The Kennedy Stone House (above) at Salt Fork State Park near Cambridge, was built in 1837. The last Kennedy family resident lived there until 1966, while the park was being developed. It’s been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975. (Photo illustration by Ken Drenten)

By Ken Drenten

There are lots of out-of-the-way and interesting places in Ohio, and then there are other places where things are just, well, unexplainable. Here are a few “haunted Ohio” places to explore; one can find many more by diving into the Internet.

I won’t go into too much detail about what you might find at these places, because, quite frankly, I can’t type very well with my hands in front of my eyes. Look them up and tell me what you find out. Or maybe . . . don’t tell me.

Be aware that some places are public buildings but others may be private or vacant properties. Listed below are some public places.

Ceely Rose House – The Ceely Rose House at Malabar Farm State Park in Lucas, Ohio, is the site of a triple murder in 1896. Author Louis Bromfield wrote of the incident in his book “Pleasant Valley.” Ceely Rose poisoned her father, mother and brother with arsenic at the house and spent the rest of her life in an insane asylum. It’s said her spirit still haunts the old house, now part of the state park.

Kennedy Stone House – Salt Fork State Park, Lore City. Is this house really haunted? Not that we know of, but it sure looks spooky in the dark. The park offers visitors tours (during the daytime) for a look back to the days the Benjamin Kennedy family called the stone structure home. Also at Salt Fork State Park, Sasquatch or Bigfoot sightings have been alleged here. The park hosts the Ohio Bigfoot Conference each year.

Moonville Tunnel, in Zaleski State Forest, Vinton County. An abandoned railroad line and a dark, eerie tunnel just might be the most popular “haunted” spot in Ohio. People have reported seeing strange lights and the ghosts of those killed in train wrecks, including a train engineer killed in 1880.

Old Licking County Jail, 46 S. Third St., Newark (Licking County). This historic jail offers ghost hunts and historic tours of the building.

Ohio State Reformatory, 100 Reformatory Road, Mansfield (Richland County). This place is so famous, it was in a movie — The Shawshank Redemption. Tours are available. For more Mansfield-related attractions, go to HauntedMansfield.com and the ShawshankTrail.com.

Prospect Place Mansion, 12150 Main St., Trinway (Muskingum County). This historic 29-room mansion was built in 1856.

Woodland Cemetery, 118 Woodland Ave., Dayton (Montgomery County). Founded in 1841, Woodland is one of the nation’s five oldest garden cemeteries.

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Ken Drenten is creator and manager of Dusty-Tires.com, a travel blog for out-of-the-ordinary places in Ohio.

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