The city is best known for its Air Force Base and universities. Those with an interest in the paranormal know Columbus for its haunted houses.
Hickory Sticks Mansion’s Ghost
It was built in the 1820s around an original log cabin room which remains on the second floor. Robert Hayden, Columbus’ first mayor, owned the mansion in the 1840s. He planted vineyards and dug the cellar.
In February, usually on Valentine's Day, the Ivy family hears the former owner’s ghost’s cumbersome treading footsteps. Each year, he takes the same route, up from the wine cellar, through the hall, past the master bedroom, up the stairs to the old log cabin room where sounds of a door closing are heard, then, silence.
Haunted Temple Heights Mansion
General Richard Brownrigg built this antebellum house in 1837. The Harris’ acquired it in the 1840s. Daughter Mary lived there with her husband for three months before suddenly dying. Methodist minister J.H. Kennebrew bought the mansion in 1887. Spinster daughter Elizabeth lived there until she died.
In July 1991, there was an open house tour. Elizabeth appeared before a tourist group in the master bedroom. Doors opened and closed by themselves and disembodied voices come from empty rooms. An overnight guest woke during the night and saw an orb cross the hallway and float upstairs. Another guest took pictures of the sofa with the family cat sitting on it, watching something next to it. When developed, the pictures revealed an orb on the sofa.
Waverly Mansion Ghosts
Col. George Hampton Young built this manor house in 1852. It was the neighborhood’s hub of social events. During the Civil War and the Reconstruction, many homeless families stayed there. The mansion was abandoned from 1913 until 1962 when the Snow family bought and restored it.
Young’s image has been seen in mirrors. Major John Pytchlyn, orphaned as a child, was taken care of by the Choctaw Tribe. He was buried close to Waverly. His ghost appears astride a stallion. People have heard faint music and laughter emanating from the ballroom. Mrs. Snow heard a young girl’s frightened voice calling, “Mama! Mama!” When she searched, she found no one. When the ghost cried at night, Snow’s children would ask her if the little girl was all right. One day, Snow heard the ghost child cry while she was working in the kitchen. Snow asked what troubled her. That was the last time the ghost was heard. The Snows often found the impression of a child’s body on top of their bed’s coverlet.
Weaver/Errolton Mansion Paranormal
William B. Weaver built the mansion in the 1840s. Daughter Nellie carved her name on the south parlor’s window pane. She married fireman Charles Tucker who, a few years after their daughter was born, abandoned them. Nellie started a small private school, but it wasn’t enough to maintain the mansion which fell into disrepair. Despite this, Nellie lived there happily until the 1930s when she died in a small fire. In 1950, the Batemans bought the home.
While the mansion was being renovated, a workman accidentally broke the window pane that Nellie etched her name on. The pane was replaced. One day, when Mrs. Bateman was closing the curtains, she noticed something that wasn’t there before, "Nellie" etched inside of the replacement pane in the same place and handwriting that was on the original one.
Wisteria Place Haunter
William R. Cannon built the mansion in 1858. He died there four years later.
Since the 1970s, during daylight, Wallace family members have seen a man wearing a white shirt urgently rush up the walk towards the back door. Each rushed to the back door, opened it quickly and found no one there. Some think that it’s Cannon who might have died before completing unfinished business concerning Wisteria.
Related articles:
Ghosts of New Hope, Pennsylvania
Source:
Haunted America, Michael Norman & Beth Scott, (Tor, 1994)
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