5 haunted places in Columbus for Friday the 13th

When Friday the 13th lands in October, you are required by haunted law to tell spooky stories.

So, that’s what we are doing. We’ve scanned local resources + the internet to find the creep of the crop. Gather round.

The Thurber House

James Thurber, the former home owner, is said to be lurking the halls. The famed author and cartoonist reportedly throws books off the shelves and roams around at night. Perhaps the home is to blame — Thurber described his own paranormal experiences while living there.

The Ohio State University

There are plenty of ghostly visits, but we’re highlighting The Hopkins Handprint. The story is of a young student who had a breakdown after becoming trapped in an elevator for an entire night. After being discovered, the elevator had been covered in scribbles and hand prints. Now, as a spirit fueled by spite, she sometimes leaves her handprint on the side of the building.

Walhalla Road

There’s no evidence that the Mooney Mansion resided here, but local lore claims a doctor went mad and attacked his family. Now, the blue light that once shined from the mansion’s attic can sometimes be seen at night — symbolic of Dr. Mooney’s eerie presence.

Elevator Brewing and Draught Haus

Col. Randolph Pritchard, an alleged abuser in the 1900s, was stabbed by one of his victims on a snowy night. Some claim they’ve seen the two in present day, with Pritchard lurking inside + the woman occasionally leaving footprints in the snow around 10:05 p.m., the time of the stabbing.

Underground Tunnels

There’s something off-putting about abandoned projects, and that’s the case with these 100+ year old tunnels. These were built, in-large part, due to community outcry after a local man was hit by a car crossing High Street, resulting in him losing his leg.