Entry No. 26 — the San Antonio file — filed under: haunted
Lona China Cemetery (the 'Chinese Graveyard')
A small family cemetery whose owner traces its haunted reputation to a great-great-great-great uncle killed by lightning during a forbidden affair with a Chinese woman, said to still search the grounds for him. It's also had real desecrations: in 2018 a resident's mother's grave was found dug open, following an earlier incident where her son's casket was pried open and bones apparently taken.
The story
If you take South Zarzamora Street past Loop 410 into the dim expanse of San Antonio’s Far South Side, you’ll pass a low, quiet plot tucked between 10359 and 10445. Officially named Lona China Cemetery—or Loma China to some—locals simply call it the Chinese Graveyard. The family that owns the land traces its ghost story back generations to a great-great-great-great uncle struck dead by lightning during a forbidden romance with a Chinese woman. Legend says her spirit still paces the dirt, searching for him in the shadows of the oaks.
What gives the location a real chill isn't just local folklore, but the grim record written into the soil itself. This is an unlit family plot without security guards or manicured turf, and it has suffered genuine desecrations. In 2018, a family member arrived to find her mother’s grave dug open; years earlier, her brother’s casket was pried apart and bones were removed. The ghosts might be legend, but the physical reality of what has happened out here makes the darkness hit a lot harder.
What it's like
You won't be walking through the gates—the cemetery sits on private land, so stay strictly on the public shoulder of S. Zarzamora Street. The move here is a late-night drive on the lonely stretch between Loop 410 and the Texas A&M-San Antonio campus. Pull safely onto the gravel shoulder, keep your headlights cut toward the headstones, and watch the tree line. Keep your engine running and stay by your car; line-of-sight from the road is all you need, and trespassing is a fast way to get law enforcement called.
The move: Drive the stretch of S. Zarzamora between Loop 410 and the Texas A&M-San Antonio campus at night and see the headstones lit only by your headlights -- it's private land, so stay on the shoulder.
- 📍 Far South Side, S. Zarzamora Street
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 10359-10445 S Zarzamora St, San Antonio, TX 78224 (private property, viewable from the road)
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Donkey Lady Bridge — Pair this haunted roadside stop with San Antonio's other famous dark-drive legend, located less than five miles away on Old Applewhite Road.
- The Ghost Tracks — Continue your South Side urban-legend night drive eastward to the railway crossing on Villamain Road.
- Papa Jim's Botanica — Stop by this massive folk magic shop on South Flores earlier in the day to browse protection candles and hoodoo supplies before heading south after dark.
- San Jose Burial Park (Old Stinson Field Graveyard) — Visit another South Side burial ground just four miles away that comes with its own towering spectral legends.
Good to know
Can I walk through the gates and explore?
No. The cemetery is on private property. Trespassing is illegal and strictly enforced by the owners and local law enforcement. View it safely from the public shoulder of the road.
Where exactly is the cemetery located?
It sits along S. Zarzamora Street between 10359 and 10445, on San Antonio's Far South Side between Loop 410 and Texas A&M University-San Antonio.
Why is it known as the 'Chinese Graveyard'?
The nickname comes from a local legend that the ghost of a Chinese woman haunts the grounds, searching for a family member killed by lightning during their forbidden affair.
Were graves actually vandalized here?
Yes. Beyond local ghost stories, police records confirm real grave disturbances at the site, including a dug-up grave in 2018 and an earlier break-in where bones were taken from a casket.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: ksat.com · expressnews.com
last checked: 2026-07-20