Walking the streets of Cleveland in late October, you are bound to come across a group, illuminated only by the light of a pumpkin lantern and listening intently as a guide tells them legends. While it is easy to pass off these ghost tours as Halloween tourist attractions, the real history of Cleveland is not without its haunts. From disembodied voices in abandoned theaters to spirits so terrifying they shook police officers to their core, many claim Cleveland is home to more than just its 300,000 living human inhabitants.
One of Cleveland’s most famous haunted sites is well-known to locals. Nestled in the shadow of Progressive Field is Erie Street Cemetery. This gothic cemetery is a common short-cut through to the field, but visitors may want to think again before casually entering its fenced-in walls. The cemetery houses almost 8,000 souls, with its first burial dating back to 1827.
Among these burials is Chief Joc-O-Sot of the Meskwaki tribe. According to legend, Joc-O-Sot was buried in Cleveland against his will, making his spirit restless. His gravestone now sits shattered into 10 pieces, possibly a visible representation of this unrest. Some have even suggested that Joc-O-Sot’s spirit is responsible for Guardians’ losses next door at Progressive Field.
When we visited Erie Street Cemetery just a few days before Halloween, we were struck by the strange solitude of the space, even as the lights of Progressive Field flickered just a few feet away. While we can’t claim to have seen Joc-O-Sot wandering the tombstones, there was undeniably a certain chill in the air as we passed through the sacred site.
Another haunted site is Drury Mansion. Built in 1912 by Francis Drury, the mansion is said to be infected and crawling with spectres and ghostly spirits. Perched on 8615 Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, the house eventually switched hands from the Drury family to serve as a boarding school, home for unwed mothers, home for convicts through the Ohio Adult Parole Authority and is now used as a private meeting facility.
Although there were no reports of paranormal activity while the Drury family resided in the mansion, the home’s reputation shifted in 1972. That year, two police officers in charge of guarding the property overnight were found in the morning, mysteriously frightened out of their wits, trembling together and clutching their shotguns.
The first true ghostly sighting at Drury Mansion occurred in 1978 when a worker claimed to see the image of a woman on the stairs, her hair tied up in a knot, simply standing and staring. Others who have entered the residence have claimed to hear eerie noises, feel a sensation of being watched and even see shadowy spectres peeking around corners.
Perhaps the most haunted site in Cleveland, Franklin Castle, has a gruesome history. Owned by German immigrant Johannes Tiedemann in the 1800s, tragedy struck as his daughter, mother, three children and wife all passed away in very close proximity with each other. In 1975, human bones were discovered, previously hidden throughout the property.
Although never confirmed, rumors swirled that Tiedemann himself was responsible for the murders, with the ghosts of the victims still wandering the halls. In 1999, the castle was burned by an arsonist who simply said, “I had to burn down the castle because it is pure evil.” Most recently, the castle has been renovated and now gives eager visitors the chance to learn the harrowing history of Franklin Castle.
Cleveland is a diverse community, from the skeptical to the paranormally inclined, and, according to some, from the dead to the undead. So whether you shiver at the thought of a broken mirror or laugh at the idea of spirits roaming the earth, these haunted sites are the perfect way to celebrate the spooky season.
