On this page you will find haunted locations and legends of Butler County. Many of these are genuine and documented haunts, but others may be legend or hearsay. Remember, we do not condone trespassing. Always seek permission before entering private property. If you know of a haunting or legend not listed for this county, please submit them through our Haunting Submission Form.
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Fairfield
Brooke Court – It is said that if you look down the street on a clear night, the fire hydrant takes the form of a person holding a knife. (Credits: DJ Kerth)
Fairfield Bowling Lanes – The creek behind the bowling alley is said to be 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 into trouble at school with the principal 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 since his body was cut into five pieces. Today teachers that stay after hours sometimes hear the boy’s screams coming from the restroom. The stall where he died is still stained with his blood. No one should be in the building alone as he is believed to be an angry spirit.
Hammacher Schlemmer – The second floor of this call center is haunted. Typing can be heard coming from the section of the call center that is dark when no one is in that area. Filing cabinets open themselves and there are severe temperature changes without reason. These activities have been witnessed by numerous people. The building is only open to employees.
Harbin Park Trails – On clear nights, it is said that you can hear the screams of a boy who tragically fell to his death after climbing to the top of the water tower. (Credits: Jeremy)
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 to 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. The assailants killed him using ether, then hanged him to make it look like a suicide. He is said to have materialized in front of employees and makes the clock chime 21 times.
East Butler County YMCA – A young man fell in a well and died in the mid-1800s where the 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 water faucets on. Some have reported hearing splashing in the pool, but when checked, no one is there.
Jewish Cemetery – The Jewish Cemetery on Pleasant Avenue is said to be haunted. EVP recordings have been made at the cemetery by some of those who have visited the site. (Credits: Susan Cooper)
McKenzie & Snyder Attorneys At Law – The building that now houses the law firm dates to at least 1860 and has been used as a private residence and a homeless shelter. It also served as the Cahill Funeral Home for seventy years. Ghostly orbs have been captured on camera in a detached building where bodies were stored during the funeral home days. Employees of the law firm have reported hearing unexplainable footsteps and seeing shadowy figures. Phones ring without reason and the front door opens on its own.
Miami University Hamilton – The fourth floor of Mosler Hall is said to be haunted by a woman who fell down the elevator shaft from the fourth floor. Witnesses have reported hearing someone screaming. Phelps Hall is haunted by the ghost of a man who shuts and locks doors, preventing people from going into certain locations within the building.
New London Road – The ghost of a wealthy doctor who lived in Southern Hills is said to be seen jogging along the road. Witnesses claim that his spirit waves at them as they pass him jogging up the hill late at night. Once they get to the top of the hill, he is standing there smiling at them, only to disappear. (Credits: Heather Jordan)
North 6th Street Home – Former residents have reported a heavy feeling the backyard of a home in the 40 block of North 6th Street. One resident went into the kitchen one morning to find their dining room table sitting upside down on the kitchen table. Strange knocking and tapping sounds were heard often, but further investigation never revealed the source. Every night residents would hear a ball bouncing off of the side of the house. Some even had vivid nightmares about satanism. (Credits: Marlene Brandenburg)
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.
Race Street Residence – Residents report hearing footsteps running across the floor at night when no one else in the house is awake. The kitchen sink turns on for no apparent reason and there are feelings of uneasiness. One witness reported seeing a child’s hand coming from an upstairs bedroom, as if it were trying to crawl out of the bedroom. (Credits: Shonna Prickett)
Saint Joseph Consolidated School – There is a mysterious bullet hole in a door leading to the basement. Some students have claimed to see silhouettes of people in the basement at night.
Miami University
Dave Finkelman Auditorium – The old director of the auditorium is said to haunt the place. He was an avid pipe smoker in life and appears to have continued to smoke from beyond the grave. Late at night, one can smell the scent of pipe smoke fill the auditorium, even though no one there is smoking. Other sources indicate the auditorium may be haunted by a former patron who heckled performers. Halfway through one performance, the man started making a loud snoring noise. After the show, it was discovered that he had suffered some kind of heart attack and subsequently died. Related: Contribution
Fisher Hall – Although it has since been demolished, the hall was haunted by its namesake, Judge Elam Fisher. He was known as the “Diamond Judge” because he always wore a diamond trinket around his neck. His ghost 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 a new conference center, which is unsurprisingly 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 long ago on the land where Hepburn Hall was built.
Miscellaneous – 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 has been spotted. An electrician quit when he was working upstairs in one building. He would never say what he saw, but only would say that he had seen something and will never go back again.
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 didn’t care for men and got angry when the dorm became coed. Males near windows feel a strong push on them toward the window. Women who are sick and trying to get out of bed feel themselves being pushed back into bed in a motherly manner. A suicide took place in room 210, where a girl hanged herself. Years later another girl hanged herself in the same room. In other rooms there have been times where window shades flap frantically, but no wind would be present and no one would be near the window.
Reid Hall – On May 9, 1959, a murder took place at Reid Hall. Two students were arguing and a fight broke out. A RA named Roger Sayles tried to break up the fight, but one of the students pulled a gun, shooting and killing Sayles. 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 hand print Sayles left on the door as he fell against the wall. Strange noises and other ghostly activity are also reported.
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 itself. 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 down in the basement. It is also said that an electroshock therapy tub used for insane patients is still in the basement. Students have to pass the tub on their way to do laundry.
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 appeared smiling and waving to those who have seen him. A young child in the home had reported that he couldn’t sleep because people in old-fashioned clothes were arguing in his room. (Credits: Trish P.)
Jefferson Elementary School – The school was said to have been built atop an old burial ground and was the site of multiple hauntings. Employees and students reported hearing the sounds of children playing and ball bouncing in the gym when it was empty. Sounds of children playing was also heard coming from the stage area. The ghostly figure of a little girl also haunted the school as she roamed 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 a knife of her own, stabbing the man twice in the chest. When she returned with the authorities, the man’s body was gone. 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 up to the body. (Credits: Brittany Thurter)
Sorg Mansion and Opera House – Built in 1891, the theater is said to be haunted by its 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, African-Americans 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. Her red dress had been left behind in the dressing room. Janitors sometimes 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. (Credits: Eric)
Sorg Paper Factory – Security guards at the factory report strange activity during the night. Disembodied footsteps are heard, shadowy figures dart around, lights turn off, and doors shut by themselves. At least three spirits haunt the building. There have been several deaths on the grounds since it opened in 1852. (Credits: Pam and Angela)
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 fourth stall. Now if you go into the locker room, 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 – Many residents of this apartment complex have reported strange and poltergeist-like activities taking place there. Doors have been known to lock and unlock by themselves and slam shut at any given time. Water faucets turn on full force for no reason. The son of one resident would wake up screaming because he said a woman kept telling him to get out. A ghostly man was seen in the hallway of one of the townhomes, staring at the witness who was cooking in the kitchen. (Credits: Robert Thoroughman and Sue)
Verity Middle School – This middle school is said to be haunted by the former principal, who died years ago. His ghost has been seen walking the halls and is known to ring the bell after hours.
Wayne Avenue Home – A home in the 2100 block of Wayne Avenue is reportedly haunted. A former resident, who lived there from 1987 until 1990, reported that she laid her three month old son in his crib with a bottle. She then left the room for about five minutes and when she returned, the bottle cap and nipple were laying next to her son’s head and the bottle of milk was sitting straight up on the floor about three feet from the crib. Not a drop of milk had spilled. Before her son was born, her brother lived in the room. One night he suddenly packed his belongings and moved out, saying something was holding him down on the bed. The former residents also heard someone walking on the stairs at night when everyone was already in bed.
Woodside Cemetery – This cemetery was once home to a hanging tree, where ghostly figures could be seen hanging from its branches. The locals had the tree cut down, but the entire ghostly scene can still be seen on certain nights.
Millville
Millville Cemetery – Residents of the area often report seeing apparitions wandering in the cemetery. One is an elderly gentleman. 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
Hankins House – An old farmhouse along Hankins Road, just east of the new subdivision at Crossings Boulevard, was reportedly haunted. Legend says a father shot and killed his daughter on her sixteenth birthday. Witnesses have reported hearing disembodied voices and have seen apparitions while visiting the vacant home. Some have even reported being touched by something unseen and have watched objects move on their own. The farmhouse was razed sometime between 2006 and 2009 to make way for the new neighborhood.
Lake Monroe – It has been known that if you go to the lake at night, you can sometimes 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 haunting activity stems from the land the mall was built upon. Legend says 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. Grave robbers eventually stole the man’s head due to its 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 is headless ghost roams.
Oxford
Fudge Road Bridge – Actually in Preble County. Check there for the listing.
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 Bound – This ancient earthwork is said to be haunted. Strange images have been known to appear in photographs.
Miami University – A site of multiple hauntings. See Miami University above for details.
Oxford-Milford Road – Also known as the Oxford Light, the story goes that two forbidden lovers would meet up at a certain driveway along the road. The girl would take her father’s car, pull to the end of the road and flash her headlights three times to signal her boyfriend to come over. Others say she signaled him by flashing the porch light at her home on Earhart Road three times. One night after receiving the signal, the boyfriend sped up the road to meet with his love. From there the story splits into two versions. In the first, the boyfriend hit a young boy riding a bicycle, killing both of them. In the second, most popular version, he lost control at the bend in the road, crashed through a barbed wire fence and was decapitated. In either case, the grief-stricken girl later hanged herself in her home, which has since been demolished. It is said if you go to the spot where the girl would signal her boyfriend and flash your headlights three times toward the road, you can see a small flashing red light and then a motorcycle headlight coming down the road. Some have even reported seeing many flashing lights, like you would see at the scene of an accident, after the motorcycle headlight disappears. Related: Contribution
US Route 27 – Also known as the “Highway to Heaven,” this stretch of highway is known for its many fatal accidents. One section of the highway is haunted by the apparition of a motorcyclist who races straight toward you and flies over your car at the last second.
Walmart – Employees have reported that keys disappear, only to reappear in the same spot later. Automatic doors stick and won’t shut and computer screens have strange drawings on them in the morning.
Reily Township
Any Cemetery – It is rumored that any and all cemeteries in Reily Township are haunted. For years there have been rumors of satanic worship in the cemeteries there and witchcraft rituals performed in the nearby woods. There is a statue of an angel with its arms missing in one of the cemeteries. 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.
Bunker Hill Universalist Pioneer Cemetery – Whispers are occasionally heard in the cemetery when no one else is around. One witness has even photographed a man wearing a uniform standing next to a tree. Related: Contribution (Credits: Patricia Eversole)
Reily High School – In the 1950s, a student who just broke up with his girlfriend shot himself with a shotgun just outside 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 the restaurant often turn of and off by themselves at night.
Ross
The Haunted Barn – At least one eyewitness has reported seeing a strange six-foot tall figure in the lower level of a barn near Ross High School. the figure was spotted twice, moving in the same direction at a spooky pace…not fast but not slow.
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 have also been 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 wander this area. (Credits: Michelle)
West Chester
Maud-Hughes Road – Located in Liberty Township, the railroad tracks twenty-five feet 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 were scalded to death when the steam train’s boiler blew. To this day there are reports of seeing the dead trainmen in black, walking the tracks between the Screaming Bridge to Gano. 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, along with ghostly mists, lights and spiritual energy. Black hooded figures have been spotted at the location, as well as a ghostly caboose. One night a car stalled on the bridge above the tracks. The man went to get help while the woman stayed in the car. Upon his return, he found her hanging from the bridge. He perished soon afterwards. At night, if you stop your car on the bridge, you can hear the ghosts talking, a lady scream and then a man scream. The screams heard could also be those of a woman who supposedly threw her baby from the bridge and then hanged herself. A pair of ghostly legs have been seen at times as well. (Credits: Amy)
West Middletown
Gunkel’s Mill Bridge Tavern – This tavern once stood on a hill that overlooked Gunkel’s Mill Bridge. It was believed to be the oldest tavern in the township. Legend says that an older couple who lived above the old log tavern had gathered a large sum of money and stashed it somewhere on the premises. The wife eventually died and two men, claiming to be her relatives, began to run the tavern. The old man disappeared while they were there, supposedly having gone to Maine to be with family. Soon after, the two men abandoned the tavern and it stood vacant for years. Many people claimed 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. The skeleton of the old man was found, chained to an iron bar. When the remains were given a proper burial, the haunting activity ceased.
Wilson Coffin Factory – In the 1830s, two partners named Thomas Wilson and Charles Miller operated a coffin factory and arranged funerals at Wilson’s house, which sat atop a hill near Route 122. Ghostly figures have been seen going between the shed and the cemetery. The entire factory is said to be haunted.