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Introduction

There are more things in heaven and earth,

Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

—Hamlet, William Shakespeare

YOU MAY HAVE NEVER SEEN A GHOST. You may not even believe in the existence of spirits. Yet, I would wager that you have, at one time or another, felt a shiver course down your spine when alone in the dark. You have quickly walked through a cemetery at night, not daring to look behind you. Certainly, you have turned on several lights when left in the house by yourself. And you would never go down into the basement alone.

Never.

Why? What is it that makes you afraid?

That was the question I was trying to answer as I wrote this book. What is this irrational fear of the dark, of being alone, of old houses and cemeteries, all about? Is it caused by supernatural entities? Do ghosts walk among us, chilling us to the bone?

You may be skeptical about the existence of ghosts, but it is difficult to disregard the fact that almost every culture around the world has a body of ghost stories and that the particulars of these stories are so similar. Such stories have been around for centuries, and new ones are constantly being added. Perhaps we can make allowances for the ancient stories by chalking them up to a lack of education and sophistication in primitive societies, but how do we, in our modern, technologically advanced society, explain the new stories? Technology, in fact, has added a whole new dimension to paranormal research. Investigators use photography, sound recordings, and electromagnetic sensors to validate their claims for the existence of spirits.

There are experiences that defy logic, science, and technology, strange occurrences for which we have no explanation. I cannot explain the whitish orbs that appeared in some photos I took in buildings said to be haunted. I cannot explain the feelings of negative energy I felt in a haunted basement.

Perhaps ghosts do exist.

One way to find out, I thought, was to visit places where ghosts have been reported. Since I live in Athens, Ohio, described over the years by several experts in paranormal research as one of the most haunted locations in the world, I had a good base from which to start my explorations. Eventually, they would take me on journeys throughout the state of Ohio. I explored historic homes, convents, libraries, inns, prisons, forts, cemeteries, museums, and other assorted odd locations, all said to be haunted.

Often my wife, Mary, would accompany me on these ramblings, so we were able to trade notes and compare our experiences. I went to each of these places with an open mind and no preconceived notions about the existence of ghosts. I have read too many books about hauntings from writers who see ghosts on every street corner and, frankly, find them unbelievable. I am not a “sensitive,” or medium. I’m an average guy, just like you, with a curiosity about things paranormal. My intentions as I wrote this book were to accurately and objectively describe for you my observations and experiences, as well as the experiences of others I met along the way, and then let you draw your own conclusions.

Each of the locations described in this book are open to the public, so I encourage you to visit them and explore them for yourself. Some may require calling ahead for appointments; others may only be open on certain days during the week. Check the Travel Guide section in the back of this book for complete information. The guide also gives you maps and directions to each location, as well as important travel tips about them.

Here are some guidelines that may be helpful to you as you begin ghosthunting:

1 Conduct all your investigations with an open mind, but don’t let yourself be fooled by the “evidence.” No one has yet been able to scientifically prove or disprove the existence of ghosts, and it’s unlikely you will be the one to earn that fame. Better to simply be nonjudgmental and open to whatever you experience and observe for yourself. Be hardnosed about the “evidence” you uncover. Make certain that you exhaust all possible explanations before you claim a brush with the supernatural.

2 Interview other witnesses separately. Take a page from standard police procedurals and always talk to witnesses of paranormal phenomena separately so that one witness’s testimony does not influence that of another.

3 Document your activities. I always carry a notebook and pen, tape recorder, and camera with me when investigating a site. The tape recorder is used to interview witnesses, but some people have also used it to record background sound over a period of time to try and catch unidentifiable sounds or voices in a particular location.A note about photography is important here. Many people, using either traditional or digital cameras, have reported various anomalies on the photos once they are developed or downloaded into a computer. These anomalies—usually whitish orbs, but also misty smears—are invisible to the naked eye when the photo is taken. There are many reasonable explanations for these objects. They may be dust particles or water droplets on the camera lens. They may be reflections caused by the flash of other cameras or by common objects—even some insects—that the photographer simply did not notice at the time. Your finger, or the camera strap covering part of the camera lens, may also be possible explanations for your photogenic ghost. Enlarging the photo will often help you identify the anomaly accurately. Despite all these reasonable explanations, there are hundreds of “ghost photos” that defy explanation—much to my surprise, I have taken some myself while writing this book.

4 Respect the site. It is important to remember that any haunted site carries with it a history of both the people who inhabited the site and of the site itself. That history is worthy of your respect. You should observe whatever rules and regulations might be in effect for the site and work within them. In other words, you should not be breaking into buildings or removing anything from them as souvenirs. Nor should you be prowling around cemeteries after posted hours. You will find that people are more receptive to helping you with your explorations if you follow the rules.

5 Respect the privacy of your contacts. Some people may tell you their own ghost stories, but for a variety of reasons, may not want other people to know their identity. You must respect their right to privacy. Unless noted otherwise, all the names of the persons appearing in this book are real. I told all my contacts that I was writing a book and asked for permission to use their real names. If permission was not granted—which was rare—or if I was unable to obtain a name for some reason, I told their stories using pseudonyms. These pseudonyms are identified in the text by an (*) after the name.

6 Be a knowledgeable ghosthunter. This last point is perhaps the most important one. No one really knows the rules and laws of the spirit world. Ghosthunters are always exploring terra incognita and finding their way by learning from others, but it is important to learn from those who are serious about their work, rather than from people who are merely looking for kicks. Serious ghost-hunters, such as Ed and Lorraine Warren, who wrote this book’s epilogue, emphasize that knowledge about ghosts and the spirit world will increase your chances of obtaining your goals but, more important, will keep you safe. The Warrens and other top psychic investigators never resort to dubious psychic “tools,” such as the Ouija board, which can, in inexperienced hands, summon unwanted and uncontrollable spirits. I urge you to read and learn from the experts before venturing forth on your own ghosthunting expedition.

I have met many interesting people along the way as I wrote this book. To all of you—too many to list individually—who shared your stories with me, or helped me with accommodations and resources, I extend my most sincere gratitude. This book could not have been written without you.

For all my readers, I hope that Ghosthunting Ohio will be a useful guide for you as you explore the world of the paranormal. Please feel free to contact me through my publisher if you would like to share your experiences with me.

Happy hunting!

John B. Kachuba

Athens, Ohio