Ohio has quite the haunted reputation. (Case in point; 13 Reasons Why Ohio Is The Most Terrifying, Spookiest State.) So it’s not surprising that there are numerous haunted cemeteries in Ohio, home to restless spirits that knock on mausoleum doors, guard gravesites, and even move headstones. The following are some of Ohio’s most haunted cemeteries, which you can visit with help from this Google Map that we’ve created… if you dare.
Screen shot via Google Maps
- Lake View Cemetery (Cleveland)
Tim Evanson/Flickr This eerie cemetery in Ohio is home to more than 100,000 graves and occupies 285 acres. Many notable individuals are buried here, including John D. Rockefeller, James A. Garfield and Eliot Ness (who modernized Cleveland’s police force but was unable to catch the infamous Torso Killer.) The Haserot Angel (pictured above) is another famous statue in the graveyard for its eerie representation of “The Angel of Death Victorious.” Lake View Cemetery, 12316 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Greenlawn Cemetery (Columbus)
Bruce Faling/Flickr Many notable locals and Ohio governors are buried at this Ohio cemetery, which was established in 1848. One of the most infamous private mausoleums in this cemetery is the Hayden Mausoleum, located by the pond at the edge of the graveyard. Legend has it, if you knock on one of the mausoleum’s doors after dark, some members of the family will knock back. Green Lawn Cemetery, 1000 Greenlawn Ave, Columbus, OH 43223, USA
- The Ridges Cemeteries (Athens)
Justin Masterson/Flickr The former Athens Lunatic Asylum, now owned by Ohio University and known as The Ridges, is still home to a few unusual—and extremely eerie—cemeteries. Patients of the former insane asylum were buried on the facility’s grounds, and their restless spirits are left to wander to property. Most of the graves are without names, and merely display the number of the former mental patient buried beneath. Radar Hill Trail, Athens, OH 45701, USA
- Mount Union-Pleasant Valley Cemetery (Chillicothe)
April Dray/Only In Your State
April Dray/Only In Your State This off-the-beaten-path, rural cemetery is home to the infamous “Elizabeth’s grave.” One of the best places to spot a ghost in Ohio, few people take this road less traveled, unless they are in search of this particular grave’s headstone, which supposedly moves itself to the front of the cemetery after visitors move it to the back. (There is also some dispute about which headstone is the legendary “Elizabeth’s grave,” which is often spelled as “Elisabeth.” There are two Liz’s in the cemetery with detached headstones, one of which is pictured above.) Regardless, Elizabeth is said to haunt the cemetery because she hung herself from a tree in the area—and is likely unhappy with visitors moving her headstone. (To find the cemetery, follow Union Lane off of Egypt Pike, which turns into a left turn that passes a residential area. After you pass the blue water tower on the right, the road will turn into gravel and the cemetery will be up ahead on the left where the road dead-ends.) Pleasant Valley Road, Pleasant Valley Rd, Chillicothe, OH 45601, USA
- Woodland Cemetery (Dayton)
roujo/Flickr More formally known as Woodland Hills, this Ohio cemetery also serves as a resting place for several notable individuals such as Orville and Wilbur Wright. Close to the graveyard’s entrance, a distinct grave marker can be found (pictured above.) The grave of Johnny Morehouse, according to legend, is haunted. Johnny, legend holds, was a five-year-old boy who fell into the Miami Erie Canal and froze to death—in spite of his faithful dog’s efforts to pull him out. After Johnny was buried, the dog is said to have frequently visited and laid by Jonny’s graveside. Consequently, when the faithful dog died, a special stone was carved in 1861 to commemorate the dog’s devotion. Today, some grave watchers claim that Johnny and his dog wander the cemetery after hours. Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum, 118 Woodland Ave, Dayton, OH 45409, USA
- Spring Grove Cemetery (Cincinnati)
David Ohmer/Flickr This particular graveyard in Cincinnati is the largest nonprofit private cemetery in the United States. Spring Grove Cemetery is also home to unique (and eerie) statuary, including a sphinx and “the statute with human eyes,” which was made in distinct likeliness of the man buried beneath it. Spring Grove, 4521 Spring Grove Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45232, USA
Have you ever been to any of these cemeteries? What other cemeteries in Ohio are infamously known for hauntings or unsettling statues and gravesites they host? Share your picks for most haunted cemeteries in Ohio with your fellow ghost hunters below!
Screen shot via Google Maps
Tim Evanson/Flickr
This eerie cemetery in Ohio is home to more than 100,000 graves and occupies 285 acres. Many notable individuals are buried here, including John D. Rockefeller, James A. Garfield and Eliot Ness (who modernized Cleveland’s police force but was unable to catch the infamous Torso Killer.) The Haserot Angel (pictured above) is another famous statue in the graveyard for its eerie representation of “The Angel of Death Victorious.”
Lake View Cemetery, 12316 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
Bruce Faling/Flickr
Many notable locals and Ohio governors are buried at this Ohio cemetery, which was established in 1848. One of the most infamous private mausoleums in this cemetery is the Hayden Mausoleum, located by the pond at the edge of the graveyard. Legend has it, if you knock on one of the mausoleum’s doors after dark, some members of the family will knock back.
Green Lawn Cemetery, 1000 Greenlawn Ave, Columbus, OH 43223, USA
Justin Masterson/Flickr
The former Athens Lunatic Asylum, now owned by Ohio University and known as The Ridges, is still home to a few unusual—and extremely eerie—cemeteries. Patients of the former insane asylum were buried on the facility’s grounds, and their restless spirits are left to wander to property. Most of the graves are without names, and merely display the number of the former mental patient buried beneath.
Radar Hill Trail, Athens, OH 45701, USA
April Dray/Only In Your State
This off-the-beaten-path, rural cemetery is home to the infamous “Elizabeth’s grave.” One of the best places to spot a ghost in Ohio, few people take this road less traveled, unless they are in search of this particular grave’s headstone, which supposedly moves itself to the front of the cemetery after visitors move it to the back. (There is also some dispute about which headstone is the legendary “Elizabeth’s grave,” which is often spelled as “Elisabeth.” There are two Liz’s in the cemetery with detached headstones, one of which is pictured above.) Regardless, Elizabeth is said to haunt the cemetery because she hung herself from a tree in the area—and is likely unhappy with visitors moving her headstone. (To find the cemetery, follow Union Lane off of Egypt Pike, which turns into a left turn that passes a residential area. After you pass the blue water tower on the right, the road will turn into gravel and the cemetery will be up ahead on the left where the road dead-ends.)
Pleasant Valley Road, Pleasant Valley Rd, Chillicothe, OH 45601, USA
roujo/Flickr
More formally known as Woodland Hills, this Ohio cemetery also serves as a resting place for several notable individuals such as Orville and Wilbur Wright. Close to the graveyard’s entrance, a distinct grave marker can be found (pictured above.) The grave of Johnny Morehouse, according to legend, is haunted. Johnny, legend holds, was a five-year-old boy who fell into the Miami Erie Canal and froze to death—in spite of his faithful dog’s efforts to pull him out. After Johnny was buried, the dog is said to have frequently visited and laid by Jonny’s graveside. Consequently, when the faithful dog died, a special stone was carved in 1861 to commemorate the dog’s devotion. Today, some grave watchers claim that Johnny and his dog wander the cemetery after hours.
Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum, 118 Woodland Ave, Dayton, OH 45409, USA
David Ohmer/Flickr
This particular graveyard in Cincinnati is the largest nonprofit private cemetery in the United States. Spring Grove Cemetery is also home to unique (and eerie) statuary, including a sphinx and “the statute with human eyes,” which was made in distinct likeliness of the man buried beneath it.
Spring Grove, 4521 Spring Grove Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45232, USA
Share your experiences with us and be sure to check out our previous article: The Ultimate Terrifying Ohio Road Trip Is Right Here — And You’ll Want To Do It.
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Haunted Cemeteries in Ohio August 22, 2022 Sarah M. What are the most haunted places in Ohio? The above list of haunted cemeteries is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to haunted places in Ohio. Looking for more spooky and bone-chilling haunts in Ohio? Check out The Ohio State Reformatory, a downright terrifying spot in Mansfield; Hotel Lafayette in Marietta, a hotel that’s known as one of the most haunted in the state (next to the Golden Lamb in Lebanon, that is!); Beaver Creek State Park; Lake View Cemetery; and more! In terms of haunted towns in Ohio, Athens takes the cake. In addition to the Athens Lunatic Asylum, which we covered above, Ohio University is arguably one of America’s most haunted college campuses, (probably because it’s located in one of Ohio’s most haunted cities). Several residence hall rooms and other buildings on campus are said to be haunted. Wilson Hall, Washington Hall, and Jefferson Hall are some of the most haunted buildings on campus. Helltown is another no-go for those afraid of ghosts in Ohio. Formerly Boston Village, this Ohio locale was founded in the early 1800s and existed until the ’70s when the town was mysteriously purchased by the government with plans to create a national park. This ghost town of abandoned buildings and boarded up houses is also commonly associated with hauntings. There are all sorts of legends surrounding this creepy community, in fact – and most terrifying? To some extent, the legends are true. Boston Heights’ old Krejci Dump led to massive contamination, necessitating a large scale cleanup. This caused the placement of signs warning of toxic waste, which eventually led to some of Helltown’s most iconic rumors. Visit Boston Heights, Ohio, to explore this legend in real life.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Haunted Cemeteries in Ohio
August 22, 2022
Sarah M.
What are the most haunted places in Ohio? The above list of haunted cemeteries is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to haunted places in Ohio. Looking for more spooky and bone-chilling haunts in Ohio? Check out The Ohio State Reformatory, a downright terrifying spot in Mansfield; Hotel Lafayette in Marietta, a hotel that’s known as one of the most haunted in the state (next to the Golden Lamb in Lebanon, that is!); Beaver Creek State Park; Lake View Cemetery; and more! In terms of haunted towns in Ohio, Athens takes the cake. In addition to the Athens Lunatic Asylum, which we covered above, Ohio University is arguably one of America’s most haunted college campuses, (probably because it’s located in one of Ohio’s most haunted cities). Several residence hall rooms and other buildings on campus are said to be haunted. Wilson Hall, Washington Hall, and Jefferson Hall are some of the most haunted buildings on campus. Helltown is another no-go for those afraid of ghosts in Ohio. Formerly Boston Village, this Ohio locale was founded in the early 1800s and existed until the ’70s when the town was mysteriously purchased by the government with plans to create a national park. This ghost town of abandoned buildings and boarded up houses is also commonly associated with hauntings. There are all sorts of legends surrounding this creepy community, in fact – and most terrifying? To some extent, the legends are true. Boston Heights’ old Krejci Dump led to massive contamination, necessitating a large scale cleanup. This caused the placement of signs warning of toxic waste, which eventually led to some of Helltown’s most iconic rumors. Visit Boston Heights, Ohio, to explore this legend in real life.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
The above list of haunted cemeteries is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to haunted places in Ohio. Looking for more spooky and bone-chilling haunts in Ohio? Check out The Ohio State Reformatory, a downright terrifying spot in Mansfield; Hotel Lafayette in Marietta, a hotel that’s known as one of the most haunted in the state (next to the Golden Lamb in Lebanon, that is!); Beaver Creek State Park; Lake View Cemetery; and more!
In terms of haunted towns in Ohio, Athens takes the cake. In addition to the Athens Lunatic Asylum, which we covered above, Ohio University is arguably one of America’s most haunted college campuses, (probably because it’s located in one of Ohio’s most haunted cities). Several residence hall rooms and other buildings on campus are said to be haunted. Wilson Hall, Washington Hall, and Jefferson Hall are some of the most haunted buildings on campus.
Helltown is another no-go for those afraid of ghosts in Ohio. Formerly Boston Village, this Ohio locale was founded in the early 1800s and existed until the ’70s when the town was mysteriously purchased by the government with plans to create a national park. This ghost town of abandoned buildings and boarded up houses is also commonly associated with hauntings. There are all sorts of legends surrounding this creepy community, in fact – and most terrifying? To some extent, the legends are true. Boston Heights’ old Krejci Dump led to massive contamination, necessitating a large scale cleanup. This caused the placement of signs warning of toxic waste, which eventually led to some of Helltown’s most iconic rumors. Visit Boston Heights, Ohio, to explore this legend in real life.
