In the 19th century, Ohio held a crucial place in the national transportation system as Americans gradually gained access to wider and wider areas of the country.
Construction of the Ohio and Erie Canal connected Lake Erie to the Ohio River, creating an inland water route from the East Coast to the Gulf of Mexico. The National Road was the first major highway in the country and brought many thousands of settlers westward through the state. That’s not even to mention Ohio’s role as a part of the Underground Railroad.
The Crosskeys Tavern in Chillicothe is well over 100 years old and said to be haunted by a ghost affectionately known as Harold, who may be the spirit of a man murdered in the alley behind the bar in the early 20th century.
As a result, busy inns and taverns sprouted all over, and quite a few of them are still in business today. These centuries-old establishments are rich in history — and in some cases, ghosts. Below, we have listed some of the more notable haunted watering holes in the state for anyone interested in dinner with the departed, or an overnight stay with the spirits.
The Crosskeys Tavern
19 E. Main St., Chillicothe
This Irish-style tavern opened in the early 1970s, but the building is well over 100 years old and is the previous home of the Chillicothe Baking Co., the Wissler Electric Co., Stones Grill Restaurant, and several other businesses. It’s also said to be haunted by a ghost affectionately known as Harold, who may be the spirit of a man murdered in the alley behind the bar in the early 20th century. While no one’s seen Harold, he’s been reported to have reached out and touched startled employees, turned lights off and on, opened doors, and occasionally caused cold spots. Harold’s presence merits the Crosskeys an occasional spot on the Chillicothe Ghost Walk, part of the Chillicothe Halloween Festival (Oct. 11–13) — though it’s not an official stop on this year’s walk.
Interestingly, Chillicothe is also home to the Wobbly Ghost Tavern (289 E. Main St.), which is not haunted, but does have an annual Halloween Party.
The Golden Lamb
27 S. Broadway St., Lebanon
The Golden Lamb has been in business since 1803 and has played host to a dozen U.S. presidents and a wide array of celebrities and politicians. According to legend, it is also home to a number of ghosts, including a young girl and a gaunt-looking man, and it has been dubbed Ohio’s most haunted restaurant by the Food Network.
The Golden Lamb’s official historian, John Zimkus, says the little girl has sometimes been identified as Henry Clay’s daughter Eliza (who died in Lebanon when she was 12) or Sarah Stubbs, the niece of one of the owners during the 19th century. There are a number of suspects when it comes to the identity of the gaunt man, whose appearances are sometimes accompanied by the smell of cigar smoke. Perhaps it’s Supreme Court Justice Charles R. Sherman (father of Lancaster native William Tecumseh Sherman), who died at the Golden Lamb in 1829. Or Albert Stubbs, a previous owner who died behind the lobby desk in 1914.
Zimkus, however, thinks it’s Clement Vallandigham, an attorney and 19th-century anti-war Copperhead who was accused of treason and exiled to Canada — but eventually returned to practice law in Ohio. While defending a murder suspect in Lebanon, Vallandigham wanted to prove that the victim may have accidentally shot himself during a scuffle. Practicing for his courtroom demonstration in his room at the Golden Lamb, Vallandigham inadvertently shot himself in the stomach. He died from his wound, but proved his theory of the case — his client was acquitted.
“If anyone has a right to wander our halls as a spirit,” Zimkus says, “it’s Clement Vallandigham.”
Clay Haus
123 W. Main St., Somerset
Clay Haus, built as a private residence in the early 19th century along the Zane’s Trace roadway in what is now Somerset, has hosted notable visitors such as President Andrew Jackson (cousin of original proprietor George Jackson) and Henry Clay through the years. It’s now a German-American restaurant, and its owners and guests have reported hearing furniture moving, doors slamming, and other strange and unexplained noises. Ghostly visitors have been spotted throughout the building.
Ghost hunters visit often to investigate the paranormal activity there, and the restaurant’s website displays their reports, photos, and recordings so you can judge for yourself.
The Buxton Inn Restaurant
313 E. Broadway, Granville
Opened in 1812, the Buxton may be haunted by its former innkeepers. Massachusetts transplant Orrin Granger opened the original tavern in 1812, and the location also functioned as a stagecoach stop and post office. It was bought by Major Horton Buxton in 1865, then by retired opera singer Ethel “Bonnie” Bounell in 1934. Currently the Buxton consists of the main house and four other historical homes with 25 guest rooms, as well as a tavern and restaurant.
In addition to its long history, the hidden doors and staircases that existed on the property over time (it was purportedly an Underground Railroad stop and later a speakeasy during Prohibition) have added to its ghostly atmosphere, and guests and staff often report strange noises and eerie feelings. The spirits of Granger and Buxton are said to still roam the place, and the mysterious Lady in Blue, who has appeared with a phantom feline, is said to be the ghost of Bounell, who died in the inn, and her beloved cat, named “Major Buxton.”
The Red Brick Tavern
1700 Cumberland St., Lafayette
The Red Brick Tavern originally opened in 1837 in Lafayette (just north of London) along the route of the National Road as a stagecoach stop and an inn. The tavern closed in 1859, and the building operated as a schoolhouse for a while before being converted back into a tavern in the 1920s. With such a long and storied history, it’s not surprising that a few ghosts may call it home — including a phantom that may be the spirit of the original owner’s wife (who committed suicide when she found out he was unfaithful) and a ghostly piano player. The current owners, brothers Kyle and Travis Massey, haven’t noticed anything too peculiar since they bought the then-shuttered tavern in 2021, but they are well aware of the building’s haunted reputation.
“The previous owner told us stories about the ghosts, and we have learned more as we uncovered the history of the place,” Kyle Massey says. “People have told us about pictures moving, or having eerie feelings.”
The Masseys have not personally experienced anything paranormal, even when they have spent the night in the building. The Red Brick has not offered lodging in decades, but Massey says they hope to change that once additional renovations are complete — then guests can see for themselves whether anything strange happens at the Red Brick Tavern after dark.
Learn more about haunted bars, restaurants, hotels, and other locations via the Haunted Ohio series of books by Chris Woodyard, available at www.hauntedohiobooks.com.
