shangela-stormborn:

sixpenceee:

Black Angel of Iowa City

The sorrowful, eight-foot-tall statue watches diligently over the Feldevert family plot near the center of the cemetery, and according to the countless legends, if you fail to heed the warnings and touch the faded black figure, you will die, no questions asked. 

The elaborate statue was commissioned by Teresa Doleful Feldevert as a symbol of the sadness she had experienced during her life due to the loss of both her young son and husband. The angel, then a shimmering gold statue, was officially installed on November 21, 1912. When Teresa died in 1924, her ashes were brought to the grave and placed with her family members, and according to the legend, this is where things started to take a turn for the strange. A few years after Teresa’s passing, the bright golden statue suddenly began to turn black, starting with the eyes. Slowly, the blackness overtook the head of the angel and crept its way all the way down.

One of the most famous stories revolving around the Black Angel of Oakland Cemetery involves a young woman who visited the statue on a full moon and kissed her feet. Locals say that she dropped dead within six months. Another tale tells of a skeptical man who visited the statue with a group of friends, boasting about how he didn’t believe in the legends. His friends dared him to touch the statue, and when he did he died on the spot, victim of a massive heart attack. Even more morbid stories involve pregnant women who have miscarried after walking beneath the Black Angel’s wings. (Source)

OKAY STORYTIME HOES

So ive lived in IC for four years now, and I’ve been to this lovely thing a few times, but once on Halloween, I was invited to a reading of spooky stories that would take place at the statue. Before the reading, a friend and I walked around the graveyard and there were tons of deer everywhere. None of them moved, no matter how close her got.

Later, we all stood around with books of poetry and read stuff. One girl decided to pick a random page in one book and, sure enough, it was a poem about the black angel. She read it, and right away there was a huge gust of wind. And right after that? Two of the deer that were there came right up to the back of the statue and literally licked it before running off. Not exactly horrifying but definitely creepy. I visit her all the time.

There’s also a tombstone for someone named Donald Trumpp.