Unsuck DC Metro: Is the Red Line Haunted?

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Is the Red Line Haunted?

Photo courtesy HMdb

We joked this morning on Twitter that the Red Line must run through that burial ground from the movie Poltergeist because of all the fires, malfunctions and disruptions.

Thanks to information provided by @fuzzface01, it turns out part of the Red Line is actually built on the site of a former cemetery.

If you're not familiar with Poltergeist, evil spirits haunt a house in a subdivision that was built on a burial ground. The subdivision developer said they'd relocated the cemetery but in fact, they just moved the headstones to save money. The grounds were desecrated to make room for the homes, and the spirits were none too happy. Creepiness ensues.

Apparently, the Rhode Island Ave.-Brentwood station is built on top of a decommissioned cemetery.

According to the Historical Marker Database, "Many distinguished Black citizens including Civil War veterans were buried in this cemetery. These bodies now rest in the new National Harmony Memorial Park Cemetery in Maryland."

Wonder if Metro just moved the headstones...

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+16 Vote up Vote down

@ChrisHowdy · 738 weeks ago

Hey Mrs. Jeter,

Actual slaves were buried here, in case you were interested in a little perspective. Not that I'd assume you know what that word means.

+14 Vote up Vote down

hrh king friday 13 · 738 weeks ago

The water leaking from Metro's roof tiles isn't water. IT'S BLOOD.

+5 Vote up Vote down

Ever and Anon · 738 weeks ago

Do I hear ghostly evil laughter? Huh. Thought that was the train operator accidentally leaving the intercom on... ;-D

+3 Vote up Vote down

Teague · 738 weeks ago

Interesting. I wonder why they had to go through a cemetery in the first place?

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

+6 Vote up Vote down

Ummm · 738 weeks ago

Because it was in the way.

+6 Vote up Vote down

MD/DC · 738 weeks ago

Does that mean Home Depot is haunted ?......no not the Giant super market too .....

+13 Vote up Vote down

@fuzzface00 · 738 weeks ago

A few more bits to the story...

1) The cemetery was moved in 1960. Apparently the remains were removed to Maryland and the headstones were plowed over. It seems to me that this wasn't done respectively. More info at http://bit.ly/eoZpoR (Thanks to @mattashburn for pointing this out)
2) Some of the headstones ended up in the Potomac (see the link above).
3) The site was used as DC impound lot after the cemetery was closed. (Thanks to @bogrosemary for that information)
4) Construction of RI Ave Metro station would have started on or after 1969. RI Ave was one of the first stations opened in 1976. (Wikipedia)

Enjoy the snow!
@fuzzface00/@fuzzface01

4 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

+4 Vote up Vote down

unsuckdcmetro 92p · 738 weeks ago

Nice additions!

+3 Vote up Vote down

@MarylandMick · 738 weeks ago

Wow, plowing the headstones. Classy. Looks like Metro's been a circus from the beginning.

+3 Vote up Vote down

@fuzzface00 · 738 weeks ago

Sorry... you can't blame WMATA for that. WMATA didn't exist until after that occurred.

Unless WMATA was a secret organization back then... hmm...

(cue X-Files music)

+2 Vote up Vote down

@ChrisHowdy · 738 weeks ago

Great info, thanks. /historynerd

+4 Vote up Vote down

UnSuck Fan · 738 weeks ago

Guess that means WMATA won’t have to be held responsible for that accident in 2009…. or anything else for that matter! ;-)

+7 Vote up Vote down

@JannaBird · 738 weeks ago

Why is it that ghosts are always civil war soldiers?

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

@VeggieTart · 738 weeks ago

Or Indians--you know how some places are cursed because they're on ancient Indian burial grounds.

+13 Vote up Vote down

Escalator Rider · 738 weeks ago

Cross over children! Alllll are welcome. Alllll welcome. Move over to the Right. There is peace and serenity on the Right.

+3 Vote up Vote down

anon · 738 weeks ago

Thank you for the history on this cemetery. I wonder if the family members of those who were buried there know about this transport and loss of headstones?