If you're a New York resident, then you more than likely already know that our state is pretty much one giant, haunted corner of America. We have an assortment of locations that actively haunted by spirits, from abandoned places to businesses that are still up and running. With our state making an effort to keep this island under wraps, in recent years this island's dark and twisted past has come to light and intrigued many.

Tucked between New York City and the western region of Long Island, you'll find the chilling Hart Island.

This island may only be just over 100-acres in size and one mile long, but that doesn't mean it isn't home to a chilling secret. So, why is this island so creepy? Probably because it is a giant mass grave, with nearly one million bodies buried here. Oh yeah, did we say giant mass grave? We meant to emphasize that this is one of the largest mass graves in the entire world.

Now run by the New York State Department of Corrections, the city bought this tiny island back in 1868. Because of the amount of bodies buried here and the majority of these spirits having upsetting endings to their life, many believe that this place is clearly haunted. But, the island not only has an unsettling history because of the amount of bodies buried here, but also because of how the island was previously occupied throughout the years.

Since the 1800's, Hart Island has been exchanged through many hands. At one point during the 1870's the island was a quarantine station during New York City's yellow fever outbreak. Not long after in 1885 an insane asylum for women was build on the island, the remains of the building still stand today. The creepy list just keeps getting longer! The island has also been used as a prison on and off throughout the years.

Burials began here during the Civil War and since then the island has become a designated area for unclaimed bodies of New York.

You won't find tombstones at this cemetery! The majority of the trenches are filled with inmates that had no families to claim their bodies, homeless residents of our sate and the island is also home to a lot of stillborn and newborn babies. Sadly, vandalism has destroyed all records of bodies that were buried here during 1961 and 1976, just one of the many tragedies of this island.

It would be the babies of Hart Island that would become the driving force behind those who made it possible to visit loved ones here at this secluded mass grave. Years ago when women would lose their babies in the hospital, they would be told the state that they would take care of burying the baby. Suffering from grief, many of these women never fully understood what was going to become of their lost loves.

Created to help women who were seeking out their lost children in unmarked graves, The Hart Island Project has helped work miracles. The project now has a website and features the Traveling Cloud Museum, an interactive part of the site that helps people uncover the history that belongs to the unclaimed bodies of Hart Island.

After hard work and the help of The Hart Island project, people can now come to visit the island the loved ones that are buried here. But first, a lawsuit had to take place. And don't think that this mass grave is for just anyone to visit! Unwelcome visitors can face up to two years in prison for stepping foot onto the island. The bodies are buried by inmates that come to work on the island and unless you're one of them, it will be difficult to visit this place.

To get a better look at this island and the chilling history behind it (like the women trying to visit their babies), watch the video below brought to you by RT America on YouTube:

New York is no stranger to historical places that are hiding in plain sight. Learn about this Hidden, Abandoned Castle In New York That Has A Mysterious Past!