haunted houses in waynesville ohio

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Is Waynesville haunted? Stories from one of Ohio’s spookiest towns

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Throughout October, we’re going into the archives for some of our favorite stories of spooky places and famous tales around the area. Today, let’s turn attention to Waynesville with a story that first published in 2020.

The charming village of Waynesville is famous for many reasons. It’s the “Antiques Capital of the Midwest” and home of the annual Ohio Sauerkraut Festival.

It’s also haunted.

Founded in 1797, the Village of Waynesville — named for General “Mad” Anthony Wayne — is believed to be one of the most haunted towns in Ohio.

It comes as no surprise that October in Waynesville is all about ghost stories. The Ghostly History Walking Tours are hosted by the Museum at the Friends Home, a non-profit local history museum operated by volunteers, located in Waynesville’s Quaker Hill Historic District on the corner of 4th and Miami streets.

Why is Waynesville considered to be the Most Haunted Village in Ohio? “We’re not afraid to talk about it. The ghosts don’t make it scary, and they want us to know about them,” said Linda Morgan, vice president of the museum and tour guide.

Haunted museum?

Built in 1905, the museum was once a Quaker boarding house and later a nursing home. It became a history museum in 2000.

When it was a nursing home, the office staff vacated the premises with no explanation for their departure, and Morgan said she later found out why. “While the ladies were using these offices, they heard kids in the kitchen laughing and carrying on. They walked into the kitchen to find that the door was locked and there were no children in the building,” she said.

It didn’t take long for the museum team to discover for themselves that they were on haunted grounds, Morgan said. Morgan shared a personal story about the museum’s haunted garage.

Morgan said she was among a group of ladies were at the museum in the afternoon one day. When the group left, she recalled getting into her car and looking at the garage doors. “I thought, what are we going to do? The doors are rotten. The whole bottoms are coming out. It looks terrible. You have to be authentic with the time period (as a history museum). You can’t just call Overhead Door to put one in. It’s going to be thousands of dollars."

“I went home and three hours later I get this email,” she continued. "The lady that lived across the street who parked her car in her driveway every day was out back with her husband. They heard a terrible crash and thought that two cars had collided. Then they came running out here. Her car had gone from park into neutral. It rolled out of their driveway, down a hill and across the street into our garage doors, right into the middle where they needed to be demolished. All of the stuff that was in there for the garage sale got trashed. The insurance company paid for the new doors and $500 to replace the damaged garage sale items. So, who can explain this?”

Haunted inn?

Constructed as an inn and stagecoach stop in 1822, The Hammel House Restaurant & B&B on Main Street just reopened on Sept. 11 after being closed for nearly two years. The frame portion of the building was believed to have been used as a tavern in 1800, with Waynesville’s first election being held there in 1803.

In June, the new Hammel House owners, husband and wife Kevin and Cheri Douglas and Cheri’s brother Jim Lester, began renovations. Around this time, the owners had hired someone to help them acquire and find the best deals on kitchen equipment.

“I happened to be out in the foyer painting,” Cheri Douglas said. “My husband, before this gentlemen started, was upstairs in what we use as our office and he felt a cat brush against his leg. Well, we have heard the story of a cat, so it didn’t startle him. He just figured it was the cat. While I was painting, I said, ‘Oh look, a cat hair.’ The gentleman was sitting here in the old dining room. He said, ‘You’re kidding.’ I said, ‘No, I’m not kidding.’ The hair looked like it had been painted in once. So, I started painting some more and got further down to the end of the stairs here and found another cat hair that looked fresh to me. So, of course I’m me and I’m like, ‘Hey, here’s another cat hair.’ He said, ‘Oh, I think it’s time for me to go. You guys don’t have cats.’ I said, ‘We have never had a cat in here but somebody did at one time.’ He was a little frightened by that.”That’s not the only hair-raising cat tale.

“We had a little girl sitting at this table," Morgan added. "When she got up to leave after dinner, she had a cat print on her pant leg. There wasn’t a cat that came in here during dinner. One of the funniest stories we have is a lady who was sitting at this table with her husband, sister and brother-in-law. She asked, ‘Why is my brother-in-law rubbing my leg with his foot?’ He wasn’t rubbing her leg. It was probably the cat.”

Haunted boutique?

Buckeye Charm, a boutique owned by Jona Powell on High Street, was featured on the Travel Channel’s paranormal investigation show “Ghost Nation” in an episode that premiered on April 29 titled “An Unholy Haunting.” The show features Jason Hawes, Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango of TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society), formerly of the long-running paranormal investigative documentary reality TV series “Ghost Hunters,” which aired on A&E and SyFy.

The property was built in 1877 as St. Augustine’s Catholic Church. In 1976, the church was sold to become a commercial building.

During filming, a loud EVP (electronic voice phenomenon) recording was captured in the building with the words “Hallowed be thy name.” The crew was concerned that the voice was a staged prank, Powell recalled. “Because it was so loud and so clear, they’ve had times in the past where people have tried to trick them or do something. So, they had all of their crew shut down, turn on the lights, stop what they were doing and search for speakers just to make sure that it wasn’t something that we were pulling over on them.”

Haunted schoolhouse?

There has also been paranormal activity at old Waynesville Union Schoolhouse, built in 1891. The building is currently used for storage by the American Legion hall directly across from the museum.

“After the newer school was built up the hill, they shut it down and put the town library on the first floor. In the basement, the American Legion had their bar where the guys all went. It was the only place in town where you could drink. Eventually, they built a newer building over here. So, the building is just sitting there. Nobody can decide what to do about it, how to save it or tear it down,” Morgan said.

Since the museum had heard stories about happenings in the basement, Lee Allen, a local paranormal investigator, was consulted. “Lee brought a psychic from Columbus. She knew nothing about this town," Morgan said. "We were in there with some of the people from the American Legion and Lee’s team. All of a sudden the psychic said, ‘There’s some men here that don’t want you ladies here in the basement at all in their legion hall. They want you to leave... Now.’

"It’s a guy’s place, right? There’s a pool hall, bar and all that. So, we just didn’t pay attention to it for a little bit. She said, ‘No, they’re really serious. They want you to leave. This is not a place for ladies.’ So, somebody touched my shoulder and I screamed. She said, ‘Their names are Ralph and Carl and they really seriously want you to leave.’ Nothing else happened so we eventually packed up and left.”

Morgan said she told the story to a friend who grew up on the corner close to the American Legion and specifically mentioned Ralph and Carl. “She said to me, ‘You’re kidding me! Ralph Smith and Carl Stiver spent every day up there in the basement at the bar.’ Eventually, I heard Carl’s wife say that if he was anyplace in town, that’s where he’d be.”

Haunted graveyard?

The Friends Burial Ground, a Quaker graveyard dating back to 1804 and a short walk from the museum (corner of 4th and High Streets), was divided into two sections for the Hicksite and Orthodox Quakers in 1828. The dead were buried in the order in which they died instead of by status or family association. Ghost stories about the graveyard can be heard on the walking tours.

Even though the walking tours this season have been well attended, the coronavirus pandemic restrictions have cut the attendance of each tour in half. Prior to the pandemic, tours had a maximum of 50 attendees. Currently, that number has been reduced to 25.

“If you’re careful, you can go to Lowe’s. Why can’t you go on a ghost walk?” Morgan asked.

The last ghostly walking tour for this year is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 30. However, the museum is considering extending the walks into December. Groups of 10 or more (25 maximum) also have the option of pre-paying to set up a tour. “We’re talking about probably having one tour a month at The Hammel House (Ghost & Goblet Dinner and Tour) the rest of the year and more walking tours,” Morgan said.

About the Author

This Is The Most Haunted Town In Ohio (Here's Why)

Waynesville, a small village in Ohio, is said to be one of the most haunted places to visit and is a must-visit for those into ghost stories.

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A brief overview of waynesville's history, waynesville's mysteries and ghosts, other attractions in waynesville.

If the prevalence of ghost towns in Ohio is any indication, the Buckeye State is ripe with spookiness, and one village in the state is said to be incredibly haunted. Approximately 2,834 people call the village of Waynesville, located in Wayne Township in Warren County, home.

However, this seemingly ordinary small town has a reputation for having more than 30 haunted locations. Author Chris Woodyard, writer of the famous "Haunted Ohio" series, called it "the most haunted village in Ohio." Here's why!

Waynesville, at the crossroads of US Route 42 and State Route 73, is geographically significant and widely recognized as the "Antiques Capital of the Midwest."

Founded in 1796 and given Wayne as its namesake in honor of General "Mad" Anthony Wayne , this village in southwestern Ohio is older than the state of Ohio.

As a result, it has a fascinating blend of historical and cultural influences.

Samuel Heighway hoped when he established Waynesville in 1797 that it would one day serve as the capital of the Northwest Territory, a dream that never materialized.

However, Waynesville has become one of Southern Ohio's most exciting and unusual tourist destinations .

On March 8, 1797, Heighway, an engineer from Shropshire, England, and a few other well-to-do English pioneers established themselves at Waynesville.

Related: The 10 Most Haunted Spots In Ohio

Together with the Methodist clergyman Rev. John Smith, the medical doctor Dr. Evan Beans, and the young scientist Sir Francis Baily, he bought thirty thousand acres in the Symmes Purchase between the Little and Great Miami Rivers. Their objective was to establish a plantation.

Visitors to Waynesville, Ohio, who are more likely to connect the town with the annual Ohio Sauerkraut Festival, may be taken aback to learn that the area is also home to several hauntings.

The Hammel House, for example, is a well-known haunted inn where some of Waynesville's first reports of paranormal activity originated.

Numerous reports of ghost sightings have plagued the house since it transformed from apartments into a bed and breakfast in the 1980s.

The existence of a mysterious black shadow, spotted several times, has been at the center of numerous paranormal reports at The Hammel House .

One evening, a man who wanted a calm night checked into Room 3 after being told he would be the only guest that evening.

When he got to his room, he promptly went to sleep, and after what felt like an eternity, he finally opened his eyes to the world's loudest party. He quickly sprung from bed, unlocked the door, and stepped into the corridor—complete and utter silence.

After exploring the first floor, he discovered that the basement was empty. In the morning, the man noticed a dark shadow moving through Room 2's wall and into Room 3.

A different urban legend in Waynesville also features a storied business and involves the Stetson family. In 1861 and 1865, Louisa Stetson Larrick's brother John Stetson visited his sister at their house in Waynesville. Mr. Stetson's future was gloomy due to both his tuberculosis and asthma.

As a result of his poor performance, his family let him go from the Stetson hat factory. In Waynesville, John made a one-of-a-kind hat for a passing traveler.

The original American Cowboy hat was born from that single hat, sparking a multimillion-dollar industry. Within a short time, John's health began to improve.

Related: This Dayton, Ohio Forest Is Home To A Legendary 'Witches Tower'

Louisa, his sister, however, contracted tuberculosis from him and died of it in 1879. While she had provided him with emotional and financial support during his tuberculosis battle, John only repaid her original $60 investment.

Over the years, a woman, widely assumed to be Louisa, has allegedly been seen by witnesses in the Stetson House foyer or attempting to enter surrounding stores while wearing a Victorian-era high-collared dress and gloves.

Another tragic event took place directly across the street from the Stetson House. In late August of 1879, newspapers across the country announced that Mrs. Mollie Hattie, her sister Clementine Weeks, and her 12-year-old niece Myrtle Weeks were brutally killed.

Mrs. Hattie's son and ex-husband were suspects. Unfortunately, the son's apparent suicide led to the case going cold.

Reports of "weird and unnerving sounds" led to the demolition of the house where the killings took place. New homeowners who moved into a house built on the same land often claim to have seen a Victorian woman walking with a child.

For visitors who dare to indulge in the area's haunted history, consider these other attractions afterward:

• Waynesville's best museum to visit: The Caesars Creek Pioneer Village at 3999 Pioneer Village Road allows visitors to learn more about the history of the settlers of the southwestern Ohio frontier as they stroll through 19 authentic Quaker buildings dating back to the 1700s and 1800s.
• Festival to attend in the village: Ohio Sauerkraut Festival . This yearly (October) festival is one of America's largest arts and crafts show, with more than 400 curated artisan merchants, music, and entertainment.
• Where to shop: The Old Main Street Antiques Show . Twice a year, in the spring and fall, dozens of vendors set up shop to sell everything from antiques to handmade gifts, from furniture to fine art.

"The most haunted village in Ohio" says ghosts are just part of the charm

Whitney Fordyce tended to the lunch rush that piled into the Hammel House Inn’s downstairs restaurant on a Wednesday in early October. Her ponytail bobbed as she darted from table to table topping off drinks and taking orders.

The inn was completely booked leading into the fall weekend.

It always gets this busy this time of year, said Fordyce, who manages the bed and breakfast. Part of that has to do with the guests that don’t check into the 200-year old inn. This is said to be one of the village’s most phantom-filled buildings. The historic bed and breakfast is embracing it.

“It's definitely something that we go to, that we think about, especially during the slow season,” Fordyce said. “It helps. Every little bit of the haunted type of thing helps, it really does.”

The inn draws people into the restaurant by being a stop on the local ghost tour. And when the tourism slows in the winter, its five bedrooms will be full of ghost hunters, trying to contact the dead.

It’s not just the Hammel House that capitalizes on the creepy. In addition to being the “antique capital of Ohio” and hosting an annual Sauerkraut festival, Waynesville is known for being full of ghosts.

A haunted history

The small southwest Ohio village doesn’t shy away from its spooky reputation, said Paula Dytko, who helps to create ghost tourism, like walking tours and ghost hunting classes, all around Waynesville.

“The whole town is haunted. It's not a couple buildings,” Dytko said. “I always say we have an extra layer of hospitality that you just can't see.”

Dyyko has always loved the supernatural, and when she began researching the small village’s past, she said she couldn’t believe the amount of haunted history it held.

The village was established in 1797 , before Ohio was even a state, and it’s chock full of spooky stories.

From the supposed ghost cat that roams its streets to the apparition that appears in the upstairs window of an old tea room, there’s just something about Waynesville that Dytko said makes the quaint village prime for the paranormal.

Perhaps the town’s slower pace of life, she said, suits the ghosts.

“People still run tabs at the grocery store here. Like, it's still very old school. We slow things down here,” Dytko said. “So they can stay in their way of life, kind of.”

Bringing in visitors

More than just giving goosebumps, Dytko said the town’s ghost stories help local businesses, like Hammel House, by drawing people in.

Some of the boutique shops around town are rumored to be haunted, including Buckeye Charm, a family-owned shop that opened in February 2020. In the late 1800s, the boutique was a Catholic Church, where a priest is said to have died from a heart attack.

“We had no idea that Waynesville was considered the most haunted [village] in Ohio,” said boutique owner Jona Powell. “Maybe they should tell you that before you buy property. We found out the hard way, I guess.”

When Powell realized her family might not be the only ones occupying the shop, she was wary about whether to broadcast the presence of ghosts to shoppers.

But, ultimately, the family decided to share the stories with the town. The former church is the last stop on the ghost tour. It was even featured on “Ghost Nation,” a paranormal investigation show. Powell said that publicity got them online orders from around the world.

“It really helped put Waynesville on the map and give Waynesville a lot of publicity, coming out of COVID,” she said.

Living history

The unearthly visitors also play a real hand in preserving the small village’s history. Ghost tours are hosted by the local history museum, Museum at the Friends Home.

Of course, the old Quaker meeting home that houses the museum is supposedly home to spirits as well. But, Board President Linda Morgan doesn’t mind. The museum doesn’t get any state or federal funding, she said, and it’s completely volunteer-run. So, talking about its darker history helps keep the lights on.

“We don't want to turn into some kind of ghost mausoleum type. We're really a history museum,” Morgan said. “But it pays the bills.”

She hopes the tours get people excited not just about the terrifying, but about the village’s positive contributions. It played a role in the invention of the Stetson cowboy hat, and the Quaker town was a stop on the Underground Railroad.

“There’s some interesting people that came from or lived here in Waynesville that contributed to the world, not just this little town,” Morgan said.

Between the money from the walking tours and its ghost-hunting classes, the museum actually has the funds to restore another historic Waynesville site: the village’s first firehouse, which has fallen to disrepair. The museum will resurrect the old structure into a community gathering space.

“It's like we're finally taking a deep breath,” said Dytko, who volunteers with the museum. “We’ve made it. We’ve got a little cushion. What more can we give back?”

It takes a lot of help to keep the small village’s history alive. So, the people here are thankful for the boost from beyond the grave.

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Waynesville: Host to Visitors Past & Present

Blog by Mary Fessler Known as the “Antiques Capital of the Midwest”, Waynesville, Ohio is home to countless antique and unique stores, local dining gems, and the always popular Ohio Sauerkraut Festival.  What many may not know about the charming Warren County village, however, is that it’s also widely regarded as the most haunted town in Ohio. A longtime resident of the region, I had never given much thought to the stories of Waynesville’s hauntings – that is until my son started working at  The Hammel House Inn.

When he first took a summer job at this historic dining spot and B&B, my history-loving son was simply excited by the idea of earning some summer cash in a unique work environment. It wasn’t long though, before he got much more than he’d bargained for. On at least two occasions, he heard what sounded like an unseen girl crying in the basement. His co-worker also reported a similar occurrence, claiming that she had heard a young girl ask her to “hurry up”, and had witnessed glasses sliding off of tables, seemingly without explanation. Intrigued by my son’s stories, I put on my research cap, but could find no definitive explanation for these “encounters”. On a hunt for more information, I contacted author Chris Woodyard, who explained to me that the sound of children crying is sometimes reported in tunnels and basements that were once part of the Underground Railroad. Recent research indicates that Waynesville may have played an even larger role along the Underground Railroad than previously believed. Fascinated, I couldn’t help but to dig deeper.

While accounts of the crying girl in The Hammel House’s basement are less common, guests and staff at the restaurant and inn routinely report encounters with two other ghostly apparitions – a cat (which is said to leave fur on the stairs) and a misty figure of a man in Room 4. While I could find no explanation for the friendly cat, stories abound about the man. The general consensus is that a young traveling salesman who dealt in gems or jewelry stopped at The Hammel House Inn long ago. The well-dressed man checked in, but never checked out, and was never seen again. The innkeeper at the time sold the traveler’s horses and carriage quite quickly following his disappearance, leading most to assume that the innkeeper murdered the man (and reportedly dumped his body in a well). Some even say he confessed to this crime on his deathbed. While many believe the spirit is that of the victimized young traveler, others claim the innkeeper felt so guilty about his crime that his own spirit is now stuck in the inn and prevented from moving on. This particular story has been so pervasive that the New York Times even carried a blurb about it in their February 23, 1881 edition. No matter the source of the inn’s entities, all who encounter the numerous Hammel House spirits happily report no feelings of fear or malice, but rather just a sense of mischief.

Elsewhere in Waynesville, another local legend involves a legendary company. In 1861 and 1865, Louisa Stetson Larrick was visited in her Waynesville home by her brother John Stetson. Suffering from tuberculosis and asthma, the prognosis was not good for Mr. Stetson, who had been cut out of the Stetson family’s hat-making business.  While visiting Louisa, John made a new kind of hat for a fellow traveler. That hat—the first American Cowboy hat—was the start of a multi-million dollar empire. Soon thereafter, John made a miraculous recovery in his health. Sadly, though, he passed tuberculosis on to his sister Louisa, who passed away from the disease in 1879. Despite the fact that Louisa had cared for John both physically and financially during his own fight with tuberculous, John gave his sister only her original $60 investment – a small fraction of the fortune his design earned. To this day, people still report seeing a woman —presumably Louisa, in a high-collared dress and old-fashioned gloves standing in the doorway of the Stetson House or trying to enter nearby shops.

Directly across the street from the Stetson House, yet another tragedy took place. Newspapers throughout the country reported that Mrs. Mollie Hattie, her sister Clementine Weeks, and her niece Myrtle Weeks, just 12 years old, were brutally murdered in late August of 1879. Mrs. Hattie’s son and her ex-husband were suspects in the case, but her son was found dead from an apparent suicide. It appears no one was convicted of the crimes. The home that served as the site of the murders was ultimately demolished due to reports of “strange and unsettling sounds”. Tenants of a new home built on the same lot often report seeing a Victorian woman holding the hand of a small girl.

My research for this blog post took me to the  Museum at the Friends Home . There I learned, in addition to background on the aforementioned tales of hauntings, that the museum is in fact home to a spirit of its own. Some say it’s that of Mary Lynch, who was removed from the care of her parents when they became too ill to care for her. Following the passing of her father, Mary’s mother eventually recovered. Though attempts were then made to return Mary and her siblings to her mother’s care, they were unsuccessful. To this day, locals and visitors alike report seeing a young girl in period dress on the Museum’s front porch, while others claim toys located within the museum inexplicably move from time to time.

Believe what you will about the hauntings of Waynesville, but I do encourage anyone interested in learning more about the charming town’s spooky stories to do so. The village hosts Ghostly History Walking Tours and Ghost and Goblet Dinner and Tour events on weekends and Wednesdays in October (reservations required), and they are as fascinating as they are frightening.

Sources: The Face in the Window: Haunting Ohio Tales – Chris Woodyard Ghost Hunters Guide to Haunted Ohio – Chris Woodyard Cincinnati Ghosts – Karen Laven Special thanks to Chris Woodyard, Pam Bowman, Linda Morgan, and Dolly McKeehan for their time, stories, and insight.

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History and Culture of Waynesville

General “Mad” Anthony Wayne negotiated the Treaty of Greenville between the tribal confederacy and the United States, which was signed on August 3, 1795. The treaty gave the Northwest Territory to the United States and cleared the way for the state of Ohio to enter the Union in 1803. Waynesville was founded in 1797 on the west bank of the Little Miami River by Samuel Heighway and named for General “Mad” Anthony Wayne. Heighway platted Waynesville in the fashion of an English village, laying the town out in twelve squares of four acres each. The squares retain their names today as noted by sign posts on each corner.

Waynesville was once an important Quaker settlement. The Miami Monthly Meeting, established in 1803, was the first such gathering in southwestern Ohio. The Accommodation Stage Coach Line ran along Third Street, which was the major street of that time and connected Waynesville with neighboring communities.

Waynesville is known for its antique shops and the Ohio favorite Sauerkraut Festival that attracts more than 350,000 people for the weekend. Waynesville is also known as one of the most haunted cities in Ohio. There are guided ghost tours through Waynesville year-round. During the month of October, you can start your ghost tour right at The Hammel House Inn. The group normally eats and tells stories before the walk on weekends in October. For reservations call Museum at the Friends Home at 513-897-1607 or visit their website www.friendshomemuseum.org/ghost-tours-class-dinners.

For nature lovers, Waynesville offers walking trails along the Little Miami River. Caesar Creek State Park is just a couple miles south on State Route 73, which offers trails, a beach, and a beautiful lake for your enjoyment.

Waynesville is only a 45 minute drive to downtown Cincinnati and  30 minutes to downtown Dayton making this a convenient trip to get out of the city. 

History of Hammel House

The frame portion of this structure may have been used as a tavern as early as 1800. Waynesville held its first election here in 1803, and the current building was constructed as an inn and stage coach stop in 1822. From 1822 to 1841 there were a few owners of the building now known as the Hammel House. In 1841, the building was sold to Enoch Hammel. Mr. Hammel was a prominent figure in the community where he was a candidate for county sheriff and Wayne Township trustee. Even though Mr. Hammel was an upstanding citizen, his establishment did not always reflect that. A local Quaker woman, Mrs. Anna O’Neal, described the activities of the Hammel House as “bacchanalian revelry and ribald conduct which was hourly enacted”. Mrs. O’Neal temporarily resided directly across the street from the Hammel House and she pulled a large wagon in front of her cabin so her children would not witness the daily misbehaving.

The Hammel House was remodeled and refitted by Mr. W. O. Gustin. Gustin added electricity, hot and cold water, and all of the other fine conveniences possible in a first-class country hotel. Mr. Gustin also removed the third floor of the Hammel House, perhaps to dissuade any of the previous activities that Mrs. O’Neal alluded to. The “Gustin House” also boasted a livery & feed stable as Mr. Gustin was an enthusiastic admirer of fine coach horses.

The Hammel House history also includes hosting Charles Dickens, J.D. Rockefeller and U.S. Presidents Martin Van Buren, George W. Bush as well as Vice President Richard Johnson.

The Hammel House Inn features five stunning bedrooms of varying sizes to accommodate your needs. Each room has been tastefully updated to maintain the historic charm.

The Hammel House Inn is now being maintained by Robby and Michelle Hart. We look forward to serving all of our guests!

This is no ordinary woods walk. The Forgotten Forest is a place shrouded in mystery. Many people have gone searching for answers to the unnatural events that occur in and around the forest but none have ever returned. Only the bravest should dare enter these trees and IF you make it back out, you will not be the same as when you went in.

ATTRACTION INTENSITY

Around every dark corner awaits disturbing scenes of horror that will pull you further from reality. Get the yell scared out of you as you wind through the dark maze-like pathways trying to find a way out. Or surrender to the darkness and join the horror in a permanent state of Psychosis.

The zombie apocalypse is here. The infection has spread to every corner of the globe and the future seems bleak. There is a small refugee camp nearby that has managed to fight off the hoard and is heavily reinforced. Board our armored bus with a group of fellow survivors and a small assault team who will protect you in transit to the camp and see if you can survive the zombie assault.

Take up arms against the zombie hoard. Test out your accuracy and reflexes against our army of zombies in this shooting gallery. Hurl paintballs at zombies as they dodge this way and that avoiding their colorful doom. Can you prevent an apocalypse or just paint a pretty picture?

Can you reunite the zombie with its brain? Keep that hammer swinging and don't miss. You'll need to crush that brain back into the zombie's cranium before time runs out!

How good is your axe throw? Step on up and find out!

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Scary Little Christmas

Features The Forgotten Forest and Psychosis.

Scary Little Christmas + Yuletide Village

Features Yuletide Village inside the Renaissance Festival plus Brimstone's Scary Little Christmas.

• Open Saturday night December 9 and 16. Gates open at 7:00pm.
• Gates close at 10:00pm. Attractions will run until lines are empty.

• Coming from I-75: Take Exit 38 (Springboro/Franklin) and head East on State Route 73 for 15 miles then turn left on Brimstone Road.
• Coming from I-71: Take Exit 45 (Waynesville) and head West on State Route 73 for 2 miles then turn right on Brimstone Road.

The Tiny Town In Ohio With A Terribly Creepy Past

April is the Ohio staff writer for Only in Your State. She is an Ohio native with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. With more than 10 years of writing experience and a background in news reporting for Ohio newspapers, she's published pieces in multiple print and online publications. When she's not on deadline or chasing after her toddler, she's hunting for hidden gems in Ohio or getting lost in a good book.

More by this Author

Here in Ohio, there’s no shortage of creepy places, chilling haunts, and bizarre occurrences that remain unexplained. (If you love exploring and investigating all of these things, then you’ll want to check out our haunted road trip here .) Our small towns are no exception. There is one tiny town, however, that’s more haunted than the rest. Within Wayne Township in Warren County, you’ll find the village of Waynesville. It’s a quaint, historic town with a population of approximately 2,834 — but it’s rumored to have more than 30 haunted places and an incredibly creepy past, and beloved to be one of the most haunted towns in Ohio. Let’s take a look…

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Have you ever been to Waynesville before? Do you agree that it’s one of the most haunted towns in Ohio? If so, did you have any ghostly encounters? Share your thoughts and experiences with us!

And for more haunted places in Ohio, check out our previous article, This Haunted Road Trip Will Lead You To The Scariest Places In Ohio .

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Haunted towns in ohio.

What are some other haunted towns in Ohio?

In addition to Waynesville, Marietta stands out as another notoriously haunted town in Ohio. This riverside town in Ohio is known as the first permanent settlement of the Northwest Territory. It’s a beautiful little locale, known for its Victorian-style houses, European ambience, brick streets, sternwheelers... and ghosts. That's right -- Marietta is full of all sorts of ghosts and not-quite-dead spirits! The Lafayette Hotel is one of the most popular paranormal attractions in the town, and it's thought to be one of Ohio's most haunted hotels. This old-world hotel dates back to 1918, and is rumored to be haunted by its former owner. The third floor is infamous for paranormal activity. Guests have reported unexplained oddities for years. Missing items, suitcases turned upside-down and emptied shampoo bottles are just a few of the reported occurrences. Visit this haunted hotel and let us know what you see, hear, or feel ....

Does Ohio have any ghost towns?

Sort of. Like many rural areas and small towns in Ohio, Rogues Hollow was once a thriving coal mining village near the modern day town of Doylestown, Ohio. Rogues Hollow was also a place for notorious outlaws and gangsters to hide out. Shoot-outs and robberies were common here, and these continued until the early 20th-century. Every October, the historical society hosts a “Walk the Hollow” event where you hear the spooky tales surrounding the hollow and explore the area at night.

What are some haunted places to visit in Ohio?

If you're up for a next-level ghost hunting adventure in Ohio, we have just the place for you. Formerly known as the Mansfield Reformatory, the Ohio State Reformatory first opened in 1886 and is nearly 130 years old. While the exterior of the building might be hauntingly beautiful, the lonely cells and restless spirits roaming about inside are far from welcoming.  Essentially a massive haunted museum, this historic landmark offers guided tours throughout the year and even hosts a Haunted Blood Prison experience during the Halloween season. Explore this haunted prison at your own risk ... seriously, we're not sure we'd be brave enough to venture inside!

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Waynesville Walking Ghost Tour

Similar Experiences

Waynesville Walking Ghost Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Waynesville walking ghost tour information.

A local TV show in Cleveland has a segment called "One Tank Trips" which highlight places to visit within a drive of one tank of gas.  Watch this interesting video  on Waynesville, "the most haunted village in Ohio."  Featured are the Museum's ghost tours, the Museum and Hammel House

Please note...  Over the course of the one-hour stroll , you will be walking a distance a little short of a mile .  While we make many stops along the way and benches are available at some stops, you should assess your physical ability to participate in these tours.

Some of Waynesville's past residents can't seem to depart their beloved hometown founded in 1797, perhaps explaining why the Village is named "The most haunted Village in Ohio" in author Chris Woodyard's "Haunted Ohio" books.

Ohio's Historic Haunts: Investigating The Paranormal in the Buckeye State has been released by Kent State University Press. This book by James A. Willis features historic haunts in Ohio. Our museum is featured.  Check out this website .

MOST HAUNTED WAYNESVILLE GHOST TOURS

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There is a new haunted tour in Waynesville this summer & fall! For those looking to walk on the spookier side, join Paula Dytko of P3 – Paula’s Paranormal Project for her MOST HAUNTED Waynesville tour. 

This tour features new investigations, stories & paranormal activity that have been reported in the most haunted village in Ohio!!  

The VIP tour ticket gives you an hour of investigation time at one of Waynesville’s active locations! Along with the set summer dates,  private tours are available for groups of 7 plus. 

Tickets are $20 per person; VIP Tour, which includes 1- hour investigation post tour, $35 per person. 

Contact Paula on Facebook or Instagram @ P3-Paula’s Paranormal Project or at [email protected] to purchase tickets or for further details!

Downtown Waynesville Main Street Waynesville , OH 45068 United States

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National wreaths across america day ceremony to be held at the maineville cemetery., legislation to increase u.s. small business administration support for child care small businesses, the law of attraction, city of franklin mourns the loss of k-9 fury, obits connected to warren county ohio, over 85 veterans were honored at carlisle local school on friday, meet trenton: hart's superstar of the week, who's playing out: brought to you by hall around town radio nov., 9, double down for veterans.

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Haunted Places in Waynesville, Ohio

Hammel House Inn

Waynesville, ohio.

The inn has been declared one of the most haunted buildings in Waynesville. The most haunted room at the bed and breakfast is Room #004. The shadowy apparition of a young merchant who was murdered in the inn has been seen here, as well as in the dining room of ...

Town Hall Theatre

Centerville, ohio.

The Town Hall Theatre, according to witnesses, has a sensitive ghost who doesn't like it when the plays put on here have profane language or nudity. The spirit is said to act up during such performances in order to show his displeasure. There is also alleged to be an apparition ...

Normandy United Methodist Church

Dayton, ohio.

Normandy United Methodist Church is housed in a building that was once a mansion. But the mansion's owner never left, according to some, and she still haunts the church. Her perfume has been smelled late at night by the cleaning crews when no one else is in the building.

Golden Lamb Inn

Lebanon, ohio.

Ten presidents, including John Quincy Adams, have stayed at the charming Golden Lamb Inn, in operation since 1803. Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain also are among its former guests. The rooms also are named for past guests, and rumor has it that the Harriet Beecher Stowe room is rich ...

Patterson Tower

Kettering, ohio.

Two glowing, shadowy apparitions have been seen standing near the base of the tower on stormy nights. The ghost of a lady in a white dress has been seen on the boulevard directly adjacent to the tower. A black mist has been around the tower, and chases away visitors. (Submitted by ...

Peters Cartridge Company

Maineville, ohio.

Peters Cartridge Company, built in 1916, produced gunpowder and ammunition, including bullets and cannonballs for the Union during the Civil War. It is said to be haunted by workers that were killed in accidental explosions during the 1940s. Witnesses have reported footsteps and apparitions seen through the windows at night.

Patterson Homestead

Patterson Homestead is a historic house museum built in the early 1800s, originally home to Revolutionary War veteran Colonel Robert Patterson and his wife Elizabeth Lindsay Patterson. When the house was donated to the city by ancestor Jefferson Patterson in 1953, it was complete with 18th- and 19th-century furnishings and ...

Woodland Cemetery

Woodland Cemetery has a sad story. Young Johnny Morehouse froze to death when he fell into the Miami & Erie Canal, although his dog tried hard to pull him out. After Johnny died, the dog wouldn't move from the gravesite, and eventually died. A statue was made of the dog, ...

Kings Island Amusement Park

Mason, ohio.

Kings Island, an amusement park that opened in 1972, is rumored to have an 1840s graveyard called Dog Street Cemetery on the premises. But most witnesses feel that the park's haunts are victims of accidental deaths, like the 1976 tragedy when a Lion Country Safari Ranger was killed by a ...

Florentine Hotel and Restaurant

Germantown, ohio.

The 1816 hotel and restaurant is haunted. Staff and diners have experienced an eerie presence on the third floor, and the mezzanine is haunted by a poltergeist that causes the chandeliers to swing to and fro. (Submitted by Callum Swift)

Banana Leaf Modern Thai

The building is rumoured to be haunted by the apparition of a woman murdered over a century ago. Her ghost has been seen in the dining room on the upper floor of the restaurant. (Submitted by Callum Swift)

Sinclair Community College

Sinclair Community College's cafeteria is said to rest on the site of the old city gallows, but a number of other places here are rumored to have ghosts. At Blair Hall, something has tugged at witnesses, and they've heard phantom cats, babies and footsteps. The elevators work on their own, ...

Victoria Theatre

It opened in 1866 and has been known as Turner Opera House, Grand Opera House, Victoria Opera House and Victoria Theatre. The likes of Harry Houdini, Sarah Bernhardt and Mark Twain have performed here, and one performer never left. The ghost is a 1920s actress who vanished from her locked ...

Sorg Opera House and Mansion

Middletown, ohio.

The opera house is haunted by the ghost of former residents, who can be heard walking around the house and talking late at night. The ghost of an actress in a red dress has been seen in the dressing rooms, but she vanishes when approached. She has also been heard ...

Chateau Laroche - Loveland Castle

Loveland, ohio.

The Historical Loveland Castle & Museum, aka Chateau Laroche, is said to be haunted by many ghosts, including one who liked a particular willow tree and a girl in a long dress who walked on water. A Viking in a long dark cloak has been seen as well.

The Screaming Bridge of Maud Hughes Road

Maud Hughes Road has a haunted bridge known to locals as the Screaming Bridge. Locals say it has been the site of at least 36 deaths through accidents and suicides. Witnesses have reported apparitions, mists, hooded figures, strange lights, and a phantom train on the tracks below. There are many, ...

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

Wright-patterson air force base, ohio.

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is said to be haunted by apparitions, moving objects, unexplained noises, voices laughing, footsteps and mysterious shadows. The site has been featured on an episode of TV’s Ghost Hunters.

Ye Olde Trail Tavern

Yellow springs, ohio.

The historic tavern, built back in 1827, is believed to be haunted by an ominous woman in blue. She has only been known to appear to men, and is openly hostile towards women. She has been known to knock objects off shelves and make sinister whispering noises to visitors ...

Snow Hill Country Club

New vienna, ohio.

Snow Hill Country Club, built in the 1820s as a home for the Harris family, became a country club and golf course in 1924. "Dinner and a Ghost" events have been held there to introduce visitors to its haunts, which are said to cause electrical problems, weird sounds and smells, ...

George Rogers Clark Park

Springfield, ohio.

George Rogers Clark Park's Daniel Hertzler House is rumored to be haunted by Hertzler himself, killed October 16, 1867 by robbers. His killers escaped the jail and were never found.

Owensville Town Hall

Batavia, ohio.

This historic building was formerly a church, and during the civil war, a cavalry was met by resistance from an old man with a shotgun inside the building, adding some additional history to the hall. However, it is not his spirit who is known to haunt the building, as ...

Spring Grove Cemetery

Cincinnati, ohio.

Spring Grove Cemetery is said to have a haunted bust on a gravestone located in Lot 100. It is said to turn its head and watch those who walk past.

Cincinnati Zoo

The ghost of a lioness has been heard following visitors and workers in the zoo late at night. Green eyes are also seen in darker buildings or at the end of corridors. (Submitted by Callum Swift)

Stenton House - Cornell Place Apartments

There have been numerous deaths reported in these historic apartments. Disembodied footsteps and ghostly voices are heard in the old building when on one is around. (Submitted by Callum Swift)

Imogene Remus, wife of notorious bootlegger George Remus, is rumored to haunt their former home. When George went to prison in the mid-1920s, Imogene sold all the furnishings in their mansion and many of his distilleries, essentially closing his business, and filed for divorce. On October 6, 1927, they were ...

Christopher's Bed and Breakfast

Bellevue, kentucky.

This bed-and-breakfast inn was originally built as a 19th-century church. Among the unusual things that happen here: Apparitions have been spotted on the stairs, the piano plays by itself during the night, and disembodied voices and footsteps have also been reported.

Spring House Gazebo

In 1927 a wealthy and prominent business man and bootlegger murdered his wife Imogene in broad daylight and in front of a dozen witnesses (including her daughter) in the park's gazebo. She was on her way to the courthouse to divorce him and apparently, this was too much for ...

Cincinnati Art Museum

The Cincinnati Museum of Art is not only renowned for its prized art collection, it is also well known for the various paranormal occurrences there. The first apparition seen here is the seven foot tall figure of a misty black figure with no face, who has reportedly materializes from a ...

Dead Man's Curve

Bethel, ohio.

This intersection has been the site of numerous accidents, usually people who lost control at the curve (hence the name). People report seeing a male hitchhiker who has no face. Submitted by Chris Berglund

Taft Museum of Art

The Taft Museum of Art, built in 1820 by Martin Baum, is said to be haunted by several ghosts. Annie is the most famous, the wife of Charles Phelps Taft, half-brother of President William Howard Taft. They are the ones who donated the building to the city in 1932. Annie ...

Cincinnati Music Hall

Haunts have been reported at this historic music hall since the 1870s. It is said that when an elevator shaft was installed in 1988, bones of both children and adults were found under the building.

Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza

A ghostly Lady in Green walks the Hall of Mirrors and the mezzanine. She was seen often by construction workers in 1983, while the hotel was undergoing renovations. Legend has it that she was the wife of a worker who was killed during the hotel's construction in 1930. So the ...

Cincinnati Union Terminal and Museum Center

The ghost of a former security guard who was murdered there still haunts the building at night, rattling the door knobs and checking the locks on the doors. A World War I plane exhibit is haunted by the ghost of a pilot. Visitors have reported seeing the ghostly aviator in ...

Westwood Town Hall

The late-1880s Westwood Town Hall used to hold a volunteer fire department in the basement, a jail, meeting rooms, and an auditorium. Legend has it that it's haunted by a deceased security guard named Willy who hanged himself in his apartment on the premises after losing his job. He is ...

Bobby Mackey's Music World

Newport, kentucky.

This night club is sometimes called "the most haunted night club in America." The building was once a slaughterhouse, but it has an even darker link. Alleged Satan worshippers Scott Jackson and Alonzo Walling were said to have killed Pearl Bryan in 1897; her headless body was found near the ...

Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home

Covington, kentucky.

This historic home was formerly a boarding house for students at a nearby mortuary college, and is rumoured to be haunted. Staff claim to have felt a strange in the building after dark, and have seen a shadowy male apparition on the landing. (Submitted by Callum Swift)

Sedamsville Rectory

Over a century old, the rectory is believed to be haunted. Witnesses working on building renovations have seen eerie mists and shadows under the doors of empty rooms. Some say one ghost who resides here is Father Donald MacLeod, who wrote "The History of Roman Catholicism in North America." In ...

Greenup Street Water Tower

Alexandria, kentucky.

The apparition of a man in workman clothing has been standing underneath the water tower by local residents. He vanishes when approached, and appears to be confused or lost. (Submitted by Callum Swift)

The Big Green Castle

Harrison, ohio.

This Victorian manor house is now a private residence, but back when it was abandoned and for sale, residents reported seeing figures in period clothing looking out of the windows and seeing lights moving around the house. (Submitted by Callum Swift)

Fort Piqua Hotel

Piqua, ohio.

Built in 1891, the historic Fort Piqua Hotel was once a library, and then stood empty for years. Now it is said to be haunted by a handyman who died in 1910 after falling into a barrel of cleaning acid. His ghost is seen working on things or shoveling coal ...

Narrows Road

Erlanger, kentucky.

A phantom officer in a '50s police car haunts Narrows Road, locals say, pulling over living drivers late at night. The ghost is said to be the lingering spirit of a cop who was hit and killed by a car here while making a traffic stop in the 1950s. Some ...

Red Brick Tavern

London, ohio.

Built in 1836, the building has been used as an inn and tavern, private home, and school. Now a restaurant, its menu features, among other dishes, steak dinners named after the six presidents who have visited here: John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor ...

Hebron Lutheran Cemetery

Hebron, kentucky.

There has been many sightings here, and I have personally been here multiple times, and have had many experiences. When you approach the crematorium, you can always smell something burning, even if there is no one there. As well, when approaching graves, you can feel a chill and sometimes ...

Allendale Tunnel

Elsmere, kentucky.

Legend has it that a man hanged himself years ago in this tunnel, and the hook still protrudes from which he hung his rope. Witnesses say they have seen his apparition hanging here or walking in the tunnel and heard his screams.

Bear's Mill

Greenville, ohio.

Bear’s Mill, an operating water-powered mill and historic landmark, was built in 1849 by Gabriel Baer. It is said to be haunted by a former owner, whose ghost can be heard walking on the creaking floorboards upstairs when no one is there.

Starr Piano Building

Richmond, indiana.

The late-1800s Starr Piano Company not only made and sold pianos and phonographs but also housed Gennett Records, which recorded jazz, blues and country artists including Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton and Hoagy Carmichael. The complex was partly demolished in the 1970s and the shell still stands. The area is ...

Earlham College

Earlham College is a liberal arts college founded by Quakers in 1847. The college has a resident ghost in the Athletic and Wellness Center who is known to play basketball at night.

Stepstone Church - Immaculate Conception Church

Butler, kentucky.

Some reports say this church still stands, and others say it has been torn down. But rumor has it that whatever its state, it is haunted by four teen girls who some men hung on a cross in the loft before setting fire to the church. Witnesses have heard girls ...

St. Clair Memorial Hall

St. Clair Memorial Hall was built in 1910 and has an old man's spirit lingering inside, folks say. The hall, where plays and musicals are performed, is haunted by a man who fell to his death while changing a light bulb.

Greendale Cemetery

Greendale, indiana.

White or gray apparitions have been seen, and locals say that passing the graves belonging to the Tebbs family will give you chills and an uneasy feeling of being watched. Cold breezes have been reported here on hot, windless days.

» Cemeteries near Waynesville, OH » Find museums in Waynesville, OH

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'The most haunted village in Ohio' says ghosts are just part of the charm

Whitney Fordyce tended to the lunch rush that piled into the Hammel House Inn’s downstairs restaurant on a Wednesday in early October. Her ponytail bobbed as she darted from table to table topping off drinks and taking orders.

The inn was completely booked leading into the fall weekend.

It always gets this busy this time of year, said Fordyce, who manages the bed and breakfast. Part of that has to do with the guests that don’t check into the 200-year old inn. This is said to be one of the village’s most phantom-filled buildings. The historic bed and breakfast is embracing it.

“It's definitely something that we go to, that we think about, especially during the slow season,” Fordyce said. “It helps. Every little bit of the haunted type of thing helps, it really does.”

The inn draws people into the restaurant by being a stop on the local ghost tour. And when the tourism slows in the winter, its five bedrooms will be full of ghost hunters, trying to contact the dead.

It’s not just the Hammel House that capitalizes on the creepy. In addition to being the “antique capital of Ohio” and hosting an annual Sauerkraut festival, Waynesville is known for being full of ghosts.

A haunted history

The small southwest Ohio village doesn’t shy away from its spooky reputation, said Paula Dytko, who helps to create ghost tourism, like walking tours and ghost hunting classes, all around Waynesville.

“The whole town is haunted. It's not a couple buildings,” Dytko said. “I always say we have an extra layer of hospitality that you just can't see.”

Dyyko has always loved the supernatural, and when she began researching the small village’s past, she said she couldn’t believe the amount of haunted history it held.

The village was established in 1797 , before Ohio was even a state, and it’s chock full of spooky stories.

From the supposed ghost cat that roams its streets to the apparition that appears in the upstairs window of an old tea room, there’s just something about Waynesville that Dytko said makes the quaint village prime for the paranormal.

Perhaps the town’s slower pace of life, she said, suits the ghosts.

“People still run tabs at the grocery store here. Like, it's still very old school. We slow things down here,” Dytko said. “So they can stay in their way of life, kind of.”

Bringing in visitors

More than just giving goosebumps, Dytko said the town’s ghost stories help local businesses, like Hammel House, by drawing people in.

Some of the boutique shops around town are rumored to be haunted, including Buckeye Charm, a family-owned shop that opened in February 2020. In the late 1800s, the boutique was a Catholic Church, where a priest is said to have died from a heart attack.

“We had no idea that Waynesville was considered the most haunted [village] in Ohio,” said boutique owner Jona Powell. “Maybe they should tell you that before you buy property. We found out the hard way, I guess.”

When Powell realized her family might not be the only ones occupying the shop, she was wary about whether to broadcast the presence of ghosts to shoppers.

But, ultimately, the family decided to share the stories with the town. The former church is the last stop on the ghost tour. It was even featured on “Ghost Nation,” a paranormal investigation show. Powell said that publicity got them online orders from around the world.

“It really helped put Waynesville on the map and give Waynesville a lot of publicity, coming out of COVID,” she said.

Living history

The unearthly visitors also play a real hand in preserving the small village’s history. Ghost tours are hosted by the local history museum, Museum at the Friends Home.

Of course, the old Quaker meeting home that houses the museum is supposedly home to spirits as well. But, Board President Linda Morgan doesn’t mind. The museum doesn’t get any state or federal funding, she said, and it’s completely volunteer-run. So, talking about its darker history helps keep the lights on.

“We don't want to turn into some kind of ghost mausoleum type. We're really a history museum,” Morgan said. “But it pays the bills.”

She hopes the tours get people excited not just about the terrifying, but about the village’s positive contributions. It played a role in the invention of the Stetson cowboy hat, and the Quaker town was a stop on the Underground Railroad.

“There’s some interesting people that came from or lived here in Waynesville that contributed to the world, not just this little town,” Morgan said.

Between the money from the walking tours and its ghost-hunting classes, the museum actually has the funds to restore another historic Waynesville site: the village’s first firehouse, which has fallen to disrepair. The museum will resurrect the old structure into a community gathering space.

“It's like we're finally taking a deep breath,” said Dytko, who volunteers with the museum. “We’ve made it. We’ve got a little cushion. What more can we give back?”

It takes a lot of help to keep the small village’s history alive. So, the people here are thankful for the boost from beyond the grave.