Magna Cemetary - Spooky Utah Cache Traditional Geocache

In the 1860's mineral and metal prospecting in Utah began. Close to the Oquirrh mountains and thereby to ore deposits and subsequent silver, copper and mineral mines, the town of Magna sprung up. Originally, Magna was founded in 1906 as a farming community, but later expanded when the Utah Copper Concentrate Mill was built here. Because the population explosion happened so quickly, the as yet unnamed town received the nickname of "ragtown". Why Ragtown? Prospectors, drifters and miners moved in and set up tents and shanties, or lived in dugouts - sometimes for years at a time - as a result, it looked like a bunch of rags. When the mining company finally decided that it should house its workers in proper homes, most of magna's 300 structures were built. The mining company then began to call the town "pleasant green", but due to large numbers of "pleasant greens" in Utah, the town was later named Magna after the newly built Magna mill.

Much like the town of Magna, the Pleasant Green Cemetary reflects a sad history related to the settlement and hardships endoured by the pioneers and immigrants who moved here to work in and live near the mines. You can see that most of the people buried here did not have long lives, and that mining accidents sometimes claimed multiple lives at once.

It is a fact that the Pleasant green cemetary glows green during certain times of the year. For a long time, people believed that this was due to unsettled spirits haunting the place, though now we understand that it's due to the mineral luminescence from the soil. This doesn't make the cemetary any less eerie. From the toppled headstones, to the overgrown bushes and weeds, it's hard to believe that this cemetary is being used, and/or that the ghosts of those buried here aren't feeling slighted by the lack of upkeep and respect.

Personally, I have been to this cemetary 3 times. The first two, I had someone with me - and always felt drawn to the old headstones near the back of the cemetary, but didn't have time to visit them. It was only this morning as I parked my vehicle and walked in to place the cache that I really noticed how creepy this place is. At first, the wind was blowing, and then everything got still. The sun went behind a cloud and didn't return until I was on my way out. Then, the birds went completely quiet, as did the crickets as I walked deeper and deeper towards the eldest part of the cemetary. Finally, as I placed the small decon container, I swear I felt something brush against my back and heard laughter from the graves of the Suttons nearby. Talk about making the hair on the back of my head stand up (I nearly didn't place the cache in favor of running back to the car)!

Maybe I was just spooked to be by myself in a desolate place, or maybe, just maybe, it is really haunted. My suggestion - when you go to get this cache, take a camera and see if you can get anything "unusual" on film.

This is one of a series of spooky Utah geocaches that stem from urban legends about haunted places. The information contained here in may or may not be true (or only partially true), and is designed for thrills and chills. As with all the geocaches in this series, please stick to normal waking hours to do these (say between 6 am and 10 pm unless otherwise noted), and please do not disturb those living/dead nearby. I’m sure you know this already, but please be discreet. Lastly, have fun - I hope you don’t get spooked easily!

You may want to check the article at on KSL tonight from the evening news at:
Ghost Researchers Investigate Old Woolen Mills Building
which mentions that "Besides this building, the group lists the old Lehi hospital and the Magna Cemetery among the most active places they've been. If nothing else, it does make you wonder."

For those fo you playing the cachunuts Coin Quest game, this is a qualifying cache.