Ohio Folklore

Most Ohioans know the community of Mason for one claim to fame -- the destination of summer thrill seekers, Kings Island.  But for those more keen on local history, it’s also known for a haunting, unsolved murder.  The building in which it occurred, at 101 E. Main Street downtown, stands yet today.  Claims of eerie disembodied sounds and full-bodied apparitions are now commonplace.  

On Apr. 12, 1901, an elderly recluse was found murdered in her own bed, her head caved in.  Her husband, the man found at the scene, wore clothes sopping wet with blood.  He would be tried for her murder in the months to come.

He was found not guilty of the crime.

Come hear the tale from one native himself, Stephen.  He recalls searching for Rebecca’s ghostly figure, known to stare out the second story window of the bedroom where she was killed.

Come discover for yourself how this legend still fascinates locals and visitors alike.  Come consider why Rebecca’s spirit remains confined to this prison of her own making.

If you enjoy this episode, please rate, review and subscribe to Ohio Folklore on your chosen podcast platform.  You can also find Ohio Folklore at:

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And as always, keep wondering…

Most of us come to Hocking Hills, Ohio’s most treasured park, for its rugged beauty.  With scenes unlike anywhere else in the state, newcomers are often stunned by towering rock formations and plunging waterfalls.  It’s no wonder this place draws so many year after year.

One lesser known landmark off the beaten path has intrigued and terrified locals for more than a century.  Death Hole, a deceivingly peaceful spot on Scott’s Creek in Logan, has laid claim to unsuspecting victims for more than a century.  

It’s said the spirits of those who died here, linger.  Some have spotted the misty shape of a woman standing on the bank, gazing at the calm, still water where she once drowned.  It seems the echoes of that terrible day are yet heard by those who come to visit.  

Come hear the history behind the legend, the truth of one tragedy that occurred in August, 1877.  Come hear the personal account of one local woman, Ashley Strong, who offers personal insight into this enigmatic and mystical place off Highway 93.

If you enjoy this episode, please rate, review and subscribe to Ohio Folklore on your chosen podcast platform.  You can also find Ohio Folklore at:
 
 

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And as always… keep wondering.    

Just in time for the holiday season... An Ohio Folklore Christmas Classic

Around the holidays, most Ohioans are wrapping presents, baking cookies and decorating the tree. One ancient holiday tradition often gets left out, however. It’s the ritual of sharing ghost stories around the winter solstice. It’s that darkest time of year when the veil between the dead and the living is at its thinnest.  

Come hear the forgotten story of a Shawnee Chief, whose ghost appears on Christmas Eve, in the woods where he was murdered by a group of white men. Come hear the legends of the settlers who first lived there, and their descendants whose larger-than-life reputations remain today.  Pull a chair up by the fireplace and settle on in for a night of mystery and wonder. 

Sleep tight.

If you enjoy this episode, please rate, review and subscribe to Ohio Folklore on your chosen podcast platform. You can also find Ohio Folklore at:

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And as always…keep wondering…

Just in time for Halloween, a classic Ohio Folklore episode is rebroadcasted.  Take another delve into this timeless ghostly love story that lingers on...

Bridges represent so much to us.  They make the impassable, passable.  They connect us to the wider world.  Yet in folklore terms, bridges are magnets for ghosts.  Countless “crybaby bridges” dot the landscape of our great state.  We share and reshare tales of disembodied voices and misty shapes rising over the water.

So you might think this episode is just another trite tale of a haunted bridge.  Think again.

Come hear the tale of the Bloody Bridge near St. Mary’s.  This legendary story has been published in local newspapers for more than 160 years.  It’s been written into a high school musical.  This wrenching narrative, a love triangle turned lethal, has captured the imaginations of Ohioans for generations.

Locals believe the tortured spirits of those lost, remain.  They erected a plaque, set in stone, to proclaim a history still very much alive.

Special thanks to Ms. Alysia Hatfield and Mr. Warren Bowery for their personal insights on the subject.

If you enjoy this episode, please rate, review and subscribe to Ohio Folklore on your chosen podcast platform.  You can find Ohio Folklore at

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And as always, keep wondering…

Covert Affair - Film Noire by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100795

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Come listen again to one of Ohio Folklore's most popular episodes!

One monument to an era gone by once laid hidden in the overgrown hills of Ohio’s Vinton County.  Thanks to the efforts of countless local enthusiasts and state ODNR officials, this antiquated railway tunnel is now easily reached.  In fact, it’s handicap accessible.

All who dare can now visit the Moonville Tunnel.  However, it’s not just the living who answer its beckoning call.  Claims of ghostly apparitions at this desolate location began in the late 1800’s, and persist yet today.  With the multitude of violent rail deaths that have been documented through the years, it’s no real surprise that perhaps some lost souls are still waiting for the next train.

Come hear the story of Mr. Rich Dahn, historian for the Moonville Rail Trail Association.  He’s been visiting the site for more than 40 years, and still can’t get enough.  Come hear the ghostly tales and the documented history of this legendary spot left yet untouched by modern civilization.

So come on aboard this episode, revealing a sparkling jewel of Ohio’s railway folklore.

If you enjoy this episode, please rate, review and subscribe to Ohio Folklore on your chosen podcast platform.  You can also find Ohio Folklore at:

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And as always, keep wondering…

Special thanks to The Rarely Herd for their permission in using their song “Moonville Brakeman” as part of today’s episode.  Find them on Facebook here:  https://www.facebook.com/The-Rarely-Herd-113910075327852/

To learn more about the Moonville Rail Trail Association, click here: https://vintoncountytravel.com/parks-and-recreation/moonville-rail-trail/.

Planning that annual trip to the Lake Erie shore this summer?  Better take another listen before you go...

Most of us think of Port Clinton as a summer tourist destination.  Indeed, it is.  And yet, it's so much more.

Few know of the haunted structure that sits on the corner of Madison and Perry Streets.  The Island House Hotel is a rumored home for lost spirits, including a famous mobster, sheriff and orphaned immigrant turned proprietor.  They make their presence known to staff and guests alike.

Come hear the tale of a ghost hunter and founding member of Haunted Toledo.  Christopher Tillman shares the story of an investigation of the historic structure.  The hotel’s staff was eager to welcome his team and share their stories.

Beneath the claims of ghost sightings lies Prohibition Era history that deserves a good telling.  So sit back, raise a whiskey sour and soak in the knowledge of how it all came to be.

If you enjoy this episode, please rate, review and subscribe to Ohio Folklore on your chosen podcast platform.  You can also find Ohio Folklore at:

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And as always, keep wondering…

In honor of the upcoming summer solstice on June 21, 2022, come hear one of Ohio Folklore's most downloaded episodes.   Then click this link to plan your visit to this year's Summer Solstice Celebration: 

https://www.serpentmound.org/fullschedule/  

When we think of history in Ohio, most of us consider the past two to three hundred years.  Few know that one location in Ohio's southern hills holds prehistoric secrets that have yet to be explained.  The Serpent Mound of Adams County.

Come hear the tale of the world's largest effigy mound, here in our backyard.  One local Ohioan and resident expert, Ms. Beth Jenkins, shares her personal connection to the place, as well as the knowledge she's gained in her role as the History Preservation Manager for the memorial itself.

This remarkable piece of art stirs wonder in many.  It stirs questions of both earthly and spiritual realms.  Come consider what the ancients are trying to tell us...

If you enjoy this episode, please rate, review and subscribe to Ohio Folklore on your chosen podcast platform.  You can also find Ohio Folklore at:

ohiofolklore.com

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And as always, keep wondering...

When most of us think of the Civil War, we picture grand Southern plantations and epic battles with names like Gettysburg and Antietam.  Even many Ohioans fought in the conflict, no actual battles happened within our borders, right?

The ghosts of the Battle of Buffington Island may beg to differ on this question.

Come hear the historic saga of one rogue Confederate general who led a raid through southern Indiana and Ohio.  His reign of terror was the stuff of legend.  It apparently still haunts some Ohioans today.

Come hear the story of one Donny Jones, interim chairman of the Buffington Island Battlefield Preservation Foundation.  A Civil War reenactor himself, he shares personal experiences of what it’s like to encounter shadows of those who’ve gone before us.

For some lost souls, the battles rage on.

If you enjoy this episode, please rate, review and subscribe to Ohio Folklore on your chosen podcast platform.  You can also find Ohio Folklore at:

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To make your donation to help save the Buffington Island Battlefield through the American Battlefield Trust, click here: https://www.battlefields.org/give/save-battlefields/help-preserve-311-acres-four-historic-battlefields#

To connect with the Buffington Island Battlefield Preservation Foundation, click here: https://www.buffingtonbattlefieldfoundation.org/ 

For this month's rebroadcast, we turn to an oldie but a goodie.  First released in April 2019, this tale stands as the most compelling UFO lore to ever come out of the Buckeye State.  If you haven't heard it yet, what are you waiting for?

Early before dawn one April morning in 1966, in rural county outside Akron, two police officers got the call of a lifetime.  The chase that would follow was covered in newspaper headlines across the country.  

Come hear the unforgettable tale of a space craft chased by police for 86 miles.  Witnessed by countless Ohioans and Pennsylvanians, it's a story no one can yet explain.

If you enjoy this episode, please rate, review and subscribe on your podcast platform. You can find Ohio Folklore at 

ohiofolklore.com
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And as always, keep wondering...

In honor of Women's History Month, take another listen to the episode devoted to one of Ohio's most revered daughters, Annie Oakley.

When we Ohioans think of Annie Oakley, we think of a petite woman in fringed leather, staring down the barrel of a long gun, at a target soon to be decimated.  Her fame lives on a century after her death.  She’s the subject of musicals, movies and countless books.

We’re well aware of her sharpshooting skills, the likes of which haven’t been seen since.  However, few of us have any idea of the remarkable history that led her to develop such superhuman abilities.

Come hear the tale of Annie’s early life, growing up in Darke County, in a time of scarcity, loss and immense adversity.

Sometimes that’s the very thing that brings forth greatness that lasts centuries.

If you enjoy this episode, please rate, review and subscribe to Ohio Folklore on your chosen podcast platform.  Ohio Folklore can be found at:

ohiofolklore.com

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And as always, keep wondering…