Ohio’s Historic Haunts

“Ohio’s Historic Haunts: Researching the Origins of Ohio’s Ghost Stories and Legends,” presented by author James A. Willis

Many locations in Ohio, including some that are historically significant, have developed a reputation for being haunted or had a strange legend associated with it. While it might be almost impossible to prove the validity of the paranormal tales that surround them, one thing is clear: these stories help to keep history alive. But the questions remain: How did these stories get started? More important, are any of them tied directly to actual historic events? And do any facts support the strange and ghostly lore?

Rather than rely on second-and third-person accounts, author and paranormal researcher James A. Willis has spent the better part of two decades sitting down with owners, employees, and patrons of Ohio locations that are said to have strange and spooky tales attached to them. By compiling literally hundreds of hours’ worth of one-on-one interviews, along with thousands of pages of historical research, Willis was able to piece together unique histories for each location, including eyewitness accounts from people who believed they experienced paranormal activity.

But Willis is never content to stop with first-person accounts or even historical research. He also visits each and every location he’s researching, often with high-tech “ghost-hunting” equipment, and spends hours at each location, attempting to collect empirical data to see if he could experience a paranormal encounter himself.

What were the results of all this research and site visits? This special presentation will reveal all! So come along on a journey with Willis as he travels to the crossroads where history and folklore collide, and visit the fascinating Ohio locations where the past comes alive—in more ways than one!

This free event kicks off the The Cleo Redd Fisher Museum’s Fall & Spring Speaker Series, and is generously sponsored by Landoll’s Mohican Castle.

James A. Willis is the author of numerous books including Weird Ohio, Central Ohio Legends and Lore, Ohio’s Historic Haunts, and The Big Book of Ohio Ghost Stories.See Less