Haunted Oxford
Oxford, Ohio — Haunted houses, jack-o-lanterns, costumes, ghost stories and candy. With Halloween right around the corner, lots of people are starting to get in the Halloween spirit. Kids will be getting their costumes ready, parents will stock up on candy to hand out to trick or treaters, and, arguably the most noticeable, haunted houses will start popping up all over.
While most people prefer to go into setup haunted houses, where they know they’re safe and that everything is only for the scares and laughs and not to hurt them, others are looking to take more of a risk and for a larger adrenaline rush. In this situation, these risk-takers tend to go to buildings and locations that, allegedly, are the homes of real ghost. People like this who live in Oxford are in luck, as Miami University makes the list for the top 50 most haunted college campuses, not to mention the many other haunted locations surrounding our area. If you are ones of these people looking for somewhere to go ghost hunting, here are a few locations you can visit:
The Ghost of Peabody Hall: One of the most famous hauntings in Oxford, the haunting of Peabody Hall, is known by nearly every resident of Oxford. Helen Peabody was the Principal of the Western Female Seminary, an institution that had a tight relationship with Miami University during its time. Peabody was known for not believing in coeducation between men and women and she believed that the student body should be strictly controlled and monitored to keep them separated. After her death in 1905, the Seminary Hall was renamed Peabody Hall in remembrance of her. Her spirit is now known to roam Peabody Hall seeking revenge on the men who dare to walk on its corridors, but leaving the women alone, who she believes are the only people who have the right to be there.
Ghost Biker on Oxford-Milford Road: It’s no secret that the roads surrounding Oxford, full of blind turns and college students not paying attention or who are just plain drunk, can be dangerous. However, according to one legend, these may not be things that you encounter. The story begins with a young man on his motorcycle speeding down Oxford-Milford road to get to his girlfriend, who lived on Earhart road, so that he could purpose to her. Unfortunately, it’s said that before the man could make it to his girlfriend, he missed a sharp turn, sending the motorcycle off road. This crash then resulted in the cyclist being thrown towards a barbed-wire fence decapitating him. It’s said that if you go the supposed girlfriend’s old house on Earhart road, face south, and flash your headlights three times, you can see the headlight of the ghost motorcycle approaching you, only to disappear when it reaches the fatal sharp turn.
The Ghost of Thobes Fountain: Harry Thobes was well know at Miami sporting events, as he had a reputation for being a gate crasher. In the early 1900s he gave Miami a fountain that he built with his own hands between King Library and Harrison Hall; he made sure to maintain it until his death in 1950. However, after his passing, the fountain was neglected and was eventually replaced by a smaller fountain in 1952, which was removed itself in 1959 and replaced by a plaque and a monument in Thobes’ remembrance. It’s said that if you stand west of the monument and face the nearest oak tree calling out Thobes’ name, his spirit will answer by echoing his name back at you.
If you do decide to visit to visit these locations, we at Talawanda Tribune would like to remind you to stay safe, to be aware of your surroundings and to never trespass.
