The Sandusky Merry-Go-Round Museum Is The Most Haunted Museum Near Cleveland
By Nikki Rhoades|Published July 21, 2020
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Nikki Rhoades
Author
Nikki is a lifelong Ohioan with a love for literature. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Akron and has enjoyed publishing her written work since 2007. She has a love of travel and does so frequently, though she believes that home is where the heart is — she continues to work in and around Cleveland as a digital content specialist to this day, working on everything from commercial scripts and social media posts to grassroots marketing initiatives.
Cleveland is a city of high spirits and, in some cases, actual spirits. Tales of hauntings abound here, but the same is true throughout much of Ohio. The local museum of witchcraft has captured its own sort of haunting (they literally have a demon in a box on display), but entities run amok at one spooky site about an hour outside of town. As the most haunted museum near Cleveland, it certainly has a cheerful atmosphere: old-school carnival tunes fill the air, and lovingly crafted critters of all shapes and sizes have effortlessly immortalized childhood adventure. You’ll both fall and love and feel chills run up your spine when you visit the incredible Merry-Go-Round Museum over in Sandusky.
If you think this dreamy Merry-Go-Round Museum looks like a childhood dream come true, you're right.
Located in Sandusky, Ohio, the Merry-Go-Round Museum is a bit of a hike from Cleveland... but, boy, is it worth it. This quirky destination features historic carousel horses, each of which is said to have taken between 400 and 600 hours to carve. Many of their displays have been lovingly and painstakingly restored.
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It houses a number of carousel critters, their collection estimated to be about around 200 or so strong at any given time.
Once upon a time, knights would demonstrate their horsemanship by galloping in a circle. This act was immortalized in Italian and Spanish as garosello and carosella, respectively, meaning "little battle." Eventually, the concept came to describe this old school amusement park ride. Carousels as we know them today came into being around the mid-19th century.
The museum itself has a bit of noteworthy history, too.
This building was built in 1927 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Interestingly, many horses on display in the museum predate the building's existence. Stargazer, the lead horse on the operational merry-go-round at the center of the museum, was completed in 1915. Admission includes one token to ride this historic Herschell Company carousel.
This older gentleman has been spotted strolling around the building at random times, and many late-night guests have reported hearing his ghostly keys jingle.
Why would one choose to haunt an old post office? While this may sound like a rather boring eternal prospect to some, those that keep local legends alive assert that the janitor died on-site from a heart attack. The sounds of his disembodied footsteps are reported by some visitors to this day. More mysterious is "the little girl," a resident spirit that tugs on the shirts of visitors. Some believe she may be attached to an object in the museum's collection.
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Some exhibits will truly bring the past to life, as this old Euclid Beach Park exhibit did.
Don't let this sweet-as-sugar horse fool you: he's keeping a secret. This brown beauty, embellished with orange and aquamarine decorations, was carved in 1917 by a Mr. Daniel C. Muller. His wife was said to have fallen in love with the beauty of his creation, and she was so enamored by it that she visited it at the Cedar Point Carousel for years... and chose to haunt it after her passing.
Though the museum's version of the world's only haunted carousel horse is a replica, Mrs. Muller’s ghost is still said to hang around the museum.
Connect with the museum on Facebook for up-to-date hours and admission information. You never know when you'll have an encounter with a spirit, so those eager to rub elbows with the other side just may find the opportunity at this fascinating paranormal hot spot. Don't forget to stay tuned for upcoming events, like the annual Spirits In The Museum mixer.
What do you think of this haunted museum near Cleveland? Have you ever had any supernatural encounters of your own? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!
Are you enchanted by local paranormal hot spots? Fortunately for you, two of the most haunted places in the nation are within driving distance of Cleveland.
