There are many reasons to visit the historic Midwestern town of Dayton, Ohio. Numerous people who believe in ghosts and paranormal activity visit the city to see if the stories of this type of activity are true.
Let’s take a closer look at a few of the haunted places in Dayton Ohio.
12 - Ridge Avenue Bridge
Bridges that are haunted tend to have a horrible and tragic history. The Ridge Avenue Bridge is not any different. A pregnant woman was murdered on the bridge by her lover in the mid to late 1920s.
The victim, Bessie Little, continues to haunt the bridge. People have stated they have seen her ghost on the bridge.
Other people who have gone to the bridge have stated they have heard the splashing of the water below, which people attribute to her death.
11 - Woodland Cemetery
When visiting the haunted places in Dayton, Ohio ghost hunters do not want to miss a trip to the Woodland Cemetery.
The Woodland Cemetery is an expansive property with many ghosts on the premises. One of the saddest stories of anyone laid to rest in the cemetery is that of a little boy named Johnny who drowned in the Miami & Erie Canal.
It is said his dog tried to save him and when he failed he sat by the boy’s grave until he died. Visitors have said now the boy and the dog spend their time laughing and playing in the cemetery.
There is another ghost who wanders around the cemetery, who he is remains unclear; he just likes to wander around the cemetery.
Another ghost spotted by people visiting the cemetery is that of a little girl with blonde hair.
She sits on a rock in jeans and white tennis shoes, people reportedly talk to her because they do not realize she is a ghost.
10 - Stivers High School
Stivers High School has a reputation for being among the countless haunted places in Dayton, Ohio. The school does not have a lot of ghosts haunting the property despite being constructed in the early 1920s.
There is the ghost of a teacher that haunts the school. Cold spots, sightings, and unusual noises are most commonly found in the basement.
She haunts the basement the most because that is where her body was found floating in the pool.
People who have seen her state she has long white hair and sometimes wanders the halls.
Other people state that they have heard footsteps in empty hallways that they attribute to her.
9 - Old Courthouse
Anyone interested in seeing a piece of Dayton, Ohio’s history or possibly running into a ghost or two needs to visit the old courthouse.
The courthouse was not only used for holding trials, but it was also where some criminals were held as it served as the jail.
As a result of the courthouse’s involvement with criminals there is a considerable amount of paranormal activity at the location.
People have stated that the sounds of moaning as well as footsteps are routinely heard both inside the judge’s chambers and other locations in the courthouse.
The old gallows, which are housed in the courthouse, appear to have the spirits of some of those people it killed still attached.
There is an eerie and almost frightening sensation people feel when around them, as well as other locations in the courthouse.
8 - Patterson Homestead
Not only is this one of the most haunted locations in Dayton, but it’s also believed to be one of the most haunted places in Ohio! Long ago the Patterson Homestead, built in the 1800s, was home to Colonel Robert Patterson and his wife. In the mid-1950s a relative of the Revolutionary War veteran gave the home to Dayton Historical Society and it became a museum of sorts.
Some people who have been to the home believe Patterson and his wife remain in residence. One group of people on a tour claimed to see a man in old Revolutionary-era garb wandering the third floor.
Others have seen him walking up the stairs. Staff members of the museum state there are cold spots in some rooms, rocking chairs move on their own and sometimes people smell what they believe is dinner being cooked in the kitchen when it is never in use.
7 - Victoria Theatre
The Victoria Theatre is more than 150 years old and is one of the creepiest and most haunted buildings in Dayton, Ohio that people visit.
The number of reported hauntings and paranormal activity at the theatre is extensive. The faint scent of roses in the air as well as what sounds like the rustling of taffeta or satin is frequently reported by the staff.
In one of the dressing rooms some people claim to see the face of an actress in a mirror. The actress reportedly vanished from the room without a trace when entering it to change outfits.
The face of a man can sometimes be seen by the left exit door when the curtains are moved out of the way. The man is believed to have committed suicide in the theatre.
6 - Blair Hall
Theatres always appear to be a part of lists of haunted places. The Blair Hall Theatre is another example of this belief.
Prior to being built, the area where Blair Hall was built served as a hanging field. Criminals were hung in the area. Students that make their way to Blair Hall have stated they have often heard what sounds like laughter and voices in different places around the Hall.
Other students claim that they hear music, when none is scheduled to be played while other students have dealt with the sensation of someone tugging on them. Some attribute these hauntings to a ghost by the name of Hamlet.
5 - The Masonic Temple
The Masonic Temple in Dayton, Ohio is verified as one of the haunted places in the city. Some of the people that have been to the Masonic Temple since its original construction appear to remain there based on different reports.
One Mason who used to spend time in the Temple still roams the halls according to people who have seen his ghost. Additional claims state that someone haunts the halls of the third floor.
Other ghostly activity involved the elevator that tends to do whatever it likes.
4 - The Amber Rose
The Amber Rose is currently a restaurant. When it was built back in the early 1900s it served as both a home and a general store. Some of the current staff working at the restaurant claim that the original owner’s daughter, Chickee remains at the restaurant.
Claims by longtime staff say it is not unusual to see glasses fly off shelves. It has also been stated that when the lights were turned off in an upstairs office they were turned back on along with the fans.
There are claims by a cook that Chickee came into the kitchen, lifted her ruffled dress before exiting the room. There is even an unusual white orb of light found on the security camera, at the exact time the cook claimed to have seen the ghost.
A paranormal investigation team that visited the Amber Rose claims there is also a man that haunts the basement of the building.
3 - Fifth and Ludlow
Over 200 years ago the corner of Fifth and Ludlow was made into a graveyard. Eventually the population of the city became so much that the marked graves in the area were moved to accommodate the construction of buildings.
The corner is now the source of numerous hauntings due to the improper removal of a number of unmarked graves.
People have heard odd sounds, and felt cold spots, some people have even claimed to see ghostly apparitions in and near the area.
2 - Dayton Daily News Building
Among the haunted places in Dayton, Ohio is the Dayton Daily News Building. The building is reportedly home to a considerable amount of activity. While cleaning the library one night someone was sitting at Governor Cox’s desk wearing a smoking jacket.
The ghostly figure spoke to the janitor and stated he was the original founder of the Dayton Daily News, Gov. Cox. He also apparently asked to be left alone.
Another ghost that causes disturbances on the fourth floor is that of Judy Sinks who was murdered by her husband.
Apparently Judy’s ghost caused so many issues they newspaper staff moved from the top floor. Elevator doors opening and closing randomly as well as creepy noises are also common.
1 - National Museum of the United States Air Force
People who have an appreciation for history, aircraft, and ghosts find themselves visiting the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
There are numerous aircraft in the museum including a Korean/Vietnam War helicopter and a Black Maria, which was used in the Vietnam War that are haunted.
Visitors to the museum claim to hear moans and voices coming from the Black Maria. The people are said to be the ghosts of those that died in the plane.
The ghost of the pilot that flew the helicopter in the Korean/Vietnam War is routinely seen sitting where he died.
The pilot has also been seen appearing to flip switches according to janitors that have worked at the museum.
Around the rest of the museum people have seen other ghosts, heard unusual noises, and felt an overall eerie feeling.