Montgomery County Hauntings & Legends

Clayton

Clayton Fire Station 84 - The ghost of a little boy has been spotted running up and down the main hall of the fire station. Mysterious noises have been heard in the main bay at night when only one person is on duty. Upon investigation of the noises, bolts and tools are found laying around. Doors are known to open and closed by themselves as well.

Centerville

Centerville Cemetery - The Wolfe Mausoleum is supposedly haunted by the ghost of two wolves. Legend says they were buried alive with their owner. Reports say you can hear them scratching and howling underground.
Normandy Church - This church was once a private mansion back in the 1920s or so, before being converted into a church. The church added the chapel and music room to the house. The original owner of the mansion still lives in the house beyond death. Custodians working late at night have reported smelling perfume and hearing mysterious noises.
Town Hall Theatre - The lights that are used for the stage seem to go on and off by themselves. The basement is said to be very dark and cold. A man resembling Abraham Lincoln haunts the theatre and is sometimes seen peering out an upstairs window. Whenever the ghost gets angry, he puts out the furnace pilot light. He particularly doesn't like plays with cursing, sex, or nudity.

Dayton

Air Force Museum - The United States Air Force Museum in Dayton is known to be very haunted. The ghost of a little Vietnamese boy walks the museum at night. He is believed to have died in one of the helicopters. A Nazi fighter plane is said to be haunted by its pilot, who waves out the window to visitors. The POW exhibit is said to be one of the worst places in the museum, as it brings a sick dread to whoever visits it. The Korean/Vietnam War-era helicopter Hop-Along has a seat in it still stained with the blood of a pilot who died there. Custodians sometimes see him flipping switches in an attempt to get to safety. The Black Maria flew secret missions in the Vietnam War and rescued soldiers is riddled with patched bullet holes. Many say that is is haunted by those who died in it. The Bockscar plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki at the end of World War II is said to be haunted by a little Asian boy who runs past it at night. A World War II-era B-24, Strawberry Bitch, is haunted by an unknown apparition. It is speculated to be the gunner since the belly guns sometimes rattle. This ghost once even hit a janitor in the face. Yet another World War II-era B-24, Lady Be Good, went down in the Libyan Desert in 1943. Seven of the nine crewmen died near the plane and one managed to walk 120 miles through te desert before he died. The crew now roams the museum and their exhibit is said to be one of the most haunted places.
Amber Rose Restaurant - A playful ghost known as Chickee haunts the Amber Rose Restaurant. She was the daughter of a former owner of the building, which is about one hundred years old. She makes music start playing by itself and sometimes breaks dishes.
Dayton County Club - The sounds of a mysterious party can be heard on the grounds of the club on a regular basis. The owners and workers have looked for the source of the sounds, but have always come up empty handed.
Dayton Masonic Temple - Built between 1926-1928, the Masonic Temple is haunted by unexplained sounds of high-heeled footsteps. It is also haunted by the ghost of a former mason named George.
Dayton Veteran Medical Center - Built in 1867 to care for Civil War veterans, this building is said to be haunted by several ghosts. Many of the original occupants are said to still roam the halls. The Freedom House is said to still host an 1870s party that will last throughout eternity. The third floor seems to be the most active area, as a mysterious gray mist can be seen moving down the hallway. It is believed to be General Marsena Patrick, who died there of epilepsy. The Liberty House is also said to be haunted. Video equipment regularly malfunctions in the house, leaving only audio tape to conduct interviews.
Franciscan Medical Center - This hospital is haunted by many spirits. Darting shadows and cold spots are commonplace. Elevators go up and down on their own accord and stopped on floors when the button had not been pressed.
Frankenstein's Castle - The large stone turret structure overlooking Dayton's Community Golf Course on Patterson Drive is known as Frankenstein's Castle by some or Witches Tower by others. It is said that the building was built atop a burial ground during the Civil War days. Legend has it that a woman climbed to the top of the tower one night and committed suicide. Now it is said that you can see her standing there, wearing a long black robe walking around and looking over the edge. Apparently in the 1960s, a group of teenagers were playing around inside when lightning struck the tower, electrocuting two of them through the metal railing on the circular staircase. It is said whenever lightning flashes, the silhouettes of the two teens can be seen inside the tower. (Credits: Robert Kronenberger)
Keifer Street Tracks - There have been reports of the apparition of a red-headed woman wearing a construction hat by the tracks along Keifer Street.
Memorial Hall - The theater at Memorial Hall is haunted by Drake, a custodian who died after a fall into the orchestra pit over 30 years ago. He is known to flush toilets and play with the lights. His footsteps can be heard on the catwalk on occasion.
Oakwood High School - In the city's south suburbs, this school has long been the site of two hauntings. One is said to be that of a young man who hanged himself in the junior hallway sometime in the sixties or seventies. Fleeting glimpses of him, along with footsteps are heard throughout the school. The second haunting is said to be that of a young girl of unknown origins. The high school was built in the early 1920s directly over the site of a house, so it is unknown how far back the origins of the female ghost goes. She is known to hang around the junior hallway and people have even reported walking by a well-dressed young girl seated on one of the benches in the hallway late at night.
Old Courthouse - Dayton's old courthouse still houses the gallows used for the last hanging in the county. Footsteps are often heard ascending the stairs to the judge's chamber and a soft moaning can be heard.
Patterson Homestead - Built in 1816, this three-story brick farmhouse is linked to one of the most significant people in Dayton's history, Colonel Robert Patterson; who gave Wright-Patterson Air Force Base half its name. Now owned by the Montgomery County Historical Society as a restored 19th century family home, staff have reported many mysterious occurrences. Rocking chairs rock on their own, items are often moved about, cold spots are felt in certain rooms, and one room (Mrs. Patterson's bedroom) is always cold and filled with the aroma of a good home-cooked meal. Several other ghosts haunt this home. One is sometimes seen walking up the stairs to the off-limits third floor, dressed in military regalia. The laughter of children can be heard throughout the house. A psychic who once visited the home reported feeling the presence of a mother rocking her sick child. One ghost even locked a volunteer in one of the rooms.
Ridge Street Bridge - This bridge is said to be haunted by the ghostly sounds of Bessie Little's death. She was murdered there by her lover Albert J. Frantz on August 27, 1896, and thrown from the bridge. Bessie was pregnant and Albert didn't want to marry her, so he arranged the scene to look like a suicide. Unfortunately for Albert, he shot her twice and suicide was ruled out. Albert was sentenced to death in the Ohio Penitentiary's electric chair. He was executed on November 19, 1897.
Sinclair Community College - The cafeteria of the college was built directly atop the old Dayton hanging field where criminals were put to death. Blair Hall is said to be the most haunted building on campus. Witnesses have reported feeling people tugging on them or feel a smothering sensation as something pushing down on their chest. Staff has reported hearing laughter when no one was around. Voices, dancing, and meowing cats have also been heard. Elevators work by themselves, doors open and close, and the heavy fire doors in the cafeteria sometimes slam shut. The former chief of security is said to continue his rounds at night from beyond the grave. Many members of the custodial staff have reported at least one unexplainable occurrence. Ghostly figures can sometimes be seen passing the corner of your eye.
Stivers Middle School - The middle school is known to be haunted by a former teacher. Being a big 1900s-era school, it had an Olympic-sized swimming pool in the basement up until the 1930s when it was built over and turned into classrooms. In the 1920s, there was a teacher who swam in the pool every Friday. Her body was found floating face down in the pool with a broken pointer in one hand and a locket with two pictures in the other. One of the pictures was of her parents and the other was of a man, but the head was torn off the picture. The teacher was thought to have had an affair with her senior student aide, who never returned to school. To this day, footsteps are heard in the hallways and a lady with long white hair is sometimes seen. The sightings are more frequent in a certain basement classroom where a metal trap-door opens into the empty swimming pool. This room remains cold all the time to the point where some students wear coats in class. Mysterious noises are heard in the room after it has been locked up for the night. The television turns on by itself along with the doors shutting and lights turning on and off.
University of Dayton - A site of multiple hauntings. See University of Dayton below for details.
Victorian Theater - There are three known ghosts that haunt this theater. The first is known as Vicky. She was an actress from the 1920s who mysteriously vanished after returning to her dressing room to get a fan. No one knows exactly what happened to her. She now roams the theater and several people have reported seeing her. The rustling of her dress can be heard and a smell of rose perfume is strong in her presence. Lucille is the name of the second ghost. She was assaulted in the house-left privacy box. She lived through the assault, but its said that if you visit the old box, you can feel the anguish she left behind. There was even a report of one visitor being slapped. The third ghost is that of a man who committed suicide by impaling himself on a knife fastened to a chair. His face can sometimes be seen on the curtains backstage.
Woodland Cemetery - Woodland Cemetery is haunted by several ghosts. The most popular one is that of a good-looking young blonde girl. She is seen quite often sitting on her tombstone, which glows an eerie blue at night. She looks just like anyone else, wearing tennis shoes, a sweatshirt and jeans. A guy named Johnny Moorehouse and his dog buried in the cemetery are said to haunt the grounds. An old caretaker is also known to tend the grounds from beyond the grave.

Englewood

Englewood Dam - The dam is said to be haunted by the spirit of a young girl, among others.
Patty's House - This house is now in ruins. It was rumored to be haunted by Patty's sisters, who were hanged from a sinister tree near the springhouse.

Germantown

Germantown Cemetery - A ghostly Confederate soldier is said to haunt the cemetery.
Morningstar Road - The specter of a woman is said to haunt the property where her house once stood. It burned to the ground, killing her children inside. In an insane state of mind, she ran off into the woods, fell, and broke her neck.

Kettering

Candlewood Park - The ghost of a boy who hanged himself in one of the restrooms in the 1980s is said to haunt the area at night. There was also supposedly a brutal murder of three small kids in the park. The murderer is said to haunt the area and the sounds of kids screaming can be heard.
Pizza Hut - After hours employees will often hear banging noises on the windows next to the drive-thru at the Pizza Hut on Whipp Road. When the employee investigates the noise, expecting someone to be there and wanting in, no one is there. The fountain drink machine dispenses without anyone touching it both during and after business hours. It is believed the spirit may be linked to an employee who fell dead of a heart attack at the back door after a delivery in the early months of 2005.
Polen Farm - Mr. Polen allegedly committed suicide on the side steps of Polen Farm and it's said he still haunts the house and barn. Workers on the fram have reported hearing noises late at night and guests have felt cold spots.
Swango Drive - The moans of a man can be heard on foggy nights. He had committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree there in the early 1990s.

Miamisburg

Arby's - Employees who go in the basement report the feeling of being watched. Several employees have heard children laughing after hours, witnessed mysterious shadows, have had their hair pulled, and have backed up into something large but nothing is there. A ghostly bald man has been seen in the kitchen, staring at the oven when only employees were in the store. The hanging plants have been seen swinging in the dining room when there is no air circulating.
Hill Grove Cemetery - This old cemetery that has tombstones dating back to the late 1800s is said to be very haunted. The spirit of a young girl is sometimes seen sitting over a grave crying (believed to be her mother). Many have tried to give assistance to the girl, but she only looks at them and disappears. The other haunting in this cemetery is that of a 19-year-old preacher's daughter, who didn't believe in the religion he taught. She killed herself with a knife after she was disowned by her family. The bible on top of her grave is said to be broken in half at one moment and appears perfectly fine the next.
Library Park - A murdered woman dressed in all white has been haunting the park since 1894. In that year, thousands of people witnessed her in the park and floating among the headstones at Miamisburg Cemetery.
Medlar View Elementary School - The girls restroom near the fourth grade hall is haunted by a young girl who was murdered by a construction worker who helped build the school. Her spirit can sometimes be seen in the restroom's mirror.
Zeck Road Barn - Also known as Zech Road, two children who are said to have died in a barn fire are supposed to haunt the barn. Ghostly sounds of children playing can often be heard. The barn was located on Zeck Road between Carlisle and Miamisburg. It may have recently been demolished. There have also been reports of seeing a man with a beard, wearing coveralls and a hat, along Zeck Road.

Middletown

Sorg Opera House - This haunting is actually in Butler County.

University of Dayton

Campus Grounds - A tall, cloaked figure was seen on the campus grounds during the 1950s-60s. The disappearance of a student is believed to be related to the mysterious figure. (Credits: Robert Kronenberger)
Liberty Hall - Liberty Hall is said to be haunted by an old man with a limp and bad teeth. The building once served as an infirmary for students and faculty, so he may be the ghost of one of the patients who died there. Liberty Hall has since been turned into offices.
Theta Phi Alpha House - This sorority house is supposedly haunted by a young man who moves heavy items around and turns lights on and off. The girls who live there often say they can feel a presence. Often times when they go to bed at night, it is cold and when they wake up they have less energy than they did the night before.