Long Cemetery – Catman’s Grave

Long Cemetery in Frankford, Delaware represents one of the region's oldest burial grounds, situated at the terminus of a rural dirt road winding through densely forested terrain and isolated farmland. The cemetery was established during the eighteenth century as a repository for the deceased of the surrounding agricultural community, with gravesites representing generations of regional family lineages whose descendants maintained the grounds through successive centuries. The cemetery's physical setting reflects the isolation characteristic of colonial and early American burial practices, when grave sites were positioned considerable distances from populated settlements. Over the course of the cemetery's long operational history, the burial ground accumulated hundreds of remains that became subjects of regional folklore and paranormal interest. The cemetery's most notable brick wall structure has become the focal point of contemporary paranormal legend.

The most prominent figure associated with Long Cemetery is known throughout Delaware folklore as the Catman, a mysterious entity allegedly assigned to guard the cemetery grounds during the nineteenth century. According to historical records, the Catman may have been an individual named Hudson who served as the cemetery's custodian and groundskeeper. The Catman's reputation evolved from these legitimate caretaking duties into something far more supernatural and menacing, as regional folklore transformed the cemetery custodian into a creature of paranormal capability and malevolent intent. Local teenagers and visitors reported observing a humanoid figure possessing feline characteristics, described as having a distinctly animalistic appearance combined with roughly human form. Sightings of the Catman became particularly frequent during nighttime hours, with witnesses describing a protective yet aggressive entity that discouraged trespassing and uninvited visitation to the burial ground.

The brick wall immediately behind the cemetery has become the centerpiece of paranormal ritual among supernatural enthusiasts. According to the most widely circulated version of the Catman legend, individuals who approach the brick wall and knock precisely three times will summon the Catman from whatever supernatural space it occupies. Witnesses have reported that the Catman materializes with aggressive intent, pursuing those who issued the summons. More strikingly, numerous reports describe the Catman interfering with vehicle engines in the cemetery parking area and along the access road, causing mechanical failures and complete vehicular immobilization in a manner suggesting intelligent, intentional sabotage. These vehicle incidents have been corroborated across multiple independent witness accounts spanning several decades, establishing a pattern of paranormal automotive interference.

In 1994, the purported tomb or burial structure associated with the Catman was deliberately demolished by cemetery authorities seeking to curtail escalating paranormal tourism and ritual activity. The destruction of this structure did not diminish reports of Catman activity, suggesting the entity's presence extends beyond any singular physical grave marker. Contemporary investigation has revealed substantial ambiguity regarding the historical Hudson and the actual legend origins, with some researchers suggesting the Catman may represent a composite of multiple historical caretakers or a purely folkloric invention. However, the consistency and longevity of Catman sightings and documented vehicle interference incidents suggest that regardless of historical origins, a genuine paranormal presence persists at Long Cemetery. The cemetery remains accessible to visitors during daylight hours, though local authorities discourage nighttime visitation and advise against the three-knock ritual that purportedly summons the Catman.