C-Bus History

Columbus Haunted History told to local NPR

Columbus historians Doreen Uhas Sauer of Columbus Landmarks Foundation and Randy Rogers of Greenlawn Cemetary sat down with local Public Radio and NPR host Ann Fisher on her show “All Sides with Ann Fisher” to tell just a few of the many ghost stories about Columbus, Ohio.

Some of the many haunted places in Columbus, Ohio

I think that I posted this list on my old blog. This is just one of the lists of many referencing haunted placed in and around Columbus, Ohio. Some are shocking, while others aren’t. This was taken from the Ohio Exploration Society’s page of Franklin County Hauntings & Legends. (I tried to correct as much of the grammar as I could)

On this page, you will find haunted locations and legends of Franklin County. Many of these are genuine and documented haunts, but others may be legend or hearsay. Remember, we do not condone trespassing. Always seek permission before entering private property. If you know of a haunting or legend not listed for this county, please submit them through our Haunting Submission Form.

Enjoy!

Bexley 

Capital University – A site of multiple hauntings, see Capital University below for details.

Jeffrey Mansion – Located behind Saint Charles, the Jeffrey Mansion is sometimes rented out as a party house. Mr. Jeffrey was said to have hanged himself in the house and willed the grounds to the City of Bexley. There have been reports of seeing him hanging from a rope.

Capital University 

Kerns Religious Life Center – Witnesses have felt extreme cold, an instant feeling of sadness and have difficulty breathing in the basement of the building, which is the oldest building on campus. Maintenance workers who turn off the light in the tower have reported the light coming back on before they even reach the bottom of the staircase.

Science Building – The ghost of a former biology professor is said to roam the halls of the science building. The ghost appears to be in his sixties as he walks through the labs in a white lab coat, carrying a beaker and apothecary bottle. He also puts away various glassware and models used in labs when the students are finished with them. Animals have mysteriously been released from their cages and microscopes have flown across the room, breaking on the walls.

Columbus 

Arena District – Located on the site of the old Ohio Penitentiary, Nationwide Arena and the surrounding district is said to be haunted and/or cursed. Freak accidents have occurred on the site, such as a window washer falling to his death from his platform and a young girl who died after being struck an errant hockey puck. Employees who are in the arena late at night have reported hearing strange sounds and feeling uneasy.

Beck Elementary – Built-in 1884 on the site of the old Franklin County Poorhouse, the school, and surrounding homes are said to be haunted by the indigents who once lived there. Mysterious footsteps have been heard in the school and in some surrounding homes. In the 1960s, a ball and chain left over from the poorhouse days were unearthed from the school’s parking lot. One home in the area even has cells from the poorhouse in its basement.

Berliner Bike Path – The bike path at Berliner Park is haunted by those who have drowned in the Scioto River adjacent to it over the years. It is also haunted by a six-foot-tall man and another ghost who was murdered there. When you walk along the bike path at night, you can feel someone behind you and no one will be there. Sometimes down by the river, you can hear children talking and laughing, and other times you can hear two men talking. When you look to see where the sound is coming from, no one will be there. There are also reports of lights flashing in the woods that only last a few seconds.

Blind Lady Tavern – Formerly called The Jury Room and 1831 Tavern, the building at 22 East Mound Street was built in the 1830s to accommodate travelers in town for court cases. Prior to this, a 40-foot-high Hopewell burial mound was located on the site. It was dismantled in the 1820s by settlers who used it to make bricks for Ohio’s first statehouse. 1831 Tavern’s building has always served as a tavern, but portions of the building have also been used as an inn and even a bordello in the 1850s. In March 1859, a prostitute named Francis Miller was arrested for murdering a man trying to enter the bordello. The intoxicated man and his two friends were banging on the door, threatening to kick it down in order to enter the establishment. Francis felt she needed to defend herself and shot one of the men dead. Francis was tried for first-degree murder but was convicted of manslaughter and served eleven years in prison. The building originally had three stories, but a fire in 1885 took out the top floor. Today employees at the bar have experienced so much paranormal activity that they keep a log book. A tall shadowy man wearing a white shirt has been seen out of the corner of the eye and there is a general feeling of being watched. Burners on the stove have mysteriously turned on by themselves. Several women have been pushed or otherwise attacked by something unseen.

Briggs High School – Teachers claim to hear strange noises coming from the music room at the school. Apparitions have been seen walking through the halls after hours and a bright white light has been seen. Desks in the classrooms occasionally move without explanation. The ghost of a girl who was killed after being hit by a car is sometimes seen as well.

Briggs Road Baptist Church – Ghostly footsteps can be heard coming from the upstairs and attic at night. (Credits: Mitch)

British Island – Also called Bloody Island, this site was a sandbar located in the middle of the Scioto River, not too far from the site of the Old Ohio Penitentiary. On October 4, 1813, General William Henry Harrison’s troops defeated British forces at the Thames River in Canada. Afterward, the island was used as a prison for British soldiers captured during the battle. A number of British soldiers tried to escape by swimming from the island to shore but were shot to death by American guards as they swam. It is said that the British soldiers’ screams and splashing water can be heard near the former island prison’s location.

Brookwood Church – People in the north chapel sometimes hear a loud banging on the pews if they stay too long and experience brief cold chills. At least one janitor has claimed that doors sometimes open and close by themselves. (Credits: Jerad)

Buckeye Middle School – It is said that a janitor who used to work at the school was decapitated in a motorcycle accident. Now his headless ghost reportedly haunts the school. Students and teachers have seen shadowy figures in the auditorium and have spotted the ghostly janitor in the hallways.

Buckeye Steel – Most currently known as Columbus Steel Castings, the former Buckeye Steel complex on Columbus’ south side is said to be very haunted. There have been many tragic accidents and deaths over the years. Equipment and cranes start and stop on their own. Workers have experienced cold chills while standing next to a furnace. Some eyewitnesses have reported seeing people wearing clothing from the 1930s-40s. Others report seeing a man who climbs up and down a water tower, only to disappear. NOTE: Sadly, the entire complex was demolished in the summer of 2018 for future development. Related: Contribution

Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery – On the former grounds of one of the largest Civil War camps for the Union, Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery contains the bodies of about 2,260 Confederate soldiers who died at the camp’s prison. However, the most well-known ghost of Camp Chase is not one of the men who died there, but a Lady in Gray. Believed to be Louisiana Briggs, the Lady in Gray sympathized with the South and in the dark of the night, would place flowers on the graves of the dead soldiers. She has continued to do this in death. Fresh flowers mysteriously appear quite frequently at the tombstone of Pvt. Benjamin F. Allen of the 50th Tennessee Infantry. Witnesses have reported seeing a young woman walking among the tombstones with her head down, crying. Once during a Civil War reenactment, an eerie weeping was heard and a cool gust of wind blew through the cemetery, knocking over tents and other items. Some re-enactors camping at the cemetery has reported seeing ghostly Confederate soldiers in their ranks. Related: OES Visit, Contribution

Central Ohio Fire Museum – Located in old Engine House Number 16 at 260 Fourth Street, the building served as a firehouse between 1908 and 1981. The snorting of ghostly horses once stabled there to pull fire equipment can occasionally be heard. The ghost of Captain George Noah Dukeman (Captain D) is said to haunt the firehouse as well. In life, the captain used to obsessively check the equipment. He continued his checks from the other side. A separate ghost wearing an old firefighting uniform has been seen standing in the bell tower.

Children’s Hospital – The hospital has a few rooms that are supposedly haunted. Some nurses won’t go into certain corridors alone at night. The park, Livingston Park, next door to the hospital is haunted as well. A ghostly woman known as “The Pink Lady” floats around the park and through the trees late at night. Kids in the hospital have reported seeing her from their windows. The parks were once a cemetery established in 1839. Some Confederate troops had even been buried there during the Civil War. Most of the graves were relocated to Green Lawn Cemetery.

Columbus Department of Health – Originally the Columbus School for the Blind and later the headquarters for the Ohio State Highway Patrol, this old building at 240 Parsons Avenue is reportedly haunted. Convict labor was used to build the place and it is said that five or six inmates died during its construction due to the lack of safety protocols. The building was completed in 1873 and originally had towers, but they are no longer there. The sound of loud footsteps walking the halls, slamming doors and loud sounds like a large pipe falling on a cement floor was heard when no one else was around. Ghostly voices and apparition sightings take place on the upper floors and in front of the building. One security guard reported seeing a little boy out of the corner of his eye while patrolling the boys’ dormitory, the northern brick building and changed the way he did his rounds because of this. Another guard was seated at his desk when a figure appeared at the end of the hall and waved before going out the door. Not knowing who the person was, and it being 3:00 AM, he ran to the door and looked out over the yard and no one was there. (Credits: Grover Manning II)

Columbus State Community College – Ghosts are believed to haunt this relatively new college, likely because the school is built directly on top of the old Catholic graveyard. The spirits harass workers and police officers on the campus at night. Some janitors have quit their jobs because of the haunting activity. Some security and police personnel refuse to patrol certain places alone.

Darbyhurst Road – The corner of Darbyhurst Road and Beacon Hill Road is said to be haunted by the ghost of a man who died in a vehicle accident there. (Credits: Kenny)

Deer Lake Way – The ghostly screams of a man who was beaten to death by a friend can be heard at times near a residence on Deer Lake Way. (Credits: Jeff)

Doctor’s North Hospital – This former hospital, now a nursing home, is said to be haunted by the ghost of a nurse who died there. During busy shifts, she returns to give a helping hand. She frequents the room where she died, which often gets cold for no reason. A nurse was stabbed on the third floor in the 1970s, but it isn’t known if this is related. A doctor hanged himself in the fourth floor operating room. A young child named Timmy has been seen on the north end of the hospital, on the second through fourth floors. The sound of a hospital bed moving can be heard on in the north wing of the third floor and there is a general uneasy feeling on the fourth floor. Cages slam shut in the basement and elevator doors open and close on their own.

Doctor’s West Hospital – The diagnostic radiology department is haunted by a former x-ray technician or radiologist who was very fond of their job. Many of the employees have seen this person numerous times over the years, mostly during the day shift. The figure looks like a very tall slender man walking back and forth between x-ray rooms. He isn’t harmful what-so-ever, but just checking up on things. (Credits: Rachel Ailing)

The Elevator – Originally called Bott Brothers Buffet and Billiards, and later known as The Clock, the restaurant’s primary feature had always been the large clock in front of the building. For years it was stopped at 10:05 before being replaced. The clock’s stoppage was linked to a cold February night in 1909. Colonel Randolph Pritchard was an infamous womanizer who frequented the saloon. On that stormy night, Pritchard was called out to the street by a woman and was stabbed. Pritchard stumbled into the bar and died, bleeding on the mosaic floor. The only thing that remained of his killer was her barefoot footprints in the snow. The clock outside the saloon stopped at 10:05, the exact moment of the colonel’s death. Prichard’s ghost now roams the restaurant and is seen every now and then. His killer s said to haunt the building as well, as it is believed that she froze to death in the coldness of the night. It is also said that barefoot footprints mysteriously appear in fresh snow when no one has yet walked that path. Some have even claimed to see the footprints appear before their eyes. Related: OES Visit

Franklin County Courthouse Annex – This large building on South High Street is said to be the home of many spirits. The ghost of a man who died after falling down an elevator shaft during construction likes to play with the elevator, sometimes getting them stuck. Another ghost who frequents the Board of Elections office fills the room with a lilac scent. Footsteps and mysterious laughing can be heard after hours.

Fort Hayes – Now an alternative school for the Columbus City Schools, Fort Hayes was once a very active military post. Its most well-known ghost is a soldier who was killed by an overheated cannon that was being fired in 1865 for Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train when it passed through Columbus. The soldier’s commander supposedly knew the cannon would overheat and wanted him to die because the soldier was in love with his daughter. Another ghost that haunts the fort appears in a World War II uniform, often near the drill hall. One eyewitness who was wandering around on the top floor of the shot tower heard a loud boom. He turned around to look down and saw a soldier in old clothes run across the floor with a rifle. He went downstairs to see what was happening and nothing was there. He asked a fellow student about it and only received odd looks. Some students report that they cannot go to the top floor of the shot tower due to sheer fear of what may be lurking there. Soldiers have been seen eating at the old mess hall on foggy mornings and fading out of sight in the field across from the building. The old hospital building is said to be haunted by many spirits. Witnesses have reported hearing cries of the dying and injured, and have seen ghostly figures wearing old nurse and military uniforms. Lockers open and close when the halls are empty in the school’s newer buildings. Students report the feeling as if they are being followed while walking down the hallways and footsteps are often heard on the stairwells at odd times.

Georgian Heights Alternative Elementary School – The woods behind the school are said to be haunted by the ghost of a boy named Nick. He was supposedly a former student of the school who died in 1965 from brain cancer. Children at the school sometimes see his apparition at the edge of the woods. Students have also reported seeing a ghostly girl in the restroom next to the library who asks for help. Some have even reported being scratched by something unseen. Room 21 and the library are said to be haunted as well. (Credits: David)

Glen Echo Park – This ravine park near Clintonville is said to be haunted by various spirits. Ghostly figures have been seen in the creek and mysterious footsteps follow those who walk the trails. The spirit of a gothic girl is said to hang out near a bridge at the center of the park. The ghost of a homeless man who froze to death in the tunnel that carries the creek beneath Indianola Avenue haunts the tunnel. A few other ghosts are said to haunt the park as well. Related: OES Visit

Greater Columbus Antique Mall – This large antique mall near the corner of Greenlawn Avenue and High Street is said to be very haunted. Witnesses have seen the ghosts of a man with a handlebar mustache who wears a brown suit, a woman in a lovely yellow dress, and the form of a man wearing a black cape. Most of the employees and the owners have experienced many ghostly occurrences. The security system trips for no apparent reason and has picked up crashing sounds when nothing has fallen. Children can be heard near the top of the stairs and the voices of some old ladies can sometimes be heard near a bench. Odd smells plague some of the rooms, most of the time it is the smell of freshly prepared Italian food. While the building was originally built as a private residence, it served as two different funeral homes, an Italian restaurant, and an Elks Lodge before its current use as an antique shop. Related: OES Investigation

Green Lawn Abbey – Entirely separate from nearby Green Lawn Cemetery, the Green Lawn Abbey is said to be haunted by the spirits of those entombed there. Howard Thurston, known as “Thurston the Magician,” was a good friend of Houdini and is said to haunt the abbey, along with the ghostly figure of a woman. Related: OES Visit

Green Lawn Cemetery – This cemetery, the second-largest in Ohio, is the site of multiple hauntings. The main mausoleum and Hayden Mausoleum are haunted, as are many of the gravesites themselves. People who have walked through the cemetery after dark report seeing shadowy figures walking around the cemetery, only to find no one else around when investigated. Related: OES Visit

IBM – Many people have experienced the feeling of being watched at the IBM office on Fisher Road. Some people have even reported seeing an apparition. Shadows moving from the corner of your eye when no one else is around has been commonly reported as well. (Credits: Chad and Ryann)

Kelton House – The ghosts of Mr. Kelton’s wife, Louisa Kelton, and his granddaughter, Grace Bird Kelton, are said to haunt the house. They have occasionally been seen by visitors and caretakers.

Lazarus Building – The former Lazarus Department Store downtown, now home to offices and condos, is said to be haunted by founder Simon Lazarus himself. His ghost can sometimes be seen in the first-floor windows at night. Two other ghosts are believed to roam the building, but we do not know any specifics.

Leafy Dale Apartments – Former residents have reported unexplained electrical phenomenon and an oppressive atmosphere. Some residents could not sleep well at night due to the feeling of always being watched. An old newspaper article claims the building had once been a hangout for prohibition mobsters. The apartment building was closed and undergoing renovations in 2013.

Lincoln Lodge Retirement Residence – The lower floor of the home is said to be haunted by the spirit of a girl, who is often seen late at night. The upper floor is supposedly haunted by an elderly gentleman who is often heard talking. (Credits: Tammy Chandler)

The Lofts – This former warehouse-turned-hotel was built in 1882. Since opening as a hotel, there has been a lot of paranormal activity. Guests and security guards have witnessed the ghostly figure of a white-haired woman wearing a Victorian dress roaming the halls. A blonde woman appears entering the elevator around 4:00 AM, but mysteriously fades away when the doors begin to close. Clocks in the hotel change time without explanation and employees have heard murmuring voices.

Maple Drive House – Residents have reported seeing dark shadowy figures in a home along Maple Drive. Heavy footsteps are frequently heard in the upstairs area when no one is upstairs. Neighbors say the former homeowner committed suicide in the detached garage. Related: Contribution

Marion-Franklin High School – There is supposedly a tunnel that connects the high school to a nearby middle school. It is said that back in the 1950s/60s, some students found their way into the tunnel. One of them fell into a service fan and was cut to death. The spirit of the student is supposed to walk the halls of the school. Students have been to the supposed entrance to the tunnel, which is now blocked by a metal fence with a chain and padlock. There is a mirror located in the hallway near the science wing. Students and teachers have reported seeing someone walking up behind them in the mirror and upon turning to see who it is, there is no one there. Male students have reported seeing shadows darting around in the guy’s locker room.

Maurine Drive – This road is believed to have been part of a runway at one time and is haunted by pilots who used it. In particular, the ghost of an old man haunts the backyards of some of the homes.

Max & Erma’s Restaurant – The original Max & Erma’s Restaurant in German Village is said to be haunted by a woman who died there when the building was a general store. She can sometimes be seen in the restaurant and the upstairs floors.

McKinley Avenue – The ghost of a man who was struck and killed by a car on this road supposedly haunts it. The man was on his way home from work, wearing a pair of bib overalls with a red rag in one of the rear pockets when the accident happened. According to the story, his ghost walks on either side of the road from the ‘curves’ near the junkyards to Shrum Mound. One witness went back to look for the ghostly man whenever he saw him, but to his disbelief, the man had vanished. The witness sometimes noticed a temperature change in the area and an eerie patchy fog whenever he investigated.

Memorial Hall – Formerly the COSI building on Broad Street in downtown Columbus, it is said to be haunted by a custodian who roams the halls. It is also said that sometime in the 1920s, a little girl died in the basement of the building. Her ghost now roams the halls, rides elevators, and changes the times on clocks.

Mooney’s Mansion – Mooney’s Mansion sits high on the ridge off of Walhalla Road (see below). It is said that a husband killed his wife in the house sometime during the 1950s. A variant of this story states that the man murdered his wife and daughter with an ax, and may have even committed suicide. Yet another variation says he hanged the bodies from the Calumet Street bridge. In any case, it is said that a blue light can sometimes be seen floating around inside the house through the windows. Reports say that if you go under the bridge on Walhalla Road at night, you can see the reflection of the wife and daughter in the water to the right of the road. We are unable to find any reports of a murder on the property through public records and newspapers, but we have been contacted by folks who lived in the area during the time period stated above and they do not recall any murders occurring on the property. The mansion did sit vacant for a time, so maybe that led to the legends surrounding the home. After all, who doesn’t like an abandoned creepy-looking house? Related: OES Visit

Mount Carmel Hospital East – The pharmacy of this hospital is haunted by a man with light reddish hair, wearing a lab coat, looking down at a piece of paper he is carrying. Many of the pharmacists who have worked in the pharmacy have seen him, but no one knows who he is. Related: Contribution

North Market – Built atop the old North Cemetery, the North Market is said to be haunted by the ghosts of those whose bodies were not recovered. Among those who are said to haunt the building is John Kerr, one of the founders of Columbus. Bodies and caskets are dug up from beneath the street and parking lot whenever construction takes place in the area.

Ohio Penitentiary – The old pen itself, now the location of the Arena District and Nationwide Arena, was haunted by many spirits. The cafeteria of the old pen was particularly haunted. It was the place where the hangings of twenty-eight men took place before it was transformed into the cafeteria. Even though there were broken windows to let in outside noise, the pen was always dead silent upon entering the building. Reports of weird noises and extreme coldness took place in the electroshock therapy room. The room where the electric chair was used to execute 315 men and women was also said to be haunted. It is said that the ghosts of some of the 322 inmates who died there in a huge 1930 fire roamed around, looking for their way out of the inferno. Related: Contribution

Ohio State University – A site of multiple hauntings. See Ohio State University below.

Ohio Theater – The theater is said to be haunted by a stagehand who died during a performance there in the mid-1950s.

Ohio Dominican University – Once a women-only Catholic university, the old resident hall is supposed to be haunted by a nun. She is a motherly spirit who turns off appliances left on and extinguishes cigarettes in the building. She was a Mother Superior at the college before it went co-ed when it was called Saint Mary’s of the Springs. The nun died, along with others, in a fire at the old convent. Sansbury Hall was built on the site of the convent. The only time she became violent in death is when the school started accepting male students. She reportedly slammed doors for a period of days. Residents of Sansbury Hall, who refer to her as “Mother Sans” say that she may have died in a fire that consumed part of the hall itself. It was rumored that the third-floor hallway was never repaired, but that is untrue. The art buildings and Fitzpatrick Hall are also said to be haunted. (Credits: Katherine Gallaher)

Old Governor’s Mansion – The former Governor’s Mansion is said to be haunted by the ghost of a black woman dressed in old-fashioned clothes. She even spoke to an employee once, saying that she was happy the place was being renovated. Strange smells, almost like burning hair, have been described and pictures have been known to jump off the walls.

Old Municipal Light Plant – It is said that a man fell and died not long after the light plant was built. Whenever employees would experience strange sightings or hear a strange sound, they blamed it on “AC Howard.” There have since been several other deaths in the old building.

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet – Originally a J.C. Penny department store and later a Big Bear grocery store, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet at Great Southern Shopping Center is known to be haunted. Ghostly footsteps can be heard when the store is closed and doors open and close themselves. Apparitions of a man and woman dressed in 1940s attire have been seen by employees. The back stock room and the upstairs break room are where the bulk of the activity takes place. Some employees have even reported hearing their names called, only to turn around to see no one there.

Palace Theater – Magician Harry Blackstone Jr. performed at the theater after its restoration in the 1970s. He organized a séance in the lobby to try to contact one of his father’s friends but ended up getting the ghost of a man who was murdered in the theater. Participants of the séance described it as extremely frightening. One participant, in particular, described spots of heavy, dark air on the second floor.

Park View Lakes Drive – It is said that a young girl was murdered in the backyard of a home on this road. If you stand in a certain spot between 9:30-10:30 PM, her ghost will push you out of the yard and onto the sidewalk. (Credits: Mark)

Portman Park – Witnesses have reported hearing a little girl laughing at the park when no one else is around. Uneasy feelings were reported at the abandoned farmhouse across from the park and one person who entered the house says there appeared to be bloodstains on the wall near the upstairs. The house has since been demolished. Residents of nearby Abbie Lakes Apartments have heard a deep moan when laying in bed at night and have captured orbs and the apparition of a Civil War soldier in photos.

Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church – The Lavender Lady, whose presence is known by her fragrance, has been described by members of the church.

Schiller Park – A headless ghost has been spotted by several eyewitnesses near the statue of the park’s namesake. Some believe the spirit may be that of a man who committed suicide in the park in the late 1800s as that is when the sightings began to occur.

Schmidt’s Sausage Haus – Located in German Village, the restaurant is said to be haunted by its original owner, J. Fred Schmidt. Employees have reported hearing footsteps on the second floor and some have even seen the ghost of Mr. Schmidt himself.

Schwarz Castle – This house was built in the mid-1800s by Frederick William Schwarz, a successful German businessman. He had been known in life to sunbathe nude atop the tower. He continues his routine in death as his unclothed ghost can sometimes be seen climbing the ladder to the top of the tower. The castle also has five levels of basement, one of which is where a man hanged himself. In a second-floor apartment, two brothers were arguing about which one was too drunk to drive and one brother stabbed the other. It is said that you can still hear them quarreling in the building.

Seneca Hotel – Now renovated as condos, the basement of the Seneca is haunted, where witnesses have heard the sounds of a child crying.

Spaghetti Warehouse – This popular Italian restaurant near downtown is home to unexplainable events. Mysterious activities are reported in the kitchen and dark, shadowy figures are seen in the dining area at night after the building has been closed.

Starling Middle School – The feeling of a ghostly presence sometimes follows people going up and down the stairs. A white ball of light is sometimes seen in the windows. (Credits: Kyle)

Statehouse – The Ohio Statehouse in downtown Columbus is said to be haunted by the ghost of Tom Bateman, a Senate clerk who was apparently so concerned with keeping things in order that he continues to do so in death. His ghost supposedly goes down the steps and out the east doors each day at 5:00 PM. The presence of this ghost generates cold spots and flickering lights. The building may also be haunted by the ghost of President Abraham Lincoln. During a Civil War re-enactment, several of the re-enactors heard violin music coming from the Senate chamber. Upon investigation, they witnessed a woman dressed in a 1800s dress dancing with a tall gentleman dressed in a dark suit and stovepipe hat, resembling Abraham Lincoln. They danced for a few seconds more before totally vanishing before the witnesses’ eyes. After speaking with a state patrolman later in the evening, the re-enactors learned that it is believed that Abraham Lincoln did indeed stop at the State House during his campaign your and danced with a woman he befriended while in town. Related: Contribution (Credits: Dana P. Morrow)

State Library – The preservation room and the rear cafeteria are said to be haunted. Voices have been heard there and employees have reported feeling ghostly hands.

Stewart Elementary School – the school is supposedly haunted by a child who died after falling from the large winding staircase in front of the building. In classrooms, the blinds would fly up for no reason and there was always a feeling of general uneasiness.

Studio 35 – One of the last remaining independent movie theaters in Columbus is haunted by a man in 1930s clothing. He is seen walking past the concession stand or along the screen. Some witnesses have reported seeing him in the front rows, watching the movie only to mysteriously disappear by the end of the film. A closet discovered by the owner of the theater contained albums full of photos of dead children.

Thurber House – The Thurber House is haunted by a man who, after pacing around the kitchen and running up the stairs, shot and killed himself. This story was made famous by author James Thurber, who lived in the house during his childhood. The book he wrote about his story was titled The Night the Ghost Got In.

Underneath Columbus – The extensive system of tunnels and drains under downtown Columbus are said to be haunted by a ghost that appears in all black, wearing a hood. The ghost has reportedly spooked employees at Columbus businesses whose basements open to the tunnels.

Walhalla Road – Walhalla Road is one of the most unusual roads in Columbus. There are a few legends that surround this road. One is Mooney’s Mansion, where a man reportedly murdered his family (see Mooney’s Mansion above). Reports say that if you go under the Calumet Street bridge at night, you can see the reflection of the murder victim(s) in the water to the right of the road. Also said to haunt the area around the bridge is the ghost of an OSU student who supposedly hanged herself from the bridge years ago. Her figure can sometimes be seen swinging from the bridge. And yet a more mysterious story is that of a woman’s statue (supposedly of Mrs. Mooney) somewhere on the ridge that bleeds in places where she was axed to death. There have also been many reports of phantom dogs and ghostly vehicles chasing people away who stop along the road.

Walnut Knolls – Legend says this apartment building served as a mental hospital in the 1940s-50s, however, records indicate the building wasn’t erected until the late 1960s. The building was reportedly haunted by several specters. A decapitated woman was said to roam the third floor and footsteps from the beyond could be heard coming from the blocked-off attic. Witnesses would see lights on in vacant apartments. Ghostly children who supposedly drowned in the now filled pool were sometimes seen or heard. One ghost in specific, known only as George, liked to throw shampoo bottles at the residents. It was believed George was a former patient of the supposed hospital. The apartment building was demolished in 2013. Construction began on the site for Madison Township’s third fire station in 2017.

Waterbeds ‘N’ Stuff – The Waterbeds ‘N’ Stuff store at the Columbus Square Shopping Center is haunted by a ghost that employees call “Maytag Man,” due to him being dressed in a blue uniform and octagon-shaped hat. He has been seen throughout the day, not harmful or sad. One employee heard a man asking in a deep raspy voice, “Who are you?” as she was preparing to open the store. She looked around for someone only to realize the doors were still locked and the manager was in the stockroom. “Maytag Man” also seemed to have a habit of burning out light bulbs and moving things around. Employees believe he may roam the entire shopping center as he sometimes shows himself for weeks and then not come around again for a few months. “Maytag Man” is always a welcomed guest at the store.

Watkins Road Bridge – Also known as the Headless Hattie Bridge, this bridge that spans a creek in southeast Columbus is said to be haunted by a woman who died there in a car accident. Her head sometimes appears overhead in the trees if you stop on the bridge and honk your horn three times. Another version tells of a mother who was involved in an accident who lost her baby in the icy water beneath the bridge. Supposedly if you stop and flash your headlights 12 times, the ghost of the woman appears and screams of a baby can be heard. An even earlier story dates back to when this was a covered bridge. A girl and her boyfriend were parked inside when the boyfriend decided to carve their initials into the wood. When he was finished, he was struck and killed by a speeding car. It was said that one could go to the bridge at night to see the carving glow and hear the sound of the girlfriend’s sobs.

West High School – The ghost of a girl who was killed when hit by a car in the 1950s can sometimes be seen wandering the halls or standing next to her old locker. At least two eyewitnesses reported seeing a white figure being chased by a black figure down a staircase, across an eight-foot hallway, and through the wall leading to the ROTC room. (Credits: Danny Johnson)

Westland Mall – Mysterious footsteps can sometimes be heard coming from the center of the mall.

Worley Building – Formerly the Worley Plumbing building located in the Brewery District, the building is haunted by a woman who died in a fire that had occurred in a part of the building where horses were stabled. She can sometimes be seen late at night.

Darbydale 

Little Pennsylvania Cemetery – Also known as Woolyburger Cemetery, this burying ground is located just off London-Groveport Road, not too far from Norton Road. The cemetery is said to be haunted and is allegedly a hangout place for the occult. Supposedly, a bigfoot-type of creature lurks around in the cemetery. There is supposed to be a small house back in the woods that is haunted as well. OES members observed a shadowy figure in the cemetery one night, so there could be something to the legends. (Other spellings include Woollyburger, Woolyberger, Wollyburger, and Woolybooger.)

Dublin 

Muirfield Village Golf Club – The Memorial Tournament began in 1976 on this golf course that Jack Nicklaus built on sacred Indian burial grounds. As the legend goes, Chief Leatherlips makes it rain on the tournament almost every year. Twice it has been shortened to 54 holes. One year they moved the tournament ahead one week, but it still rained.

Gahanna 

Gahanna Lincoln High School – A ghostly blonde boy wearing a basketball practice uniform has been seen between the gym and theater. According to legend, this was the area where cuts were made after basketball tryouts. When the blonde boy was cut from the team, it is said that he hanged himself from the backboard. After basketball games where the home team loses, when the lights are turned out, a basketball can be heard dribbling and occasionally the backboard on the west end of the gym vibrates as if a score had been made. A little girl is said to haunt the girls’ locker room. She has been spotted wearing a gray dress and has long black hair. Many students and staff members are both terrified and fascinated with the basement of the school. It is said a boy somehow drowned in the pool due to a lack of supervision. The pool was shut down and it has been closed for over fifty years. Witnesses have seen the boy standing behind the padlocked gate and a janitor once heard someone splashing and calling for help from the pool. Related: Contribution (Credits: Bailey)

Grove City 

Little Theatre Off Broadway – This small community theatre was built in 1916 by a woman named Mrs. King as a showcase for her blind daughter, Ethel, to play the piano. After Mrs. King sold the theatre in 1927, it switched hands several times until the Little Theatre Off Broadway group bought it in 1968. Since then, paranormal activities such as doors slamming, footsteps, and crashing sounds have taken place. The apparition of a woman has been seen near the tech booth. She is believed to be the ghost of Ethel King. Also spelled Little Theater Off-Broadway. Related: OES/COPS Investigation

North Meadows Drive Warehouse – Security guards at a warehouse on North Meadows Drive have reported seeing dark figures on surveillance equipment. When they investigate, no one is found. At least two employees have reported seeing the ghostly figure of a woman wearing a yellow dress vanish before their eyes.

Oakhurst Country Club – Legend says that a bride fell off of the balcony in the clubhouse in the 1960s and employees have seen a woman in a white dress throughout the building since, though only on rare occasions. Employees have heard pots and pans clinging and knocking sounds in the upstairs kitchen late at night. Things will be in different locations the next day. Whenever the furnace or air conditioner kicks on in the utility room, you can hear screaming in the far distance. Members of the golf club have reported seeing apparitions in the locker room. Others have felt as if they were being watched when alone in the locker room or kitchen. Occasionally there is a knock on the front door, but no one is ever there.

Groveport 

American Electric Power Lab – Security guards and cleaning crews have reported seeing the shadowy figure of a man walking very fast around the place. Sometimes the ghost shows himself to the employees. One security guard left in the middle of the night after seeing the shadowy figure walking around the perimeter fence. It had been snowing, and upon inspection, the guard found no footprints. The shadowy figure has also been seen in various rooms inside the buildings. Alarms trip for no apparent reason between 2:00-4:00 AM. One of the workers believes the ghost must be that of a man named Roger, who died in 1984. Roger was said to have loved his job and would probably hang out there from beyond the grave.

Gap Warehouse – Workers at the Gap warehouse in Groveport have reported many strange occurrences. Doors open and close themselves, footsteps can be heard when no one else is around, and there is a feeling of being watched…even when no one else is in the building. Shadowy figures have been seen throughout the warehouse by numerous people. Hearing distinct voices speaking, sometimes asking employees to do things, can be heard when it is quiet. One security guard quit in the middle of the night after witnessing wet footprints appear walking into the lobby. There are just a few samples of the strangeness that occurs there. A cemetery that dated back to 1803 was located on the northeast corner of the property, but it was supposedly relocated a few years before the warehouse was built.

Hamilton Township 

Hamilton Township High School – The ghost of a man who supposedly hanged himself in the rafters while they were constructing the old high school building was said to haunt the school. Teachers claimed to have heard his footsteps in the halls of the building at night when no one else was there. The building was demolished in 2009 and a new building opened just behind where the old school had stood. Apparently, the haunting has continued in the new building. Witnesses claim to have seen the spirit of a woman with brown hair upstairs on the east side of the building and a strange figure watching them in the library. They have also reported the sound of desks moving when no one else is around.

Hilliard 

Hilliard Davidson High School – The distinctive smell of pipe tobacco can sometimes be smelled in the classroom of a former teacher who died suddenly of a heart attack. He was an avid pipe smoker. The auditorium is also said to be haunted. Fergus, the oldest son of the man who once owned the land where the school now stands, wanted to be an actor his entire life. His father did not agree with this and wanted Fergus to inherit the land to farm. After running away to New York and being brought back by detectives his father hired, Fergus knew he’d never make it to the stage and took his own life. Footsteps can be heard on the stage and electronic equipment malfunctions. These ghostly occurrences are credited to Fergus, who many believe finally made it on stage.

Big Lots (Odd Lots) Store – This discount store used to be a Big Bear grocery store. A man supposedly killed himself in the stockroom. Employees have claimed that when closing at night, the doors come open, even when locked, and mysterious footsteps can be heard in the stockroom. There have been reports of cold spots and his ghost has actually run through people. Toys have been known to be thrown from the shelves when opening in the morning.

Pizza Hut – The store manager of the Pizza Hut on Cemetery Road passed away after suffering a heart attack while inside the walk-in freezer. Since then, employees have reported seeing a ghostly man walking around in the back after closing. Items in the restaurant often move on their own and are sometimes thrown.

Roberts Road Haunted House – An unoccupied farmhouse on Roberts Road (Walker Road) is the site of a supposed mass murder years ago. It is said that a man who once lived there snapped one night, killing his wife and children with an ax before hanging himself with a chain at the foot of the main stairway. His ghost is supposed to appear today with a gray beard and whispers cryptic messages to trespassers of his earthly home. Related: Contribution

Lockbourne 

Lockbourne Cemetery – This old abandoned cemetery is said to be haunted. Strange lights are seen there on occasion and voices can be heard from beyond the grave. Related: OES Visit

Lockbourne Hell House – See Pickaway County for this haunting.

Paul Peters Farm Cemetery – See Pickaway County for this haunting.

Obetz 

Obetz Cemetery – It is said that sightings of ghostly figures occur at the cemetery on a regular basis. The spirit of a woman dressed in 1920s-style clothing has been seen. Groundskeepers have said that a tombstone always fell over until they turned in the opposite direction. A shadowy figure is often seen by motorists on Groveport Road near the railroad underpass, darting out in front of their vehicle. When they swerve to miss hitting the figure, it vanishes.

Ohio State University 

Alpha Delta Pi – This sorority house is haunted by the ghost of a girl who killed herself in the building before the sorority moved in. Girls claim to see her walking down hallways, looking out of windows and looking back at them in the reflection of their mirror. The chandeliers mysteriously move and strange sounds are heard.

Alpha Omicron Pi House – Years ago when the house was owned by a different sorority, a sister jumped into Mirror Lake as is the tradition for Ohio State vs Michigan weekend. She was intoxicated and broke her neck. Her sisters took her back to the sorority house and placed her in bed, fearing they would get in trouble for being drunk if they took her to the hospital. She died in the room. Today she is said to open closet doors and move things around in the room. In other rooms, girls have said they have heard the sound of bedsprings, but no one would be sitting or laying in bed. The ghost’s name is believed to be Mary Ellen.

Bricker Hall – Herbert Atkinson, a member of the Board of Trustees, had his ashes placed in the wall of Bricker Hall behind a plaque. Ever since lights have flashed and Herbert himself has been seen drinking punch in the lobby.

Denney Hall – Legend says that years ago a professor murdered a young female student in the northwest elevator of Denney Hall while it was stopped on the fifth floor. The woman bled to death as the professor made his getaway. Now, whenever passengers take the elevator down from the fourth floor, it will sometimes go to the fifth floor instead, often attributed to the ghost of the young woman. NOTE: The OES research team has found no evidence that a murder has ever occurred at Denney Hall.

Drackett Hall – A ghost named Christopher haunts Drackett Hall. He is known to knock things off shelves, turn appliances on and off, and sometimes will appear and speak.

Hayes Hall – One of the oldest buildings on campus, this building originally housed the school’s military department. From 1916 to 1920 it was also used for student housing. During this time a couple of students had stayed out past curfew and could not get back into the building, despite all of their usual tricks. After a few minutes, a bearded man appeared in one of the doorways, identifying himself as the building’s curator, and let the boys inside. Later the two students spotted a portrait hanging in the hall of the man who had let them it. It was former President Rutherford B. Hayes, the building’s namesake, who had been dead for nearly 25 years.

Hopkins Hall – A girl was said to have been stuck in an elevator all night in this art building. She had a mental breakdown and wrote angry messages all over the elevator walls. She was killed in a car accident after she graduated. It is said that people sometimes find cryptic notes or scratching in the elevator.

Kuhn Honors & Scholars Center – The house once served as the university president’s residence from 1926 through the mid-1970s. The ghost of a maid haunts the house. She supposedly lost a child of her own or a child in her care. Staff have heard noises, screams, and moans, and have seen doors open and shut spontaneously. Several paranormal specialists have visited the building and reported paranormal activity on the third floor and near the front door.

Mirror Lake – Mrs. Clark, who swore never to leave Dr. Clark (see Pomerene Hall), died in the 1920s. Her ghost is said to haunt Mirror Lake and is often seen wearing a pink dress. A student who drowned in the lake back in the 1960s is also said to haunt the lake. Occasionally at night, there are sounds of water splashing and a man screaming, but no one is there.

Orton Hall – Being the oldest building on campus, this building is haunted by Edward Orton, OSU’s first president. Reports of seeing his lamp flickering at night in the tower, making chills in the air, and making noises are credited to his ghost. A prehistoric man is also said to haunt the hall and supposedly slams doors, bangs on things and makes weird noises.

Oxley Hall – Poltergeist-like activity, including lights flickering on and off and doors slamming and unlocking at random, were reported at Oxley hall, mostly during the 1930s-40s when the building was used as a women’s only dorm. The activity was so frequent that parents reportedly began forbidding their daughters from living there, so the building was shut down and later renovated, now housing the Department of Linguistics.

Pomerene Hall – A professor named Dr. Clark was depressed about a mining investment and committed suicide. His body was found where Pomerene Hall stands today. His ghost is said to slam doors and does other typical ghostly things. A second ghost known as the “Pink Party Girl” is said to manipulate computers, mostly hanging out in room 213. The ghost who some believe to be Mrs. Clark has been seen through the window of that room, looking over Mirror Lake.

Starling-Loving Hall – Starling-Loving Hall is one of the older buildings on campus and is part of the OSU medical school. It contains labs, classrooms, and a morgue. Ghosts are seen there frequently and voices can be heard in the hallways.

Thompson Library – The ghost of Olive Branch Jones, who worked in various libraries across the campus for 46 years, has been seen roaming the stacks of the basement where the special volumes she helped collect are stored.

Pleasant Township 

Kropp House – An abandoned home on Kropp Road is haunted by an unknown entity. Batteries drain quickly when inside the home and electronic equipment sometimes fails.

Reynoldsburg 

Roundelay Road Residence – The home is known for two spirits, former resident Bernice (Bea) and Nathan, a little boy who was killed by a speeding car in front of the house. Witnesses have reported seeing shadows and feeling unexplainable cold spots in the house. Some have reported feeling dizzy in certain spots. Others have heard voices when no one else was around.

Hannah Ashton Middle School – The school’s namesake, who devoted her life to teaching, is said to haunt the school. Some students have reported seeing a woman dressed in old-fashioned clothing and others have felt the coldness on their necks. (Credits: Geary Azbell)

St. Pius X School – The left stall in the men’s restroom is said to become very cold at times. There is also a feeling of being watched quite often.

Shadeville 

Chimney Ghost – A ghost of unknown origin was reported to have kicked down citizens’ chimneys in an 1881 newspaper article. There were no further details.

Route 23 Abandoned House – It was said that whoever lived in the house was savagely murdered by something unknown. After two people were found dead there in the 1960s, the house stayed empty until the late 1980s, when it was occupied by a cult. Flashing lights were seen coming from the house two years after and police allegedly found eight decapitated bodies. It was said that if one went to the site there would be eight ghosts carrying on conversations with one another. It was also said that the shadow of a body could be seen in a tree near the house. The home was demolished in 2011 to make way for the re-routed intersection of US 23, SR 317 and SR 665.

Westerville 

Cubbage Road – Along this road, ghosts are said to haunt a small house, a cemetery, and Hoover Dam. There are also said to be mysterious lights seen from across the dam. This has been investigated by The Ghosts of Ohio and no signs of such activity took place.

Hanby Arts Magnet School – This school is said to be haunted by two children in 1940s-style clothing who appear asking about a dance. Apparently, they have spoken to janitors, asking directions to the auditorium so they can make it to their dance.

Longfellow Elementary School – Built-in 1931, a woman wearing a long coat and high heels is said to haunt the school, the sound of her heels clicking across the floor. She has occasionally been seen standing at the top of the stairs.

Old Bag of Nails – A ghostly woman wearing a white shirt and long white skirt has been spotted by multiple witnesses on the third floor of the restaurant.

Otterbein Cemetery – Figures are known to pop up and vanish in the cemetery. There is also a house across the street from the cemetery that is haunted by the spirit of a grandmother. She is said to be a friendly ghost.

Red Bank Harbor – Witnesses have reported seeing a black coyote/dog-shaped figure creeping toward them while in the wooded area at night. The figure instantly vanished when a flashlight was shone at it.

Stoner House – Built circa 1852 by George Stoner, the home served as an inn, tavern, and spa by day…and as a hiding place for runaway slaves by night. Many shadow figures have been spotted walking across the second-floor porch area. Numerous EVPs were caught during a tour of the “hidden” room in the basement where runaway slaves hid while making their way to freedom. A woman was seen dressed in 1850s clothing, walking into an upstairs room before vanishing. A white light has been seen coming from the parking lot to the back door, then back out. This was captured in a sequence of photos. (Credits: Brenda Posani)

Whitehall 

Holy Spirit Church – The field next to the church was once an airfield. One summer in 1953, an airplane crashed and killed both pilots. It is said that if you go to the field at night, you can sometimes see or hear the ghostly airplane fly by.

The Villas at Eden of Whitehall – Formerly called English Village, this ranch-style duplex is said to be haunted by an unknown ghost or ghosts that like to tap on various objects. Doors slam shut without explanation, belongings go missing only to reappear in odd locations, and the feeling of an unseen person sitting on the edge of the bed have been reported. Related: Contribution

Whitehall-Yearling High School – The high school was supposedly haunted by the spirit of an old band or choir teacher. A strange red glow could sometimes be seen in the auditorium’s balcony. In the backstage area, slamming doors could be heard and there was a general uneasy feeling. The hallway next to the auditorium was particularly haunted. It was said you could hear the sound of a heartbeat when standing in the hallway. Another teacher who had died had a pet bird and it could sometimes be heard chirping. The school was demolished in 2012 and a new building was built on the same site. It is unknown if the hauntings carried over to the new high school. (Credits: Robert Ailing, Teng Maharath, and Amanda)

Worthington 

Worthington Inn – The inn is haunted by the former owner who still performs his closing ritual by walking through the kitchen and dining room, checking the cash register while smoking a cigar.

Back in the day…Pt. 2

Haunted History Columbus: The Old North Graveyard…Columbus, Ohio

October is almost over and I haven’t done one, single local ghost story. I’m slipping! I’m sorry y’all. Better late than never I guess. Maybe I’ll throw a story out there every now and then year round. So what better day to squeeze at least one story in the blog. I’m pretty sure you all are familiar with The North Market located between The Short North and Downtown Columbus. I don’t go to The North Market as much as I used to, but I still love to visit. I usually walk around at least twice before I finally decide what I want to eat and/or buy; if I didn’t go there for a specific reason. If you’ve been to The North Market or anywhere around that area…maybe somewhere on Front Street, maybe the Nationwide Arena, Bareburger, or even The Convention Center. If you’ve been to any of those places…well, just wait for it!

Soooooo…once upon a time; long, long ago…there was this graveyard. Not just any graveyard, but one of the first and at the time largest cemetery’s in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1813, land for the “The North Graveyard” was established. The location would fall in between Spruce, Wall, Front and High Streets. Vine Street didn’t exist at the time. So just picture it…located right on top of where The North Market and other surrounding stores, restaurants and other entertainment venues are currently located. Some of which I named in the previous paragraph. From the beginning, The North Graveyard was said to have been a restless place. Activity had always been detected there from both the living and the dead. It would become a popular place for grave diggers looking to see what types of treasures that they could find from the deceased. The North Graveyard was intentionally built to bury the bodies of casualties from the War of 1812. Later it would become the burial spot for the Ohio Penitentiary that was located right around the corner.  Due to the number of growing deaths at the time, mainly from cholera and other plague; The North Graveyard became home to large mass graves. This meant that you could have as many body’s in one hole as they could fit in there. This is where they would bury people who died from these diseases together in one gravesite. However, in the mid 1800’s there became high demand for other development in the area…including Goodale Park and Union Station. This would ultimately force the relocation of The North Graveyard and it’s “residents.”

In the 1870’s the newly created Green Lawn Cemetery would become home to most of the bodies from The North Graveyard. Most! At the time, all of the body relocations were thought to have been completed by the end of the 1880s. While development and building on the land that used to be home to The North, builders and workers found out the creepy way that there were still bodies buried in The North Graveyard, now known as The Old North Graveyard. This was at a time when all of the bodies were supposed to have been moved to other surrounding graveyards such as Greenlawn and Union cemeteries. To this day it’s believed that they’re still a lot of bodies buried under that entire area…possibly hundreds. The North Market is believed to have the most bodies still buried underground because that’s where most of the mass graves were supposedly located.

Many have said that they’ve encountered ghosts and strange activity at The North Market. Especially workers, guards and night crews in the area. People even claim to see apparitions of people dressed in clothes of the 1800’s era. One person reported that while their car was parked on Vine Street right next to The North Market, started shaking once they got in the car. There have been many other reported activities of strange behavior, border lining on paranormal behavior in that area. Grant it…it’s not surprising because that area, like most of the city, has so much rich history. Regardless if you believe in this type of thing or not…it’s still creepy to think that we could be constantly walking, driving, eating, clubbing, working and whatever else over a ton of dead bodies. I mean they’re already pissed for being buried that way with absolutely no respect, just tossed in a grave; but also for having their final resting place constantly disturbed. Hell…I’d be pissed too. So what do you think about all of this? I find it creepy and weird, but I’m sure it’s not uncommon at all. Who knows what’s under us?

The Original COSI

Here are a couple of videos that I found with a tour of the original COSI building and a look inside the first Wendy’s restaurant:

I posted this a couple of years ago when my page was up before. Seeing how my host “lost” all of my old posts…I’ll just put it up again (side-eye). One of my favorite places to go as a child was the Center of Science and Industry affectionately known to us as COSI. I’m not going to front…I still like to go, and don’t get me wrong, I like the new one but…nothing compares to the old one on E. Broad St. in the old Memorial Hall building. The memories of going on filed trips with my class or just going there on the weekend with my family…it was a good time. Certain areas did spook me out though…I’m not going to lie, but I’m a scary ass when it comes to old buildings and stuff…just sayin. My two favorite places to go inside of there was of course the planetarium and the ‘Town of Yester-Year.’ Remember the old movie theatre in there…I love stuff like that. The traveling exhibits that came were cool too. Jaws, the Alien from the movie, the Delorean from ‘Back to the Future’ and the dinosaurs. There were so many things to do there.

I worked at the new COSI part-time (for two weeks, no shade…it just wasn’t for me) back in 2007 in the security office. One day a security guard took us to the warehouse on the west side of town…not far from the new building where they keep the stuff from the old building. His ass told me to go get this box and bring it to him. So I go pick up the box, bring it to him and open it…inside of this damn box was one of the president’s head from that damn president exhibit. You know that shit freaked me out. After I got done cussing him out for setting me up…I was having a ball looking at all of that stuff. It definitely brought back a lot of memories. Some years back while being nosey online, I found this website that gives a virtual tour of the old COSI and makes you feel that you are back inside of the old COSI. I hope you enjoy…Old COSI

October: Haunted Columbus – Glen Echo Ravine and Walhalla Road

It’s called the “Gates of Hell” by some. Have you ever taken a ride down the street off the ravine? Have you ever ventured down in the ravine itself? Over the years there’s been some interesting things happening down and around the Glen Echo Ravine. Located off of Indianola Ave, just north of The Ohio State University in the Clintonville neighborhood; people have been visiting and investigating the ravine for years. To me, it’s always been a relaxing place to go and get away from the city, but you know that you’re still within the city. However, some people believe that the ravine hides a secret, hidden gateway and portal to hell; hence the name ” Gates of Hell.” Ghostly figures have been seen in the creek by numerous people. There’s a man who sits on the edge of the creek, then when you get closer to him he disappears. The ghost of gothic girl who hangs out on or near the park’s bridge at the center of the park. The ghost of a homeless man who froze to death has been seen around the drain tunnel that runs beneath the Indianola overpass. That’s just to name a few. So what else goes on down in this quiet ravine?

There’s another area in the park known as “Ten Pin.” It’s a set of ten concrete barriers installed in the creek to stop large objects from clogging the nearby tunnel. It’s said that the spirit of a witch who used to conduct ceremonies at that location supposedly haunts the area.

One of the most popular stories of the ravine is the murder/suicide of a family who lived there in the early 20th Century, A man living in a house overlooking the ravine went horribly insane and chopped his wife and children to death in their beds. He lived in the blood-splattered house alone with the corpses for several days until neighbors came by and found the gruesome scene. He then fled into the ravine and hung himself from a tree. His ghost has been spotted wandering the ravine with an ax. Perhaps seeking new victims?!?

Let’s get back to this “Gates of Hell.” Another story talks of a death in the tunnel itself. The concrete area near the Gates is popular with skateboarders. They call it “The Blood Bowl.” Allegedly, a few years back, a skater had the bright idea to skate the length of the tunnel in the dark. His friends waited and waited but he never made it to the other side. The skater was found dead part way through the tunnel, with his skull caved-in. He’s said to haunt the depths of the tunnel just trying to find a way out. However, there are no records verifying this incident. To most of us, just walking by the drain is just a drain, but on certain nights when the stars are right it’s believed that the gate opens up to hell. For moments at a time, creatures and things can pass between life here and beyond. This “gate” is said to have been opened by hippies in the seventies or devil-worshipping, heavy metal teens in the eighties.

In November 2001, a human head showed up in the ravine. A couple walking through the ravine during the day noticed what looked like a skull near the path through the ravine. At first, they thought it was a left over Halloween decoration. They then took a closer look at it and it was proved to be true. The police were called and an investigation began. The head was old and almost, completely in skeletal form. It still had hair, coiffed and held in place with a rusty metal hat.  An anthropologist from Ohio State was called in to analyze the head and determined the skull was female of late middle age. The skull seemed to have been buried and then exhumed. A search of Union Cemetery across the river discovered no disturbed graves. A review of historical maps showed no pioneer graves that might have been disturbed by erosion. Apparently, someone had exhumed a skull from a grave and deposited it in the ravine. Nothing more was ever determined.

Most of the time, the drain is just a drain but on certain nights when the stars are right, a gate opens there to realms beyond. For brief intervals, creatures and things can pass between realities. It’s said to have been opened by occult-dabbling hippies in the Seventies or devil-worshipping, heavy metal teens in the Eighties.

And lastly, what’s up with Walhalla Road? Located not too far from Glen Echo Ravine, but far enough to hold its own secrets. Walhalla Road is one of the most unusual roads in Columbus. It looks at first, especially if traveling at night that you are driving to nowhere; so that’s spooky enough for me. They’re a few legends that surround this road. One is Mooney’s Mansion where Mr. Mooney reportedly murdered his family. It’s also said that when you get closer to the mansion it’s gets colder and colder; even on a hot, humid summer’s night. Reports say that if you go under the Calumet Street bridge at night, you can see the reflection of the murder victims in the water to the right of the road. Also said to haunt the area around the bridge is the ghost of an Ohio State student who supposedly hanged herself from the bridge years ago. People while walking or driving under the bridge have seen her figure swinging from the bridge at night. The most mysterious story is of a woman’s statue (supposedly of Mrs. Mooney, not confirmed who it is) somewhere on the ridge that bleeds in places where she was axed to death. That would freak me out! There have been reports of ghostly dogs and vehicles chasing people away who stop along the road. Excuse me? Needless to say…I have no intention of traveling down Walhalla Road.

I post these stories and I really don’t know what to believe. I do however think they’re interesting. If any of my homies want to go investigate, let me know. Not saying that I’m going, but……..LOL!

October: Haunted Columbus – Dr. James Snook

If you think there’s scandal and mess going on today; this is nothing compared to what went on way back when. The ladies and gentlemen may have presented and carried themselves with class and dignity; they may have been dressed in suits and dresses that made them always look like they were about to attend a function…but there was plenty going on under the surface. A world of scandal, mayhem, lies, adultery and murder…to name a few. This particular story is about an extremely popular Professor at Ohio State, who was a distinguished member of the university community, turned murderer; Dr. James Howard Snook.

A 1908 graduate from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine and one of the founding fathers of the Alpha Chapter of Alpha Psi Fraternity’s where his name appears on the Charter. Snook was part of the United States pistol team who won an Olympic gold medal at the 1920 Olympic games in Antwerp, Belgium. After teaching at Cornell University, he returned home to Columbus where he became head of the Veterinary department as well as an equine surgeon. While building his reputation as one of the nation’s leading educators in Veterinary medicine, he invented the Snook Hook which is a medical device still in use in spaying procedures. He was also a husband and father to a young daughter. So as you can see; this was a very accomplished man. Even in his personal life, Dr. Snook earned a reputation as a taciturn, somewhat reclusive man. His colleagues later remarked that many didn’t really know him. He didn’t seem the kind of man to throw it all away for a woman half his age. So what happened?

Excerpts taken from OSU College of Veterinary Medicine website

In the summer of 1926, Dr. Snook met Theora Hix, a 21 year-old coed who was enrolled in Medical School and working for the College of Veterinary Medicine as a stenographer to earn her tuition and board at a dormitory at  OSU. One day she became stranded by one of Columbus’ frequent summer thunder storms. Theora and another secretary accepted a ride from Dr. Snook to their dorm rooms at Mack Hall. Not long after, Theora and Dr. Snook began a steamy affair, which was a most poorly-hidden secret among the small, close-knit community of the Veterinary College. The Dean of the College later testified that Dr. Snook’s work began to take a turn for the worse as he apparently became increasingly distracted by Theora.

By early 1929, the lovers had rented a little lovenest (in Snook’s real name) on Hubbard Avenue. Even in this endeavor, Dr. Snook demonstrated his frugal nature by insisting on a less comfortable room because it cost a dollar less per week. Theora and Dr. Snook enjoyed taking long car rides in his Ford coupe and went pistol shooting. Snook had given Theora a pistol three years earlier when she told him that she was awakened one night by an intruder in her first-floor dorm room. As to the events of June 13, 1929, we have only Dr. Snook’s account, as there were no other surviving witnesses.

On that evening, Dr. Snook had picked up Theora, taken her by the Hubbard Avenue room, then to the Scioto Country Club to retrieve his shooting glasses and finally to a rifle range a short distance away. He testified that she had been very angry about his plans to take his family to visit his mother in South Lebanon, Ohio. He states she was so angry that she allegedly threatened to not only kill Dr. Snook but to kill his wife and daughter as well. She suddenly reached for something in her purse as she stepped out of the car.

Dr. Snook reportedly startled by her sudden motion and frightened that she was reaching into her purse for the little Remington derringer he had given her, reached out for the first object he could find to defend himself a ball peen hammer. He hit Theora’s in the head with it. She struggled to get away (Snook later testified that he thought she was leaving to kill his wife and daughter), but Snook struck her again and again with the flat of the hammer as she reportedly cursed him. Finally, Dr. Snook struck her with a stunning blow, and she fell semiconscious at his feet. “She was moaning. I didn’t want to see her suffer.” Snook later testified. To ease her suffering, Dr. Snook withdrew the small pocket knife pictured above from his pants, opened it, and reached over and cut her jugular vein. After a few more movements, her struggling ceased.

Dr. Snook, apparently in shock at what he’d done, left a broad trail of evidence leading toward himself, including tire tracks matching his car, blood stains matching Theora’s type in his car, more blood on his clothing, and Theora’s broken keychain and keys left at the murder scene which led police to her safe deposit box and bank accounts. These contained more money than Snook’s yearly salary convincing the police that she had a generous boyfriend. The police’s suspicions were proved right when the landlady from the Hubbard Avenue lovenest identified a photo of Theora as “Mrs. Snook”. Perhaps most damning was a hat, exactly matching one her friends testified that Theora had worn her last night alive, which was found inside Snook’s Hubbard Avenue room.

Snook was arrested on suspicion and later interrogated when he eventually confessed to accidentally harming Theora and then taking her out of her misery so she wouldn’t suffer. The trial began on July 24, 1929. At the time, this had been called Columbus’ own “Trail of the Century.” For weeks, it dominated the local press, and national news services sent reporters to the Franklin County Courthouse to cover the sensational trial. The verdict, however, was never really in doubt. After deliberating for only 28 minutes, Snook’s jury convicted him of the murder. Judge Henry L. Scarlett sentenced Snook to die in the State’s electric chair at the Ohio Penitentiary.

Snook was executed on February 28, 1930. The family had a quiet, pre-dawn service by Reverend Isaac Miller of the King Avenue Methodist Church and was laid to rest in his nearly-unmarked grave in Greenlawn Cemetery. For years no one could locate his grave because he was never buried under his last name. The grave markers of those who are executed are usually buried in great secrecy.  And some say he walks the grounds at night, distinctive in his fedora and glasses, perhaps remorseful for the disgraceful turn his promising life took in its final years, maybe thinking about all he lost by pursuing one of his students. Ghost hunters have claimed to have spoke with Dr. Snook via EVP voice boxes and he’s always crying while trying to communicate. Is he sorry for the murder, for destroying his family or is it from getting caught? Most psychopaths are usually devastated and remorseful in their own selfishness from getting caught for what they did…especially when they blame someone else for it and still have to pay for what they did. 

October: Haunted Columbus – Schools

These are sightings and activities from schools around the city (except Ohio State, that’s another post).

Capital University –  Kerns Religious Life Center – Witnesses have felt extreme cold, an instant feeling of sadness and have difficulty breathing in the basement of the building, which is the oldest building on campus. Maintenance workers who turn off the light in the tower have reported the light coming back on before they even reach the bottom of the staircase. Science Building – The ghost of a former biology professor is said to roam the halls of the science building. The ghost appears to be in his sixties as he walks through the labs in a white lab coat, carrying a beaker and apothecary bottle. He also puts away various glassware and models used in labs when the students are finished with them. Animals have mysteriously been released from their cages and microscopes have flown across the room, breaking on the walls.

Beck Elementary – Built in 1884 on the site of the old Franklin County Poorhouse, the school and surrounding homes are said to be haunted by the indigents who once lived there. Mysterious footsteps have been heard in the school and in some surrounding homes. In the 1960s, a ball and chain left over from the poorhouse days was unearthed from the school’s parking lot. One home in the area even has cells from the poorhouse in its basement.

Briggs High School – Teachers claim to hear strange noises coming from the music room at the school. Apparitions have been seen walking through the halls after hours and a bright white light has been seen. Desks in the classrooms occasionally move without explanation. The ghost of a girl who was killed after being hit by a car is sometimes seen as well.

Buckeye Middle School – It is said that a janitor who used to work at the school was decapitated in a motorcycle accident. Now his headless ghost reportedly haunts the school. Students and teachers have seen shadowy figures in the auditorium and have spotted the ghostly janitor in the hallways.

Columbus Department of Health – (It’s not a school anymore but at one point it was.) Originally the Columbus School for the Blind and later the headquarters for the Ohio State Highway Patrol, this old building at 240 Parsons Avenue is reportedly haunted. Convict labor was used to build the place and it is said that five or six inmates died during its construction due to the lack of safety protocols. The building was completed in 1873 and originally had towers, but they are no longer there. The sound of loud footsteps walking the halls, slamming doors and loud sounds like a large pipe falling on a cement floor were heard when no one else was around. Ghostly voices and apparition sightings take place on the upper floors and in front of the building. One security guard reported seeing a little boy out of the corner of his eye while patrolling the boys dormitory, the northern brick building, and changed the way he did his rounds because of this. Another guard was seated at his desk when a figure appeared at the end of the hall and waved before going out the door. Not knowing who the person was, and it being 3:00 AM, he ran to the door and looked out over the yard and no one was there.

Columbus State Community College – Ghosts are believed to haunt this relatively new college, likely because the school is built directly on top of the old Catholic graveyard. The spirits harass workers and police officers on the campus at night. Some janitors have quit their jobs because of the haunting activity. Some security and police personnel refuse to patrol certain places alone.

Fort Hayes – Now an alternative school for the Columbus City Schools, Fort Hayes was once a very active military post. Its most well-known ghost is a soldier who was killed by an overheated cannon that was being fired in 1865 for Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train when it passed through Columbus. The soldier’s commander supposedly knew the cannon would overheat and wanted him to die because the soldier was in love with his daughter. Another ghost that haunts the fort appears in a World War II uniform, often near the drill hall. One eyewitness who was wandering around on the top floor of the shot tower heard a loud boom. He turned around to look down and saw a soldier in old clothes run across the floor with a rifle. He went downstairs to see what was happening and nothing was there. He asked a fellow student about it and only received odd looks. Some students report that they cannot go to the top floor of the shot tower due to sheer fear of what may be lurking there. Soldiers have been seen eating at the old mess hall on foggy mornings and fading out of sight in the field across from the building. The old hospital building is said to be haunted by many spirits. Witnesses have reported hearing cries of the dying and injured, and have seen ghostly figures wearing old nurse and military uniforms. Lockers open and close when the halls are empty in the school’s newer buildings. Students report the feeling as if they are being followed while walking down the hallways and footsteps are often heard on the stairwells at odd times.

Georgian Heights Alternative Elementary School – The woods behind the school are said to be haunted by the ghost of a boy named Nick. He was supposedly a former student of the school who died in 1965 from brain cancer. Children at the school sometimes see his apparition at the edge of the woods. Students have also reported seeing a ghostly girl in the restroom next to the library who asks for help. Some have even reported being scratched by something unseen. Room 21 and the library are said to be haunted as well.

Marion-Franklin High School – There is supposedly a tunnel that connects the high school to a nearby middle school. It is said that back in the 1950s/60s, some students found their way into the tunnel. One of them fell into a service fan and was cut to death. the spirit of the student is supposed to walk the halls of the school. Students have been to the supposed entrance to the tunnel, which is now blocked by a metal fence with a chain and padlock. There is a mirror located in the hallway near the science wing. Students and teachers have reported seeing someone walking up behind them in the mirror and upon turning to see who it is, there is no one there. Male students have reported seeing shadows darting around in the guy’s locker room.

Starling Middle School – The feeling of a ghostly presence sometimes follows people going up and down the stairs. A white ball of light is sometimes seen in the windows.

Stewart Elementary School – the school is supposedly haunted by a child who died after falling from the large winding staircase in front of the building. In classrooms, the blinds would fly up for no reason and there was always a feeling of general uneasiness.

West High School – The ghost of a girl who was killed when hit by a car in the 1950s can sometimes be seen wandering the halls or standing next to her old locker. At least two eyewitnesses reported seeing a white figure being chased by a black figure down a staircase, across an eight foot hallway, and through the wall leading to the ROTC room.

Gahanna-Lincoln High School – A ghostly blonde boy wearing a basketball practice uniform has been seen between the gym and theater. According to legend, this was the area where cuts were made after basketball tryouts. WHen the blonde boy was cut from the team, it is said that he hanged himself from the backboard. After basketball games where the home team loses, when the lights are turned out, a basketball can be heard dribbling and occasionally the backboard on the west end of the gym vibrates as if a score had been made. A little girl is said to haunt the girls’ locker room. She has been spotted wearing a gray dress and has long black hair. Many students and staff members are both terrified and fascinated with the basement of the school. It is said a boy somehow drowned in the pool due to lack of supervision. The pool was shut down and it has been closed for over fifty years. Witnesses have seen the boy standing behind the padlocked gate and a janitor once heard someone splashing and calling for help from the pool. People have heard tons of legends, hauntings and stories. Mostly it’s the two that you already have on the page, but there is one more that is a lot more commonly talked about among the students. For as long as I can remember, people have been terrified yet fascinated with the basement of our school. Rumor has it that a boy somehow drowned in the pool, due to the lack of surveillance. Now, no one is allowed in the basement except office workers (I am one). I’ve seen the pool and it’s completely blocked off with a padlock and everything. It was easily the eeriest thing I have ever seen in my life. It was also pretty obvious that it hasn’t been used in a LONG time. I know three adults who graduated from Lincoln, who have all admitted to seeing/hearing something during their time here. One was down in the basement for a tornado drill and saw a boy behind the gate, told a teacher that someone had gotten past it, and then there was no one there. Another was an office worker, who had to deliver a pass to B building. When he walked past the basement door, it was unlocked and slightly open. Turns out, none of the custodians or anyone allowed down there, was working that day. It was sealed shut when he passed it again. The final one was the janitor himself, who was alone in the basement a couple of months ago. He ran upstairs and into the office to get the teacher I was working for. When she asked him what was so urgent, he said that he heard someone splashing and calling for help from the pool, and that he needed the key to the padlock instantly. I will never forget how white he turned when she said, “But Jim, that pool’s been drained for 50 years. The water pipes don’t even work anymore.

Hilliard Davidson High School – The distinctive smell of pipe tobacco can sometimes be smelled in the classroom of a former teacher who died suddenly of a heart attack. He was an avid pipe smoker. The auditorium is also said to be haunted. Fergus, the oldest son of the man who once owned the land where the school now stands, wanted to be an actor his entire life. His father did not agree with this and wanted Fergus to inherit the land to farm. After running away to New York and being brought back by detectives his father hired, Fergus knew he’d never make it to the stage and took his own life. Footsteps can be heard on the stage and electronic equipment malfunctions. These ghostly occurrences are credited to Fergus, who many believe finally made it on stage.

Hannah Ashton Middle School (Reynoldsburg) – The school’s namesake, who devoted her life to teaching, is said to haunt the school. Some students have reported seeing a woman dressed in old-fashioned clothing and others have felt coldness on their necks.

St. Pius X School (Reynoldsburg)– The left stall in the men’s restroom is said to become very cold at times. There is also a feeling of being watched quite often.

Hanby Arts Magnet School – This school is said to be haunted by two children in 1940s-style clothing who appear asking about a dance. Apparently they have spoken to janitors, asking directions to the auditorium so they can make it to their dance.

Longfellow Elementary School – Built in 1931, a woman wearing a long coat and high heels is said to haunt the school, the sound of her heels clicking across the floor. She has occasionally been seen standing at the top of the stairs.

Whitehall-Yearling High School – The high school was supposedly haunted by the spirit of an old band or choir teacher. A strange red glow could sometimes be seen in the auditorium’s balcony. In the backstage area, slamming doors could be heard and there was a general uneasy feeling. The hallway next to the auditorium was particularly haunted. It was said you could hear the sound of a heartbeat when standing in the hallway. Another teacher who had died had a pet bird and it could sometimes be heard chirping. The school was demolished in 2012 and a new building was built on the same site. It is unknown if the hauntings carried over to the new high school.

October: Haunted Columbus – Jeffrey Dahmer

How many knew that serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer attended The Ohio State University for a very short period of time? I first heard about this in the late 90’s, just a few years after his death while I was a student there. A guy in one of my classes stayed in Morrill Tower on the same floor where it had been rumored that Dahmer stayed and he said he would hear some noises at night. All of these years after his death in 1994 it’s believed that he’s still hanging around his old dorm room. My question is…Of all places, why would he choose to stay there? He didn’t like being a student, he wasn’t there long at all and it appears he didn’t make many acquaintances at O State; but he made a few enemies (his roommates). By the time he enrolled at Ohio State at 18 years old, he had already murdered one man (that he admitted to) but no one knew this until years later. Here are a couple of stories from two separate publications.

Originally published on University District History

Yes, the rumors you’ve heard are true. Notorious Milwaukee serial killer, necrophiliac, cannibal, and amateur taxidermist Jeffrey Dahmer did attend Ohio State University—albeit only briefly.

It was the fall of 1978, the high water mark of the Seventies. Jimmy Carter was president but disco was king. The kids were wearing long, poorly groomed hair, bell bottom jeans and tight rayon shirts with big collars and loud prints. People actually wore polyester without shame or self-consciousness. Customized vans and Chevy Novas with tanks full of cheap leaded gas rumbled down the road blaring Billy Joel, The Commodores, Chicago, and The Bee Gees on their eight-track players. Everybody was laughing along to the antics of “Samurai Optometrist” and the “Wild and Crazy Guys” on Saturday Night Live. Grease was the hot movie.

Meanwhile, Dahmer, just weeks out of high school, had already claimed his first victim.

At the time, the future cannibal was living alone in his father’s house near the well-to-do Cleveland bedroom community of Bath, Ohio. His parents were going through a nasty divorce and neither was living in the family home at the time.

On June 18th, Jeffrey Dahmer had gone out driving and picked up teenage hitchhiker Steven Hicks. Hicks was trying to make his way to a concert at Cleveland’s Blossom Music Center. He was shirtless and Dahmer liked the look of his bare torso. The two bought some beers, went back to Dahmer’s home, and drank them. When Hicks tried to take Dahmer up on his offer to give him a ride to his girlfriend’s, Dahmer produced a barbell and beat him to death.

For a motive, Dahmer could only offer that he hadn’t wanted Hicks to leave. Others have speculated that Hicks spurned Dahmer’s sexual advances and Dahmer murdered him for that reason.

Whatever the reason, the novice killer carefully cleaned up the splattered blood and brains of his victim and hid the body in the crawl space beneath the house until he had an opportunity to dismember it, stuff the parts in plastic bags, and bury them individually in scattered graves in the woods surrounding his home. About a year later, Dahmer dug up the scattered pieces, now denuded of flesh, and used a sledgehammer to smash all the bones to tiny pieces which he scattered in the woods.

Other than becoming a murderer, Dahmer at 18 wasn’t doing much. He was passive, directionless, and detached from the world around him. He seemed to have no goals or ambition. He didn’t want anything, want to be anything, or much care what became of him. He was content to just sit around the house, drinking beer, smoking the occasional reefer, and watching television all day, rarely saying anything more than “Yes” or “No” to anybody and then only when questioned directly.

Unsatisfied with the direction their son’s young life was taking, the Dahmers enrolled their son at Ohio State University for Fall Quarter 1978. Ohio State had open admissions back then. If you were an Ohio resident and could graduate from high school with decent grades, you could get in. The Dahmers hoped that college might ignite a spark in the boy and get him back on the road to a decent life.

In September, his father and stepmother moved him into a room in Morrill Tower. His room was 540 or 541, a quad he shared with three other roommates. Dahmer had his own bedroom but shared a living room and bath with his roommates. He decorated his tiny room with a snake-skin, pictures of his dog, and row upon on row of emptied beer, wine, and liquor bottles.

College was his parents’ idea—not his—and Dahmer showed little enthusiasm for it. He quickly fell into a routine of walking up to the South High Street bars and carry-outs in the late afternoon, getting stupid drunk, staggering back to his dorm in the wee hours of the morning, collapsing in his bed, and sleeping till the next afternoon when he rose to do it all over again. If it wasn’t too inconvenient, he occasionally stopped by a class or two. Supposedly, on those occasions when he did report to class, he would sneak in liquor in a soda can and get drunk during the lecture.

When questioned thirteen years later, Dahmer’s roommates barely remembered him and what they did remember was unfavorable. He was no more involved or connected with life at college than he’d been with life at home. He was a loner. He drank, he slept. He said no more to anyone than was absolutely necessary. He made no friends. Even Dahmer’s fellow students, inured to the heavy drinking that is the social scene at most colleges, whispered to one another that their sullen, solitary roomy was clearly an alcoholic.

His roommates took an instant dislike to him. Tensions grew. They complained to the resident advisor and were told to work it out amongst themselves. The roommate with the strongest objections to Dahmer moved to another suite when there was a vacancy. They also recalled that he was a suspect in some thefts in the dorm. He was detained and questioned by campus police in November 1978 about the theft of a radio, watch, and $100 cash from the room during a party but no charges were ever filed.

As the quarter progressed and the weather turned colder and wetter, Dahmer became less willing to go out. He took to buying cases of beer and bottles of wine and whiskey and consuming them alone in his dorm room bunk until he passed out.

Drinking wasn’t cheap and Dahmer quickly ran through the money his father sent him to live on.

To make ends meet, the future serial killer sold plasma and blood at a South Campus blood bank for $10 a pop. Young Dahmer became such a frequent visitor that his name was put on a list with hard-core junkies and winos whose visits were restricted for their health’s sake. Too frequent plasma donations probably didn’t make it any easier for him to wake up and attend his morning classes.

By December, when the quarter ended, Dahmer had failed almost every one of his courses. In Introduction to Anthropology, Classical Civilization, and Administrative Science he received failing grades or incompletes. In Riflery, the only course he managed to attend with any regularity, he pulled a B-. His overall GPA was an appalling 0.45. The university initiated moves to expel him.

When Dahmer returned home to Bath, he made lame excuses for his performance. He couldn’t manage to wake up in the mornings to attend classes, he told his dad. His angry father wasn’t buying the excuses and gave him an ultimatum: get a job or join the Army. Dahmer seemed relieved not to be heading back to college but he made no move to get a job.

When his father dropped him off at an Ohio Bureau of Employment Services office in a nearby mall, he instead found his way to a bar and ended up getting arrested on drunk and disorderly charges. Disgusted, his father drove him to the local recruiting station and enlisted him in the Army. So ended Jeffrey Dahmer’s time at Ohio State.

According to his 1991 confession, Dahmer killed no one during his quarter at Ohio State. Pretty much all he did was drink himself into a stupor. In fact nearly a decade would pass between his first murder and the beginning of the series of sixteen murders for which he is notorious.

Just to be sure though, Columbus and Central Ohio police checked over their case files for the period but found no unsolved late 1978 cases in which Dahmer could have been involved. They wondered if he might have been involved in an unsolved 1986 sexual mutilation killing near campus, possibly on a return visit to Columbus,  but it turned out that Dahmer was nowhere near the area at the time. The campus legend that Dahmer used Mirror Lake as a body dump is untrue.

Still, when you’re on campus, it’s pretty creepy to think you might be walking the same sidewalks, sitting in the same classroom, or even sleeping in the same dorm room that was once occupied by a human monster. Also makes you a little uneasy about your fellow students. Dahmer didn’t look that abnormal after all. His dormmates knew they were rooming with a drunk but none of them guessed he was also a killer.

Here’s another story published on Ohio State’s The Lantern

Stories about haunted buildings along the Oval, such as Bricker and Orton halls, have become a beloved part of Ohio State lore. However, many younger generations of Buckeyes have grown more familiar with a different ghost story.

“I had more nightmares while living in Morrill (Tower) than I have experienced at any other point in my life,” second-year in exploration Trevor Thompkins said. “One night, I woke up and nearly yelled out because I thought someone was staring at me from my closet and was moving towards me.”

Thompkins lived in Morrill Tower as a first-year and, like many of his former suitemates, has his own version of the tower’s ghost story. Thompkins said it is rumored Jeffrey Dahmer, an infamous American serial killer, lived in room 541.

“I lived in 541. Of course I found this out after I moved in,” Thompkins said. “It was bizarre.”

It is rumored Dahmer lived in Morrill Tower for a short time before dropping out of school and joining the army. A representative at the University Registrar confirmed Dahmer did in fact attend OSU, but could not give out any information regarding his residence while here.

Many residents of Morrill Tower have heard different versions of the tale.

“I heard that some murderer died on the 13th floor and that now he haunts it,” second-year in biology Samantha Michalski said.

Michalski also spent her freshman year in Morrill Tower playing the game of ghost story telephone with previous tenants.

“The first time I heard it was from my dad, after he went on a tour with my older sister,” Michalski said. “Before I actually moved into Morrill Tower, I was told they shut down the 13th floor because it was so creepy to live on.”

The 13th floor of Morrill Tower is open.

Graphic novelist John Backderf, who writes under the pseudonym Derf Backderf, released the book “My Friend Dahmer,” which chronicles the life of his high school friend Dahmer. Backderf discusses Dahmer’s short time in Morrill Tower while at OSU on the blog for his graphic novel, myfrienddahmer.com.

Some students, including third-year in marketing major Lydia Backscheider, use websites such as Backderf’s blog as the source of inspiration for their haunted heralds.

Backscheider and her suitemates in Morrill Tower performed a séance during the final week of her freshman year.

“We started thinking about all the people who had lived in this room, began searching Jeffrey Dahmer, found sources on the Internet who confirmed that he lived there and just got carried away,” Backscheider said.

Backscheider said her suitemates dressed in crazy outfits, lit candles and were led through the séance by an app Backscheider purchased, Ghost Seance, which instructs users on summoning spirits.

“The whole building is just so creepy being so large and industrial,” Backscheider said. “When everyone had moved their stuff out, it looked a lot like an old insane asylum.”

Thompkins also said the dark, stuffy atmosphere of Morrill Tower could be a major factor in students thinking it is haunted.

“With a building so big that has housed so many people over the years, it’s not hard to believe that people would spread stories of weird things that have happened there,” Thompkins said.

October: Haunted Columbus – Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus

In the spirit of October, Halloween and all of that (I may continue it after) I will highlight some haunted places around the city. Many of these places we all have been to or even frequent on a daily basis. One thing about being a history nerd is that while researching you uncover things that you may not have expected to find. The following story is about Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus (located at 161 N. High Street). I’ve been to the Elevator quite a few times and it’s a beautiful restaurant with great atmosphere, food and drinks. It‘s home to twelve handcrafted brews, two billiard tables from the 1800s, an excellent dining menu, and at least two legends. Whether if we want to admit it or not some of us…if not all like a little scandal in our stories.

MURDER: Originally called Bott Brothers Buffet and Billiards, and later known as The Clock, the restaurant’s primary feature had always been the large clock in front of the building. For years it was stopped at 10:05 before being replaced. The clock’s stoppage was linked to a cold February night in 1909. Colonel Randolph Pritchard was an infamous womanizer who frequented the saloon. On that stormy night, Pritchard was called out to the street by a woman and was stabbed. Pritchard stumbled into the bar and died, bleeding on the mosaic floor. When people went outside to see who had killed him, they found only a woman’s bare footprints in the snow, running away from the building. The clock outside the saloon stopped at 10:05, the exact moment of the colonel’s death. Prichard’s ghost now roams the restaurant and is seen every now and then. His killer s said to haunt the building as well, as it is believed that she froze to death in the coldness of the night. It is also said that barefoot footprints mysteriously appear in fresh snow when no one has yet walked that path. Some have even claimed to see the footprints appear before their eyes.

Manager Jeff Setser says that, according to legend, on the anniversary of the murder you’ll be able to see the footprints if it’s a snowy day. Day bartender Rita Runyon says, “There’s definitely something here.” Occasionally, when she’s setting up in the morning, chairs will move or bar stools will nearly spin around by themselves. One night, when only Setser and a bartender remained in the building, Setser was walking through the dark kitchen when he saw a “white presence that made me turn abruptly.” He says he felt the hair on the back of his neck raise, and the presence disappeared. He walked up to the front of the restaurant to talk to the bartender. “Before I could say anything, he said, ‘The weirdest thing just happened. The hair on the back of my neck just raised, and I just felt this weird presence,’ ” Setser says.

The clock stood for many years, stopped at 10:05 (the exact time of Pritchard’s murder)…or at least until it was removed and replaced. The clock has since been repaired. Mysterious footprints have appeared in fresh snow where no one had yet walked. There have been several witnesses who have claimed to see the footprints appear right before their eyes.

The truth to the story remains elusive: No death certificate for Pritchard is shown on record in 1909, and a scan of microfiche of the February 1909 Columbus Dispatch turned up nothing. Either way, you’re bound to see snowy footprints on High Street in February—just check to see if they’re those of womanly bare feet.

LEGEND: The lesser-known legend of Elevator Brewery involved the tunnel system that runs beneath Columbus. Numerous reports state the Bott Brothers had access to these tunnels in their basement. Explorers have been unable to gain access to the basement to investigate these tunnels. There appeared to be three separate doorways that could have led into the tunnel system at one time, but they had all been cemented over. The tunnel system was used back in the day to transports goods (usually illegal) from business to business. 

Aside from all of the drama…such as a possible murder and illegal transit into and out of the building; this is a pretty cool restaurant to dine in or just to hang out. The prices are pretty reasonable for a spot downtown. If you haven’t been, check it out.

Sources:

1. Columbus Monthly, October 2009
2. Ohio Exploration