Just east of Sandusky, the home of the famed Cedar Point, lies a little town with an attraction of its own. An attraction that is more haunting than fun-in-the-sun. For anyone who likes ghost stories, urban legends, or places where the locals would prefer the past to stay buried and quiet, this would be the spot on the map for you.
It all begins with a road, winding its way on the outskirts of Vermilion, Ohio– Gore Orphanage Road, originally named Gore Road due to the geography of the land. It wasn’t until the Light of Hope Orphanage was built there that it was renamed with the seemingly horrifying moniker Gore Orphanage Road. Yet, perhaps that name is more deserved than some would be lead to believe.
The first to take up residence on this stretch of road was the Swift family. Joseph Swift purchased the land in the early 1800s, and got busy building the home of his dreams. Quickly, his family seemed to fall into a bad way. Two of his children supposedly died while they lived on the Gore Road property and he ultimately ended up losing the mansion as well when he made a series of bad investments. By the time the Swift’s left the area, it had become known as Swift’s Hollow, since they were the only individuals living in that specific area at the time.
Swift sold the property to a Nicholas Wilber sometime in the mid to late 1800s. Wilber moved in with his wife and children, and later his grandchildren would find a home there as well. It was rumored that they were Spiritualists, conducting seances and rituals on the property. It is said that the Wilbers often managed to make contact with the Swift children who had passed away. But soon, the same dark fate that led the Swift’s to ruin seemed to once again settle on the area. Four of the Wilber grandkids passed away from a diptheria epidemic that was sweeping through the region at the time. Then, due to one cause or another, the home was abandoned by 1901.
All too soon, Gore Road had an Orphanage built on the land, despite the misgivings of the local people. Light of Hope Orphanage soon settled on the land of Swift’s Hollow, and was run by the Sprunger’s. They were not lucky enough to escape the tainted land of Gore Road unscathed.
A huge fire burst to life in the Orphanage, and none of the children were fortunate enough to escape. They were trapped, blocked in by the flames and there was nothing that anyone could do to prevent or stop the warpath of the tragedy. Eventually, the destruction slowed, and the screams fell silent as the flames continued to burn on, the only sound remaining being that of the crackling fire. The cause of the disaster was never found.
The property was bought by the state and turned into a park, one that is blocked off and marked with stark ‘No Trespassing’ signage. It is rumored that any of the rangers tasked with watching over the location aren’t allowed to have families or children, just in case the curse of the property hasn’t finished its course.
It is also rumored, that if you choose to ignore those signs and you venture onto that property you can smell something burning, even from a distance. If that doesn’t turn you away, and you’re brave enough to leave the safety of your vehicle, the children’s voices can still be heard, either in haunting echoes of screams, or the idle chatter that used to occupy the area before the tragedy. Some have even reported returning to their vehicles finding them covered in small, dusty handprints like someone has been trying to move the car away, urging you to leave, trying to save you before it’s too late.
Whether or not you believe in the legend, it is clear that this land is tainted and that perhaps there is a reason it has earned the name of one of the most haunted locations in Ohio. Either way, if you venture to Vermilion, don’t expect me to be coming with you.