Cleveland’s Lake View Cemetery is hauntingly beautiful, and has even been called “Cleveland’s Outdoor Museum” because of all the incredible sculptures found throughout the 95,000 grave sites there. There’s one sculpture in particular that’s quite unsettling, though.
You’ll find Lake View Cemetery at 12316 Euclid Avenue in Cleveland. The cemetery was founded in 1869, and is the resting place for many of Cleveland’s wealthy and famous.
Take a stroll through the 285 acres here. You’ll find the graves of several Rockefeller family members, many of Cleveland’s past mayors, and President James A. Garfield and First Lady Lucretia Garfield.
Wander past mausoleums…
…and numerous statues…
But the creepiest of all? “The Angel of Death Victorious,” often simply called, “The Haserot Angel.” It marks the graves of Francis Haserot and his family members.
This statue was created for the family by sculptor Herman Matzen in 1923. The Hazerots made their fortune in canned foods, and were among the elite and wealthy of Cleveland during the early twentieth century.
The angel holds a torch, which is upside-down to symbolize an extinguished life. The beautiful angel might be considered serene and peaceful… except for one thing.
Most people are understandably disturbed by the black tears running down her face.
The tears streaming down from the angel’s blackened eye sockets lend an air of horror, rather than sadness, to this sculpture.
While many speculate about the reasons the angel might be crying, the tears were created over time by weathering of the bronze.
Lake View Cemetery is said to be one of Ohio’s most haunted. Do you think the Haserot grave and its angel exhibit paranormal activity?
Do you have creepy stories about Lake View Cemetery? Share them with us in the comments!