This Haunted Mansion In Amish Country Is The Best Road Trip Destination Near Cleveland
By Nikki Rhoades|Published August 10, 2019
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Nikki Rhoades
Author
Nikki is a lifelong Ohioan with a love for literature. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Akron and has enjoyed publishing her written work since 2007. She has a love of travel and does so frequently, though she believes that home is where the heart is — she continues to work in and around Cleveland as a digital content specialist to this day, working on everything from commercial scripts and social media posts to grassroots marketing initiatives.
Cleveland has much to offer to tourists, although it’s just now coming into favor as a vacation destination. It has its own vibrant culture, a great foodie scene, and an endless amount of entertainment. It also is located within reasonable driving distance of day trip destinations, allowing tourists and visitors alike to embark on spontaneous adventures. Depending on where you venture to, you may find that you are not the only present soul in search of discovery… especially if you’re out toward Amish Country. Many unsuspecting visitors have stumbled upon haunted places in Amish Country, like this vibrant and lovely Victorian Mansion. Are you brave enough to spend a day with spirits?
In the heart of Millersburg, the county seat of Holmes County, is an elegant Victorian mansion.
This Queen Anne stunner is owned and operated as the Victorian House Museum by the Holmes County Historical Society. Regular admission is offered in March through October, and it also delights visitors throughout the magical holiday season.
This 28-room mansion is beloved by tourists, and Clevelanders are delighted to learn of its ties to their community.
L.H. Brightman, a Cleveland industrialist, completed this Queen Anne style mansion in 1902. He had recently remarried, and he moved his new wife as well as eight of his 12 children from a former marriage into the cozy home.
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Though gorgeous and welcoming, this home has a surprising past.
Brightman, the builder of the house, was doubtlessly enchanted by its charm... but, alas, he had to leave. His business grew, forcing him to sell the home just four years after its completion. Upon his departure, a group of doctors opened a sanatorium in his former home.
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Nowadays, this mansion has come to house relics of Holmes County, as well as fascinating examples of Victoriana.
You'll find displays both here and next door at the Millersburg Glass Museum. There's much to see within its walls... but it's what you shouldn't see that will catch you off guard...
Three spirits are said to haunt the home – a little girl, a woman in black, and the man in the basement. The woman is assumed to be Lena, a former resident. But what of the man and the child? Investigators can only make guesses at their identity.
Visitors experience strange phenomenon in this haunted home.
Ghostly specters appear in photos, cold spots brush against visitors, and things seem to move on their own. Could these lost souls be former residents of the sanatorium? At least one man, a Civil War doctor, died in the home during this unfortunate era. Perhaps former residents so adored their home that it was challenging to leave its grounds after they left this world, so to speak.
Some paranormal experts insist that spirits can attach to objects, so it's also possible that the ghostly residents of this mansion never even called it home.
You'll find an incredible number of antiques here, so it's possible that one individual object in their vast collection bore great sentimental value to someone in life. This connection could have been so strong that that person chose to stick around, even after their physical body was long gone.
Whether or not you discover a ghost during your visit, it is undeniable that this enchanting mansion is full of beauty and history.
Even if you're not in search of lingering spirits, you're sure to find something amazing at the Victorian House Museum. Admission to the museum is $10, or $9 for seniors and military. You can find more information here.
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Amish Country is an amazing day trip destination from Cleveland... although you just might find more than quaint lifestyles in its communities.
Holmes County and the surrounding area has a history just as fascinating as Cleveland's. Some insist that there are many haunted places in Amish Country, but this spooky site is one of its most fascinating and accessible.
Address: 484 Wooster Road, Millersburg, OH, 44654
Need some more evidence to truly believe that this site is haunted? You can check out an investigation by the home’s paranormal committee, uploaded to YouTube by BronsonJames:
Cleveland is a great place to visit, but this is thanks in part to its proximity to other day trip destinations. Holmes County is adored by Clevelanders and tourists, many of whom accidentally stumble upon some haunted places in Amish Country. Have you ever had a spooky encounter in Amish Country? We’d love to hear about it!
