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Boothill Ghosts

Introduction

There are hundreds of stories about unusual sights and sounds at Boothill Graveyard. Many people report hearing voices while they walk around in the Graveyard during the day. There are regular reports of the sounds of coyotes howling at night in the Graveyard. Guests also commonly report touches. A woman told me once that she had walked past a grave that afternoon and felt like a spider's web had brushed across her face, but no trees or structures could anchor a spider's web in that location. Several people have told me about momentarily seeing a small animal scurrying between the graves, but it disappeared before they could identify it.

Several years ago, one of the guests on my tour shared a rather unusual story with me. She said that she had visited Boothill earlier in the day and felt a "pull" toward the far end of the graveyard. She followed her instinct and ended up at the grave of Johnny Blair, which is by itself out just past the edge of the graveyard. Johnny died of smallpox at a small camp a few miles from Tombstone, and his buddies were not willing to touch his body to bring it for burial. They threw a rope around his feet and dragged him to the graveyard behind a horse. They dug his grave, dragged him into that grave, and then threw the rope in behind him. My guest arrived at his grave and said she felt an overwhelming urge to shout "Whoop!" like a cowboy would have as he came into town. After a single shout, which must have startled her friends, she left the graveyard and had no other incidents. She figured that the spirit of Johnny Blair was making her behave that way.

Photos

The following gallery includes seven Boothill Graveyard photos sent to me by guests over the years. These show all four types of paranormal phenomona and are evidence of the high level of paranormal activity at Boothill.

Night photo of a graveyard showing numerous orbs. In the foreground, pale ocotillo stems are visible. In the background, dark silhouettes of gravestones and crosses can be seen. The sky is filled with multiple translucent circular orbs of varying sizes, some appearing to have internal structure.

Orbs at Boothill Graveyard

This photo shows several orbs over the ocotillo fence at Boothill. Some of the orbs show an internal structure, which differentiates orbs from just specks of dust in the air.

Night photo of the entrance to Boothill Graveyard. A white wooden gate with 'BOOTHILL GRAVEYARD' painted on it is visible. Above the gate, strands of barbed wire can be seen. Several orbs of varying sizes are floating in the dark sky, with one large, distinct orb visible in the upper right corner.

Large Orb at Boothill Graveyard

This photo shows a spectacular orb floating just inside the Boothill gate. There are several other orbs visible on the left side of the photo.

Night photo of a graveyard with a mysterious plasma-like phenomenon visible. In the foreground, pale ocotillo stems form a silhouette against a dark background. Above the ocotillo, a large, wispy, white shape resembling smoke or a plasma is visible, stretching across much of the image. Small points of light, possibly stars or orbs, can be seen in the background.

Plasma at Boothill Graveyard

This photo shows several orbs over the ocotillo fence at Boothill. Some of the orbs show an internal structure, which differentiates orbs from just specks of dust in the air.

Night photo of Boothill Graveyard. A dirt path winds between graves marked with wooden crosses and stones. Bare, white branches of ocotillo cacti frame the edges of the image. In the foreground, a dark, shadowy shape resembling a human figure can be seen on the left side of the path, suggesting a potential paranormal presence.

Dark Plasma at Boothill Graveyard

A dark plasma is rather rare, but this photo shows a prominent dark plasma on the left side of the image.

Dusk photo of Boothill Graveyard. In the foreground, pale ocotillo stems form a silhouette. Beyond them, numerous gravestones and crosses are visible in the dimly lit cemetery. Mountains can be seen on the horizon. A distinct, curved, translucent shape resembling a vortex or ectoplasm is visible in the upper left of the image, suggesting paranormal activity.

Vortex at Boothill Graveyard

This vortex includes an interesting curve. Notice that the ocotillo fence and graves are in sharp focus, so the vortex is even more incredible.

Daytime view of Boothill Graveyard. The rocky, arid landscape is dotted with desert vegetation including ocotillo cacti and small trees. White grave markers are visible among the rocks. In the foreground, a shadowy, translucent figure resembling a human silhouette can be seen walking between the graves, suggesting a paranormal presence.

Shadowman at Boothill Graveyard

This photo shows a shadowman walking among the graves. While shadowmen are rather rare phenomena, they tend to appear in photos at Boothill.

Daytime photo of Boothill Graveyard with a paranormal element. The rocky desert landscape is visible with ocotillo cacti and distant mountains. A visitor in dark clothing stands to the right. In the center, a magnified inset shows a shadowy, translucent figure resembling a person walking among the graves, suggesting a ghostly presence. Blue lines point to the magnified area.

Shadowman at Boothill Graveyard

This photo shows a shadowman walking among the graves. The visitor walking on the path could have noticed the apparition but it was likely only visible for a brief second.

Location

Boothill Graveyard is located on AZ 80 Highway, just outside town on the way to Benson. The graveyard is open to the public but it is closed after dark. Many of the Boothill photos I have were taken through the fence at night.