The 10 Most Haunted Places in Cincinnati

Cincinnati’s history is as rich and colorful as they come. Founded in 1788, it was the first city built from the ground up after the Declaration of Independence. It grew rapidly—until the Wall Street crash of the 1920s brought everything to a grinding halt.

Since then, the city’s population has dwindled, but some say not everyone left. Many believe that a few of Cincinnati’s historical residents have decided to stick around!

So, buckle up as we explore the 10 most haunted places in Cincinnati—you never know who (or what) we might bump into along the way!

The Cincinnati Subway has been totally abandoned since the early part of the 20^th century. In fact, it has never been in operation, considering its construction was never completed.

All work on the subway system ceased during the Great Depression. In the years that followed, the city went through a period of decline and work never resumed.

Every so often someone suggests completing the project or turning it into something else, but nothing ever seems to come of it.

There are some who say that the real reason the tunnels have been abandoned, is that there is something paranormal running loose in those tunnels, that has scared the developers away for good.

This is also the largest abandoned subway in all of North America and attracts many urban explorers wishing to photograph the tunnels.

However, many of them report being chased out of the tunnels by terrifying spirits.

A trip to the zoo is usually a fun family outing, but if you’re ghost hunting, you might want to leave the kids at home for this one.

This is America’s second-oldest zoo, open since 1875, and let’s be honest—zoos are basically animal prisons, so who knows what kinds of eerie events have taken place over the years?

Guests often report the unsettling sound of soft footsteps following them, but when they turn around, there’s nothing there. If you pick up the pace, rumor has it that the footsteps do too! And let’s not forget the chilling reports of glowing green eyes appearing in some of the hallways.

Then there’s the ghostly lion, casually passing through the walls of its enclosure and scaring the life out of unsuspecting visitors. This zoo might just have more spirits than animals!

The Stenton House is an old house, which has experienced more than its fair share of misfortune over the years. It was built in the 1800s and in 1880 a man committed suicide inside the house.

A short time later, in 1900 the property was converted into an all-girls school. During its stint as a school, one of the girls committed suicide and another was murdered inside the house.

All of these deaths have contributed to the alleged hauntings, that are happening here.

Stenton House is now a multi-unit apartment block and is not open to the public. Though residents say that they have experienced various unexplained noises, including phantom footsteps and a sound they describe as someone or something falling on the floor. Creepy!

This particular one is a little bit confusing, because it seems that people have the story behind it all wrong. Although it is known locally as Buffalo Ridge Crematorium, the building that once stood here never served that purpose. It was actually an observatory that was never finished!

The building was supposed to be built using materials that were salvaged from the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce. Which was destroyed by fire in 1911, six people died in the blaze. It has been suggested that the spirits of Buffalo Ridge were brought there, since they were attached to the materials salvaged from the fire.

Perhaps the fact that these people burned to death, is how the story got confused along the way, as people believed the building had been a crematorium. It has also been suggested that the site was at one time, used for Satanic worship and rituals.

Lick road has long been considered one of the most haunted places in the state of Ohio. It is the site of a legend, that pretty much everyone who lives in Cincinnati has heard of and a large percentage have probably gone there to investigate it for themselves.

There are some variations of the story itself, but it always revolves around a ghost known as Amy. It is believed that Amy, may have been murdered here, some say at the hands of her boyfriend.

People have reported hearing a disembodied screaming at night, seeing glimpses of a woman in white and perhaps the most chilling of all – the suggestion that if you park there, the words ‘help me’ will appear in the condensation on the windows.

There are no records of any death natural or otherwise at this spot. But some have suggested that perhaps her body was simply never found and that is why she is haunting the road. Or perhaps it is simply an urban legend. Either way, it is an eerie tale!

Talk about a grand romantic gesture! Elsinore Arch was built in 1883 as a symbol of love, modeled after the castle in Hamlet. Because, of course, nothing says “Victorian romance” quite like building a medieval-style monument.

But love isn’t the only thing lingering here. Legend has it that Elsinore Arch is haunted by the spirit of a rather eccentric fellow. This mentally unstable gent has convinced himself that he’s some high-ranking European lord—despite having zero noble blood to back it up.

His ghostly presence comes with a flair for the dramatic. He’s been known to shout, “Kneel to me, peasant!” at anyone who crosses his path. Clearly, this spirit is still living his best delusional life!

We love a good spooky cemetery and Cincinnati’s Spring Grove Cemetery certainly does not disappoint. The burial ground was founded in the 1850s and it is said to have taken inspiration from the traditional French style cemetery.

The main spirit that is said to be responsible for the strange happenings here is thought to be Jacob Ammen who was a Civil War General, that happens to be buried in Spring Grove Cemetery.

He is often seen marching around the cemetery, as though he might be protecting it from enemy attack.

Some visitors have assumed, that there was some kind of civil war re-enactment happening near by, when they first saw him, but soon released, what they were actually seeing was a ghost!

Built in 1879, Cincinnati Music Hall has earned a reputation as one of the city’s most haunted locations—and with good reason.

Legend has it that an orphanage once stood on this land, and during construction of the music hall, a staggering 200 pounds of human bones were unearthed, many belonging to children. It’s no wonder that spirits have decided to stick around.

Paranormal experiences here are well-documented, but there’s a silver lining: everyone agrees that the ghosts are friendly. They may make their presence known, but they’re not out to harm anyone—just a few eerie encounters in the name of history.

Dating back to 1815, The Golden Lamb has welcomed its fair share of famous guests, from Mark Twain and Charles Dickens to more recent names like Sarah Palin. But it’s not just its historical guests that make this inn stand out; it’s also known as one of Cincinnati’s most haunted spots.

See Also: Haunted Hotels in Cincinnati

The inn is said to be home to several spirits, including Sarah Stubbs, who is known to linger on the fourth floor. While she didn’t actually die on the property, she lived here with her uncle, the inn’s manager, which might explain why she just couldn’t leave—it feels like home.

Then there’s Eliza Clay, who passed away on the property in 1825, and Charles Sherman, a former Ohio Supreme Court Justice who died in 1829. With so much history packed into these walls, it’s no surprise a few spirits decided to extend their stay!

If there’s one place that deserves the top spot on Cincinnati’s most haunted list, it has to be Sedamsville Rectory. Honestly, it might just be one of the most haunted locations in all of Ohio!

The tales from this house are downright chilling. Standing for over a century, it once served as a home for local priests. Rumor has it, though, that the priests sent here were those accused of serious sins, including abuse. At least one of them is said to have died within these walls in the 1800s.

As if that wasn’t dark enough, the current owners claim that during the 1980s, when the property was abandoned, it became a venue for illegal dogfights. Many believe that this mix of suffering—both of children and animals—has left a heavy, malevolent energy on the property. Some even whisper that it’s something demonic.

Since beginning restoration work in 2011, the owners say their lives have been turned upside down. They’ve allowed paranormal investigators to explore, and the experiences have been so intense that they’ve documented them all on their blog. This is one haunted house with stories you won’t forget.