Cemeteries in and of themselves can be creepy to encounter, especially at night. What makes certain Ohio cemeteries even more unsettling, however, are the restless spirits and their eerie tales that you seem to find in literally every historic cemetery. The following are just a few super creepy cemeteries in Ohio.

1) The Ridges Cemeteries (Athens)
Sarah Hina/Flickr
Justin Masterson/Flickr
The former Athens Lunatic Asylum, now owned by Ohio University and formerly known as The Ridges, is still home to a few unusual (and extremely eerie) cemeteries. Patients of the former insane asylum who died there were buried on the facility's grounds, and their restless spirits are said to be left to wander to property. Most of the graves are nameless and merely display the number of the former patient buried beneath. Check out the website for some more information on this creepy part of our history.

Address: Water Tower Drive Athens, Athens County, Ohio, 45701
2) Greenlawn Cemetery (Columbus)
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Becker1999 (Paul and Cathy)/Flickr
Many notable locals, as well as famed Ohio governors, are buried at this large graveyard, which was established in 1848. One of the most infamous private mausoleums in this cemetery is the Hayden Mausoleum, located by the pond at the edge of the graveyard. Legend has it that if you knock on one of the mausoleum's doors after dark, some members of the family interred inside will knock back. Pay a visit to their website if you dare.

Address: 1000 Greenlawn Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, 43223
3) Lake View Cemetery (Cleveland)
Tim Evanson/Flickr

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This cemetery is home to more than 100,000 graves and occupies an enormous 285 acres. Many notable individuals are buried here, including John D. Rockefeller, James A. Garfield, and Eliot Ness (who modernized Cleveland's police force, but was unable to catch the infamous Torso Killer.) The Haserot Angel (pictured above) is an infamous statue here for its eerie symbolization of "The Angel of Death Victorious." Thinking about going? You'll find hours and other information, including famous people buried here, on the official website.

Address: 12316 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, 44106
4) Mound Cemetery (Piketon)
Mike/Flickr
Ohio's first settlement in the Northwest Territory is home to one of the oldest pioneer burial grounds west of the Appalachian Mountains. Revolutionary War soldiers, Ohio Supreme Court justices, governors, and state senators of decades past are buried here. The cemetery is also home to a 30-foot-tall Native American burial mound, which was built by the Hopewell people.

Address: 5880 Wakefield Mound Road, Piketon, Ohio, 45661
5) Woodland Cemetery (Dayton)
CarrieLu/Flickr
roujo/Flickr
More formally known as Woodland Hills, this graveyard serves as a resting place for several notable individuals such as Orville and Wilbur Wright. Close to the graveyard's entrance, a distinct grave marker can be seen (pictured). The grave of Johnny Morehouse, according to legend, is very haunted. Johnny, they say, was a five-year-old boy who fell into the Miami Erie Canal and froze to death, in spite of his faithful dog's efforts to pull him out. After Johnny was buried, the dog was said to have frequently visited, and laid by, Jonny's graveside. Consequently, when the dog died, a special stone was carved in 1861 to commemorate his devotion. Today, some grave watchers claim that Johnny and his dog wander the cemetery together after hours. Visit the official website for more interesting history.

Address: 118 Woodland Avenue, Dayton, Ohio, 45409
6) Spring Grove Cemetery (Cincinnati)
David Ohmer/Flickr
This particular graveyard in Cincinnati is the largest nonprofit private cemetery in the United States. It is also home to unique (and eerie) statuary, including a sphinx and "the statute with human eyes," which was made in distinct likeliness of the man buried beneath it. This cemetery is recognized as a National Historic Landmark.

Address: 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45232

Did we cover your favorite, or should we feature your favorite later? Tell us about your favorite creepy cemeteries in Ohio in the comments! Craving more Ohio graveyard goodness? Check out this list of some of our favorite cemeteries in Cleveland.

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More to Explore

Creepy Cemeteries in Ohio

Tori Jane | April 28, 2021

What are some genuinely haunted places in Ohio?

Lucky for lovers of the paranormal, Ohio is a small state packed with big ghost stories and all the haunted and spooky places that come with them. Among the most notoriously haunted places in Ohio are places like the terrifying Ohio State Reformatory, where the ghosts roaming the halls are said to be those of some of the most violent criminals in Ohio’s history. There’s also Franklin Castle, supposedly one of the state’s most haunted places, right in the heart of Cleveland. We also have a fair share of haunted cemeteries, screaming bridges, and more. If you know where to look, you’ll find ghosts in Ohio. Check out this article for more inspiration. 

Are there any haunted cemeteries in Ohio?

Absolutely! Well… depending on who you ask, of course. Some folks would claim that there are no such things as ghosts, but we bet some of them would still refuse to enter some of these legendary Ohio cemeteries by themselves after dark. We’ve got a laundry list of supposedly haunted cemeteries peppered about the state, including ones like Cleveland’s Lake View Cemetery, where the angel statues are as creepy as the alleged ghosts, and every cemetery still on the grounds of The Ridges, at Ohio University, comes with its own set of ghost stories. You’re more likely to have a hard time finding Ohio cemeteries that don’t have a little bit of spooky magic about them.

What are some of the creepiest places in Ohio?

We suppose your definition of “creepy” comes into play, here, of course. If you’re the kind of person who finds cemeteries give you the chills, Ohio is home to more than 250 of them, including simple graveyards in the older towns. The train tunnel near Moonville, Ohio, is said to be crawling with ghosts, and a couple of hotels, motels, and inns throughout the state are said to have guests that never quite left. The old town of Boston Mills - known today to most as “Hell Town” - is a bizarre, supposedly haunted ghost town that was abandoned not terribly long ago for “mysterious” reasons. No matter what your definition of creepy is, you’ll find it in the Buckeye State.

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Featured Addresses
Water Tower Dr, Athens, OH 45701, USA
1000 Greenlawn Ave, Columbus, OH 43223, USA
12316 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
5880 Wakefield Mound Rd, Piketon, OH 45661, USA
118 Woodland Ave, Dayton, OH 45409, USA
4521 Spring Grove Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45232, USA