From the chilling tales of ghosts, apparitions, and unexplained phenomena, Ohio, the Buckeye State, has gained a reputation as a haven for paranormal enthusiasts.
From haunted hotels and abandoned asylums to ancient cemeteries and eerie forests, OH has no shortage of places where the veil between the living and the dead seems to be thin.
Join us on a spine-tingling journey as we explore the 16 most haunted places in Ohio and uncover the bone-chilling stories that have terrified generations.
1. Old Licking County Jail, Newark
The Old Licking Jail is an infamously haunted location in Newark, Ohio. Ghost hunters from across the nation have visited in the hope of finding something paranormal and they’ve never left disappointed. Due to the regularity and the intensity of the activity, the jail has appeared on several paranormal tv shows including Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures.
Common occurrences include unexplained noises such as huge bangs, scuffling feet, disembodied voices, knocks, and screams. There are also sightings of shadow figures and black masses roaming the halls.
Read more on the haunted Old Licking County Jail in Newark Ohio
2. Fudge Road Bridge, Gratis
Fudge Road (aka Crybaby Bridge) is a narrow gravel track that winds through the most rural part of Preble County. At one point a steel bridge carries the road across Aukerman Creek…
It is said that a young mother through her unwanted newborn off of the bridge, or in some versions of the tale the baby was stillborn and the mother hung herself from the bridge.
Whatever version is more accurate, the fact remains that today, motorists crossing over Fudge Road Bridge can hear an infant crying if they park at the bridge and say ‘mama’ three times.
Another tale linked to the creepy bridge states that a mysterious beast lurks in the nearby woods and takes shelter under the bridge, growling at passing motorists!
3. Staley Road, New Carlisle
Sometime in the early 1800s, pioneer John Wrench engaged the services of the three Staley Brothers to build a flour mill. The finished structure was to become the first double wheeled mill in Ohio.
The business flourished and after several years, Wrench had made enough money to retire and ended up selling his mill to Elias Staley. The mill was then passed down to his brother Andrew and continued to produce flour until 1905.
Today, the mill is still standing and Staley Road, named for the brothers winds its way past and through the woods. It has become something of a right of passage for local teens to drive this road at night as a demonstration of their courage.
It has been said that ‘Old Man Staley’ went on a murderous rampage and is now haunting the road. Motorists say that they often experience unexplained car trouble and some have seen Staley’s ghost standing next to or even lying in the road!
4. Franklin Castle, Cleveland (Hannes Tiedemann House)
The spirits that haunt the Franklin Mansion in Cleveland are numerous, and very active according to investigators. The sound of a baby can be heard crying, and it’s believed there was a baby’s skeleton discovered in the walls in a small room at the back of the house.
A figure of a man has been seen in the windows of the mansion, and he’s believed to be the victim of an ax murder that took place in the tower room.
To add to the tragedy in this house, a young girl named Karen was apparently hanged by her father. It’s Karen who is believed to be behind most of the activity in the house, she’s described as being dressed in black, of tall thin stature, and very eerie.
5. Majestic Theatre, Chillicothe
Since the Majestic Theatre was built back in 1852 it has earned itself a reputation as one of the most haunted locations that Ohio has to offer. It was originally the Masonic Opera House and during the 1918 influenza epidemic, the overflow of corpses was stored there.
It is said that blood and vital fluids from the bodies were pumped into the alley to the rear of the building earning it the nickname ‘Blood Alley’. There are lots of spooky tales that have been told about the various ghosts that haunt the theatre.
The most commonly sighted ghost has been named Elizabeth and is said to be a young woman. On one occasion she was recorded in the theatre asking ‘how do I get out of here?’
There are also plenty of shadow figures and strange mists seen in the auditorium and the Knight’ Room up on the second floor is a popular place to capture photographs with strange orbs of light in them.
6. Woodland Cemetery, Dayton
If you visit Woodland Cemetery in Dayton, Ohio by day then the word that you would probably choose to describe it would be picturesque’. The burial ground doubles up as an arboretum and it boasts a wonderful selection of trees shading the pathways that meander around Lake Goose.
However, by night Woodland Cemetery takes on a much creepier feel. Many witnesses have reported a female spirit who is usually described as wearing a red shirt and jeans, with a blue sweater around her waist. She is said to wander forlornly through the trees.
Other spirits that are seen here include a young boy and his dog. They are said to have drowned in the canal after the boy fell in and his dog attempted to rescue him.
Many people are so touched by the tale that they leave trinkets at his memorial and some say they have heard the boy sobbing and his dog whining!
See more haunted places in Dayton
7. Mudhouse Mansion, Lancaster
Mudhouse Mansion, or ‘the Hartman Place’ as it was known locally, was an abandoned brick mansion built in the mid-1800s. It has long been believed that the house held some very sinister secrets. This belief is fuelled by the fact that the last owner was highly protective of the property and aggressively presses charges against any trespassers.
Locals have taken this as confirmation that there is indeed something to hide! According to legend, the original owner was a cruel master to his servants and kept them in foul conditions in the building’s basement. However, one night the servants escaped and murdered the family in their beds.
Another owner is said to have murdered his wife before committing suicide because she was having an affair. Yet another tale suggests that it was, in fact, the wife who murdered her own children.
There is no telling which of these tales is accurate, but there was any number of restless spirits roaming its halls.
Now demolished (since 2015), the land in which the mansion stood is still believed to harbor some of the spirits that once called the mansion home.
Read more on the haunted Mudhouse Mansion, Lancaster OH
8. Civic Theatre, Akron
The Civic Theatre, or Loews Theatre as it was once known, was designed by a Viennese architect named John Eberson. One of its most famous features is that the ceiling can rotate and it is designed to look like the night sky.
One of the ghosts is believed to be the spirit of a young woman who committed suicide by jumping into the canal behind the theatre. She has been seen standing at the edge weeping.
Another of the resident ghosts is the spirit of a janitor named Fred who was a long time employee of the theatre. He is said to attack anyone who makes a mess in his bathrooms!
Finally, the third spirit is a male entity that sits on the balcony. Nobody knows who he is, but he is clearly distinguishable from Fred thanks to the fact that he is always so well dressed.
9. Sedamsville Rectory, Cincinnati
Sedamsville Rectory is one of the most notoriously haunted locations in Cincinnati. It is over 100 years old and housed initially local priests from the Cincinnati area.
Somewhere along the way it became the place where ‘bad’ priests were placed. There are rumors of child abuse and dogfighting connected to the property.
In 2011, a couple purchased the property and began a restoration project, only to discover that the building had some otherworldly guests including a demonic spirit who has affected them both profoundly.
The property has been exorcized on occasion, but with no effect! It is now a popular spot for paranormal investigations.
10. Lafayette Hotel, Marietta
The Lafayette Hotel was actually built on the ruins of another hotel – the Bellevue, which burned down in 1916. The Lafayette opened in 1918 and was managed by a man named Reno G Hoag. He died in 1944 and passed the job down to his son S. Durward Hoag.
It wasn’t until Durward passed on that the paranormal activity at the hotel began leading many to surmise that it is his ghost that haunts the third floor of the property.
Lights flicker and bulbs shatter on their own! The elevator behaves strangely and will often travel up to the roof on its own.
As well as the ghost of Durward, guests have noted a female apparition in Edwardian attire sitting in the Riverview Lounge. [Check Availability]
See more haunted hotels in Ohio
11. The Bissman Building, Mansfield, Ohio
Built in 1886, by the same architect that designed the Ohio State Reformatory, it’s of little wonder that its eerie facade bears such a striking resemblance.
It doesn’t just share its physical appearance with the reformatory, but it also shares a film appearance too. Shawshank Redemption, perhaps one of the greatest movies of all time used this as a filming location too. If you have seen the film, the building is used as the entrance to the Brewer Hotel, where Brooks and Red stayed after they were paroled from Shawshank.
Not only has it made appearances in film, but it has also been the focus of numerous paranormal TV shows, including Ghost Asylum, and Ghost Hunter / TAPS to name but a couple.
The reports of paranormal here are rife, with a common feeling of dread and sadness particularly on the third floor. Many people report an overwhelming sensation of darkness when on this floor. Disembodied footsteps, voices, being poked and pushed, black shadows, and dark figures caught in images are some of the more common occurrences.
In past investigations here, investigators have received audible responses to their questions. One particular piece of audio evidence was when an investigator asked if they could speak to Ruthie, and a voice was caught saying “Is Ruthie here”.
In addition, people have witnessed the spirit of a woman throughout the upper floors, people in Victorian clothing, and the sounds of people working.
12. Ridges Asylum, Athens
Ridges Asylum, now a mixed-use development known as The Ridges, was opened in 1874 and was known as the Athens Asylum for the Insane. It had two wings, one for the female patients and one for the male patients.
The most violent patients were housed at the outermost tip of each wing. By the start of the 1900s, the asylum had become dangerously overcrowded and rumors of inhumane treatment at the hands of the overworked staff were building.
However, the asylum lasted longer than many from the same time, it was not officially closed until 1993. Some parts of the building are still in use, while other areas lie abandoned.
One of the most chilling sights is the outline of a body that remains where Margaret Schilling died in 1979. She apparently got lost in the disused part of the hospital in the winter of 1978/79 and was not found for more than a month.
When the corpse was eventually removed it left a stain that could never be washed away. She is one of the many ghosts who is said to walk the asylum at night.
There is also a cemetery on the grounds which holds over 2000 bodies and is said to have several spirits of its own!
13. Ohio State Reformatory, Mansfield
Ohio State Reformatory served as a Reformatory for young offenders starting in 1886 before becoming an adult prison which remained in operation until December 1990. During its operation, it was home to some violent prisoners indeed!
One of the most brutal punishments used at the prison was to throw the inmate in ‘the hole’, a dark and claustrophobic solitary confinement cell.
The prison is now regarded by many as the most haunted building in Ohio with a wide variety of paranormal activity including apparitions, unexplained noises, and an evil presence in the hole. It’s very high on the list of haunted prisons in the country too!
Read more on the haunted Ohio State Reformatory, Mansfield OH
14. Prospect Place Mansion, Trinway
Prospect Place Mansion is a historic property located in the small town of Trinway in Muskingum County, Ohio. The mansion was built in 1856 by abolitionist George Willison Adams, who was a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist in the mid-19th century.
The mansion was a stop on the Underground Railroad, a network of secret routes and safe houses used by slaves to escape to freedom.
Over the years, the mansion has gained a reputation for being haunted. There have been reports of ghostly apparitions, strange noises, and unexplained phenomena. Some believe that the spirits of former slaves who sought refuge at the mansion still linger there.
The current owners of the property offer tours and overnight stays, and there have been many paranormal investigations conducted on the premises.
15. South Bass Island Lighthouse, Put-in-Bay
Just a day trip away from Cleveland, South Bass Island, locally known as the Key West of Lake Erie, hosts the community of Put-in-Bay and a fascinating history.
The South Bass Island Lighthouse, now owned by The Ohio State University, was once home to lighthouse keepers beginning in the late 1890s. This 2.5-story Queen Anne Victorian home was built to keep people safe, its Fresnel lens guiding ships to shore in low visibility.
The first lighthouse keeper, Harry Riley, and his assistant, Sam Anderson, both met unfortunate ends. Anderson, an eccentric rumored to keep snakes in the lighthouse’s basement, was hired in the summer of 1898, just before a smallpox epidemic broke out.
The stress of the quarantine and the uncertainty of the epidemic reportedly made Anderson nervous. He was found floating in Lake Erie at the end of August, having either fallen or jumped off a cliff near the lighthouse. Riley was found wandering just a few days later, declared hopelessly insane, and committed to an insane asylum where he died about a year later.
The lighthouse was reported to be haunted as early as 1907, with the most haunted room said to be the basement, which is unfortunately closed to the public. Today, some visitors still report feeling uneasy near the lighthouse. It’s sometimes featured on local ghost walks and is open to visitors in the summer months.
However, if you’re hoping to see it during the spooky autumn months, you might have to settle for admiring it from afar. Don’t worry, though… you might catch a ghost wandering the landscape, as a death occurred nearby in the 1920s, too.
Whether or not it is truly haunted, there’s a fascinating history here and at other landmarks across the island. You can spot the historic lighthouse at 2368 Langram Rd, Put-In-Bay, OH 43456. This lovely Victorian home and lighthouse on Lake Erie is something of a time capsule today… and some of its spectral residents just might have a story to tell.
16. Molly Stark Sanatorium, Stark County
The Molly Stark Sanatorium, a beacon of history in Stark County, Ohio, was established in tribute to the wife of General John Stark. This facility was initially a refuge for the growing population of tuberculosis patients in the area.
The sanatorium, an architectural marvel in the Spanish Revival style, was designed with large windows, balconies, and verandas to provide its residents with plenty of sunlight and fresh air. The extensive campus included a children’s hospital, a residence for nurses, a superintendent’s residence, and a power plant.
Interestingly, a 1,200-foot tunnel system ran beneath the property, which some believe was used for the discreet removal of the deceased to preserve patient morale.
In the years following its closure, the Molly Stark Sanatorium has evolved into a magnet for those intrigued by the paranormal. The decaying halls of the sanatorium have become a playground for ghost hunters and thrill-seekers, drawn by numerous accounts of ghostly sightings and strange occurrences.
Reports include mysterious noises, inexplicable movements, and unnerving encounters, all contributing to the sanatorium’s reputation as a haunted location. One of the most chilling tales is of an apparition in a brown suit seen darting across the building’s corridors.
Today, the Molly Stark Sanatorium, now a public park, stands silent. Its once bustling grounds are quiet, but the captivating tales of its spectral residents continue to stir the public’s fascination.
Read more about Ohio’s Haunted Hospital – Molly Stark Sanatorium
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