06/21/2005: Thanks to Michelle Schrader of Alliance, Ohio, for submitting her experience and the incredible photo of what appears to be an apparition inside Moonville Tunnel. Michelle visited the tunnel in early October of 2004, around the same time the OES had an intense paranormal experience at the tunnel, while on a camping trip at nearby Lake Hope with two friends. Upon reviewing the photos that she took using her digital camera, Michelle saw that she had captured the breath-taking image below. It appears to be a gentleman wearing a brimmed hat with a long-tailed coat walking toward the opening of the tunnel. If you look closely, you will notice that you can see through his upper legs, but can clearly see his lower legs and feet. This is truly one of the most impressive photos of a possible apparition ever submitted to the OES. Thanks again to Michelle for allowing us to post it. If you have any comments on the photo, please email and we’ll forward it to Michelle. To see our entire page about Moonville Tunnel, click here.
I was camping at Lake Hope and I fully intended on visiting Moonville Tunnel while I was there. I had previously visited the tunnel before this particular visit. I went with two other friends in the middle of the day last fall, at the beginning of October. We took a bunch of photos, I was using my digital camera. I did not notice that there was a “figure” in the picture until I downloaded it to my computer when I got home. Upon magnifying the shadow, it appears to be a manly-looking figure. It gave me complete chills. I have shared the picture with lots of people, and we are all baffled. There is no reasonable explanation for the figure. It does go along with the legend of the tunnel, though. Apparently, based on the story that I have heard, there was a brakeman that was killed in the tunnel, and if you look at the figure, it appears that his leg is missing from the photo, you can see through his leg. Creepy, huh?
Ok. First off I have literally been to the Moonville tunnel about 20 times. Every time I have gone, I have seen/heard the same things a lot of people have seen/heard. Every time I tried to photograph or record anything for our investigation the camcorder jams or is shut off somehow in the middle of the recording. My friend even set his recorder at the opposite end of the tunnel where you come in at and when we listened to it, some footsteps were heard right next to it and then the “person” shut it off. We were all facing the recorder at the time and the reason we went back to check the recorder was for those exact footsteps. We saw no one entering the tunnel, no animals, and I really doubt that some insect would move enough gravel to hear about 20 yards away. Everyone that was with us at the time heard the footsteps and were all at the same end of the tunnel as I was. They were all within 5 feet of me.
On a separate visit, me and a friend of mine were standing near the “exit” side of the tunnel when, flashlight forward (and on) into the darkness, we heard the sound of very loud and slow moving footsteps coming from within our light range, this was very intense and the air seemed to crackle around us like we were rubbing our feet on some really static charged carpet… Usually when we hear the footsteps they get faster and then they stop within a general distance of us. Nothing is ever seen, but heard. These footsteps, however, went not only from far to close to us, they went around us and then behind us again, and I am absolutely sure the other 2 people at the other end of the tunnel heard it as well as they were running up to us to exclaim that they heard them as well after the “foot” encounter was over. I have also witnessed, along with a buddy of mine, the appearance of the darkness getting darker, even in front of lights. We have seen red patches of light showing in the forest like red fog almost. This place has definitely got a lot of activity about 80% of the times I have gone.
09/23/2006: Thanks to TJ Smith for submitting a video of a possible apparition taken along the path to Moonville Tunnel. The figure appears in the last frame of the video to the right. It seems to be a ghostly form of a balding man looking at TJ from behind a bush! We freeze-framed the video at the point where the figure appeared and put a box around the image for your viewing convenience.
I live near the Moonville Tunnel in New Marshfield. One day I decided to head to Moonville to take some pics and vids. When looking at them later, I noticed something strange in the very last video I recorded. It’s a ghost sitting behind a bush looking at me. If he had been sitting with another bush behind him, I wouldn’t have even seen him, however. He’s sitting between the bush and a rock face, making him sit out like a sore thumb. I have showed this to a lot of family and friends, and all are freaked out and amazed. It’s on QuickTime viewer from my Kodak digital camera. Just wait until the screen freezes at the end of the clip and you can see him/her plain as day to the right.
01/04/2019: An anonymous contributor submitted this first-hand experience they had while visiting Moonville Tunnel in November 2018. Their experience sounds eerily similar to what we experienced at the tunnel in October 2004, hearing rushing footsteps when no one else was around.
My friend and I went on Nov. 10th to check out the tunnel. We decided to go at night and it didn’t disappoint one bit. We had a few experiences that were unexplainable. We stood outside of the tunnel, astonished by how bright the moon was and how eerily quiet it was. A loud thud occurred right next to her. I thought someone jumped off the hillside and pushed her behind me, and shined my light towards it. Nothing was there. No rocks or sticks at all. Then she went halfway into the tunnel. I stayed outside and I looked away to the woods and heard rushing footsteps coming towards me. I thought she was running towards me. I turned to see her standing still and facing away from me. Then the footsteps stopped at the end of the tunnel.