Ohio is home to some of the most notoriously haunted places in the country, from the Mansfield Reformatory and the Golden Lamb to the entire town of Athens. There are all sorts of abandoned places in Ohio and even entire ghost towns. But none are as eerie nor fraught as Moonville. This Ohio ghost town is home to the abandoned Moonville Tunnel, making for a double dose of ghost-hunting thrills for brave Buckeye State ghost hunters.
In Southeast Ohio, there is a place where time stands still. An unsettling place full of ghostly lore and legend. A real-life ghost town with a haunted history.
Sara McKinniss/Google Local
What is this place? It’s Moonville, Ohio’s long-forgotten ghost town. As with so many ghost towns across the U.S., Moonville sprung up as a result of the railroad.
Josh Singhoff/Google Local
In 1856, local resident Samuel Coe gave the Marietta and Cincinnati (M&C) Railroad permission to construct a railroad line across his property, thinking it would boost business in the area.
snake venom/Flickr
The plan was a success, and the town of Moonville boomed, housing miners and railroad workers and their families.
J. Todd Poling/Flickr
But the town was like a house of cards, lacking any sort of foundation to stand on its own. So when the coal mines began to close, so, too, did Moonville.
Ranjan Sharma/Google Local
When it was all said and done, the only remnants of Moonville were the old schoolhouse, a cemetery, and an abandoned train tunnel.
J. Todd Poling/Flickr
Today, both are said to be haunted, providing Ohio ghost hunters the thrill of a lifetime!
J. Todd Poling/Google Local
Some say that ghosts of railroad workers struck down by a train in the Moonville Tunnel still wave their lanterns in the abandoned passageway. Flickering lights and disembodied voices have been reported as well.
Mike/Flickr
Today, visitors can hike portions of this abandoned railroad line, which has been converted into walking and biking trails.
Moonville Tunnel/Google Local And although Moonville might be the most well-known ghost town in Ohio, it remains a devilishly dark place that’s not for the faint of heart… even in broad daylight.
Have you visited this Ohio ghost town before? Would you dare attempt this haunted day trip in Ohio? Share your stories with us in the comments below — we’re always up for more spooky adventures!
Sara McKinniss/Google Local
Josh Singhoff/Google Local
snake venom/Flickr
J. Todd Poling/Flickr
Ranjan Sharma/Google Local
J. Todd Poling/Google Local
Mike/Flickr
Moonville Tunnel/Google Local
And although Moonville might be the most well-known ghost town in Ohio, it remains a devilishly dark place that’s not for the faint of heart… even in broad daylight.
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Address: Moonville Tunnel, Hope-Moonville Rd, McArthur, OH 45651, USA
