Oddities from Around the World Presents:"The Gateway to Hell": Stull Cemetery and the Dark Legend of Kansas

Source: Old photo of chapel and tombstone found online

"If you knew what I know, you wouldn’t go near that place after sunset.”— Former local sheriff, Douglas County, Kansas

Deep in the heart of Kansas farmland, tucked behind overgrown brush and whispering winds, lies a cemetery so infamous it has earned a name that sends chills down the spine: Stull Cemetery. If the rumors are to be believed, it isn’t just a resting place for the dead — it’s one of the seven alleged gateways to Hell on Earth.

Sounds like urban legend, right? Maybe. But stories don’t stick around for generations without leaving behind a trace of something dark, and Stull Cemetery… it lingers.

The Sleepy Town with a Sinister Reputation

Stull, Kansas, is little more than a dot on the map. A blip along the highway with a population that barely registers. Blink and you’ll miss it — and maybe that’s how the residents like it. But ever since the early 20th century, this town has been haunted by something far more chilling than ghosts.

The rumors began with two things: an old stone church and an even older tree that stood in the cemetery grounds. The church, now a ruin with no roof and barely-standing walls, was said to be a place where Satanists and occultists gathered under the cover of darkness. The tree? It was allegedly used to hang witches and unbaptized babies — the kind of lore that makes your stomach turn.

The Pope's Flight Path

In the 1980s, an eerie twist added fuel to the fire. When Pope John Paul II visited the United States, he demanded his plane divert its route to avoid flying over Stull. The Vatican never gave a reason — and they didn’t have to. That one act stamped Stull Cemetery into the annals of demonic legend. What kind of place frightens the Pope from 30,000 feet in the air?

Locals will tell you it's all a lie. They’ll shrug it off, laugh nervously, and tell you it's just bored teenagers making up stories.

But they don't go there after dark either.

The Church with No Roof and No Rain

One of the central legends of Stull involves the church ruins. Witnesses claim that rain never falls inside its stone walls — even when the rest of the cemetery is soaked. Paranormal investigators have tried to debunk it, and some say it’s just an illusion. Others who have camped inside the ruins say they’ve woken up to scratches, burns, and whispers with no source.

It’s said that if you stand inside the church at midnight during the spring or autumn equinox, you’ll see a stairway open to the underworld — invisible to the naked eye, but felt with every nerve in your body. Some say you’ll hear screams. Others say you’ll never be the same.

The Disappearance of the Boy in '73

The stories didn’t stop with architecture or hearsay. In 1973, a local newspaper ran a small piece about a teenage boy who went missing after claiming he was going to Stull Cemetery on Halloween night. His body was never found. The police labeled it a runaway case — but classmates swore he was obsessed with the legend and told friends he “wanted to see the Devil.”

That same Halloween night, multiple people reported strange blue lights flickering through the trees near the cemetery and an ear-piercing, mechanical wail that echoed through the valley. No source was found.

Satan’s Son and the "Gravestone of the Damned"

Another tale — one that’s been whispered for over a century — is that the Devil himself comes to Stull Cemetery twice a year to visit the grave of his earthly son. A warped gravestone with the word “WITTICH” is rumored to be the site. Some say the child was born from a witch and died as an infant. Others say the child still lives — trapped between worlds.

Visitors have claimed to see hoofprints in the dirt leading to that very spot, even on days with no rain. One man claimed he watched smoke rise from the ground while standing over the grave. He never returned — not even to pick up his dropped flashlight.

The Town That Hates Its Own Myth

Here's the thing: the people of Stull don’t want to talk about any of this. Over the years, as curiosity-seekers and ghost hunters descended on the cemetery, fences were raised. Signs were posted. And the cemetery itself? Patrolled.

In fact, as of 2025, visiting Stull Cemetery at night is strictly forbidden, and trespassers can be arrested on the spot. A woman I met outside a gas station five miles away told me flatly: “My cousin used to hang around there. He doesn’t talk much anymore.”

When I asked what happened, she just said, “Something followed him home.”

So… Is It Real?

Like many of the legends we explore here on The Wandering Oddball, the truth lies somewhere between the shadows and your imagination. There are no public records confirming the Pope’s flight was diverted. The staircase to Hell has never been photographed. And yet — something about Stull endures.

Some say it's all a coincidence. Others say the energy is so thick, so oppressive, that they felt like they were being watched even in broad daylight. I’ll let you decide for yourself… if you ever dare to visit.

Travel Tips (If You Must Go)

• 📍Location: Stull Cemetery, Douglas County, Kansas

• ⏰ Do NOT go at night. Local police strictly enforce trespassing laws.

• 📸 Photos are allowed during daylight hours — but don’t remove anything. Not even a pebble.

• 🕯️ Respect the site. Whether you believe or not, people are buried here.

Closing Thought

Urban legend or ancient evil? Maybe both. Maybe neither. But one thing's for sure — the stories of Stull Cemetery have endured for over a century. And every year, new ones are added.