The rolling hills of the Buckeye State give off the impression of a peaceful ambiance that welcomes you in to sit and stay a while. But hidden deep within the shadows are spooky tales of death, murder, and unspeakable crimes that have left their mark on several of Ohio’s major cities. Once you learn more about the origins of these ghost stories, it is easy to see why these cities are considered the most haunted in the state. Join us as we take a closer look at the tales behind some of the most haunted historic locations in Akron and other cities throughout the state.
What Are the Most Haunted Cities in Ohio?
It’s difficult to say which cities are the most haunted in all of Ohio, but we have narrowed down the long list to include our top cities and haunted locations that we believe have the spookiest stories attached to them.
Akron
The City of Akron, the county seat of Summit County, has multiple haunted historic locations which have been the source of urban legends in the area for decades. The University of Akron, founded in 1870, is home to a few spooky legends, including the haunted Hower House and its connection to the tombstone outside the TKE Fraternity house.
The TKE House and Hower House at the University of Akron
These two haunted houses are located on the campus of the University of Akron, and they share a haunting tale about the Hower Family from the early 1900s.
John Henry Hower was a wealthy industrialist in Akron who lived in the Hower House. He and his upper class family were well-known among the social elite in the community. The present-day TKE fraternity house on campus was once the servant quarters for the Hower House. Today there is a small headstone outside the frat house in the parking lot and no one is certain who the headstone belongs to. There are several variations of the story behind the tombstone’s origins, but the most popular one states that it marks the grave of the former lover of John Henry’s son.
As the story goes, one of the young servant girls who worked for the Howers was in a relationship with one of the Hower’s sons. The couple swore to keep their relationship a secret but John Henry found out and forbade them to see each other. According to the lore, the servant was so upset that she placed a noose around her neck and jumped from the balcony of the TKE house. It’s been said that her spirit now roams the hallways of the dormitory, possibly seeking vengeance against John Henry.
Hauntings at the Hower House
The Hower House is said to be haunted as well and based on records found in local archives, John Henry reported that his wife saw ghosts and noticed other supernatural activity when they first moved in. A letter was found written by Hower to his son Milton Otis not long before Milton inherited the house. After Milton moved in, he noticed some strange occurrences such as seeing orbs of light late at night. John Henry wrote Milton a letter about the activity, explaining that his wife saw the orbs of light their first night in the home and several times after that. The lights would appear in the bedroom, but oddly, she was the only person at the time who could see them…