Franklin County Hauntings & Legends

Bexley

Capital University - A site of multiple hauntings, see below.
The Jeffrey Mansion - Located behind Saint Charles, the Jeffrey Mansion is sometimes rented out as a party house. Mr. Jeffrey was said to have hang himself in the house and willed the grounds over 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 this building...the oldest 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

Berliner Bike Path - The bike path at Berliner Park is haunted by those who have drowned in the Scioto River next 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.
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 sand bar 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 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 - Now known as Columbus Steel Castings, the 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-1940s. Others report seeing a man who climbs up and down a water tower, only to disappear.
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 have reported seeing ghostly Confederate soldiers in their ranks.
CD101 Building - Formerly the Worley Plumbing building located in the Brewery District, the headquarters of CD101 is haunted by a woman who died in a fire that occurred in a part of the building that used to be a stable for horses. She can sometimes be seen in the studio late at night.
Children's Hospital - The hospital has a few rooms that are supposed to be 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 park was once a cemetery that was established in 1839, and was used as a Confederate Cemetery 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, doors slamming, and loud sounds like a large pipe falling on cement floors were heard when no one else was around. 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 School for the Blind - Mysterious activities, such as loud banging, ghostly voices and apparition sightings take place on the upper floors and in the front of the building.
Columbus State Community College - Ghosts are believed to haunt this relatively new college 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.
Crop House - An abandoned home on Crop Road is haunted by an unknown entity. Batteries drain quickly when inside the home and electronic equipment sometimes fails.
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 beat 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 with no reason. A nurse was stabbed on the third floor in the 1970s, but it isn't known if this was related. A doctor hang 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.
Doctor's West Hospital - The diagnostic radiology department is supposedly 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 Restaurant - Originally called Boot Brothers Buffet and Billiards, and later known as The Clock, its primary feature had always been the large clock in front of the building, that was stopped at 10:05 for many years before it was replaced. The stoppage was linked to a cold February night in 1909. Col. Randolph Pritchard was an infamous womanizer who frequented the saloon. On that stormy night, Pritchard was called out to the street and was stabbed by a woman. He 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 Col. Pritchard's death. His ghost roams the restaurant and is seen every now and then. His killer is also said to haunt the building, as it is believed 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 seeing the footprints appear before their eyes.
Engine House No. 16 - Engine House Number 16, located at 260 Fourth Street, is now known as the Central Ohio Fire Museum. It served as a fire house between 1908 and 1981. The snorting of ghostly horses that were 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 fire house 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 fire fighting uniform has been seen standing in the bell tower.
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 is 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 in 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.
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 there. The security system trips for no apparent reason and even picks 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 being 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.
Green Lawn Abbey - Entirely separate from 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.
Green Lawn Cemetery - This cemetery (the second largest in Ohio) is a site of multiple hauntings. The main mausoleum and Hayden Mausoleum are haunted, as are many of the grave sites 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.
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 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 Department Store - The former Lazarus department store downtown (now 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.
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 hear murmuring voices.
Marion-Franklin High School - There is supposedly a tunnel that connects the high school to a near-by 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 around 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 - Also known as the old COSI building on Broad Street in downtown Columbus, it is said to be haunted by a custodian who roams around 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 Walhalla Road below). It is said that a husband killed his wife in this house sometime during the 1950s. A variant of this story states that the man murdered his wife and daughter with an axe, and may have even committed suicide. And yet another variation says he hang 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 were unable to find any reports of a murder on the property through public records, 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 lead to the legends surrounding the home. After all, who doesn't like an abandoned creepy-looking house?
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.
Nationwide Arena - Located on the former site of the old Ohio Penitentiary, the arena and its surrounding district is said to be haunted and/or cursed. Freak accidents have occurred on the former pen site, such as a window washer falling off his platform to his death and a young girl who was killed by a stray hockey puck during a game. Employees who are in the arena late at night have reported hearing strange sounds and feeling uneasy.
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 prior to the cemetery being built over. Among those who are said to haunt the building is John Kerr, one of the founders of Columbus. Bodies and caskets were dug up from beneath the street and parking lot near the North Market during construction projects.
Ohio Penitentiary - The old pen itself, now the site of Nationwide Arena and the surrounding arena district, was haunted by many spirits. The cafeteria of the pen was said to be haunted. It was the place where the hangings of twenty-eight men took place before it was transformed into a cafe. 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 electro-shock therapy room. The room where the electric chair was used to execute 315 men and women is also said to be haunted. It is said that the ghosts of some of the 322 inmates who died there in the huge fire in 1930 roamed around, looking for a way out of the inferno.
Ohio State University - A site of multiple hauntings. See below for details.
Ohio Theater - The theater is said to be haunted by a stage hand who died during a performance there in the mid-1950s.
Old Dominican College - 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 excepting 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 is said the third floor hallway was never repaired.
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.
Ollie's Bargain Outlet - Originally a J.C. Penny department store and later a Big Bear grocery store, the Ollie's Bargain Outlet at Great Southern Shopping Center is known to be haunted. Ghostly footsteps could be heard when the store was closed and doors opened and closed by themselves. Apparitions of a man and a woman dressed in 1940s attire were seen by employees. The back stock room and the upstairs break room are where the concentration of the activity took place. Some employees have even reported hearing their names called, only to turn around to see no body there.
Palace Theater - Magician Harry Blackstone Jr. performed at the theater after its renovation 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 in particularly 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)
Saint Paul's Episcopal Church - The Lavender Lady, whose presence is known by her fragrance, has been described by members of the church.
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 the 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 in which a man hang 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 quarrelling in the building.
Seneca Hotel - Now renovated as condos, the basement of the Seneca is haunted. Witnesses have heard the sounds of a child crying in the basement.
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)
State House - The Ohio State House 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 his ghost generates cold spots and flickering lights. It 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 an 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 tour and danced with a woman he befriended while in town. (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.
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, and 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 hautned 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 is 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 of Mooney's Mansion, where a man reportedly murdered his wife (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 hang 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 the 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 - This 1940s-50s era mental hospital turned apartment building is said to be haunted by several specters. A decapitated woman is said to roam the third floor and footsteps from the beyond can be heard coming from the blocked-off attic. Many see lights on in vacant apartments and ghostly children who drowned in the now-filled pool are sometimes seen or heard. One ghost in specific, known only as George, likes to throw shampoo bottles at the residents. He is believed to be a former patient of the hospital.
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 in the overhead 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 in 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 former 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.

Darbydale

Little Pennsylvania Cemetery - Also known as Woolyburger Cemetery, it is located just off London-Groveport Road, not too far from Norton. It is said to be haunted and is supposed to be a hangout for the occult. There is supposed to be a small house back in the woods that is haunted as well. (Other spellings include Woollyburger, Woolyberger, Wollyburger and Woolybooger.

Dublin

Muirfield Village Golf Club - The Memorial Tournament began in 1976 on this golf course Jack Nicklaus built on sacred Indian burial grounds. As the legend goes, Chief Leatherlips makes it rain almost every year on the tournament. 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 buts were made after basketball tryouts. When the blonde boy was cut from the team, it is said he hang himself from the backboard. After basketball games where the local 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.

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, haunting activities such as doors slamming, footsteps being heard, and crashing noises have taken place. The apparition of a woman had been seen near the tech booth. She is believed to be the ghost of Ethel King. Also spelled Little Theater Off Broadway.
North Meadows Drive Warehouse - Security guards at one of the warehouses along North Meadows Drive have reported seeing dark figures on surveillance equipment. When they investigate, no one is around. At least two employees have reported seeing the ghostly figure of a woman wearing a yellow dress vanish before their eyes.

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 would 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 probably would hang out at the lab from beyond the grave.
Gap Warehouse - Workers at the Gap warehouse in Groveport have reported many strange activities. Doors open and close by 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. These are just a few samples of what occurs there. A cemetery that dated back to 1803 was located on the northeast corner of the property, but was supposedly relocated a few years before the warehouse was built.

Hamilton Township

Hamilton Township High School - The ghost of a man who supposedly hung himself in the rafters while they were constructing the old high school building is 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. NOTE: The school was torn down in 2009 and a new building was opened nearby. It is not known if the haunting moved as well.

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 on. 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.
Odd Lots (Big Lots) Store - This discount store used to be a Big Bear grocery store. A man supposedly killed himself in the store room. Employees have claimed that at night when closing, the doors come open (even when locked) and mysterious footsteps can be heard in the store room. There have been reports of cold spots and the 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 is supposed to have been the site of a mass murder years ago. It is said the man who once lived there snapped one night, killing his wife and children with an axe before hanging himself with a chain at the foot of the main stairway. His ghost appears today with a gray beard and whispers cryptic messages to trespassers of his home.

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.
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 it to 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 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 an Ohio State tradition for 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 bed springs, but no one would be sitting or laying on the 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 his plaque. Ever since then, lights have flashed and Herbert himself has been seen drinking punch in the lobby.
Drackett Hall - A ghost named Christopher haunts Drackett Hall. He is known to knock things off shelves, turn appliances on and off, and sometimes appears and speaks.
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 things all over the walls of the elevator. She was killed in a car accident after she had graduated. It is said that people sometimes find cryptic notes or scratchings 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 entire house, as 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 3rd 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 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.
Pomerene Hall - A professor named Dr. Clark once got depressed about a mining investment and committed suicide. His body was found where Pomerene Hall stands now. He slams doors and does other typical ghostly things.
Starling-Loving Hall - One of the older buildings on campus, Starling-Loving Hall is part of the OSU medical school. It contains labs, classrooms and a morgue. Ghosts are seen here frequently and voices can be heard in the hallways.

Reynoldsburg

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

Shadeville

Route 23 Abandoned House - It is said that whoever lived in this house was savagely murdered by something unknown. After two people were found dead in the 1960s, the house stayed empty until the late 1980s when it was occupied by a cult. Two years later, flashing lights were seen coming from the house. Police found eight decapitated bodies. It is said that if one goes to the site, there will be eight ghosts that carry on conversations with one another. It is also said that the shadow of a body may be seen there in a tree near the house. NOTE: This house was demolished in 2011.

Westerville

Cubbage Road - This road located near Hoover Dam is where ghosts haunt a small house, cemetery, and the dam in the woods. 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've 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.
Otterbein Cemetery - Figures are known to pup 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.

Whitehall

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.
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 a ghostly plane fly by.
Whitehall-Yearling High School - The high school is supposedly haunted by the spirit of an old band or choir teacher. A strange red glow can sometimes be seen in the auditorium's balcony. In the backstage area, slamming doors can be heard and there is a general uneasy feeling. The hallway next to the auditorium is one particular location that is haunted. One can hear the sound of a heartbeat when standing in the hallway. Another teacher who has died had a pet bird and it can sometimes be heard chirping. (Credits: Robert Ailing, Teng Maharath)

Worthington

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