This is the hauntings list for Butler County. Remember that some of the places listed are merely legend or hearsay, but many are genuine and documented haunts. If you know of any more hauntings or legends for this county, please submit them to our Hauntings Submission Page.
Fairfield
Fairfield Bowling Lanes - The creek behind the bowling alley is haunted by a mother and her child. The woman appears to be in her mid-twenties wearing a long white dress from the late 1700s to early 1800s period. The child seems to be three or four wearing brown pants, a white shirt and a cap. It is believed that they were brutally murdered in a mass killing spree.
Fairfield Middle School - It is said that a twelve-year-old boy got in trouble at school with the principle and was afraid to face his parents. Right after school, he went to the 200 wing of the school near a Spanish Room, broke a mirror, and killed himself in a bathroom stall. His remains were found the next morning, but it was unclear if he committed suicide or if he had someone help, as he was cut into five pieces. Today, teachers that stay after hours sometimes hear the boy's screams coming from the restroom. The stall where is died is still stained with his blood. No one should be in the building alone, as he is still angry at the principle.
Hammacher Schlemmer - The second floor of this call center is haunted. Typing can be heard coming from the half of the call center that is dark when no one is in that area. File cabinets open themselves and there are severe temperature changes without reason. These activities have been witnessed by numerous people, but the building is only open to employees.
Harbin Park Trails - On clear nights, it is said you can hear the screams of a boy who tragically fell to his death after climbing to the top of the water tower. (Thanks to Jeremy for submitting this haunting).
YMCA - The YMCA in Fairfield is haunted by the spirit of a six-year-old girl who drowned in the pool there.
Hamilton
Butler County Fairgrounds - During the night, a man who had shot himself in the head in one of the public restrooms is said to roam the fairgrounds, blood dripping from the wound in his head.
Butler County Treasurer's Office - The office is haunted by a former watchman who was killed during a robbery there in the 1860s. They killed him using ether, but hang him to make it look like a suicide. He is said to have materialized in front of employees and making the clock chime 21 times.
East Butler County YMCA - A young man fell in a well and died in the mid 1800s, where the newly built YMCA facility now sits. Late at night, the young man can be heard crying or whistling. He sometimes makes his presence known by slamming doors and turning on water faucets. Some have reported hearing splashing in the pool, but when checked, no one is there.
Jewish Cemetery - The Jewish Cemetery on Pleasant Ave. is said to be haunted. EVP recordings have been made at the cemetery by some who have visited. (Thanks to Susan Cooper for submitting this haunting).
Miami University, Hamilton - The fourth floor of Mosler Hall is said to be haunted.
New London Road - The ghost of a rich doctor who lived in Southern Hills is said to be seen jogging on this road. Witnesses claim that as they drive there late at night, his spirit waves at them as they pass him jogging up the hill. Once they get to the top of the hill, he is standing there smiling at them, only to disappear. (Thanks to Heather Jordan for submitting this haunting).
Princeton Road - A woman who was killed in an automobile accident there is said to warn drivers of the danger ahead. She has also been known to hitch a ride with motorists. Some believe that she is still trying to get to prom to see her boyfriend. The area where she is frequently seen is near Rose Hill Cemetery.
Miami University
Dave Finkelman Auditorium - The old director of the auditorium is said to haunt the place. He was a big pipe smoker when he was alive and appears to be beyond the grave as well. Late at night, one can smell the scent of pipe smoke fill the auditorium, even though no one there is smoking.
Fisher Hall - Although it has since been torn down, the hall was haunted by it's namesake, Judge Elam Fisher. He was known as the "Diamond Judge" because he always wore a diamond trinket around his neck. He would steal things and write his initials using the bust created of him. The hall was also said to be haunted by Ronald Tammen, a student who disappeared from his room in 1953. The site of Fisher Hall is now accommodated by the new conference center, which is said to be haunted.
Hepburn Hall - The ghost of an Indian is said to roam the halls of the third floor. It is believed that he was killed on the land where Hepburn Hall was built.
Mosler Hall - Located on the Hamilton campus, the fourth floor of Mosler Hall is said to be haunted by a woman who fell down the elevator shaft from the fourth floor. At times, witnesses have heard someone screaming.
Peabody Hall - This hall's namesake, Mrs. Helen Peabody, is said to haunt the building. Many of the sightings of Mrs. Peabody take place in individual rooms and hallways. It is said that she did not care for men and got angry when the dorm became coed. Males close to windows feel a strong pushing on them towards the window. Women who are sick and try to get out of bed feel themselves being pushed back into bed in a motherly manner. A suicide took place in room 210 after a girl hung herself. Years later another girl hung herself in the same room. In other rooms, there have been times where window shades would flap frantically, but no wind would be present and no one would be near the window.
Phelps Hall - Located on the Hamilton campus, Phelps Hall is haunted by the ghost of a man who shuts and locks doors, preventing people from going into certain locations inside the building.
Reid Hall - On May 9, 1959, a murder took place in Reid Hall. Two students were arguing and a fight broke out. An RA named Roger Sayles tried to break things up, but one of the students pulled a gun and shot and killed him. The student fled away to Ogden Hall where he shot himself in the head. Today it is said that you can still see the bloody handprint Sayles left on the door as he fell against the wall. Strange noises and other ghostly activities are also reported here.
Wilson Hall - Once a tuberculosis hospital, it is said to be haunted by those who died there. Doors unlock by themselves, alarm clocks go off at the wrong time, and furniture moves around by themselves. A doctor is also said to haunt the hall. He used to live next to the hospital and built a tunnel from his place to the hospital. The tunnel collapsed and he was killed. Students have reported seeing the doctor in a white lab coat roaming the halls and can feel his presence at times. The tunnel entry can still be seen caved in in the basement of the place. It is also said that an electro-shock therapy tub is in the basement that was used for insane patients. Students have to pass the tub on their way to do laundry.
Miscellaneous Hauntings - Sightings of a girl dressed in a long 1900s black dress is reported by the dish line. She seems to be sad and will disappear once she's been seen. An electrician quit when he was working upstairs in one of the buildings. He would never say what he saw, but only would say that he had seen something and will never go back again.
Middletown
Jefferson Avenue Home - A home on Jefferson Avenue in Middletown is haunted by the spirit of a little boy in turn of the century clothing. He has appears smiling and waving to those who witness him. A young child in the home had reported that he couldn't sleep because people in old fashioned clothing was arguing in his room. (Thanks to Trish P. for submitting this haunting).
Jefferson Elementary School - The school is a site of multiple hauntings, and was built atop an old burial ground. Employees and students have reported hearing sounds of children playing and balls bouncing in the gym when it is empty. Sounds of children playing can also be heard coming from the stage area. A ghostly figure of a little girl also haunts the school, roaming the hallways and restroom. Update: This school has been demolished.
Old Adams Mansion - The ghostly image of a dog dragging a body can sometimes be seen in the streets around the Old Adams Mansion. Back in 1914 a man who loved his dog dearly lived in the mansion. After his dog died, the man would go into drunken rages. One night his rage became so great that he walked around Middletown with a butcher knife, brutally killing victims and hiding their bodies in the sewers. When he tried to attack a girl one night, she pulled her own knife, stabbing the man twice in the chest. When she returned with the authorities, the man's body was not there. They decided to check out his home and found his body on the front porch with scratch marks on his face and bloody paw prints leading to the body. (Thanks to Brittany Thurter for submitting this haunting).
Sorg Mansion and Opera House - Built in 1891, the theater is said to be haunted by it's original owner, Paul J. Sorg. His ghost is most often seen in his personal seat, the middle seat of the first row in the first balcony. Many witnesses have identified him with the portrait of him in the lobby. He was an extremely wealthy man and built the theater for his wife. Bob Hope had even performed there. During the early days of the theater, black persons had a separate entrance and had to sit in the upper balcony, where they only served peanuts. It is rumored that at times, one can find peanuts on the floor. People who have stayed here say that every night you can see and hear the former residents walking through the tunnel and around the mansion. Invisible footsteps can be heard regularly, as well as Sorg's apparition, who paces backstage and on the catwalks. An actress who once worked there mysteriously disappeared one night never to be seen again, leaving her red dress in the dressing room. Sometimes janitors hear a woman singing from the dressing rooms and when they check it out, there is a lady wearing a red dress putting on makeup. When she notices them there, she vanishes into thin air. (Thanks to Eric for submitting the additional information).
Sorg Paper Factory - Security guards at the factory report strange activity during the night at this former paper factory. Disembodied footsteps are heard, shadowy figures dart around them, and lights and doors have turned off and shut by themselves. At least three spirits that haunt the building. There have been several deaths on the grounds since it opened in 1852. (Thanks to Pam & Angela for submitting this haunting).
Stephen Vail Middle School - It is said that sometime during the 1960s-70s a lesbian gym teacher killed herself in the girls' locker room because of the taunting from the other female gym teachers for being gay. She broke a mirror and slit her wrists in the four locker stall. Now if you go in the locker room during gym or after school, you can hear locker doors slamming and basketballs bouncing. Reported sightings of the gym teacher running on the track on top of the gym have also been common.
Trinity Place Apartments - Strange and poltergeist-like activities take place at these apartments. Doors have been known to lock and unlock by themselves and water faucets turn on full force. (Thanks to Robert Thoroughman for submitting this haunting).
Verity Middle School - This middle school is said to be haunted by the former principle, who died years ago. His ghost has been seen walking the halls and is known to ring the bell after hours.
Woodside Cemetery - This cemetery was once home to a hanging tree, where ghostly figures could be seen hanging from it's branches. The locals had the tree cut down, but the entire ghostly scene can be viewed on certain nights.
Millville
Millville Cemetery - Residents of the area often report seeing apparitions wondering in the cemetery. One is an elderly gentleman who roams around. Another is that of a young girl who stands next to a tree, looking into the field. Witnesses have also felt several cold spots in the cemetery and have seen a mysterious ball of light.
Monroe
Lake Monroe - It has been known that if you go to the lake at night, you can hear the sounds of children screaming for help and splashing coming from the lake.
Middletown Mall - A headless man is said to roam the corridors of the mall. It seems that the hauntings come from the land the mall was built upon. Legend has it that a young man was turned away by his lover, so he committed suicide. The man was buried beneath a large tree in his lover's front lawn. Eventually grave robbers stole the man's head because of it's odd shape. The spirit of the young man was seen near the tree for many years until the mall was built atop the site, where his headless ghost roams.
Oxford
Fudge Road Bridge - Actually in Preble County, check there for the story.
Hopewell Cemetery - Located near a place called Hueston Woods, Hopewell Cemetery is said to be one of the best ghost hunting sites in Southern Ohio. Strange lights can regularly be seen and little "surprises" will be waiting in your car when you return. It is also said to bring bad luck to those who visit during the night.
Medina Indian Mound - This ancient Indian Mound is said to be haunted. Strange images have been known to appear on photographs.
Miami University - A site of multiple hauntings. See above for details.
Milford
Road - This haunting comes from
just outside of Oxford. The story goes that two forbidden lovers would meet up a
certain driveway along the road. The girl take her father's car and pull out to
the end of the road and flash her lights three times to signal to her boyfriend
to come over. One night as he began down the road, a young boy was riding his
bicycle in the road. The boyfriend, riding a motorcycle, didn't see the boy
until it was too late. Both the boy and the boyfriend died. The girl later hang
herself in the barn, of which, on remnants remain. It is said that if you go to
the spot where the girl would flash her lights, and flash your lights three
times towards the road, you can see small flashing red lights (the reflectors
off the bicycle) and then a motorcycle headlight coming down the road. Some have
even reported seeing many flashing lights, like at the scene of an accident,
after the headlight disappears.
US 27 - Also known as the "Highway to Heaven", this stretch of highway is known for it's many fatalities. Some point along the highway is haunted by the apparition of a motorcyclist who race straight at you and at the last second fly over you.
Wal-Mart Store - Employees have reported that keys disappear, only to reappear in the same spot later. Electric doors stick and won't shut, and computer screens have weird drawings on them in the morning.
Reily
Any Cemetery - It is rumored that any and all cemeteries in Reily are haunted. For years, there have been rumors of satanic worship in the cemeteries there and witchcraft rituals performed in the nearby woods. In one of the cemeteries, there is a statue of an angel with the arms cut off. The angel was placed there by a grieving father to watch over his son. It is rumored that the angel is now possessed. It is said that anyone who enters one of Reily's Cemeteries can feel the presence of evil.
Reily High School - In the 1950s, a student who just broke up with his girlfriend shot himself with a shotgun, just outside of the west wing, next to the playground. Lights have been seen going on and off in the abandoned school building when no one is around. Residents of the town have heard ghostly gunshots on late winter nights.
Reily Pizza Parlor - The pizza parlor at Reily's main intersection is known to be haunted. The lights inside of the restaurant often turn on and off by themselves at night.
Trenton
Hickory Flats Cemetery - As you approach the cemetery on Wehr Road, a man dressed in old dirty clothes will chase you away. He is said to be the old caretaker of the cemetery who was killed by a maniac with a hatchet. The caretaker's ghost now carries the hatchet and sometimes at night you can hear the hatchet hitting a metal door on the side of the mausoleum. Hatchet marks can be found on this door.
Wehr Road - Screams can be heard from a barn that stands in the middle of the road if you stop there late at night and turn off your vehicle. This barn is just down the street from the cemetery above. It is also said that devil worshipers tend to wonder this area. (Thanks to Michelle for submitting this haunting).
West Chester
Maud-Hughes Road - Located in Liberty Township, the railroad tracks 25ft below the bridge was the site of a horrible accident. On Sunday morning October 24, 1909, a freight train was traveling northbound from Union Township when two engineers where scalded to death when the steam train boiler blew. To this day, reports of seeing the dead trainmen in black walking the tracks between the Screaming Bridge to Gano are common. The bridge is also a common site for vehicle accidents and suicides. At least 36 people have lost their lives on or near the bridge. Ghostly figures are seen and have been captured on film. Ghostly mists, lights, and spirit energies have also been captured on film. Black hooded figures have been seen at the location as well as a ghostly caboose. A car once stalled on the railroad trestle there one night. The man went to get help while the girl stayed in the car. Upon return, he found her hanging from the bridge above the tracks. He perished afterwards. At night, if you stop your car on the bridge, you can hear the ghosts talking, a lady scream, and then the man screaming. The screams heard could also be those of a woman who threw her baby off the bridge and hang herself afterwards. A pair of ghostly legs can sometimes be seen as well. (Thanks to Amy for the additional information).
West Middletown
Gunkel's Mill Bridge Tavern - This tavern once stood on a hill that looked over Gunkel's Mill Bridge and was believed to be the oldest tavern in the township. Legend has it that an older couple lived above the old log tavern and had gathered a large amount of money, stashing it somewhere on the premises. The wife eventually died and two men, claiming to be her relatives, began to run the tavern. While they were there, the old man had disappeared, supposedly going to Maine to be with family. Soon afterwards, the two men abandoned the tavern, where it stood vacant for years. Many claimed that the tavern was haunted and that anyone passing through the area at night could hear saddened screams. Years later when the place was being demolished, a secret room was discovered in the basement where the skeleton of a man was found, chained to an iron bar. When the remains were given a proper burial, the haunting ceased.
Wilson Coffin Factory - In the 1830s, two partners, Thomas Wilson and Charles Miller, operated a coffin factory and arranged funerals at Wilson's house that sat atop a hill near Route 122. Ghostly figures have been seen going between the shed and the cemetery as the whole factory is said to be haunted.
