Here are the 24 creepiest, most haunted spots in Ohio according to Ohio.org
No, it’s absolutely not too early to already get in the Halloween spirit.
And Ohio.org agrees!
They compiled a list of the scariest, most spine-tingling spots in the state, from paranormal hot spots, eerie tunnels, haunted hotels, and even spooky state parks, in case you’re ready to for an adventure.
Here are the top 24 most haunted places in Ohio and what makes them so spooky, according to Ohio.org:
Thurber House – Columbus
Currently, the Thurber house is a museum dedicated to the American author and cartoonist, who lived there (and even experienced ghostly encounters of his own!). But centuries ago….the property was built on traces of The Ohio Lunatic Asylum, specifically near The State of Ohio Asylum for the Insane cemetery. In 1868, The Ohio Lunatic Asylum burned down and the land was divided into three residential parts, one of which later became the Thurber House. People who visit the house say they’ve seen books flying off shelves and heard footsteps on the back staircase. While there’s rumors some of the ghostly activity is Thurber, others wonder if it’s the distressed spirits from the psychiatric hospital that used to be on the grounds.
Licking County Historic Jail – Newark
At least 22 confirmed deaths happened at Licking County Jail, which opened in 1889. The three sheriffs and 19 inmates who met untimely demises at the jail are thought to be the source for most of the building’s ghostly activity. There are reports of disembodied voices calling out, cell doors slamming shut on their own, plus sounds of footsteps and jingling keys. Some visitors even say they’ve had someone whisper in their ear and seen shadowy figures accompanied by strange lights.
Public and private tours are available at the haunted historic Licking County Jail, but the haunted prison experience is the main draw for thrill seeking visitors in the fall. Between Sept. 13 – Nov. 2, visitors to the Jail of Terror will receive a spine-chilling adventure through this infamous haunted prison.
Hocking Hills State Park
The ghost of Richard Roe roams Old Man’s Cave at Hocking Hills State Park. Roe lived in Old Man’s Cave during the early 1800s but died from an accidental gun shot. He’s supposedly buried near the cave in an unmarked grave. Visitors to Hocking Hills claim to have seen him walking around with the two hound dogs he kept for hunting. There’s also the story that during a full moon, his hounds will call out and lead anyone nearby to Roe’s grave.
Hocking Hill’s Ash Cave is one of the most haunted places in all Ohio. Known as either the “Pale Lady” or the “White Lady,” the ghost of woman in a flowery dress and no shoes is notorious for quietly following hikers up the various trails around Ash Cave. Visitors to the Ohio state park also report hearing drumming in back of the cave.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
Yellow Springs
John Bryant State Park: John Bryan State Park is where the spirit of Wiley the Hermit resides. It’s believed Wiley is the ghost of a man who drowned in 1910 during a terrible storm when he was trying to cross a bridge over the Little Miami River.
He’s been seen along State Route 370, wearing his signature handkerchief and whistling while he walks through the state park. Visitors to the area also report seeing him at the west gate around dusk, but he disappears before reaching Meredith Road. These reports led to Wiley being dubbed the “Twilight Man.”
Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve: young woman climbed the clifftop at The Blue Hole, hoping her precarious perch would inspire the man she was pining over to come and “rescue” her. Sadly, he did not come to her aid and she fell. Today, hikers going past the area say they’ve seen a young woman climbing up the cliff, letting out a chilling scream, and then disappearing from sight.
Downtown Yellow Springs: Ghosts have been seen throughout Yellow Springs, in various homes and buildings. There’s been reports of ghostly music and apparitions at Ye Olde Trail Tavern, in particular, the ghosts of two different women. One is a smiling blonde woman in blue period clothing who walks across the building, and the other is a woman in a long black dress who’s heard weeping upstairs
The Sunrise Café has its own share of ghostly patrons as well. Former employees admit to seeing shadowy figures and items being thrown off countertops.
The Ridges at Ohio University – Athens
The 700-acre property was originally the site of the Athens Lunatic Asylum. Opening in the 1800s, the asylum eventually closed down and the vacant land and buildings transferred to Ohio University around 1993. Because the conditions many patients at the asylum endeared, people believe their restless spirits haunt the buildings that make up The Ridges. In addition to the uneasy feelings, visitors report hearing disembodied screams, rattling door handles, and figures that seemed to vanish in thin air.
More spooky encounters can be found by hiking the area’s nature trails. One of the trails leads to the Ridges Cemetery, where visitors might encounter the graves of patients from the asylum.
The Hackett Hotel – Marietta
Built in 1899, this hotel has reported numerous ghost sightings throughout the building. While overnight guests report seeing spectral figures, it’s nothing compared to the presence that haunts The Galley restaurant.
Housed in the old Hackett Hotel, The Galley is a top restaurant known for its food and atmosphere in the heart of historic Marietta. Built in 1899, the building was a popular local spot for decades and was renovated in the 1980s into a restaurant. At which point, the ghosts made themselves known.
And the ghostly activity has continued. From bottles crashing to the floor, glasses flying off shelves, and chairs screeching across empty rooms. The spectral incidents are so frequent, many staffers have come to believe it’s the work of the same ghost – one they’ve named Charlotte.
Franklin Castle – Cleveland
Starting in the 1960s, people reported flickering lights, sounds of crying babies, and even the ghostly image of a woman in black, who some believe is the ghost of Hannes Tiedemann’s wife Louise. Hannes built the home between 1881-83, but Louise died in the house in 1895.
The building wasn’t accessible to the public for years but was recently converted into a haunted attraction. You can now book an overnight stay at Franklin Castle but be on the lookout for its spectral guests who also roam the halls of this historic spot.
Collingwood Arts Center- Toledo
The Collingwood Arts Center (CAC) is not only one of the oldest buildings in Toledo, but it’s also considered one of the city’s most haunted places. The Collingwood Arts Center is a registered historical site, once home to a convent. Past supernatural sightings include orbs being seen – and photographed – throughout the facility. There’s also a rumor the basement is haunted by the ghost of a nun who died down in its depths. Unsurprisingly, there’s been ghostly sightings of other nuns throughout the building. Both a friendly and oppressive presence have been ascribed to the different specters, who haunt the hallways and attic. There’s even been reports of piano music being played late at night.
Elmore Ghost Rider – Elmore
The Elmore Ghost Rider (also referred to as Spooky Light) haunts the stretch of road and has become part of the area’s local folklore. The Elmore Ghost rider is said to be the spirit of a WWI soldier. Before leaving, his sweetheart bid him goodbye and promised to marry him when he returned. A year later, he returned home on a shiny new motorcycle. Looking to surprise his girlfriend, he cut the motorcycle’s engine as he neared her farmhouse and quietly rolled towards the house.
She was indeed surprised when he entered the house, but the returning soldier was met with aneven bigger surprise. He discovered she was wearing a wedding ring. The heartbroken man fled, speeding off into the night. Locals later found his lifeless body lying alongside a nearby bridge… and near his severed head.
If you’re brave enough to venture over the bridge, it’s believed that the Elmore Ghost Rider still speeds down the road at night. If you honk your horn three times, then blink your lights three time, you might see him appear as a bright light that races to the bridge and quickly disappears.
Park Hotel – Put in Bay
Known for being one of the Ohio’s most haunted hotels, the Park Hotel is haunted by several ghosts. Perhaps the most well-known is the spirit of a woman called “The Governess.” She’s been sighted throughout the hotel, but frequents Room 14 and is said to linger around children who are staying at the hotel. Another ghost is reported to haunt the hotel’s bar and he’s been sighted looking out Room 17’s window. Other spooky sights include a variety of ghosts in period clothing and eerie music coming from the ballroom.
South Bass Island Lighthouse – Put-in-Bay
Visitors to the lighthouse report creepy footsteps, slamming doors, and unexplained noises coming from the lighthouse. Eerily, the origin of one notable ghost thought to haunt the building is a century old mystery. Prior to a smallpox outbreak in 1898, Sam Anderson had been hired to look after South Bass Island Lighthouse. When police went to check on Anderson (and to make sure he hadn’t left the quarantined area), they discovered his body at the bottom of a cliff near the lighthouse. Samuel Anderson’s death was ruled a suicide, yet rumors circulated of a more nefarious demise. Some believed he’d been pushed – and his restless soul was doomed to haunt the lighthouse.
Fairport Harbor Marine Museum & Lighthouse – Fairport
Captain Joseph Babcock was the Head Keeper in 1871. His family lived on the second floor (where the museum is now) and to keep his sick wife company, Babcock gifted her several cats. After she died, most of the cats disappeared… except for one gray cat which continued to roam about the lighthouse. Years later, one of the lighthouse’s curators recalled seeing the ghost of a gray cat. She would catch glimpses of it from time to time, saying it seemed like the cat was playing on the floor. She also claimed she felt its presence jump onto her bed one night while she was living there.
Rider’s Inn – Painesville
The hotel, which dates back to 1812, was originally built as a stagecoach stop along the Oregon Trail. Later it served as a station on the Underground Railroad and a speakeasy in the 1920-30s. The hotel’s storied past offers guests a unique chance to embrace Ohio’s history during their stay.
But being known as one of the most haunted locations in Ohio is Rider’s Inn’s claim to fame. Its most notorious ghost is Suzanne, the late wife of the hotel’s owner who died shortly after their wedding. She’s been seen throughout the property and some accounts mention her coming to the hotel door in her nightgown, where she proceeds to let guests inside (if the hotel owners aren’t around).
Punderson Manor State Park Lodge – Newbury
Punderson Manor falls into the “most haunted hotels” category of haunted attractions, as its one the state’s most active sites for ghost sightings. There’s been reports of a woman’s laughter drifting through Punderson near the circular staircase that goes from the main lobby to the second floor. Many of Punderson’s visitors and employees also report hearing ghostly children’s laughter in the lodge when there are no known children in the building. There are no death records or other evidence to support some of these hauntings. However, when televisions, water faucets, and lights inexplicably turn off and on in the middle of the night – and guests report hearing ghostly laughter accompanied by cold blasts of air – it’s hard to discount that there’s no otherworldly presence roaming the halls of Punderson Manor.
Everett Covered Bridge – Cuyahoga Valley National Park
They report ghostly sightings and strange, disembodied voices pleading for help. Perhaps it’s the pleas of a local farmer and his wife. In 1877, Farmer John Gilson and his wife went to visit friends one cold winter night. A storm arose as the couple returned home. The couple needed to ford Furnace Run with their horse-drawn wagon, but rising water and ice blocked their usual crossing. Mr. Gilson began leading his horses across the creek at another crossing, but he and the horses lost their footing. Mrs. Gilson survived the incident, even though she fell into the water as well, but Mr. Gilson did not.
Some say that the construction of the Everett Road covered bridge was a response to the Gilson tragedy. But it’s not just the spirit of Farmer Gilson who might haunt the covered bridge, as a ghostly hitchhiker reportedly frequents the road around the wooden bridge.
Everett Covered Bridge was rebuilt in 1986 due to flood and water damage. But ghosts continue haunting even the rebuilt bridge. Some ghost hunters claim to have seen nocturnal ghostly orbs, fogs, and disembodied voices at the site.
The Ohio State Reformatory – Mansfield
Once serving as a state prison, The Ohio State Reformatory housed more than 150,000 inmates throughout its time. This haunted Ohio prison, which is also called the Mansfield Reformatory, has led to several ghost sightings. Today, at the Ohio State Reformatory, there are several types of paranormal events available for visitors looking to experience its haunted history first-hand.
Otherworldly presences at the Ohio State Reformatory include a guard making his rounds and a shadow person in a former administrative office area on the third floor. Visitors also say they experience strong energy and unsettling emotions, which is attributed to the more than 200 people, including two guards, who died in the prison.
Ceely Rose House at Malabar Farm State Park – Lucas
The Ceely Rose House is a must-see site during the fall, because of its rumored haunting. It’s the site where a young woman killed her parents and brother in 1896. Bromfield wrote about Ceely’s gruesome crime in his memoir, Pleasant Valley, and some say her spirit still roams the house.
While the Ceely Rose House has the most well-known ghost at Malabar Farm State Park, it’s not the only ghostly presence that’s been felt. There’s been sightings inside the Big House with visitors experiencing unexplained noises, mysterious smells, ghostly apparitions, and the feeling of cats brushing up against their legs.
The gruesome ghost stories and haunting sights at Malabar Farm State Park provide solid support for it being one of the country’s 10 most haunted destinations, according to USA Today.
Beaver Creek State Park – East Liverpool
A historic marker in Beaver Creek State Park stands in the field where the FBI’s Public Enemy #1 – a.k.a. Charles Arthur “Pretty Boy” Floyd – was shot and killed by federal agents and policemen from nearby East Liverpool in 1934. Is it possible his ghost lurks among the trees?
Throughout Beaver Creek State Park are remnants of the Sandy & Beaver Canal locks. These locks are tied to one of the state park’s more notable hauntings. It’s believed an area known as “Jack’s Lock” is haunted by the spirit of a former canal worker. On stormy nights, he’s been sighted holding a ghostly lantern while seeming to inspect the canal lock. Another nearby lock is said to be haunted as well. “Gretchen’s Lock” is supposedly haunted by the ghost of a canal worker’s daughter. The story goes that after immigrating to Ohio, Gretchen contracted malaria and died. Her father stowed her coffin inside one of the locks until it could be loaded onto a boat headed for their home country (where she was to be buried). The boat was lost at sea, and now her restless spirit haunts the state park. She’s usually seen every year around the anniversary of her death.
Hills & Dales Lookout Tower – Kettering
Peggy, a 16-year-old resident of Bellbrook (a town about 20 minutes from Kettering) was caught in a thunderstorm with her 17-year-old friend Ronnie. Hoping to get out of the storm, they took refuge inside the lookout tower. Unfortunately, Peggy died when lightning struck the structure and her body was later found on the 11th step. After the tragic death, visitors claimed to see her scorched image on the wall inside the lookout tower.
While the tower entrance is now sealed and closed off, it’s still a notable landmark. And it’s been said that whenever lightning streaks across the sky above Hills & Dales Metropark, a ghostly couple can be seen walking towards the tower.
Spring House Gazebo at Eden Park – Cincinnati
While strolling along the walking paths and footbridges of Eden Park, it’s not uncommon to see the otherworldly apparition of Imogene Remus. A bootlegger’s wife, Imogen was shot and killed at Eden Park in 1927. It’s said her ghost haunts the Spring House Gazebo and Mirror Lake.
While many visitors to Eden Park are looking to see Imogen’s ghost, there’s plenty of other activities in the area to enjoy this spooky season. For something to do besides glimpsing the ghostly image of a woman in a black dress strolling through the park, head over to Caldwell Nature Preserve.
Majestic Theatre – Chillicothe
Known as “America’s oldest continuously operating theater,” Chillicothe’s Majestic Theatre has been screening into the hearts of film fans since 1853. The restored Masonic opera house offers live comedy, movie nights, special events, and a few ghosts.
The ghost of a little girl appears to haunt the historic theatre. Past paranormal investigations have captured her presence on audio recordings, but she’s not the only ghost in this haunted place. Visitors have also reported an unsettling presence in the hallway and a man dressed in a suit and tie has been spotted walking up the aisles toward the stage.
Other unexplained occurrences at the Majestic Theatre include the sounds of jangling keys (believed to belong to a former janitor who was devoted to the upkeep of the theatre), and a feeling a being watched from the crow’s nest.
Lake Hope State Park – McArthur
Back in the 1800s, Vinton County was part of the largest iron-producing region in the U.S. Built in 1853, the Hope Furnace was used to process the area’s iron ore. The furnace needed tending to 24 hours a day, which is how a tragic death created one of the park’s most notorious ghost stories.
While making his solo rounds, one of the night guards for the Hope Furnace decided to take a shortcut over the top of the furnace. He lost his footing and fell into the molten iron. The accident happened unbeknownst to the residents, who were holding a town meeting at the same time.
In the middle of the town meeting, a loud banging startled everyone in attendance. Thinking it was youths playing a prank, they chose to ignore it. Until it happened a third and fourth time. By then, the townspeople decided to investigate and catch whoever was causing the disturbance. During their search, they never found “the source” of the noise but did discover the guard’s body. It’s said on certain nights the guard’s ghost can be seen walking around the Hope Furnace, carrying a lantern as if making his evening rounds.
Moonville Tunnel – McArthur
This abandoned stretch of railway leading to the old town attracts paranormal enthusiasts hoping for a glimpse the unfortunate souls killed by trains over the years. There have been several ghost sightings in the area, but the most well-documented is the ghost of Frank Lawhead.
According to legend, in 1880 train engineer Frank Lawhead was operating a train when another incoming train caused a head-on collision. Today, visitors say they’ve seen his ghost walking the railway lines, holding a lantern. There’s also been reports of people seeing train lights.
Lafayette Hotel – Marietta
Potential guests who scare easily at the slightest noise, might not want to book a room at the Lafayette Hotel. The strange occurrences reported at the hotel include footsteps and voices heard in empty rooms and hallways. Appliances have been known to turn on and off by themselves, and doors open and close on their own.
Some visitors even claim luggage and furniture have been moved away from rooms, as well as misty apparitions. And the “Do Not Disturb” sign might not deter the ghostly maid wearing a black dress that’s been seen roaming the halls of this haunted hotel.
Want to read more? Check out our print publications, (614) Magazine and Stock & Barrel. Learn where you can find free copies of our newest issues here!
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
