Locals Share Stories About Hookman’s Cemetery in South Louisiana

Rayne, LA (KPEL News) - Hookman's Cemetery sits  just northwest of Rayne, Louisiana, and has been the focus of spooky stories for about a century. The most recent headstone that's readable, according to Acadiana Historical, marks the grave of someone who was buried in 1934.

Several articles have been written over the years about the now-abandoned cemetery that is now overgrown. The video linked here, clearly shot by a novice exploring the site, shows an overgrown area of land typical of the undeveloped areas of Acadia Parish and much of Louisiana.

Hookman's Cemetery, once accessible by Hookman's Bridge, is located off a curved stretch of Ohlenforst Road in rural Rayne. The bridge is closed now, so anyone wanting to get a peak at the old burial ground must do so on foot.

But, beware!

The land is private and trespassing will get you, at best, asked to leave or, at worst, arrested.

The likely name of the site is McClelland Cemetery, but the more ominous name was born from at tale about a man with a hook and his love.

As one local tells it:

I always thought that people went out there to scare one another. They told rumors of murderous ghost with a hook for a hand like a pirate.

Quite a few natives of the area claim the bridge is more frightening than the cemetery:

Went in 2019 with the kids. The wild has reclaimed most of the graves, but crossing that bridge was certainly spooky.

I grew up in Acadia Parish, and frequently cruised the back roads with friends, as high schoolers without cell phones or video games did in the 80s. Everyone had a Hookman's story, and it was a popular destination for a teenage tryst.

Being the complete and utter chicken that I am, I listened with wide-eyed amazement and found a convenient excuse when a friend suggested visiting the spooky site would make for great fun on a Saturday night. Of course, I naively believed every word that was spoken and had no interest in seeing a headless horseman or hearing a crying baby that had been tossed from a rickety bridge.

Journalist Amanda McElfresh and her trusty photographer Brad Kemp made the drive to investigate after "reports of strange noises and sightings in the cemetery." She describes their walk through the overgrown plat, seeing the discernible graves, and feeling "a little chill," but not scared as they looked around.

Are the stories my high school comrades so vividly crafted true? Or was it like a game of telephone where the message gets mangled the further down the line it goes?

I did what any curious person in 2023 would do: I took the question to my Facebook friends, at least half of whom grew up in Acadia Parish around the tales of the haunted Hookman's Cemetery.

Common Thread

Several respondents commented that they had visited the site, but never got out of the car. Another handful said they knew about the old graveyard but were too scared to go. (I admit to feeling vindicated.)

One person admitted that not only did she stay in the car, she cried the whole time her friends were exploring.

No Comment

Oddly enough, a handful of people I know confirmed they had visited Hookman's, but were not willing to share the experiences. I'm fairly confident in saying their silence is to protect their dignity and not their fear of the creepy ghosts coming to visit them if they tell.

The following list includes comments I received on my Facebook page, along with footnotes provided by me. I've omitted the names, so we can all laugh together without recrimination. Enjoy!