Last Saturday, it was a cool, crisp late morning into the early afternoon and we attended the “Haunted Newark: A Ghostly Walking Tour” hosted by Doug Stout, Local History Coordinator for the Licking County Library in Newark, Ohio. Our tour group met in the Downtown Newark Library foyer and proceeded to follow our welcoming host. Our first stop was the Licking County Players Theatre and additional stops included Veterans Park, the old YMCA, and more before reaching our last stop, which was the old First National Bank. At one point, we got to walk through the recently and most impressively renovated Arcade and around the Newark Courthouse Square along our tour path.

At each haunted site destination, Doug shared about the haunted history of downtown Newark with captivating stories, photos, and information. There are more tours scheduled and the last one is scheduled for Friday, October 31st at 5:00 pm. We highly recommend this free, most enjoyable and exploratory historically spooky tour!

Last October, we attended the “It’s Alive” (from the producers of “Tecumseh!”) outdoor play at “Haunted Mountain” usually known as Sugarloaf Amphitheater in Chillicothe, Ohio.  The largest Halloween theatrical production in Ohio ran from October 3-26, 2023.  We attended the show on the night of October 14; a chill was in the air along with a constant mist.  Gratefully, paper towels were available to dry off our seats from the rain.  The eerie weather actually added to the atmosphere most effectively.  We enjoyed the production of talented actors and solid writing that stayed true to some original aspects of Frankenstein while tweaking the story with some various twists, developments, and outcomes. It seemed a little short, but we were actually glad of that due to being cold and wet, but we came prepared with our Iceland gear we had from our vacation to Iceland in 2022 (see our travel posts on our adventures there).  We are curious to see what outdoor play the producers of “Tecumseh!” come up with next year!  We are hopeful for a retelling of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but we will be pleased regardless, as this has become an annual experience for us.  The Legend of Sleepy Hallow and Dracula productions in previous years did not disappoint!     

On our way to Haunted Mountain, we stopped for dinner in downtown Chillicothe at an old brick house with an outdoor smoker, which slow-smokes meat over native hardwoods. Bell Farms Restaurant offers all home-cooked meals.   Our selections included Homestead Pimento Cheese Dip (Jalapeno), Homestead Short Order Noodles (smoked brisket simmered in stock and served over mashed potatoes), peanut butter pie, and Grandma Elsie’s Cheesecake topped with cherries.  We were delighted with this scrumptious meal, historical atmosphere (hardwood floors, as well as rustic furniture and decorations), and friendly service.  It was a perfect warm meal for an October evening that got us started in the right direction for our excursion.    

With the leaves turning, the temperature starting to drop, and all the feels as we fall into Autumn, we registered to go on the Licking County Library’s “Haunted Newark: A Ghostly Walking Tour”.  On October 31, we walked from the Downtown Newark Library to Licking County Players, which used to be a funeral home, proceeded to walk on with the rest of the tour group to the Buckingham Meeting House, the Old Licking County Jail, and other historic sites, reportedly ghostly sites in Downtown Newark.  The Licking County Library’s Local History Specialist, Jack Goodman, who sported a tall hat to effectively set the mood, did a fine job in hosting the tour, showing digital pictures on his iPad periodically to help provide a visual to times past.

The image that really struck me the most was the photo of the Licking County Jail surrounded by water, as it was directly next to the canal, which is now the location of the Canal Market District.  That was an example of how a photograph can really capture and help reality resonate with the viewer.  I was aware of the canal being directly next to the jail, but seeing that image helped me realize what it actually looked like in history.  The walking tour gave us an opportunity to walk through history on the sidewalks and streets of Newark, Ohio.  What a fitting way to spend twilight time on Halloween!

Alfie’s Wholesome Food & Ghost/History Tour at the Historic Buxton Inn

Three presidents are known to have visited the Historic Buxton Inn located in the heart of Granville, Ohio: William H. Harrison, Abraham Lincoln, and William McKinley. We learned about this along with additional historical information and some tales of spirits on a history and ghost tour on this lovely autumn day. Each ticket was $15, which included learning about how one ghost has often conjured up the strong scent of gardenia perfume, one young man spirit has often been encountered in the basement (tavern), and there have been several reports of ghostly activity in rooms 7 and 9. Other interesting, spirited tales/experiences were shared by the friendly tour guide. Being that the inn was built in 1812, we learned interesting historical facts like the inn having been used as a place of safety on the Underground Railroad. We got to see the secret entry to a hiding spot revealed- very cool!

We enjoyed seeing the unique paintings used for fireplace inserts; one favorite was the painting based on the allegorical story, “Pilgrim’s Progress”. The woodwork of the mailboxes, customer service desk counter, and saloon area were beautifully preserved and full of character along with the chandelier hanging in the saloon, which was originally used in a surgical room (contained several mirrors around it). The blue paint used in the saloon was selected as a match to one of the former inn keeper’s choice colors; the former owner, “the woman in blue” (Bonnie), has frequently been an active ghost at the inn. This was a fascinating and informational tour! The Historic Buxton Inn and Alfie’s were ideal places to spend a fall Saturday afternoon.