened it to Las Cruces. Las Cruces is now a bustling modern metropolitan, but enter Mesilla, New Mexico and you step back two hundred years.
Mesilla still has the thick adobe walled buildings that kept out both heat and dust. This was where Billy the Kid was caught, jailed, and allowed to escape. This is also the home of San Albino’s cemetery, home of the Witch’s Grave.
At the end of Calle De Lupe is the dirt packed ground that composes the cemetery. Tumbleweeds skitter across the graves, but your eyes will be drawn from the beautiful sculptures that serve as tombstones to a 4’x4’ cinderblock and cement tomb decorated with a 2‘ black cross that someone has carved with the number “666.” This, legend says, is the Witch’s tomb. It is the only headstone in the cemetery that has no name inscribed on it. There is no record of who she is or what she had done to get such a fortified grave, but it has been said that when she was buried there, her ghost kept trying to get out from its supposed final resting place. She has spent decades trying to find a crack that will set her free, and those who live near the cemetery have spent just as many years repairing the cracks that do appear.
Local lore claims a girl once slept on the tomb in response to a dare. She walked away alive, but was afterwards afflicted with incurable epilepsy. Further caution to those who feel the need to visit– in case escaping witches and mysterious illnesses aren’t enough, the fine folk who live near the cemetery do not appreciate late night visitors, and strongly discourage entering the cemetery after dark.
199 comments on this haunted house. Share your story »
199 Comments |
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sakura haruno says: |
February 28, 2009, 10:46 pm |
lol how scary lol *yawn* does anywone know a REAL SCARY STORIE?
Devious575 says: |
April 15, 2009, 3:36 am |
As Far as the Witches Grave..THERE IS NONE.. Alot of my family is burried in San Albino Cemetary and there is no black cross or witches grave..the grave that everyone says is the witches grave belongs to a 5year old boy. its just a LEGEND…I have been there many time and take it from me..there is no witches grave..the Large concrete grave they talk about actually has toys cemented into it by this boys mother.. but there is no witch burried here sorry to burst your bubbles..LOL
Emerson says: |
June 22, 2009, 12:32 am |
I have gone to this grave!It is so scary my mom’s car ran out of gas when we went there! it was so creepy.
RAYNE says: |
August 7, 2009, 10:18 pm |
I was born and raised here in Lost Causes NM and know very well about the witches grave. I lived in Hanger Lake my whole life and also know first hand about the hanger. And yes the Hanger is still there. I am in Hanger Lake every other weekend and drive by it all the time. FYI it is now owned by a church group and is used as a church. The stories I have of are far too many to fill these pages and I’m curious where alot of people get some of thier information? Like the bodies hanging from the rafters? That’s a good one, untrue and rather funny. The place IS haunted. The witches grave IS real as are many other things in this god forsaken place. If you don’t believe it that’s fine, there are many other who have not believed either and makes no difference in the end. The resident’s of this desert oasis know the truth and that’s all that matters. If you care to know the truth behind the tales, feel free to let me know.
bob says: |
August 21, 2009, 1:18 pm |
VIVA LA MEXICO PICHE HOTAS AND HOTAS **** ALL YA VIVA LA PANCHO VILLA
danny filth!! says: |
October 29, 2009, 1:29 pm |
this sucks!!!!it’s very very very ghetto!!
-danny filth♥
DaNnY FiLtH says: |
October 29, 2009, 1:30 pm |
this is ghetto!!!
Rayne says: |
October 29, 2009, 7:39 pm |
Ghetto is as ghetto does. So Apparently, your ghetto.
getzel mendoza says: |
April 7, 2010, 9:00 pm |
my house is haunted because we always hear chains dragging on the floor we hear giggles and some people talking in spanish and we would sometimes see a lady dreesed in white saying hi and bye then we see a man that is buff and tall pass by our window with no head
jasmine munoz says: |
April 7, 2010, 9:13 pm |
i see things that arent supposed to see like people talkking and walking along my side and they say like all kinds of things like you are not supposed to see us and that scares me to death and they tell me how are you and my brother also has seen a figre of a human body standing up and never say nothin at all and just ignore them my friend getzel mendoza has claimed to see that figure standing and looking at the wall then she says that it looks like when she is not looking towards my room she says that it looks like if something is coming at her to attack her
Tiff says: |
April 13, 2010, 7:40 pm |
I’ve lived in Las Cruces for about ten months now. I didn’t think it was the second biggest city in New Mexico. And, I’ve never heard of the Witch’s Grave. I would like to learn more about the legends of New Mexico and also more about La Llorona (the Crying Woman). I wonder if there are any spirits of the Conquistadores walking around.
AradiaRayne says: |
April 13, 2010, 8:31 pm |
The Witches grave is in Old Mesilla. The crying woman is said to have drowned her children in the Rio Grande and on the shores of the Rio Grande on the anniversary of their death at the time that she killed them (rumored to be midnight) you can hear her calling for them and sobbing for what she has done. She is a tortured soul and cursed to relive the death of her children forever.
el paso pride says: |
April 14, 2010, 9:13 pm |
… i want to visit!
billybob thorton says: |
August 7, 2010, 2:46 am |
……………………..I’m so scared
danitykane22@yahoo.com says: |
December 2, 2010, 5:47 am |
bunch of stupid people
That Guy says: |
February 16, 2011, 2:57 am |
There were 199 comments. I wanted it to be 200. So here is the comment. I’m prolly gonna check this place out and get some real info on it…
Yup says: |
November 12, 2011, 1:05 am |
I went to this grave a few months ago after a trip to arizona to visit the birdcage theater. It was mid-day so i didnt encounter anything strange. Only thing is that a squirrel was standing on the grave and as soon as i got off the car the.squirrel ran towards my car. Then it ran back and stood on the.same spot. I didnt go see cuz there was an old man and an old lady and a little kid and it seemed rude to look for a “witch” while they mourned for family. Anyways long story short, watch out for that squirrel… Freakin sandy needs to go back to bikini bottom
cheetoface 88 says: |
November 26, 2011, 10:28 pm |
The first few comments I have some suggestions… one get a MAP and two.. invest in SPELL CHECK!
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Samuel says:
February 3, 2009, 5:17 pm
I think u guys should all stop arguing over some stupid story!I think ur all imature!If u don’t want 2 believe it fine then that’s ur guys openion.U choose 2 believe it or u don’t!