Take A Haunted Road Trip To Visit Some Of The Spookiest Places In Ohio
By April Dray|Updated on October 07, 2021(Originally published October 04, 2021)
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April Dray
Author
April is the Ohio staff writer for Only in Your State. She is an Ohio native with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. With more than 10 years of writing experience and a background in news reporting for Ohio newspapers, she's published pieces in multiple print and online publications. When she's not on deadline or chasing after her toddler, she's hunting for hidden gems in Ohio or getting lost in a good book.
With the dramatic changes brought on by the seasons in Ohio, it is easy to allow the imagination to wander. In the darker, cooler months, it’s easy to wonder about the most haunted places in Ohio. Ohio, believe it or not, is actually one of the most haunted states in America, full of restless spirits and wandering ghosts. From haunted hotels to creepy cemeteries, the following road trip will take you to some of the most haunted places in Ohio.
The total trip takes about 11 hours of drive time. We’ve included a link to the Google Map here.
Plan now for a long weekend road trip of four days and three (or even four) nights to explore some of the most haunted places in Ohio — if you dare. Start at the location nearest you. (Just don’t go alone!)
1. The campus of Ohio University and The Ridges (Athens)
We recommend starting your journey at Ohio University in Athens if you can. It is arguably one of America's most haunted college campuses, (probably because it's located in one of Ohio's most haunted cities.) Several residence hall rooms and other buildings on campus are said to be haunted. Wilson Hall, Washington Hall, and Jefferson Hall are some of the most haunted buildings on campus.
What was once the Athens Lunatic Asylum is now owned by (and a neighbor to) Ohio University, but parts of the facility still hold shadows, stains, and spirits of former mental patients who often suffered from violent treatments such as lobotomies. The grounds of the former asylum are still home to a few unusual—and extremely eerie—cemeteries. Patients of the former insane asylum were buried on the facility's grounds, and their restless spirits are left to wander to property. Most of the graves are without names, and merely display the number of the former mental patient buried beneath.
2. Moonville Tunnel (McArthur)
Hope-Moonville Road, Hope-Moonville Rd, Brown Township, OH 45651, USA
The abandoned coal mining town of Moonville in southeastern Ohio (Vinton County) was founded in 1856, when the Marietta and Cincinnati railroad ran through the area's woods. One structure of the town that remains today is the Moonville Tunnel; a haunted tunnel where legend has it the ghost of a man who was killed instantly by a train passing through the tunnel wanders along the track bed near the old tunnel at night.
After a day of exploring some of the most haunted places in Ohio, drive to Granville and rest up for the night at one of the state's most historic (and haunted) inns. Founded in 1812, this historic hotel is reportedly haunted by former innkeepers—and rooms 7 and 9 are popular with guests seeking paranormal happenings.
Begin day two of your journey with one of the most popular haunted attractions in Ohio. Formerly known as the Mansfield Reformatory, this historic prison is home to the state's most violent ghosts. Spirits of rioting inmates who often fought each other to the death in overcrowded isolation cells haunt the halls and cells of this former prison. Visitors can explore the reformatory via formal tours, ghost hunts and overnight adventures.
After a long of day exploring prison hauntings, rest up for the night at a charming (yet haunted) inn. At 504 West Liberty Street in Medina, a former servant girl of this 19th-century Victorian home is rumored to haunt the halls of this beautiful bed and breakfast. Guests and employees have even reported hearing her play the piano.
Head up to Cleveland to observe the most haunted house in Ohio from the outside, (which is unfortunately not open to public tours at this time.) Partly hidden behind trees on the architecturally rich Franklin Boulevard, the recently renovated and infamous Franklin Castle (also known as the Hannes Tiedemann House) still houses a dark past. Built in the late 1880s for German immigrant Hannes Tiedemann, the historic home still stands four stories high with more than 20 rooms. The house is full of secret passageways and hidden rooms, and has seen its fair share of death and tragedies.
While you're in the area, stop by Cleveland's creepiest cemetery, which is home to more than 100,000 graves and occupies 285 acres. Many notable individuals are buried here, including John D. Rockefeller, James A. Garfield, and Eliot Ness (who modernized Cleveland's police force but was unable to catch the infamous Torso Killer.) The Haserot Angel (pictured above) is another famous statue in the graveyard for its eerie representation of "The Angel of Death Victorious."
Are you hungry for some lunch? Located on Rockside Road in Cleveland, this beautiful upscale eatery is said to be haunted by the ghost of Sophie Sarnacki, who was the owner of a former tavern across the street from Lockkeepers. She was murdered in Zimmerman's Tavern in the 1950s and supposedly stops by Lockkeepers frequently today. Perhaps she can't resist the opportunity to watch people enjoying great food... even long after her own restaurant closed and her death grows forgotten.
Rest up at the Spread Eagle Tavern and Inn. This historic inn was originally built in 1837 in the Federalist style by masons of the canal boom. Throughout the years, it has been frequented by a handful of U.S. presidents. Today, its rumored to be haunted by the ghost of a woman who hanged herself from a third-story bedroom window. The Spread Eagle Tavern and Inn is awaiting your visit... if you dare!
End your journey to the most haunted places in Ohio with an optional overnight stay in the state's oldest town—which is bound to host a haunting or two. Restaurants, hotels and even certain streets are haunted here. At Hotel Lafayette (pictured), guests have reported unexplained oddities for years. Missing items, suitcases turned upside-down and emptied shampoo bottles are just a few of the reported occurrences. The third floor is also supposedly haunted by a former owner of the hotel.
From north to south, the most haunted places in Ohio are tucked away in some of the most charming and unsuspecting communities. Are you brave enough to take this road trip?
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More to Explore
Most Haunted Places In Ohio
Nikki Rhoades|August 11, 2019
What is the most famous ghost story from Ohio?
Ohio hauntings are very real, even though the state is not widely known as a paranormal hub. If you’re sick of hearsay and finally feel ready to dive into real haunted places in Ohio, look no further than one of the oldest (and most haunted) hotels in the state. Another famously haunted Ohio site is the Rider’s Inn in Painesville, a famous site on the Underground Railroad that also operated as a speakeasy during Prohibition.
What is the most haunted town in Ohio?
Wayne Township hides the Village of Waynesville, a spooky little community that boasts an incredible number of the ghosts in Ohio. This haunted hub is said to have more than 30 haunted destinations, and it actually attracts visitors and tourists to its paranormal sites. You’ll also surely find some phantoms at some of the abandoned places in Ohio, which you can visit on this super spooky road trip.
What is the creepiest abandoned place in Ohio?
There are a considerable number of scary places in Ohio, and many of these destinations are largely abandoned. Mineral is a creepy abandoned community, and some remnants of its former inhabitants remain in buildings and a railroad tunnel. The abandoned Moonville Tunnel is also infamously scary, and it purportedly offers solace to ghosts of the former town that once prospered here. It seems that no matter where you go in Ohio, ghost stories and creepy places can be found in great numbers.
