Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery

Posted: 11.27.2024 | Updated: 11.27.2024

St. Louis, Missouri. 

It goes by many names. The Gateway to the West. Mound City. The Rome of the West. 

Another name for it should be Ghost City because this Midwest treasure has quite a few phantasms hidden under the shadow of the Gateway Arch. One of these ghost havens is the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, one of the nation’s oldest interment sites. It’s a place that would already be worth a write-up from its storied history alone. 

Luckily for ghost hunters in Missouri, this cemetery has more than just history housed in its land. Indeed, several ghostly figures are said to call this historic cemetery home.  

Keep reading to find out more about Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. And if you’re interested in Missouri ghosts as a whole, be sure and take an in-person ghost tour with St. Louis Ghosts to find out even more about the state’s spooky inhabitants.  

Who Haunts the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery?

A better question might be, “Who doesn’t haunt Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery” because many ghost sightings and unexplained phenomena have been experienced here. Perhaps, it’s only natural - if ghosts are going to flock to a place, it would make sense for it to be a cemetery. 

Not only that but most of the people buried in this cemetery were hardened soldiers and war heroes - men who even Death would have a hard time getting a hold of completely. So, maybe it was only natural that some of them would have stayed behind, perhaps out of a sense of duty or possibly to keep watch over their fallen comrades. 

Its history and its hauntings make for quite the tale. Whether you’re a history buff, love the area, or a budding paranormal investigator, there’s something in its story for everyone. Keep reading to find out just why people continue to be fascinated by the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. 

History of the Cemetery

America has been at war for almost 95% of its history and Jefferson Barracks has served the Army as a burial place for all of those wars since its establishment, from the Black Hawk War to Afghanistan. It was built on the banks of the Mississippi River to serve as a strategic headpoint overlooking the water. 

During these early years of Jefferson Barracks, it also served as a neutral meeting ground for white settlers and Native Americans to discuss increasing conflicts between the two groups.

It was also known as the birthplace of the American cavalry, as all US Army cavalry riders had to pass through here to receive horsemanship training. Speaking of US cavalry, Jefferson Barracks also has another notable claim to fame - as it was integral to the formation of the famous Buffalo Soldiers. The Buffalo Soldiers were a legendary unit of African-American soldiers, and Jefferson Barracks was ultimately where the 9th and 10th cavalry were organized into Buffalo Soldiers.

And over the years, it’s served many purposes besides a cemetery and barracks. During the Civil War, it served as a training center for Union troops and as a hospital for wounded Union and Confederate soldiers. In fact, it served both sides so well that of the 20,000 graves, over 1,000 of them were for Confederate troops. 

After World War II, the barracks portion of the facility was decommissioned - leaving only the cemetery in use. However, even into the 20th century, Jefferson Barracks was still the site of a lot of history. The first successful parachute jump from an airplane was right over Jefferson Barracks in 1912, made by Captain Albert Berry. 

Notable Hauntings

Of course, with so many stories in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, it’s only fitting that there would be a few ghost stories to accompany them.  For one, there’s the tale of the office in the hospital. 

During a modern-day Halloween party hosted by the Army at the barracks, a man in a Civil War costume was seen mingling with the guests. Many assumed he was someone enjoying the festivities. However, after he left, none of the soldiers there recognized him, leading some to think he may have been one of the many Civil War soldiers buried in the cemetery, stretching his ghost legs out to enjoy a bit of festivity. After all, good food and company are pretty hard to come by in a graveyard. 

This isn’t the only incident involving potential Civil War ghosts, either. Many people over the years have reported seeing hazy images of Civil War soldiers, dressed in full uniform in the cemetery. Sometimes, they’re just milling about but at other times, they’re marching in formation and even confronting other ghostly soldiers. 

Another famous story in the cemetery took place outside of Jefferson Barracks at the nearby train depot. This one dates back all the way to the Civil War when a guard was at his post and reported seeing a blurry figure walking up and down the trainyard. The figure didn’t respond to the guard’s voice and later on, future guards would report hearing unexplained footsteps and noises during their shifts. 

Building 29

While much of the barracks and cemetery have experienced some ghostly visitors, the most haunted building in the area is, far and away, Building 29. While a few of the numbered buildings - like Building 1’s ghosts manning the desks and filing paperwork of all things -  have their own share of unorthodox hauntings, Building 29 is certainly the creepiest. 

These tales don’t just come from us either - many Army employees and soldiers who have spent shifts in Building 29 report feeling a general sense of uneasiness and dread when working there. Strange things also just have a habit of happening without explanation. Unexplained occurrences like the sound of footsteps being heard in a room where you are the only one there. Or the bathroom being used during the hours when no one should even be in the building. Lights will turn on and off without warning. Even more unsettling is the creepy whispering voice that will occasionally hiss throughout the building, sometimes giving military orders like “Dismissed!” or “Attention!” 

Perhaps the voice is that of a figure we’ve taken to calling the “Red Guard.” Many soldiers have reported being confronted with this ghostly figure. Stories vary but a few key details are consistent. The figure has never been known to utter a word, but the guard always stands at attention as if he’s still on duty. He also has a bullet hole in his head that drips red blood all over him. It seems that some ghosts can’t forget their sense of military propriety, even beyond the grave. 

Haunted St. Louis

Missouri may not be the first place you think of when you think of haunted America. But Missouri ghosts have a certain eeriness that doesn’t appear in other state’s haunted buildings. Ghosts aside, Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery is worth visiting for its important place in American history and natural beauty. If you’d like to learn more about Missouri hauntings, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more information. Don’t forget to book an in-person ghost tour with St. Louis Ghosts to learn more about the haunted history of St. Louis.

Sources:

https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/jeffersonbarracks.asp

https://historicmissouri.org/items/show/199

https://hecmedia.org/posts/jefferson-barracks-a-history

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/experiences/missouri/haunted-place-mo