From Split Graves to Haunted Carousels: The Curious and Unexplained
Weird Ohio history is full of tales that make you do a double-take. Stories so unusual, you’d swear someone made them up. But they’re real. And they reveal just how fascinating, eerie, and downright bizarre the region’s past can be. From a general buried in two different places to an asylum stain that never fades, these historical oddities from Ohio are anything but ordinary.
Mad Anthony Wayne’s Double Burial
General “Mad” Anthony Wayne died in 1796 at Fort Presque Isle, located in what is now Erie, Pennsylvania. He was buried there, but thirteen years later, his son Isaac wanted his remains moved to the family plot in Radnor, Ohio.
When officials opened the grave, they discovered Wayne’s body had not decomposed due to cold temperatures and the chemical makeup of the soil. According to the Pennsylvania Center for the Book, the body was dismembered, boiled to remove the flesh, and the bones were transported in saddlebags across the state. The soft tissue was reburied at the original site in Pennsylvania, while the bones were laid to rest in Ohio.
Today, Wayne is said to be buried in two places.
The Ridges and the Body Stain in Athens, Ohio
At the former Athens Lunatic Asylum—now known as The Ridges on the campus of Ohio University—a woman named Margaret Schilling disappeared in 1979. Weeks later, her body was found in a sealed, abandoned ward. The floor beneath her had absorbed bodily fluids, leaving a permanent outline. Despite repeated attempts at cleaning, the stain persists. According to The Post, students and staff believe the building is haunted, and some claim to have heard strange sounds or seen shadows in the halls.
A Glove in the Wall of Cleveland’s Historic Arcade
During renovations at The Arcade in Cleveland—a Victorian-era indoor shopping mall completed in 1890—construction crews found an old leather glove sealed into the wall. This wasn’t accidental. According to a BBC News article, it was once a common practice in Europe to hide gloves, shoes, or even dolls inside walls during construction to ward off evil spirits or misfortune. This strange discovery adds a layer of superstition to one of Cleveland’s most iconic buildings.
Haunted Carousel Horses in Sandusky
At the Merry-Go-Round Museum in Sandusky, Ohio, staff members have reported that certain carousel horses exhibit unusual behavior. Some say a particular horse won’t operate properly unless a specific song is playing. Others claim to have seen the carved animals move on their own when the museum is closed. According to the Sandusky Register, these stories have become part of the museum’s local folklore, drawing in curious visitors year after year.
Crybaby Bridges and Ohio’s Haunting Echoes
Dozens of counties across Ohio claim to have the original “Crybaby Bridge. The legends vary, but the core story is the same: a woman, in despair, throws her baby from a bridge.
Today, locals say if you visit at night, you can hear the cries of the lost child. Some versions claim that the woman also haunts the bridge. These bridges exist across the state, each with its own eerie twist and a dedicated group of believers who swear the stories are true.
Milan, Ohio: Birthplace of Edison and Briefly a Global Port
Milan, Ohio, may seem like a quiet village today. However, in the 1840s, it was one of the busiest inland ports in the world. The Milan Canal connected the town directly to Lake Erie, allowing goods to be shipped from its center.
However, Milan’s prosperity declined with the rise of the railroad, but its historical significance remains. Most notably, it is the birthplace of Thomas Edison. His childhood home still stands and can be visited through the Thomas Edison Birthplace Museum.
While the museum celebrates Edison’s legacy, it also holds a few lingering mysteries. According to the Ohio Exploration Society, visitors and staff have reported strange noises and unexplained music drifting through the rooms. Figures resembling angels have occasionally been seen, and young children have described seeing people in the house when no one is visibly there. These unexplained occurrences lend a supernatural twist to an already fascinating piece of Ohio’s weird history.
Weird Ohio History Lives On
From haunted hospitals to moving carousel horses, weird Ohio history proves that truth really is stranger than fiction. These stories connect folklore with fact, giving new life to forgotten corners of Ohio. They remind us that sometimes, history doesn’t just repeat—it lingers.
