Bowling Green

Wood County Historical Museum
Why stop in Bowling Green? Why, to see the fingers of Mary Bach, of course! Roadside America explains what it's all about: "... their prized display -- three human fingers in a jar. The fingers belonged to Mary Bach, who was murdered. The knife used to sever the fingers, and the noose used to hang the man who severed them, are proudly presented alongside the popular Tater Tot-like appendages. 'Those fingers built this museum,' the curator boasts."
(Special thanks to Kathy Harrington for sending me the Roadside America link.)

Cleveland

Franklin Castle

Chrissy writes to tell me of the infamous Franklin Castle. Unfortunately, an elitist purchased the castle and has turned it into a private club so I doubt that you can access it unless you have some huge dosh. However, you can view it from the street at 4308 Franklin Blvd - and you can see some nice pictures on this Forgotten Ohio page. It's an eerie looking place that is allegedly haunted (Ghosts Of The Prairie), and where they found a room full of baby skeletons.
Ms. Jukes recommends this cemetery: "This is the cemetery I grew up with. Naturely, I'm biased, but it IS famous and beautiful. Eliot Ness and John D Rockefeller are buried here, along with the enormously tasteful AND reverent (martyred President) Garfield Monument. A friend of mine, from a prominent family, was named to the board and created an outdoor sculpture garden of it. It's HUGE."
Chrissy also informed me of this wonderful old prison: "We have a very old prison, a place where many terrible events have taken place, and many of those energies are said to still remain. It was shutdown several years ago because it's condition was too horrible for inmates, overcrowding, murders from even the prison barber." Sounds splendid to me! The prison, which incidentally served as the set for the Shawshank Redemption, is open for tours - see the official site for details. And the Halloween Experience sounds like a grand time!
Some additional creepy pics can be found at Mansfield Reformatory Ghost Hunt.
The highlight of this free museum is a collection of death masks taken from victims of the infamous Cleveland Torso Killer. The website offers more details on the killings, for those not in the know. Warning: The museum is only open on weekdays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and guided tours are available by appointment only.

Urban Exploration In Ohio?
Sure, why not!

Forgotten Ohio
Illicit Ohio
Ohio Trespassers
Ohio Valley Abandoned
SBNO (Standing But Not Operational)

And while we're at it,
how about some cemeteries
and creepy stories too?

Dead Ohio




Wicked Words...