Books & Reference

There are many useful books and other reference materials for researching Ohio history, hauntings, and other oddities of the state. Below are a few of our favorites. You may click on the title's name to be transported to a website where you may purchase the book, or to visit the website. If you know of any good reference material, please send an email to .

Paranormal Books

Below are books about Ohio's hauntings and other paranormal subjects.

Ghosthunters: On the Trail of Mediums, Dowsers, Spirit Seekers, and Other Investigators of America's Paranormal World	John Kachuba - This book by OES' friend John Kachuba is bound to be fantastic. This book, available in August 2007, follows John around the country as he investigates and conducts interviews with those who've had paranormal encounters...including Chapter 13 at the Athens Ridges with the OES!!!
Ghosthunting Ohio	John Kachuba - Another terrific book by our friend John Kachuba! John went to several locations in each corner of Ohio, conducting investigations and documenting first-hand accounts of paranormal activity. The book is written in a way that the common-man can relate to. The book keeps you on the edge of your seat and you won't want to put it down!
Haunted Ohio	Chris Woodyard - This book was one of the first books to detail Ohio's haunts, and was the first in a series of five Haunted Ohio books. The series gives an in-depth look into the hauntings with the author's own experiences included.
Haunted Ohio II	Chris Woodyard - The second book in a series of five.
Haunted Ohio III	Chris Woodyard - The third book in a series of five.
Haunted Ohio IV	Chris Woodyard - The fourth book in a series of five.
Haunted Ohio V	Chris Woodyard - The final book in a series of five.
Ghost Hunter's Guide to Haunted Ohio	Chris Woodyard - This is an autographed guide book to many of the public locations mentioned in the Haunted Ohio series for those interested in checking them out.
Columbus Ghosts	Robin Smith - A terrific book that details some of the well-known hauntings in the Columbus Metro area.
Columbus Ghosts II	Robin Smith - Robin's second book detailing Central Ohio haunts.
Ghost Stories of Ohio	Edrick Thay - Yet another book about the haunted places of Ohio.

Reference Books

The books below detail Ohio history and oddities throughout the state.

Forgotten Columbus	Andy Henderson - By our friend Andy over at Forgotten Ohio! This is a great book that details some of Columbus' historical places with old photos from each of them.
Weird Ohio	Andy Henderson - Another book that was co-authored by Andy at Forgotten Ohio. This book is in full color and covers the whole state!
Snook	JT Guy - Snook: Murder by the Fourth Estate is a work of fiction based on the Snook murder featured on this page. A great read!!
Columbus Vintage Postcards	Richard Barrett - This book is filled with old postcards of Columbus.
Groveport & Madison Twp.	Richard Palsgrove - Details the history of the only town named Groveport.
Ghosts	Randy McNutt - This book details some of Ohio's ghost towns, forgotten places, haunted places, and lost arts. Very different from the books above.
Indian Mounds	Woodward & McDonald - A great book that lists the history and gives the location of Indian Mounds in the Mid-Ohio Valley.
Ohio Off The Beaten Path	George & Carol Zimmerman - A guide to the hidden, yet interesting places throughout the state.
Odd Ball Ohio	Jerome Pohlen - A guide book to some of Ohio's strangest places.