They say that somewhere in Ohio, there exists a cave that contains the bones of twenty-one escaped slaves. Legend has it that before the Civil War, the escaped slaves entered the cave, trying to hide from the slave hunters that were pursuing them. However, the cave somehow got filled with poisonous gas, suffocating them all. […]
A (Possible) Lost Cave in Middletown Read More »
History, Myths and Legends
If you should ever find yourself traveling along “The Three C Highway” (that’s US Highway 22 or Ohio Route 3) between the cities of Wilmington and Washington Court House, you’ll drive through a village named Sabina. In most ways, it’s a typical village, just like any of the countless others found across the state with
They Named Him “Eugene” Read More »
History, Places, True Crime, Unsolved Unresolved
When you start looking into the myths and legends of Ohio, you’re probably going to hear about the Dayton suburb of Kettering. Did you hear about the ghost of The Witch’s Tower? Have you seen Frankenstein’s Castle? Don’t go near the Patterson Tower at night, alone. The Hill and Dales Tower is haunted by a
The Mysterious Tower of Kettering Ohio Read More »
History, Myths and Legends, Places
If you look at a map of Ohio, you will see that the state has a rather distinctive shape. Look a little closer and it isn’t hard to figure out some of the reasons why. The most obvious would be the southern border that follows the shape of The Ohio River. In the northern part
The Toledo War – A Wacky Moment In History Read More »
History, Places
In 1959, five musicians in Dayton got together and created a little funk band. Robert Ward was the lead vocalist and played the guitar, with “Rock” Jones on bass, “Satch” Satchell on saxamaphone and guitar, Cornelius Johnson on drums, and “Pee Wee” Middlebrooks as trumpet and trombone. The name they chose: The Ohio Untouchables. While
The Ohio Players – Ohioans You Should Know Read More »
Ohioans You Should Know, People
Growing up, I swear I remember seeing the name Johnny Appleseed all over the place. Back in the days when my age was a single digit, I thought he was pretty cool, planting trees and doing … tree planting stuff, I guess. Fast forward roughly twenty or so years and I was giving a talk
Johnny Appleseed – The Myth, The Legend Read More »
History, Myths and Legends
Along the banks of the Little Miami River, near Loveland, Ohio, you will find something that, at first, may seem slightly out of place. Quite frankly, there aren’t all that many medeival european castles in this part of the world. And what castle wouldn’t be complete without a few myths and legends, and perhaps a
Ohioans You Should Know: Harry Andrews and The Loveland Castle Read More »
Ohioans You Should Know, People, Places
It is impossible to study history without running into some myths and legends. By definition, these are stories we tell (or pass down) to help explain the unexplainable, to breathe new life into old folk tales, to exaggerate people or places who exceed whatever expectations we have placed on them. Most of them do have
The Mystery of the Gore Orphanage Read More »
History, Myths and Legends
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
Before Ohio became the 17th State, it had a fairly complicated history. You have the better part of two centuries where countries like the British Empire, France, and Spain tried to claim ownership, even though the native population had clearly been here long before them. You also had a number of settlers from other places
Some Early Ohio Settlements Read More »
History