SPIRITS OF BOULDER CREEK CEMETERY
In 1790, the Spaniards colonized and named the area Santa Cruz (Holy Cross); a joint effort was underway to erect missions along the California coast for the Catholic dioceses of Spain. As a result much of the Native American indigenous population, became missionized into the innovative religion, and was forced to give up their sacred traditional ways. The consequences would prove deadly for the passive indigenous culture, as they endured violent abuse, slavery and psychological torture. Within less than 20 years, these proud people were all but extinct. Mission Santa Cruz, was known to be the most cruelest of the missions erected in California. Legend has it, that a small band of Native Americans who revolted from these captors, cursed the land and its future inhabitants.
The mountains of Boulder Creek were once known to flourish with wild life. Grizzly bears, streams full of fish…redwood trees which compared in size to a Jurassic park movie and indigenous Native American inhabitants known as the Achista and Acsaggis tribes. Dating back to as early as 1862, Boulder Creek became known as a logging camp, clear cutting much of its towering redwoods, unearthing its natural foliage and driving out much of its indigenous species. It is believed that this vile act against nature and the suffering of the aboriginal people endured at the hands of the invading Spaniards, nearly 80 years prior, left a curse on the mountainous region, brought on by its native inhabitants. A curse in which nature itself would reap havoc and take its revenge upon the people of the mountain community for generations to come, in the form of fire, drought, floods, mud and landslides…
Tucked away, up upon a wooded hill side, near the original town church of Boulder Creek; where the small town’s founding fathers would have spent their Sundays in prayer, lies Boulder Creeks first and only cemetery. For many years this cemetery took on a foreboding dark ambiance; one that would make your skin crawl, particularly if you dared to walk its lonely paths at night.
In the 1990’s many young teens decided to dabble in the dark arts in the hopes of becoming a witch and invoking the spirits, perhaps for a sense of empowerment, of course with such movies as “The Craft”, “Practical Magic” and “The Blair Witch” hitting the big screen during this era, it is of no surprise – However, these young foolish mortals seemingly awoken something dark and malevolent with their novice practice to awaken these deadly forces .
It is believed a nearby Indian burial ground lies beyond the back gates of the Boulder Creek Cemetery, which strictly prevents those from wandering to and from, much like Stephen King’s novel “Pet Cemetery” curious passer buyers have crossed its gated threshold and gone beyond. However, disturbing as this may all sound, one can only let one’s imagination run wild. It’s not as disturbing as the unholy artifacts which were left on the hallowed ground of the cemetery. Often you could find objects which bore ritualistic symbols and candles oozing their wax amongst the head stones in colors of red and black. Strange offerings would be left behind as evidence of these bizarre goings on.
The small cemetery established in 1862 is the final resting place of many of Boulder Creeks, founding fathers, pioneers and local residents. Much of the cemeteries original inhabitants lay beneath the earth in shallow and unmarked graves, many of their markers, lost, stolen, desecrated or destroyed by the elements and vandals alike. Dozens of children, many of whom died of the black plague, several persons who died by the hands of another, elderly who passed due to age or illness and numerous loggers who passed away over a century ago in tragic accidents after desecrating the sacred redwoods - their stories lost forever – unless by chance, uncovered in an old news paper article.
So what of the strange rituals which were left evident in the 1990’s at this small historic place of rest for the dead, what entities are believed to have been conjured by foolish mortals dabbling in the dark arts?
In many Native American cultures it is believed the sacred burial grounds of the dead has a “spirit who watches over the remains of the departed” The culture of the Native American people, believes when one of their own has passed on to the spirit world, they are to never again, speak their name and all of the decedents’ personal belongings are to be burned or destroyed, so that they may have these items in the spirit world, and will have no reason to return to the realm of the living.
It is theorized that the ritualistic practices, which occurred at the cemetery over 20 years prior, opened a door and awoken the spirits of many of the lost pioneers who desecrated the sacred lands of Boulder Creek , these were the spirits of those responsible for cutting down over two billion feet of redwood lumber which raped much of the land. However, with these spirits something else is believed to have been awoken. A watcher spirit, a dark malevolent mass, who’s eyes glowed like fire and wisped from the tree tops, entrapping and torturing the souls of the cursed.
It would not be until 2010 that this haunted cemetery and its legends would be researched and investigated. This time by ghost hunters; ghost hunters who aspired to close the door and release the spirits left trapped by the previous dark incantations of would be dark witches and the malevolent watcher spirit who entrapped and guarded these souls that he claimed for his own.
Using simple K-2 metering devices and crude basic tape recorders, these paranormal investigators would soon find they took on more than they bargained for and true evil does exist.
TO BE CONTINUED ~
BELOW: EVP Boulder Creek Cemetery "The Early Years, S.C.G.H - "Were sorry"
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