This Ohio House Is Among The Most Haunted Places In The Nation
By April Dray|Published October 31, 2018
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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.
While driving down Franklin Boulevard in the city of Cleveland, you might pass what’s considered to be Ohio’s most haunted house without even knowing it.
If you’ve ever heard creepy legends about a house called Franklin Castle, you should know that at least some of them are true. So much more than a historic home, this Gothic mansion is known for its sorrowful tales, secret passageways, hauntingly beautiful architecture and, (of course), ghosts. Ohio’s most haunted house is arguably one of the most haunted places in America. Check it out:
Partly hidden behind trees at 4308 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 is rumored to have seen its fair share of death and tragedies.
Legend has it, Tiedemann built secret passageways within the house. He also added a ballroom, turrets and gargoyles to the house, giving the home an even more pronounced castle-like appearance.
People speculated that the construction of the hidden rooms provided places for Tiedemann to commit possible crimes, such as murder and/or bootlegging during the Prohibition. Speculation grew when the Tiedemann’s buried three children over the course of three years.
By 1908, the entire Tiedemann family had died with no one to inherit the house. It remained un-unoccupied until the late 60s when the Romano family purchased the castle and moved in.
The family reported several encounters with ghosts in their new home and even attempted a few exorcisms and paranormal investigations. By 1974, the Romanos left the house and it was sold to several different individuals over the years who attempted to restore the house with little to no progress.
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While the facts surrounding the hauntings and strange occurrences remain unclear, the sinister appearance of the house is undeniable.
The creepiest part about the house's history? Human remains were once uncovered here. In 1975, partial human bones were uncovered after a wall was knocked down during renovations. Why and how the bones were placed within the wall remains a mystery.
In March of 1982, Franklin Castle was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the castle stands partly renovated, privately owned and is under video surveillance.
