Walking Haunted Miamitown Ohio with the Miamitown
Ghost Tours
Once
again, the month of October is upon us…. a time for hauntings, Halloween - and
all things spooky. This month, A Grave
Interest will travel around the Midwest, taking ghost tours and getting a look
at some ‘lively’ places, and, maybe, the spirits who make them so…
I
decided early on that it would be smart to get some guides for these haunted
jaunts. And who better to seek out than the local experts on all things
paranormal in their town.
 |
| Matt Hopkins & Garett Merk |
On
this cloudy night I met with Garett Merk and Matt Hopkins for a private
preseason tour. Both men are ghost hunters by trade and more skeptical of
sightings and stories than you would expect. Garett is an author of several
haunted books and the founder of the Tri-State Paranormal and Oddities
Observation Practitioners. Matt is the lead investigator for Cincinnati Area
Paranormal Existence Research.
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| Miamitown Historical Society |
The
stories told on the 90-minute tour have come from first-hand accounts. History
is a passion for this group and it shows. They research the stories and
information they are told using newspapers, the local historical society, and
by holding their own investigations.
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| Map of Miamitown, OH |
Miamitown
is a river town with a rich history. Located on the banks of the Great Miami
River, just southwest of Cincinnati, the land was once sacred Shawnee hunting
grounds. Then settlers began arriving in the early 1800’s, pushing the Indians
westward. Miamitown was incorporated in 1834.
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| Once the Miamitown Methodist Church |
Our
tour began at what was once the first church in town, the Miamitown Methodist
Church. Founded in 1834, this was the only church in the village for years and it
became the heart of the community.
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| Marker About Event |
Tragedy
struck on New Year’s Eve morning 1939. On this Sunday fire swept
through the church. The children's Sunday school class in the basement did not escape.
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| Church and Graveyard |
Over
the years the church has housed an antique store, and is currently home to an
art studio. Several specters have been seen wandering the aisles of the antique
store, but one seems very poignant. The owner reported it was usually little things like the
bell above the entry door ringing, but no one had entered or left. Or items moving around from one place to another. Then one
day, while in the basement, she was approached by a little girl dressed in
white. When the owner asked if she needed help, the child replied that she was
looking for her mother. The owner went upstairs to find the parent but instead
discovered that there was no one in the store. When she returned to the
basement, the little girl was gone. (But she has been seen from time to time darting among the tombstones late at night.)
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| Antique Shops on Main |
The antique shops in the town are favorite haunts for the spirits of
Miamitown. Several others have interesting stories connected to them.
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| Village Pump Antiques |
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| Tombstone Walk |
It’s
no surprise that the Village Pump Antiques has had a resident ghost – it is
located on what was once cemetery ground. The walkway up to the front porch is paved
with old tombstones. In fact, most of the town is located on ground that at one
time or another was used to bury their dead.
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| Stray Cat? |
When the building was a private home three sisters lived there. But then one married and
moved out and another moved away leaving the third sister, Margaret, content
to remain in her family home with her cats.
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| The Upstairs of Margaret's House |
Her home was sold after she died and odd occurrences
began happening when the home became a store. A psychic told the owner that there was an older
woman upstairs who used to live there. She was very friendly and would
appreciate it if people would just say “Hi” to her. Soon everyone greeted
Margaret when they entered the store. The psychic checked back about a year
later, but Margaret had gone, apparently satisfied that her home was being
visited by very friendly people.
 |
| Glass Creations |
 |
| Side View |
There
is also a haunted glass shop where ghostly children laugh and play. During the
Civil War it was home to a family with eight children. Three of them died there
– and apparently never left.
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| Miamitown Elementary School |
 |
| School Windows |
And
speaking of children, the local elementary school is said to be haunted by an
early settler who has taken up residence in a utility closet. But again, it’s
no wonder that spirits roam the hallways. When the town officials were
preparing to build the school in the 1950’s they decided that the best location
for it was the land that was Cemetery #2.
 |
| Matt Standing By Reburials |
 |
| Miamitown Cemetery |
Graves
were dug up and the remains and stones moved across the highway to the current
cemetery. But as workers began digging deeper they discovered another layer of
bodies. These too were moved across the street and reburied near the front of
the cemetery. But workers again discovered a third level of graves, probably
remains from the cemetery site where the Village Pump Antiques is now located. These were also taken across the road and
reburied in the cemetery, where, hopefully they will finally get to rest in
peace.
 |
| Driving Toward Harrison Street Bridge |
But
some spirits continue to seek that chance to cross over. The Harrison Street Bridge
has a sordid past. This bridge is the fourth structure to cross the Great Miami
River here. The first was burned down in 1863 in order to stop Morgan’s Raiders
from crossing it. A steel bridge was put up in 1894 and remained for many
years, but several fatalities occurred on it. Then in 1989, a temporary
bridge was built so that a new one could be constructed across the river.
It
was a May day in 1989 when heavy flooding
 |
| Flooded Great Miami River |
caused the river to swell and the
foundation for the temporary bridge began to give way. The bridge was quickly
closed, but unfortunately one car did not make it across to the other side
before the bridge fell into the raging river. The two women in the car
were killed. But those who witnessed the collapse said that there was also a
pickup truck crossing behind the car, and it too had fallen into the churning
waters.
 |
| Close Up of Harrison Street at Bridge |
Although
officials searched for months, no truck was ever found, nor were any other
bodies. What did those on the riverbank see that day, following the car? No one
knows for sure but a white appreciation has been seen starting across the
bridge just as the car did, hurrying to get across, but it always vanishes before ever reaching the safety of the other side.
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| Garett and Matt |
for more information. Tours are available throughout the year.
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| Horse Drawn Ghost Tours |
And,
this Saturday, October 5th will be the annual Miamitown ParaFest http://miamitownparafest.com from 11
a.m. to 7 p.m. This free event is family-friendly and includes well-known ghost
hunters, paranormal authors, UFO researchers, psychics, and more. Over a dozen
paranormal groups will be on hand to tell stories, answer questions and show
off their ghost hunting gear. There’s also a Zombie Walk, horse drawn ghost
tours, a ghost hunt for the kids, and you can register to win an opportunity to
go on a ghost hunt at a Miamitown haunted site with the Tri-State Paranormal
and Oddities Observation Practitioners.
And,
did I mention, this event is FREE?!
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| Michael Henry |
And
next Friday, a noted ghost author will take us on a spooky trip through another river
town, searching for a missing grave yard, and a lost coven. This is a town which has more than its share of ghosts and spirits…
~
Joy
 |
| Unknown |
* Had to share the very odd
photo I took during this tour. This was in the cemetery - Any ideas?
Once
again, the month of October is upon us…. a time for hauntings, Halloween - and
all things spooky. This month, A Grave
Interest will travel around the Midwest, taking ghost tours and getting a look
at some ‘lively’ places, and, maybe, the spirits who make them so…
I
decided early on that it would be smart to get some guides for these haunted
jaunts. And who better to seek out than the local experts on all things
paranormal in their town.
