On a cold winter day, I headed to the Akron Christkindle Market with my German class. During my free time I stopped to take some pics of the civic theater.

One of the stories of the civic theater is that a janitor, named Fred, haunts the theater.

He died on the premises, but still tends to his duties, usually keeping vandals at distance.

Several people have even reported being attacked by Fred after they attempted to vandalize.

Another story is that a ghostly crying woman is sometimes seen along the canal that runs underneath the theater.

Sources and Related Links

• Dead Ohio: Akron Civic Theatre
• Forgotten Ohio: Akron Civic Theatre
• Ohio Exploration Society: Summit County Hauntings & Legends

Hidden places are not only prime places for murder to take place, but also for the spirits that come from such horrifying experiences.

This small peaceful place is just one example.

About 20 years ago, a young adolescent girl was found strangled here. The the caution tape and police have left, but her spirit is said to be found roaming these woods near the falls.

Many people believe the strange blue orbs captured during daytime hours along the creek are her wandering spirit.

I have never seen any orbs in pictures of the falls, but if you have one please send it to me!

Sources and Related Links

• Haunted Cuyahoga: Blue Hen Falls
• Pictures submitted by Bob Borgen

When you pull up the narrow stone driveway, you are greeted by huge red abandoned barn. After a turn to the left is the parking lot, and just after that is where the house was. The house was demolished in 2002. At night, this places is dark and spooky, little noise and little light.

Today, the barn is the only thing still standing. It was resided the 2003, a year after the house was demolished. The barn door is currently padlocked and it’s being used as a storage space for the Metro Parks. Around the back of the barn there is a cement bin like thing. I think it’s used for farming, but I sadly didn’t get a picture of it.

Some information on the house from Ohio Tresspassers:

The farm house is a Western Reserve farmhouse, circa 1820-1850. Records indicate that J. Hart owned the property as early as 1874. After that, it’s recorded that Emma L. Martin owned the estate in 1910, from 1942-1967 E. Reginald & Rhea Adam owned the land. The house served as their summer retreat for many years. They donated the house & 162 acres of ravines and hilltop farmland to the Metro Parks in 1967.

The story behind the barn and farm house is that a family who lived in the house was murdered. Who murdered them you ask? Well, there are a two different versions. One version is that the father of this family came home with an ax and killed his wife, daughter and son, then he proceeded to the barn where he slaughtered the horses and hung himself. Another version is that the farmer was thrown from his horse and then he killed the horse, his family, and then hung him self in the barn. People claim to have heard a woman crying from the house at night. Others have seen the shadow of a man walking from the house to the barn carrying an ax. People have also claimed to have seen lights coming from the barn, and heard the sounds of horses. However, no one really knows if this family has ever existed.

There is one story that says that the family was brutally murdered by a satanic cult.  Another variation is that the farmer was involved with the satanic cult.

It is also believed that the hill is actually part of a Native American burial mound, which is certainly not surprising in this area.  In fact, some believe that the Black Figure is not the ghost of the murderous farmer at all, but that of a Native American wraith who guards the place and chases off others who do not belong there.

Sources and Related Links

• Haunted Cuyahoga: Top O’ World
• Dead Ohio: Top O’ The World
• Ohio Trespassers: world

Alexander’s Mill mill has been in operation for over a century. The mill was originally built as a flour mill by James Alexander in 1855. It was powered by waste water diverted around the canal lock.

Its original owner is now buried at Northfield-Macedonia Cemetery.

Alexander has a difficult time trusting his descendants with the family business.

According to several sources he still wanders the mill and is keeping watch over its workers. He makes sure the business is run according to his high standards.

The mill’s wooden water wheel was replaced by a water turbine in the late 1800′s and remained in use until the 1970′s. Now just the metal part of the wheel is there.

I would love to see a picture of the water wheel in operation, if you have one please send it to me!

The mill is now a grain and feed store, but the original the original building remains much as it has been, aside from the water wheel.

When I went there, it was after a 2.5 mile walk from Crazy Man’s Hollow and the store was closed and I was unable to see inside. I might try to go back when I get some pictures of the canal lock farther up the canal.

Oh, and don’t forgot to check out Alexander Lock #37 on the Ohio & Erie Canal section of the site.

Sources and Related Links

• Haunted Cuyahoga: Alexander’s Mill

The house was built between 1825 and 1827 by Stephen and Mehitable Frazee. The build their lonely house on a hill that overlooks the old canal. Two bricks on the house still bare their hand-engraved initials.

It has was rumored to have been a tavern, but no evidence has been found to support it. It also may have served as a makeshift jail while the canal was under construction.

John Hynton purchased the house in 1863 for himself and his new wife, Elizabeth. Two years later Hynton passed away and he is buried at Tinkers Creek Cemetery. The last owners of the home were the Foote family, it was then purchased by the National Park Services in the 1970s. In the house was never updated with indoor plumbing and electricity.

As you can see the wall is bowing out and the house had a bar going through it.  I guess it is holding the house together.

Several paranormal legends are attached to this house. Stephen Frazee is believed to haunt the building and also one of the Frazee’s children who possibly passed away at a young age. There is also a story of a lynching on the property, when a canal digger was hung for his crimes.

Sources and Related Links

• Haunted Cuyahoga: Frazee-Hynton House

Love can transcend all logic and science. Sometimes love can even survive death.

A local legend talks about a Civil War soldier and his fiancee wandering opposite sides of the canal along Canal Road forever trying to reunite.

He left for battle and never returned alive.

Toady their spirits seek out the love they once shared by haunting canal road for one final hug!

Check out this forum post about someone witnessing something on the towapath while driving down canal road.

Sources and Related Links

• Haunted Cuyahoga: The Lost Lovers of Canal Road
• Moonspenders Forums: Canal road and surroundings

The Eiffel Tower is haunted by a ghost named Johnny. He is often referred to as Tower Johnny and unexplained occurrences around the park are sometimes attributed to him.

Johnny was a high school senior who fell to his death on Grad Night. The date of this was May 13, 1983, which was of course FRIDAY THE 13! The day really is cursed!

Well, he climbed the fencing around the elevator shaft, on the 50-foot platform.

Legend says that he was cut in half by the cables, and that the cables are located in a pile behind the Beast. But, the cables are really suspension cables used on the double helix at the end of the coaster.

Used under a Creative Commons License from scott69 on Flickr

Look at the upper right of the picture, notice the cables on the helix.

Sources and Related Links

• Kings Island: Official Website
• Forgotten Ohio: Kings Island Hauntings
• Scary for Kids: Kings Island | Paramount Ohio
• Kings Island Central Forums: Tower Johnny?

This normal segment of tracks between Peninsula and the canal holds a secret still not known.

The ghostly appearance of a young man can be felt and heard pounding on the tracks in the narrow cut through the hill.

Above are some pictures of the sides of the tracks.

Whether he was a worker or hobo is still unknown. He pleads out to the living, maybe because he is hoping for them to stay and listen to him. Who knows?!?

EVPs

There is really nothing in this EVP. We were trying to do like another website were someone hummed and the railroad phantom sang along.

In this one, if you listen to the end it sounds like someone is hammering. The ghost is said to sometimes pound on the tracks.

Sources and Related Links

• Haunted Cuyahoga: Peninsula’s Railroad Phantom

The area currently known as “Beaver Marsh” was once owned by Charles Carter and his family. Cater was the son of a canal boat captain and he spent most of his life working on the canal. This is why he built his house at the nearby Pancake Lock.

His son, Darwin, built a house just to the north of the homestead, and helped his father after we went blind.

Above is a picture of one of the strange blue lights that people see!

Orb Chart from Moonspenders

When the canal was phased out and the family then opened a dairy farm on the property. Charles prayed for a rebirth of the canal, hoping to work on the boats once more, but his hopes were washed away with the flood of 1913. The flood destroyed the canal beyond repair. He then passed away the same year.

Both of the Carter homes have been demolished, the cow pastures became a junk yard until the site was cleaned up by the National Park Service. It was turned into a marsh once beavers were re-introduced into the region.

Many visitors have reported strange blue lights between the lock and the marsh, as well as footsteps along the boardwalk which stretched across the marsh.

Also, a shadowy figure wearing overalls has been seen running down the towpath. The towpath was once the Carter family driveway.

The above picture came our really weird. If you look at the left side it kind of looks like a person! Maybe it’s just me, I don’t know!

Today, it is believed that the spirit of Charles Carter is responsible for the activity. He must still waiting to see the canal restored to its former glory.

Sources and Related Links

• Haunted Cuyahoga: Beaver Marsh
• Ohio Forgotten: Pancake Lock (Lock 26)

This covered bridge is a replica of the old bridge that was built in the 70s. A series of floods leveled the original, but this bridge wasn’t always such a peaceful place.

As the story goes:

On the night of February 1, 1877, John Gilson and his wife tried crossing the creek approximately a mile north of this location. The horses bolted, tossing the wife out of the wagon, and charged into the bone-chilling creek, now swollen by rain. Mrs. Gilson was rescued, but her husband and the horses perished. John’s body was finally found 4 days later. There have been several accounts of possibly the restless souls still roaming, only this time, taking the safer route – the bridge.

Maybe if you’re passing the bridge late one night, you too will hear John in his wagon crossing the bridge, trying to make his way home one final time.

There is one more possibility to this story because immediately to the right of the bridge is what used to be Chamberlain (Everett) Cemetery. This was a private cemetery owned by the Chamberlain family. Several years ago, the cemetery was abandoned and only a few of the bodies were removed. Now, all of the headstones have disappeared and over a dozen graves still remain.

The spirits of the remaining dead may have become upset and roam the area surrounding the cemetery and bridge adjacent to it.

In the picture above there is a big white floater. (A.K.A. – Ghost Spot)

The picture above is a zoomed in view of the spot.  When that picture was taken there was nothing there and there was nothing on the lens.  Many of the other pictures on the page were taken after and show no spot.

Sources and Related Links

• Haunted Cuyahoga: Everett Cover Bridge

A Painesville master builder, Jonathan Goldsmith, built this house in Willoughby in 1831. He then lived there with his wife, Abigail, and their 10 children.

After Jonathan passed away, Abigail was determined to keep her home, so she turned the homestead into a boarding house and was then able to live comfortably off the rented rooms.

In 1887, Abigail was 100 years old and she passed away quietly in her home.

In 1973, the house was moved to Hale Farm.

Today, visitors have reported feeling the presence of Abigail Goldsmith. Her presence has been known to be a very welcoming, opening her doors for the weary traveler.

Sources and Related Links

• Haunted Cuyahoga: Goldsmith House

This isolated lake was once a quarry and there is still old mining machines at the bottom of the lake.  Also, the area surrounding the lake has been used for thousands of years by various Native American tribes, including the Erie and Hopewell.  Could it be that they love this area so much that they haven’t found a reason to leave, even in death?!?

Some reports of being watched and spirit activity still remaining here.

Here is some proof of spirit activity.  If you look closely you will see two yellowish spots.  One is on the grass on the left side and one is in the middle on the trees.

This is the spot on the tree.

This is the spot on the grass.

Now those things in the picture were not there when we took the picture and we did not add them in.  Makes you think!

Nighttime Pictures from Indigo Lake

Sources and Related Links

• Haunted Cuyahoga: Indigo Lake

What can you say about a place called Helltown?  Helltown is one of Ohio’s most famous horror/supernatural legends.  It’s a good example of the way folklore can get really complicated.  There is no single haunted farmhouse, no headless train conductor, or ghostly children running around in the woods.  Helltown is home to six or seven separate legends, each with dozens of variations.  All of which has led this area in Boston Township to be grouped as one haunted site and given an evil-sounding name.

Helltown is actually the northern part of Summit County, encompassing several towns, including Boston, Boston Township, Peninsula, Sagamore Hills, and Northfield Township.  The area is often referred to as Boston Mills.

Here are some of the Legends!

“Mutant Town” and “Mutane Town”

These are two alternate names for Helltown. The excellent website Ghosts of Ohio did an impressive job of researching the Helltown stories, and found out that the area was first called “Mutant Town” when the federal government bought up the land in the area in 1974 to create the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area. They boarded up most of the houses they bought and put US Government “No Trespassing” signs everywhere because there had been a chemical dump in the area. So naturally everyone assumed there were slimy mutants wandering around murdering people.

“Mutane Town” seems to be a simple misspelling of “Mutant Town,” although on another site I here that some one sent them an e-mail which assured him that there had been a butane plant in the area, which somehow led to this name. Unfortunately, that’s not true. Neither is it true that there was a chemical spill in Boston Township.

Thanks to Ghosts of Ohio for the picture.

The Satanic Church

This one goes with the Satan worshiping made against the entire town. The Church, called “Mother of Sorrows” in the real world, has upside-down crosses on it. People say that all the people in the area worship Satan and that there are animal mutilations and satanic symbols all over the place. All of these things lead to the church which is actually an early Irish Catholic church. I have heard the Black masses are conducted here and also there have been reports of midnight satanic masses held in the basement. However, an investigation has confirmed that the church does in fact have some upside-down crosses on it. The upside-down crosses are just a feature of Gothic revival architecture. There is a larger, more prominent right side-up cross atop the steeple.

There is also a direct connection between this church and the spooky Mater Dolorosa Cemetery, located about two miles from the church. “Mater Dolorosa” is Latin for Mother of Sorrows. The deceased members of this church are buried there.

The Cemetery

There are a lot of ghost stories from the scary cemetery on top of a hill. It contains graves dating back to the 1800s. There are stories of the cemetery being haunted and that there are ghosts or spirits around the graveyard. One story is that a ghost sits on a bench in the cemetery at night. The cemetery exists and is worth a trip to see, but don’t expect anything bizarre to happen to you.

Getting back to the story, guess what there’s is no bench, and the cemetery is pretty ordinary. Lately the Boston locals have installed floodlights at the cemetery and patrol it regularly, so if you’re going up there, be careful.

Entrance Sign

Flood Lights

Graves

The School Bus and the Abandoned House in the Woods

This one has some creepy elements. A haunted school bus with all the seats removed is said to sit at the edge of the woods in Helltown. Legend has it that the kids it was hauling on its last trip were killed by a crazy killer/bunch of crazy killers. They say sometimes you can see either the kids or their killer/killers inside. If it’s a single killer, he sits in the back smoking a cigarette.

However, as the reliable Ghosts of Ohio discovered, the truth is much more ordinary. A guy who was repairing his home lived in the old bus with his family until they could move into the house. The bus has since been towed away.

Thanks to Ghosts of Ohio for the picture.

The End of the World Road

A steep, winding road with a sudden stop is called “the end of the world” road. It’s actually Stanford Road. Nothing too supernatural here, although you’ll hear some weird rumor or another occasionally. There is a good drop off into Brandywine Creek near the road which creates the illusion that you’re driving next to a much larger chasm.

New Road

Old Road – Thanks to Ghosts of Ohio for the picture.

The Hearse

Legend has it that you’ll be chased by a hearse if you go to Helltown. A local guy did own a hearse for a while, but I doubt he chased very many people with it. People claimed to actually have been chased by the spectral hearse, which then disappears. Maybe they mistook another car for the hearse.

The Slaughterhouse and Funeral Home

There’s a slaughterhouse not far from the cemetery, or so they say. The Ghosts of Ohio website reports that it’s just part of an old barn. Over time it acquired a reputation as a haunted slaughterhouse where you would see faces if you looked through the windows at night. People also call this building the “abandoned funeral home,” but it’s not.

Crybaby Bridge

Of course, Helltown has a crybaby bridge. The actual story is a little fuzzy on the details but at some point in the past, a child was supposedly thrown off the bridge and died in the Cuyahoga river below.

However, the story is not nearly as important as the experiment itself. The rules of this bridge are the most complicated. The following steps must be followed exactly. If you miss one, and the experiment will fail. Here are the Step by Step directions:

1. Bring along a spare set of car keys.
2. Go there at night.
3. Park the car on the bridge.
4. Turn off the car.
5. Put your other set of car keys in your pocket.
6. Get out of the car.
7. Lock the doors.
8. Walk away from the bridge.
9. Wait “a while.”
10. Go back to your car.

Upon returning, the car will be mysteriously running, and you will find dusty child’s footprints on the outside of your car.

The bridge is located off of Riverview Road, and leads into Boston Township. The bridge that exists there is quite new. It was built in 1999, replacing a much-older covered bridge that was repeatedly damaged by floods and other elements. The new bridge was constructed using the original piers and abutments, which can still be seen around the foundation.

While exploring underneath the bridge, I discovered many suspicious-looking footprints.

Only minutes after I found all the footprints, I came upon this weird find in another section under the bridge. In the sand there looks like a babies bed, or some kids playing in the sand around the river.

I guess we will never know?

conclusions

What conclusions can we draw? Well, the stories are all easily explained, so it’s probably not a particularly supernatural place. But the presence of so much discarded junk from the recreational area takeover, as well as the tendency of the area to fill up with fog, make it a creepy place. It is also certainly a fascinating bit of local folklore.

Sources and Related Links

• Forgotten Ohio: Hell Town (Not Cleveland)
• Ohio Lost: Hell Town Page
• ARCHIVED: Legends of Hell Town
• Dead Ohio: Helltown!!
• Dead Ohio: Return to Helltown
• Ohio Forgotten: Helltown Barn
  

The haunted ballroom at Cedar Point is located above the arcade on the main midway, which is used occasionally by the park or rented out for Proms. Spectral music is often heard there, and ghostly dancers are seen.

During our trip there on May 25, 2008 we did not see anything out of the ordinary but we did get some good pictures!

Here is the ballroom for the midway.  If you have been to Cedar Point you may have been to the arcade below.

The Inside

Take one step in the 1906 Coliseum at Cedar Point, boasting an enormous ballroom on the top level, and you’ll feel like you’re in the middle of the golden age of ballroom dancing and Big Bands.

In the 1930s, the ballroom saved Cedar Point from folding (as many parks did during this era) during the Great Depression with nightly performances by Big Bands such as Woody Herman, Guy Lombardo, Benny Goodman and Blue Barron.

Today, it stands with a quiet grace and splendor as one of only a few remaining amusement park ballrooms.

Lots of chairs and tables in here.

Looking to the back you see some tables and chairs and a sign for the restrooms.

Looking to the back from on the stage!

This is a picture taken from the Cedar Point website of the decorated ballroom.

If you have any stories to tell of a personal experience at the ballroom feel free to send me an e-mail!

Sources and Related Links

• Cedar Point: Cedar Point Ballroom
• Forgotten Ohio: Cedar Point