Hauntings and eerie tales abound in northern Ohio. Chillings legends, mysteries and hauntings. Does Esther Hale, believed to have been executed for witchcraft, really haunt Columbiana County's Bowman Cemetery? Is Lonesome Lock on the Ohio and Erie Canal as haunted as rumors say? Do restless spirits stalk the rooms at the Wolf Creek Tavern in Norton and the Rider's Inn of Painesville? Do the ruins of Gore Orphanage echo with the ghastly wails of children said to have died in a fire long ago? Author William G. Krejci guides this supernatural journey through the most chilling legends of northern Ohio. Some stories are debunked. Some long-standing mysteries are solved. Some new mysteries come to light.
I was disappointed by the writing of the first section of this book, where the author seems uncharacteristically snippy (about trespassing, vandalism, not being related to others mentioned, etc) but the second half of the book kind of makes up for it with reclaiming and sharing old legends and tales, more in the style of his Haunted Put-in-Bay book and more what I expected for the entire book. I was particularly shocked by all of the train wreck stories - had no idea there were so many in Ohio!
This book is very poorly titled. The title should be “The Real History behind Northern Ohio’s Ghosts: Debunking Myths and Legends”.
The author’s research and passion for local history is commendable, HOWEVER, he is an extreme buzzkill. This book is not a fun romp about ghosts and legends, it’s an opportunity to disprove, frown at, and overall look down upon anyone who has ever been interested in local legends.
I just wanted a spooky October read but this was a snooze fest. If it had been properly titled I would have gone in knowing what I was getting: a history book.
I enjoyed the pictures to help visualize the area and time period the author was speaking out. I also liked how much the lock system was spoken about. I just felt like the content was a little dry.