7 Haunted Places in Cleveland: A Ghost Hunter’s Guide

The towering stone mansion on Ohio City's Franklin Boulevard has earned its reputation as one of the most spirit-filled homes in the country. Frankly, if a building was trying to look haunted, there's not much more it could do. 

Built in the early 1880s for German immigrant Hannes Tiedemann and his family, whispers of strange happenings amassed after a series of family tragedies. Over time, stories of hidden passageways, unexplained voices, flickering lights and ghostly apparitions made it a place where the lines between fact and fiction blur — and the veil between this realm and the next. 

Want to investigate these claims firsthand? Franklin Castle offers aspiring ghost hunters the opportunity to spend the night inside the mansion[NW1.1], with guided tours[NW2.1] and exclusive events. Just don't be surprised if you hear footsteps in the middle of the night. It's probably nothing, right? 

Rising above East 55th in the Cedar-Central neighborhood, House of Wills is a piece of Cleveland history with a reputation for the supernatural. Before it became a go-to destination for ghost hunters and history buffs, it was Ohio's largest Black-owned funeral home. 

For decades, Clevelanders passed through the doors of House of Wills during some of life's most emotional moments. Today, unexplained voices, reported sightings of shadowy figures and an alleged "energy vortex" have made it the home of paranormal investigations, underground parties and even the occasional seance. 

Whether or not you see a ghost during one of the scheduled tours — well, that's between you and the spirits. Walking out with a deeper appreciation for one of Cleveland's most captivating landmarks, however, is practically guaranteed. 

The lyrics, "You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here," simply don't apply to the spectral residents inside Midtown's Agora Theater. Since opening in 1913, the venue has welcomed generations of rock stars and headbangers, but according to local legend, not every guest has gone. 

From doors that seem to open on their own to inexplicable sightings floating in theater's mezzanine, staff and concertgoers alike have reported strange happenings after the encore. Most famous is a man in a yellow raincoat, who vanishes as quickly as he appears. Maybe it's a trick of the stage lights. Maybe it's something more supernatural. Either way, Cleveland's music scene has quite the following, both living and otherwise.

Many visitors to Public Square stop to admire the Soldiers' and Sailors' monument — but few know what lies below it. The iconic Civil War memorial sits atop a network of underground tunnels that suggest a trip beneath Public Square might include more than a history lesson. 

Visitors have reported hearing mysterious voices and footsteps echoing in the dark stone passages, including sightings of a friendly young Civil War soldier who vanishes as suddenly as he arrives. Maybe one of the monument's honorees never truly left his post. 

While access to the tunnels is limited to special guided tours, curious visitors can occasionally venture beneath the heart of The Land to decide for themselves what, if anything, lingers in the shadows. 

Looming above Bolivar Road just south of Downtown Cleveland, the Cleveland Grays Armory's fortress-like architecture looks like it was built for ghost stories. Opened in 1893 as headquarters for the Cleveland Grays militia, swirling rumors of phantom footsteps, voices and apparitions suggest not everyone once stationed here has gone. Easily identifiable by the distinct scent of his pipe smoke, a spirit by the name of Lou is said to frequent the armory's halls, still wandering the building as caretaker.

For hopeful supernatural sleuths, the armory periodically opens for public tours and special events[NW4.1]. It's also a popular stop on seasonal haunted history tours, including paranormal author William G. Krejci's Strange & Spooky excursions.

If you catch a whiff of cherry-vanilla tobacco, don't fret. That's just Lou saying "hello." 

Lake View Cemetery is the resting ground of larger-than-life figures like presidents, billionaires and inventors, so it only makes sense it's also home to an iconic bronze angel that cries black tears. Right?

The streaks down the face of The Angel of Death Victorious (or The Haserot Angel) have a perfectly scientific explanation: decades of oxidation and weathering. But spirits aren't always interested in explanations. Visitors report hearing faint sobbing near the grave and a general unsettling feeling while standing in the statue's presence. Take a visit to one of Cleveland's spookiest landmarks and decide for yourself if the angel's really weeping, or it's just cemetery legend and the power of suggestion. 

Every lighthouse has a keeper. Fairport Harbor's just comes in the form of a ghostly gray cat. 

For more than 150 years, Fairport Harbor Lighthouse has stood watch over the shores of Lake Erie, guiding sailors safely home through the darkness. Today, most come to see sprawling waterfront views and a little piece of Great Lake history. Some come hoping to catch a glimpse of Cleveland's most charming ghost stories: Sentinel, the legendary ghost cat whose presence is announced with a brush against the ankles from beyond the veil. 

During renovations in 2000, the remains of a cat were unearthed from the floorboards, a find that remains on display in the lighthouse museum. For believers, it's proof that Sentinel never truly left.