Did you know that Southern Ohio was once home to multiple mining towns and railroad tunnels? Although many of the tunnels have deteriorated or been filled in for safety reasons, a few remain—one of which is infamously known for the hauntings associated with its history

Today, you can explore what remains of this abandoned mining town and its haunted railroad tunnel via the Moonville Rail Trail in McArthur, Ohio. Take a look:

Along the Moonville Rail Trail, you'll find the infamous Moonville Tunnel and what's left of its surrounding ghost town.
Screenshot via Google Maps
For a more detailed map of the Moonville Rail Trail, click here.
The abandoned coal mining town of Moonville near Brown Township was founded in 1856, when the Marietta and Cincinnati railroad ran through the area’s woods.
Mark Spearman/Flickr
At its peak, the town was home to about 100 miners and their families.

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One structure of the town that remains today is the Moonville Tunnel, a haunted tunnel where legend has it the ghost of a man who was killed instantly by a train passing through the tunnel wanders along the track bed near the old tunnel at night.
Robert Batina/Flickr
In 1856, the railroad was the only route to Moonville. Throughout the years, many people have died near the tunnel and train tracks. Because the tunnel was so narrow, it was not possible for pedestrians to walk alongside the tracks in the tunnel while a train was passing through—which resulted in numerous deaths.
A few piers just outside of the tunnel along Raccoon Creek also remain.
Mike/Flickr
The railroad once ran along a bridge over top of them—a bridge which created another accident-prone area where multiple people died over the years as well, according to local legend.
Today, little remains of Moonville and its abandoned surroundings. Trains passed through the area until the mid-1980s, even though the last family left the town in the mid-1940s.
Jonathan MacGregor/Flickr
(If you take this trail, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for ghosts!)

To learn more about the legends of Moonville, watch the short video below:

 

Have you ever explored this old mining town before? Did you have any spooky encounters? Share your experiences with us!

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