by Hannah Boggs, Arts and Style Editor
With Halloween being this past weekend, you may find yourself wanting to get in the spirit and indulge yourself into some horror. Watching a few horror movies may get you scared in the safety of your own home, but why not explore three of Ohio’s most haunted locations and experience the terror first hand?
Starting at third place, Ohio has a road that not only has an unsettling name, but also an unsettling story. Walhalla Road is located just off of North High Street in downtown Columbus. The road itself is quite different from the surrounding urban area. During the day, the road appears seemingly normal, very few desolate houses surrounded by thick trees and sharp curves; however, once night strikes the haunting begins. There are many different stories behind what went down on Walhalla Road, but the most infamous story involves a Dr. Mooney and his family; they supposedly lived in one of the homes located on this street in the 1950’s. The legend says that Dr. Mooney slowly descended into insanity and killed his wife and children before killing himself as well. It is said that late at night you can see a blue light haunting the road. Reports have also said that while driving underneath Calumet St. Bridge, located above Walhalla Road, you can see Dr. Mooney’s ghostly body.
The next infamous haunted location takes place in Newark, Ohio. The Old Licking County Jail has been explored by many ghost hunters throughout the years and has even appeared on paranormal television programs. The Jail was built in 1889, and was known for being the best and sturdiest jail that Ohio had seen at the time. However, throughout the years many tragic deaths have occurred including those of inmates and local sheriffs. There have been many reports of unexplained noises such as strange knocks, distant screams, loud bangs, and scuffling feet. Some have also reported sightings of different shadow figures wandering around the rundown halls. The Old Licking County Jail offers many different tours throughout the week in order for those who are looking for a good scare to explore the haunted and unearthly halls.
The last location is the most infamous haunted location in Ohio, as well as in the United States as a whole. The Ohio State Reformatory, located in Mansfield, started in 1886 and was used to punish and “reform” young offenders. The Reformatory shut down in the 1990’s after a lawsuit was filed for the decline of the building after the state pulled its financial support. Unexplainable occurrences happen frequently such as strange noises, ghostly figures, and reports of being grabbed by spirits. The Chapel is one of the Reformatory’s most active areas; strange light anomalies are often seen in photographs that are taken in this room. The Ohio State Reformatory offers many tours for all different age groups to explore the horror that takes place beyond the walls.
These three locations are just the surface of haunted locations in Ohio, but they’re definitely a good place to start if you’re looking for a good scare to keep you up at night. It’s hard to explain what lurks and prowls at each of these locations, but the sinister and chilling experiences are what keeps the uncertainty exciting.
Go out and explore some of these infamous locations. You may just get to experience first hand the horror and terror that loiters at each location, waiting for its next victim.