Along the Miami River, near Loveland, legend has it that there lurks a man who looks a lot like a lizard—or a lizard who looks a lot like a man, depending on how you look at it, of course. In the 1970s, local residents and policemen reported sightings of a strange lizard or frog-like man. Throughout the years, occasional sightings along the river have been reported.
The area known as Hell Town today was once known as Boston Mills, before the town was bought out by the US government to make way for Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The once thriving town eventually turned into a ghost town. Today, some people claim that the government actually closed the town after some sort of chemical accident that caused the citizens to mutate—and some people claim to have actually seen disfigured, mutated people still hiding in the area. Legend has it there is also a decaying church with an upside down cross within the abandoned town that was once (and possibly sill) used for satanic worship.
Located in Fremont, this bridge is supposedly the site where an unwed mother threw her unwanted baby from the bridge. People have reported hearing the baby's cries at night and sightings of the guilt-ridden ghost mother searching for her child.
In north Columbus, this out of place "holler" region is the road in which a Dr. Mooney once lived on with his wife and children in one of the homes high atop the road sometime in the 1950s. Dr. Mooney supposedly murdered his wife, and legend has it that in the middle of the night his ghost reenacts his crime.
Stories of a lonely watchman who still shows up for work on dark, stormy evenings at this decaying iron furnace in Lake Hope State Park are simply too common for comfort.
In the 1800s, Gore Orphanage was mysteriously destroyed by a fire—with all the children and employees in it. Theories of how the fire was started include accidents, Mr. Gore himself, an employee or an escaped mental patient. Supposedly, if you travel to the location at midnight you will hear the screams of burning children. It has also been reported that once parked, a car will not start, and it will have to be pushed off the site.
Within this park, near East Liverpool in Columbiana County, is the ruin of part of a canal system built in the early 1800s. Two of the canal locks are said to be haunted by canal workers with lanterns who died on the job.
Perhaps the state's most well known and disturbing urban legend is that of this historic prison, where ghosts of suffering prisoners can certainly be expected.
advertisement
What other urban legends do you know about Ohio that continue to creep into modern day life?
The holiday spirit is alive and well here in the Buckeye State, with our small towns and big cities showing up for Old Kris Kringle. While there are lots of festivals and winter activities in Ohio to fill your days and evenings over the next month, we put together an overnight adventure that's a fun little getaway in the midst of this busy season. Featuring one of the best walk-through light displays in Ohio and the most charming Christmas inn, this is one holly jolly adventure sure to put you in the proper holiday spirit for Christmas in Ohio!
advertisement
There's no place like home for the holidays. We know we're lucky to call the Buckeye State home, and we put together a holly jolly adventure that celebrates the magic of the season. First up: a visit to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium for Wildlights. This annual festival is one of the most beloved holiday light displays in Ohio; and this year, you can delight in 3 million twinkling lights and displays through Jan. 5, 2025.
This family-favorite festival also features animated musical light shows, visits with Santa, live reindeer, and other holiday festivities unique to the Columbus Zoo. This holiday light display never fails to take our breath away, and while there are lots of great drive-thru displays in Ohio, there's something magical about bundling up in your warmest winter jacket and immersing yourself in a dazzling winter wonderland. Pro tip: arrive early enough so that you and your crew can still visit with the animals before they retreat for the evening.
Visit the Columbus Zoo website for more information on Wildlights.
After an evening spent outdoors, it's time to head inside to warm up and retire for the night. Just half an hour east of Columbus, you'll find the Welsh Hills Inn, Ohio's very own Hallmark movie B&B! You'll find the Welsh Hills Inn tucked away on 15 wooded acres, with a welcoming wraparound veranda. During Christmas in Ohio, this gorgeous inn fully embraces the season, decking its halls with lights and Christmas trees and its porches and windows with wreaths and bows.
Close-up of green natural pine tree decorated with golden string lights and Christmas decorations
Inside, you'll find a crackling fire and cozy blankets, and we suggest grabbing a mug of hot cocoa and playing some board games by the hearth. There are six well-appointed rooms to choose from, with the suite offering a private screened-in porch and a large soaking tub. Plus, the reviews speak for themselves. The inn has over 150 5-star reviews! Folks rave about the attentiveness of the hosts, the homemade breakfasts, and the plush bedding. Guests should note that there are two dogs that live at the inn, adding to the welcome committee!
Visit the Welsh Hills Inn website to book your stay this holiday season.
If you're lucky, you might even get some snow! Can you imagine a more delightful holiday adventure in Ohio?
What's your favorite way to celebrate Christmas in Ohio? This season will be gone before you know it, so plan a holly jolly holiday adventure in Ohio to savor this most wonderful time of year. Looking for more fun things to do in Granville? It's a historic treasure trove!
Rumor Has It the Ohio State Reformatory Is One of the Most Haunted Places in the US
Known for its role in "The Shawshank Redemption," there's so much more to discover at the Ohio State Reformatory... including paranormal activity and ghost sightings.
When I was six years old, I had my first ghost encounter. Ironically, this happened at my church.
advertisement
My mom was very active in our church and this meant many evenings tagging along while she worked on various committees and projects. I loved wandering the halls when it was so quiet, sneaking into offices and wandering down the pews in the pulpit and choir loft. It felt like my very own secret playground.
That is, until the night I encountered what I later learned to be the church ghost.
I was in a hallway bathroom -- a small space with two stalls and an adjoining room where choir members often changed. I had just sat down when the toilet next to me flushed. There was no one else there, so I bravely said Hello?
After a pregnant pause, the toilet flushed again. I've never hightailed it out of a place as quickly as I did on that fateful evening. I ran into the room where my mom was; she was with a fellow church member prepping for the fall rummage sale. When I explained what had happened, that fellow church member replied, "Oh, yes, that's the church ghost. She's friendly."
She went on to explain that, a hundred years ago when the church had just been built along what was then a one-lane road, there was a head-on collision between two cars. The driver of the first car died instantly, as did the driver of the other car -- but he wasn't alone. His wife was also in the car, gravely injured but able to crawl out of the vehicle and make her way into the church pulpit, where she peacefully passed away.
Today, explained my mom's friend, the ghost roamed the halls of our church but was friendly; she often played with lights and, yes, plumbing, gently reminding folks that she was there.
She may have been friendly, but that was the last time I roamed the halls of my church alone. I never went to the bathroom alone, either... the idea of a paranormal presence really freaked me out. This experience has stuck with me over the years, keeping me far, far away from anywhere even remotely haunted. Like, say, the Ohio State Reformatory.
Whether you live in Ohio or not, you're probably familiar with the Ohio State Reformatory. Not only did this former reformatory play a key role in "The Shawshank Redemption," but it's also considered to be one of the most haunted places in the U.S.
I've lived in Ohio most of my life but had never visited this iconic institution until recently. But on a recent weekend in early fall, just as the leaves were beginning to change and the air carried that faint smell of backyard bonfires, I left my cozy corner of southwest Ohio and headed east to see this mysterious, manmade marvel in person. I wasn't prepared for just how uncanny and, yes, haunting, the Ohio State Reformatory is in person.
Welcome to Only In Your State’s newest series, Rumor Has It, where we celebrate the local rumors – fact and fiction – that make America unique.
Also known as the Mansfield Reformatory or simply the Ohio Reformatory, the Ohio State Reformatory opened in 1886 and is nearly 130 years old.
Sarah McCosham/Only In Your State
This prison closed in 1990 and during its 100+ year tenure, 154,000 inmates called the Ohio State Reformatory home. Among its many claims to fame, the reformatory is home to the world’s tallest freestanding steel cell block: six tiers, 12 ranges, and 600 cells. A reformatory cell would have contained a desk, a stool, two footlockers, and two bunk beds, ephemera that can be viewed during a tour (more on that in a bit).
advertisement
First, the layout: you might notice that cells in the West Cell Block are slightly larger than cells in the East Cell Block; both eventually housed two inmates each due to overcrowding. Something you'll notice, as I did, is how much smaller the reformatory is in person. Don't get me wrong – it's a striking structure that certainly commands respect – but in person, the halls are tight and cells impossibly small. It's very difficult to imagine thousands of folks calling this place "home" at any given time.
The smallness of this space makes it all the more terrifying.
Sarah McCosham/Only In Your State
The reformatory was especially overcrowded in the 1920s (hello, Prohibition), and space became even tighter in the 1930s during the Great Depression. The highest committed crimes of inmates at the reformatory during this time period were robbery, burglary, larceny, and car theft. The average annual population in 1934 was 3,500 men; the prison was originally built to house 2,000 inmates, max.
Fitting so many men in a single area created a pressure cooker kind of situation, fueling tensions and sparking fights that ultimately led to inmate deaths. Violent, tortured deaths. The most infamous tale of the prison involves "the hole," a small cell wherein prisoners were held for three days as punishment. Several sources have reported that at one time, there were two inmates held in "the hole" – and by the end of the three days, one did not make it out alive.
Sarah McCosham/Only In Your State
Given its sordid history, it's no surprise the reformatory has captured the imaginations of many, including Hollywood. "The Shawshank Redemption" was famously filmed here, and Steven King's story couldn't have had a more appropriate setting.
Fast-forward to the 1980s, when these inhumane conditions finally forced the closure of the Ohio State Reformatory; remaining prisoners were moved to the nearby Mansfield Correctional Institution. Due to its age and crumbling condition, the future of the Ohio State Reformatory was uncertain, but in 1995, the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society was formed, opening the doors of this former prison to the public.
Today, film fans can explore the reformatory on a tour – guide-led or self-guided – and visit the official Shawshank Museum. The museum boasts five rooms of props, costumes, set pieces, and other treasures from the film: the safe in Warden Norton’s office, Red’s Parole Board room, Andy’s escape tunnels, and more. My film-loving partner was a big fan of the museum... I, however, found myself ruminating on the past.
Sarah McCosham/Only In Your State
Wandering through the halls and peeking into the cells was an unsettling experience. Having seen "The Shawshank Redemption," I was familiar with the building's layout, but the "mood" of the Ohio State Reformatory is something entirely different. If you're like me and you have an overactive imagination, be prepared to have your thoughts running amok and your mind playing tricks with you...
advertisement
What was that noise?
Did that light just flicker?
Were those footsteps behind me?
This brings me to why: Why visit the Ohio State Reformatory?
As with all of the adventures we share on Only In Your State, the experience is the why. We can describe a beautiful canyon or historic site, but there's only so much words and photos can convey. The feeling – that deep-in-your-bones, hair-raising unease – of a place like the Ohio State Reformatory; it's an experience.
