Exploring America State by State

Category Archives: Ohio

The Cemetery in the Farm Field

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In a farm field northwest of Kenton, Ohio is a small military cemetery with sixteen tombstones. They mark the final resting place of soldiers stationed at Fort McArthur. Shortly before the start of the War of 1812, American General William Hull needed troops to fight the British in the Detroit area of Michigan. As soldiers marched north, they crossed the Scioto River. To protect the soldiers from the pro-British Native Americans, a fort was constructed by Col. Duncan McArthur. During the war, up to one thousand men were living at the fort.

Not only did they face threats from the British and Native Americans, but also the diseases carried by the mosquitoes in the surrounding swamps. The fort is long gone, but the headstones and cemetery remain. Sadly, the tombstones are marked “unknown” and do not bear the names of the men who gave their lives in support of the newly formed United States of America. A historical marker stands next to the road reminding people of Fort McArthur. A path about one thousand feet long leads to the small military cemetery.

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The Mohican Memorial Shrine

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Mohican State Forest is located between Columbus and Cleveland, and has over 4500 acres of wilderness to explore. State Route 97 passes through the area, and here you will find a stone shrine erected to honor the Ohioans who died fighting for freedom. The Mohican Memorial Shrine was built in 1947 by funds raised by more than sixty thousand Women’s Clubs members from across the state.

They required that all materials and companies involved in the construction of the shrine be native to Ohio. The sandstone blocks to construct the walls were quarried nearby. The timber for the roof came from trees grown in the surrounding forest. Roof tiles were manufactured in New Lexington and floor tiles in Zanesville. An art glass studio in Columbus created the stained glass windows that adorn the walls of the shrine. They depict scenes of buckeye trees and cardinals, which is Ohio’s state bird.

A book with over twenty thousand handwritten names sits on an altar under glass. It lists the names of all the Ohioans who were killed in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, and the Afghanistan and Iraq operations.

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The Legend of Gore Orphanage

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While doing research, I come across many tragic and strange urban legends. Some are wild fictional tales, and others are true stories about horrific events. The legend of Gore Orphanage is a wild tale based on a series of events. The legend goes that Gore Orphanage along the Vermillion River in Northern Ohio burned down, killing several children. Remains of the building can be seen in the woods and the spirits of the children roam the area.

To start with, there was no such place as Gore Orphanage. A road of that name does exist. It was originally named Gore Road. Not for blood and horror, but for the shape of a piece of cloth used in making a woman’s skirt. There was an orphanage on the road and that was probably when the name changed. The name of the orphanage was Light of Hope. It was a farm that was established by Reverend Johann Sprunger and his wife. They built it after their first orphanage in Berne, Indiana burned down but no one was killed or injured in the fire.

The new orphanage in northern Ohio in 1902 housed about one hundred twenty children. A few years later, some of the children ran away and told of the horrific conditions and abuse. They were forced to live in rat infested barracks and fed very little food. Treated like slaves, they were forced to work on the farm, and many of them were whipped by Sprunger. He would also rent out children to other farmers in the area. When they were investigated in 1909, the Sprungers admitted to the abuse, but they were not prosecuted because there were no laws prohibiting it in Ohio at the time. Johann Sprunger died two years after the investigation, and the orphanage was officially shut down.

During that same time period, one of the most horrific events in Ohio and the United States occurred in the town of Collingwood east of Cleveland. In 1908, a fire started in a three story elementary school. One hundred seventy six students were burned or trampled to death when they were trapped in the fire. The children tried to exit down the front stairs but were blocked by the flames. Trying to escape out the rear of the school, the doors opened inward, and many of the students were crushed up against the doors, desperately trying to open them.

At the southern edge of the Orphanage’s farmland was an old abandoned mansion. Named Rosedale, the massive Greek revival house was built in 1841 by Joseph Smith. He moved to the area from Massachusetts and had great success as a farmer. He built the home for his family, and after losing a fortune in railroad investments, he had to sell the house in the 1870s. Spiritualist Nicholas Wilbur purchased the home and moved in with his family. It was said that he would hold seances with his wife and children to speak with the dead. At that time, spiritualism was all the rage, and it was not uncommon for people to try to communicate with spirits. The Wilburs moved out of the house, and by 1901, it was abandoned. Four of their grandchildren died of diphtheria after they moved away, but rumors persisted that they were buried on the property.

Smith Mansion before it was demolished

While the house sat abandoned in the early 1900s, local teenagers dared each other to enter the home, saying that it was haunted. Vandals set fire to the mansion, and it burned to the ground in 1923. In the trees off Gore Orphanage Road are some stones used in the foundations of the old mansion. The tragic events in the region, an old abandoned mansion, and a road named Gore Orphanage have combined to become the urban legend of the Gore Orphanage. I am not sure who owns the property of the former mansion or if it is open to the public. There was a sign for a park near the blocks from the old mansion so it may be part of a county park but I am not sure.

If you thought this post was interesting be sure to take a look at my book Lost In Ohio now available on Amazon HERE

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Pursuit Of Happiness

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I am fortunate and thankful that I am able to travel the United States. It is a wonderful thing that we set aside a day every year to reflect on the things we are thankful for. I wish things were better and I could travel more but I am grateful for the blessings in my life and the opportunities that I have been given. I also appreciate that you take the time to read my posts and are able to share in the places I explore. I hope that you are happy and healthy, and able to enjoy time with your family and friends.

P.S. If you are wondering I saw this old barn in south eastern Ohio.

Ohio’s Mechanical Monster

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At one time, a giant monster roamed the hilly forests of southeastern Ohio. It was not Bigfoot or any other living creature but a massive mechanical one. It was built in 1967 to strip mine coal from the region. The largest dragline ever built, it was like an enormous crane that had a massive scooping bucket. Named the Big Muskie, it took more than 300 railcars and 250 trucks to haul the components to build it on site. It stood 240 feet tall, and the massive bucket could hold 325 tons of earth in one scoop.

The dragline worked twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. By the early 1990s, it cost more to operate than the coal it produced, and Big Muskie finally retired. There were efforts to save it for a tourist attraction, but ultimately they failed and it was dismantled for scrap. The only thing that remains, and it is a really large thing, is the bucket it once used. It now stands at a roadside park on Ohio State Route 78 near Jesse Owens State Park. Visitors can climb inside the enormous bucket to see and feel how large it is.

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Lost In Ohio Book Winner

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Thank you to everyone that posted a comment to enter my Lost In Ohio book Giveaway. it was wonderful to read so many nice and supportive comments. I wish I could send each of you a book but unfortunately I don’t make that much money from my books sales. I want to congratulate Lois Gompers Cobb. She was chosen at random from all the comments. Please email me with your shipping info to huronphoto@gmail.com so I can send out your book.

Thank you again, If you would like to purchase a book they are available on Amazon HERE

I have plenty more posts coming from around the country and I am currently working on Lost In Indiana and hope to have it available in the spring.

 

 

The Mystery of the Stone Merchant Ball

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The historic cemetery in Marion, Ohio covers over one hundred fifty acres and has numerous headstones and monuments. One monument in particular has intrigued people ever since it was placed in the cemetery over a century ago. Charles B. Merchant was a prominent resident and businessman in Marion. When he died in 1896, his family placed a large monument at his gravesite to honor his memory. A large black granite ball was placed on a stone plinth. The ball was polished smooth except for a small circular section. When the five thousand pound ball was placed on the mount, the rough section was facing down so that it would not be seen. A few years later, someone noticed that the rough spot was now facing outward. Somehow, the sphere had rotated. The massive ball was lifted and the spot rotated back down, and this time some tar was added to the stone base to keep the sphere from moving. Once again the ball rotated, despite the addition of the adhesive tar. To this day, the ball continues to rotate over time. Visitors to the cemetery can see the circular spot on the sphere that was once facing down. No one knows why or how the ball is moving. Some speculate that it may be supernatural forces.

This is not the only monument of this type to experience strange rotations. The Witch’s Ball in Memphis, Michigan does the same thing. You can see my post about it HERE

This is one of the many stories from my book Lost In Ohio. You can learn more about it on Amazon HERE

The Haunted Franklin Castle

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Near downtown Cleveland, Ohio is what some people consider the most haunted house in Ohio. I am not sure if there is any way to confirm that, but it was featured on an episode of the Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures. In 1881, German immigrant, and Cleveland banker, Hannes Tiedemann, built the large four-story stone home on Franklin Boulevard. The area was one of the most prestigious in the city, and Tiedemann’s house stood out among the surrounding homes.

Shortly after moving into the home, Hannes’ fifteen year old daughter died from Diabetes. Soon afterwards, his mother-in-law died, and over the next three years, three more of his children died. To distract his wife from the death of their children, Tiedemann began adding new construction to their home. He added a ballroom which runs the length of the house on the fourth floor. Workman also added turrets and gargoyles to the exterior, making it look more like a castle. In 1895, his wife Louise died from a liver disease, and with her death, Hannes’ entire family had died. The next year, Tiedemann sold the house, and he died in 1908 with no relatives to inherit his wealth.

From 1921 to 1968, the house functioned as a home to various German and cultural organizations. It is rumored that it was used as a speakeasy by bootleggers during prohibition. In 1968, a family with six children purchased the house and while living in it claimed to have encounters with spirits in the home. They sold it soon afterwards, and the new owner gave ghost tours trying to raise money to convert it into a church. During this time, the notoriety of the house being haunted grew. How true the hauntings were, I am not sure, but I am sure stories were exaggerated to sell more ghost tours.

In early 1984, Michael DeVinko, Judy Garland’s fifth and last husband, purchased Franklin Castle. He spent over a million dollars making renovations to the house. He even tracked down some of the original furnishings for the house. He sold the castle in 1994, and since then, various people have owned it over the years. The house on Franklin Street is still privately owned. Although it is not open to the public, you can get a good view of it from the street and wonder about the man who built it and the death of his family.

If you enjoyed this story, I hope you will take a look at my Lost In Ohio book. This is one of the many stories contained within its pages and it is available on Amazon HERE

 

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Lost In Ohio Book Now Available

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My new book Lost In Ohio: Discovering Strange and Historic Places in the Buckeye State is now available on Amazon HERE

I have been working on it over the summer and I am excited that it has finally been published. I drove almost 2000 miles around Ohio visiting unique and interesting places that are not known by most people. From the hills and forests in the southeast to the farmland and small towns of the northwest, the Buckeye state is full of historic and interesting places. I hope you will take a look at Lost In Ohio and get inspired the explore the Buckeye State.

Detailed addresses are given for each location and most are free to visit. Places like parks, monuments, small towns, cemeteries and historic sites with their own unique story. Below is a list of some of the stories and locations in the book.

Athens Lunatic Asylum

Nelsonville Brick Park

Licking County Historic Jail

The Great Coal Mine Fire

Frankenstein’s Castle Stone Tower

Woodland Cemetery

Cincinnati-Dayton Defense Area

Sorg Mansion

Mac-O-Chee and Mac-A-Cheek

Death of Pretty Boy Floyd

Molly Stark Park

Mohican Memorial Shrine

The Legend of Gore Orphanage

Bloody Bridge

Fort McArthur Cemetery

Brumback Library

The Dungeon in Northern Ohio

The Battle Of Fallen Timbers

If you want to explore the Buckeye State on your next road trip, or from your home, take a look at Lost In Ohio on Amazon HERE

 

 

The Haunted Moonville Tunnel

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In southeastern Ohio, deep in the Zaleski State Forest, the Moonville Tunnel cuts through a steep hill.  In 1856, Samuel Coe owned the property where the tunnel now stands. He gave the Marietta and Cincinnati (M&C) Railroad permission to run a railroad line across his property. The village of Moonville sprang up near the tunnel. One theory of the name is that a Mr. Moon owned the local general store, and the town was named for it. But it is only a theory because it has never been confirmed in the census that a person by the last name lived in Moonville. The town slowly grew to about one hundred people by the late 1800s. Most of the residents worked in the nearby coal mine. When it closed in the early 1900s most of the people in Moonville moved away. The last family moved away in 194, and all that remains of the community are the tunnel, cemetery and the foundation of the old schoolhouse.

The tunnel and surrounding area is said to be one of the most haunted places in Ohio. There are several theories and legends as to why. In 1859, local newspapers reported that a brakeman fell from the train as it was passing through the tunnel. When he hit the ground his leg was crushed by the steel wheels of the train. Another theory is that the town was plagued by an epidemic of smallpox and several people died. Some say the ghost of a railroad worker haunts the tunnel and the light from a lantern he carries can be seen at night.

Since the tunnel was built, four confirmed deaths have occurred in the underground structure. People would hike through the tunnel because it is much easier to walk through the hill than go over it. The tunnel is narrow and when a train passes through it would be easy for a hiker to get pulled into the passing train. In later years, before the train tracks were removed, engineers have claimed to see many people waving down passing trains on the tracks ahead, and then disappear when they got to their location. This sight was so common that the railroad company issued orders to the engineers not to stop for people in the Moonville Tunnel area.

Getting to the tunnel is an adventure. Miles from any large city it is a long winding and hilly drive to the secluded area. I recommend driving to it from Route 278 past Lake Hope State Park. My GPS took me in from the south and the roads were narrow gravel roads that were cut into the side of the hills. If you do not like driving with steep drop offs and no guard trails I would avoid this route. The old railroad tracks that went through the tunnel are gone, and the former rail line is now the Moonville Rail Trail. Parking can be found on state road 18 (Hope-Moonville Road) at the Moonville Tunnel Trailhead.

I you enjoyed this post I hope you will take a look at my book Lost In Ohio available at Amazon Here

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