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Ohio's Historic Haunts

Investigating the Paranormal in the Buckeye State

James A. Willis

9781606352601
376 pages
The Kent State University Press
Overview
Ohio's premier paranormal researcher looks for the spirits behind the stories

Many of Ohio's historically significant locations have developed a reputation for being haunted. While it might be almost impossible to prove the validity of the paranormal tales that surround them, one thing is clear: ghost stories help to keep history alive. But the questions remain: How did these stories get started? More important, are any of them tied directly to actual historic events? And do any facts support the ghost lore?

Rather than rely on second- and third-person accounts, author and paranormal researcher James A. Willis sat down with the owners, employees, and patrons of Ohio locations that are said to be haunted - the Arts Castle in Delaware, the Fairport Harbor Marine Museum, the Haunted Hydro in Fremont, Loveland Castle, the Merry-Go-Round Museum in Sandusky, the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, the Zanesville Community Theatre, and many others. After conducting more than 200 hours of one-on-one interviews, Willis was able to piece together unique histories for each location, including eyewitness accounts from people who believed they experienced paranormal activity.

But Willis wasn't content to stop with first-person accounts. He also brought high-tech "ghost-hunting" equipment into each location and spent a night attempting to collect empirical data to see if he could experience a paranormal encounter himself. What were the results of these vigils? You'll have to read the book to find out! Come along on a journey with Willis as he travels to the crossroads where history and folklore collide, and visit the fascinating Ohio locations where the past comes alive - in more ways than one!

Author Bio
James A. Willis has been chasing after all things strange and spooky for over 30 years, most recently with his organization, The Ghosts of Ohio. When he wasn't trying to coax the boogeyman out from under his bed for a photo shoot, Willis found the time to author over a dozen books, including The Big Book Of Ohio Ghost Stories, Haunted Indiana, and Weird Ohio. Willis currently resides in Galena, Ohio, with his wife and daughter, two narcoleptic cats, and one Queen-loving parrot.