Vampire Grave Site – Manchester, Vermont

I’ve been going to Manchester Vermont for the past few years to attend the Dead of Summer Festival. This year I learned about Rachel Harris Burton. Rachel was a vampire.

Rachel married her husband Captain Issac Burton but soon fell ill and died in 1792 of Tuberculous. Back then they just called it consumption. The captain remarried and his second wife fell ill and died of the same causes.

Locals blamed Rachel for the new bride’s death and believed Rachel had become a demon vampire. So, they exhumed her body, took out her organs and burned them on a blacksmith’s forge.

It was said that 500-1000 people showed up to witness this act according to an 1860 History of Manchester, Vermont.

When I arrived at Factory Point Cemetery in Manchester Center. There was room to park at the entrance where there is a Legends and Lore sign that talks about Rachel Barton.

Inside the cemetery to the east of the entrance is Rachels Gravestone. It is beautifully carved by a well-known carver Zerubbabel Collins.

The gravestone is very ornate and features a face with wings and an organic looking border design. Even the font used in the carving was unique. You can tell it was hand carved.

This was a fun quick stop that took about 15-20 minutes. Very interesting. I also learned about Legends and Lore program.