Ghost Towns and Lost Places Archives

The (Further) Ghosts of Vinton County

What do you think about when you think about Ohio? Perhaps it’s one of the great cities like Cincinnati, Columbus, or Cleveland? Could it be one of the hometown sports teams, be they the Reds or Bangles, Browns or Cavaliers? How about one of our educational facilities like Ohio State University or Kent State? Lest we forget other attractions like King’s Island or Cedar Point, the various Zoos and […]

The (Further) Ghosts of Vinton County Read More »

The Gist Settlement(s)

If you ever found yourself driving east on New Vienna Road from the town of New Vienna, you would soon come across a road named Gist Settlement Road. It doesn’t look like much – just another country road with a few houses off in the distance, but the unusual name of the road might catch

The Gist Settlement(s) Read More »

What’s The Story With The Ghost Town Rogue’s Hollow

Rogue’s Hollow is, depending upon who you ask, one of the more haunted places in the state. There is no shortage of tales that include words like “murder” or “ghost” or “curse” or “moonshine” or, I kid you not, “headless horse” (not headless horseman, sorry Ichabod Crane fans). Even though the town no longer exists

What’s The Story With The Ghost Town Rogue’s Hollow Read More »

Ghost Towns and Lost Places, Myths and Legends, Places

The Ohio State reformatory

Let’s face a harsh reality – prison life is supposed to be tough. Trust me, if it were easy, then all the celebrities would be doing it, like Martha Stewart, Tim Allen, Mark Wahlburg, Felicity Huffman, Robert Downey Jr., Lori Loughlin, Wesley Snipes, Sean Penn, Christian Slater, that kid who played Crabbe in the Harry

The Ohio State reformatory Read More »

Ghost Towns and Lost Places, History, Myths and Legends, Places

Helltown, Ohio: An Ohio Ghost Town?

There is (or was) a place in Ohio that was so demonstratively evil that the locals stopped referring to it by its name, Boston Mills, and began calling it … “Hell Town” It was the site of a Native American massacre in the early days of the country and now filled with the lost souls

Helltown, Ohio: An Ohio Ghost Town? Read More »

Ghost Towns and Lost Places, Places

Fallsville, An Ohio Ghost Town

When it was first settled in the mid-1880s, many people had thought or hoped the village would soon prosper. And, for a short time, it did. The town’s first settlers, Simon and Elizabeth Clouser moved in and set up a mill, which was in demand at the time for there weren’t any other mills in

Fallsville, An Ohio Ghost Town Read More »

Ghost Towns and Lost Places, Places

What’s In A Name: Blue Ball, Ohio

Sometimes, when you look at a map, you can kind of tell how a village, town, or city got its name. Columbus was obviously named after Christopher Columbus. Hamilton was named after Alexander Hamilton. Jackson was named after Andrew Jackson and you get the point. Sometimes, the answers are more geographical, like Hillsboro being named

What’s In A Name: Blue Ball, Ohio Read More »

Ghost Towns and Lost Places, Places, What's In A Name

What’s In A Name: Knockemstiff, Ohio

If you have ever done any traveling, you’re sure to have run across a place with an unusual name. Some of the more famous examples might include places like Truth or Consequences, New Mexico (guess they really loved that game show) … or Nowhere, Colorado which shouldn’t be confused with Nothing, Arizona. Maryland has a

What’s In A Name: Knockemstiff, Ohio Read More »

Ghost Towns and Lost Places, Ohio Book Club, Places, What's In A Name

The Underwater Town of Laceyville, Ohio

As I began researching ideas of things to write about for The Ohio Project, I came across quite a few references to a place called Laceyville, Ohio. Some referred to it as either a Lost Town or a Ghost Town, while others listed it as “interesting” because it currently sits at the bottom of a

The Underwater Town of Laceyville, Ohio Read More »

Ghost Towns and Lost Places, Places

Moonville – A Ghost Town With Ghosts

In the early days of Ohio history, new communities were being created at a fairly quick pace. While most of these towns grew to become villages or towns or cities, not all places were quite so lucky. Some communities, for whatever reason, never got their chance to shine. Others were based on religious or philosophical

Moonville – A Ghost Town With Ghosts Read More »

Ghost Towns and Lost Places, History, Myths and Legends, Places