Ghosthunting Ohio: On the Road Again

EXCERPTS Ohio s Haunted Hotels Ever think you might want to spend a night in a haunted hotel? Ohio is full of them. Here s a sampling of some of the spookiest: Hilton Netherland Plaza - Cincinnati This beautiful Art Deco hotel right in the heart of Cincinnati is home to the Lady in Green. The spirit of a woman who jumped out a window high atop the hotel after her husband was killed while working on the construction of the hotel, she is most often seen on the elevators wearing a fancy green dress. Hotel Breakers - Sandusky Located in Cedar Point Amusement Park, the hotel has been serving guests for more than 100 years. The hotel is haunted by the ghost of a woman named Mary who hanged herself in a room on the second floor. Lafayette Hotel - Marietta This venerable old hotel has survived frequent flooding of the Ohio River, so the ghosts who still reside here feel safe and secure. One of the most common ghosts is that of Mr. Hoag, a former hotel manager. The wait staff in the hotel s restaurant still sees him working on his business papers there, long after closing. The Old Stone House Bed & Breakfast -Marblehead This bed-and-breakfast is supposedly haunted by the ghost of a little girl who fell out of a window and flew three floors to her death. Guests claim to hear flushing toilets on the third floor, and some have reported photographing orbs in haunted Room 11 Rider s Inn - Painesville The Rider s Inn was built in 1812 and has seen its share of travelers pass through. Suzanne Rider was the original landlady of the establishment, and apparently she has found it difficult to leave. At least one modern guest has reported a silent lady who looks like Suzanne admitting the guests to the inn late at night. Siesta Motel - Norwich In 1994, a man who had argued violently with his mother left their house and rented a room at the motel. He was awakened in the middle of the night by an intruder. A struggle ensued, and the man was killed. Guests and employees now hear slamming doors, crying and laughter, and whispered obscenities. Lights go on and off by themselves, and some guests have reported being struck by the unseen presence. The Lofts Hotel - Columbus The boutique hotel in Columbus s new Arena area began life in 1882 as the Carr Building and housed several different businesses until it became a hotel in 1998. Perhaps the Lady of the Lofts, a woman in Victorian clothing who haunts the hotel, was an employee in one of those businesses; we don t know. What we do know is that several people have glimpsed her from the corner of their eye in the stairwell and occasionally in the halls. Recently, a hotel security guard named Kevin heard a woman s horrific screaming on the second floor in the middle of the afternoon. For twenty minutes he frantically searched the area but never found an explanation for the screaming. Granville Inn - Granville Right across the street from the haunted Buxton Innwhich has, among other ghosts, a ghost catthe Granville Inn has its share of spooky visitors. Cold spots, odd tapping noises, and a piece of glass that floated from a hanging lamp to the floor are just some of the paranormal pranks reported here. The Golden Lamb - Lebanon One of America s venerable old inns, the Golden Lamb has seen scores of generals and presidents, writers and actors, sports figures and entertainers pass through its doors since it was established as a stage-coach stop in 1803. Many of these guests found the inn so comfortable that they simply decided to stay. Look for the ghosts of Senator Clement L. Vallandigham, who accidentally shot himself to death in what is today a dining room; or Ohio Supreme Court Justice Charles R. Sherman, father of Civil War general William T. Sherman; or the little daughter of Henry Clay, Eliza, who died from an illness at the inn. Candlewood Suites - North Olmstead The land upon which the hotel was built was formerly woodlands. The story behind the haunting says that a woman hanged herself in the woods and that her body was later discovered by construction workers. There are reports of cold spots in the hotel, and some employees say they have been touched by the ghost. The Inn at Cedar Falls - Logan The Inn, located in the scenic Hocking Hills area of southeastern Ohio, has several cabins and a main house that incorporates an original 1840 log cabin. Unsettling, eerie guitar music was first heard as the cabin was undergoing renovation in 1987 to become part of the inn. Beneath the birdsong you might hear Guitar Man still playing his haunting tunes. Westgate Hotel - Sylvania Maids working on the fourth floor of the hotel often see the apparition of a woman in old-time clothing; they call her Isabella. The maids think she may be the ghost of Olive Ward, a local woman murdered by her husband in 1857. They also hear their names being called by unseen persons. "