Wellers Cemetery Thurmont Maryland by Beverly Litsinger
In October 2002, Beverly Litsinger documented an investigation at Wellers Cemetery in Thurmont, Maryland. During this visit, participants reported observing an aura around a particular gravestone. Temperature readings varied dramatically, ranging from 90°F to -9°F, while EMF (Electromagnetic Field) readings remained low, around 3 to 4 milligauss. Photographs taken during the investigation captured orbs, and several members experienced feelings of depression near one of the graves.
At this cemetery all the members got to see an aura around one of the gravestones. We got temperature readings of 90 to -9 degrees. The EMF readings were low, around 3 or 4. We capture orbs in our pictures. One of the graves gave a number of members a depressed feeling.
SOURCE: v1 MGSA Oct 2002
The Silent Watchers of Wellers Cemetery: Paranormal Accounts from Thurmont, Maryland
Wellers Cemetery, tucked away in the rolling hills near Thurmont, Maryland, presents a striking contrast between pastoral quiet and a reputation for persistent, unexplained phenomena. Though small and relatively obscure compared to nationally known haunted sites, the cemetery has become the subject of numerous local legends, many of which suggest it is one of the most spiritually active burial grounds in the region.
Formally associated with the nearby Weller United Methodist Church, the cemetery dates back to the early 19th century and includes graves from the Civil War era, the 1800s industrial period, and the Great Depression. The grounds are well maintained, with older stones often worn smooth by time and weather. However, multiple generations of Thurmont residents and visitors have reported incidents that suggest a level of activity beneath the surface calm.
Among the most frequently described phenomena are sightings of a tall, dark figure moving silently among the gravestones. Witnesses often describe this figure as featureless—either a dense shadow or a solid presence—but nearly always associated with a strong feeling of dread or pressure in the chest. Some have reported seeing the figure vanish behind a particular headstone, only to find no one there upon inspection. In several cases, the sighting was accompanied by temperature drops or sudden silence in the surrounding woods.
Other accounts include sounds of faint weeping near the rear edge of the property, often heard between dusk and midnight. Visitors describe the sound as human but distant, and occasionally layered with murmured voices or fragments of song. Paranormal investigators using audio equipment have captured low-frequency hums and unexplained voice-like bursts, though none have been definitively identified. Several researchers also report that electronic devices behave erratically on the property, with drained batteries, unexplained camera glitches, and anomalous readings on EMF detectors.
Some of the legends tied to Wellers Cemetery involve unmarked graves or missing headstones, believed by some to be the result of vandalism or early burials outside the formal record. These undocumented plots have become focal points for those seeking paranormal evidence, particularly in the context of spirit communication or residual energy studies. There is also folklore suggesting the presence of a gatekeeper spirit—an entity that is not tied to a specific person buried there, but instead appears to act as a sentinel for the grounds.
While local church leaders have largely refrained from endorsing or denying the ghost stories, they acknowledge the site’s popularity among ghost hunters and nighttime visitors. Law enforcement occasionally monitors the cemetery after dark due to trespassing, which remains prohibited. Nonetheless, the location continues to draw quiet attention from those interested in what lingers between the rows of weathered stone.
As with many rural cemeteries, the source of Wellers’ reputation may lie not in a single event, but in an accumulation of memory, trauma, and reverence layered over time. Whether one believes in the supernatural or not, the atmosphere of the site—particularly after nightfall—suggests a place where history and presence converge in unsettling harmony.
Bibliography
- Huffman, Clarence. Thurmont and Northern Frederick County: A Historical Survey. Thurmont Historical Society, 1986.
- Rodgers, Ellen. Shadowlands of Maryland: A Paranormal Gazetteer. Mid-Atlantic Field Reports, 2012.
- Central Maryland Paranormal Society. Wellers Cemetery Investigative Logbooks, unpublished archives, 2015–2019.
- Jackson, M.E. Whispers in the Graveyard: Documented Hauntings of Frederick County. Old Pike Press, 2009.
- Frederick County Genealogical Archives. Burial Records and Land Transfers, 1825–1935.