This bike path runs from Ohio University to Hocking College.

A picture of campus from a hilltop.

The Hocking River

The University Terrace.

Asylum Graveyard.

Runaway Slave, Nicodemus, Haunts AOPi Sorority House

Before the Civil War, the town of Athens was split over the slavery issue, and several local houses were used as stops on the Underground Railroad. Many of today's greek residences had tunnels running through them and under streets to other houses. Many of the Athens residents at the time, however, were sympathetic to the Southern cause, and when they discovered that the house located at 24 E. Washington was operating as a station on the Underground Railroad, they did not take the news lightly. An angry mob ransacked the house and flushed out one runaway, a man named Nicodemus Nicodemus, who was hiding in one of the house's secret passages, ran toward a basement tunnel for safety. But he was shot as he fled through the tunnel. The men captured him, and Nicodemus died as they dragged him out of the house. Strange occurrences began to surface almost 100 years later, when the house, the oldest house in Athens, served as a residence for the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. In the beginning of Fall Quarter of 1972, the sorority sisters invited a local witch to the house one night to read tarot cards and predict their futures. The witch, who had never visited the house before, claimed, upon entering a fourth-floor bedroom, the house was haunted by the ghost of a man. The man's presence was felt more distinctly two weeks later when a woman napping in the house said she was awakened by the sensation of a man's hand trying to strangle her. When she finally managed to make her way out of the bed and down the stairs, she was convinced that someone was trying to kill her. Later that same quarter, a resident of the house reported she saw the figure of a man, about 6 feet-4-inches tall, dressed in ragged clothes in the house. A search of the entire building resulted in nothing other than frightened college students. The ghostly visitations continued after the winter break. One woman, Barb, reportedly heard whining and scratching noises coming from the sealed-off passage entrance. Small objects began to disappear. Lockeddoors were found open two nights in a row. Searches still resulted in nothing more than jangled nerves. Later in 1973, one Zeta, Valerie Christie, had a strange nighttime visitor. "One night I had just begun to doze off, when I felt someone in bed with me. I kept trying to sleep, but it was useless," Christie said."I didn't feel jeopardized, but it was very uncomfortable. Someone was caressing me and his hands were all over me. Finally I went to sleep in the other room." Eventually, the residents of the Zeta Tau Alpha house decided the only way to deal with their ghost was simply to accept him as another member of the sorority. The women learned to live with Nicodemus the way they learned to live with each other, and they even wished him "good night" on their way to bed. The OU chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha was closed in 1988, according to Kevin Shannon, the assistant director of student activities. He said the decision to close the chapter was most likely a national office decision, not university sanctioned. After the Zetas left the house, it was occupied for a short time by the Sigma Nu fraternity, and it is now home to the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. Sophomore Peggy Feurey, a professed critic of the ghost stories and resident of the house at 24 E. Washington, said the women haven'tseen Nicodemus or traces of him lately. "We say stuff about it all the time. If doors open and shut, we always say, 'It was Nicodemus.'" However, that is the extent to which today's residents feel Nicodemus's ghostly presence. - compiled by Katie Schlegel

Restless Spirits Supposedly Haunt Area Cemeteries

The many graveyards of Athens seem to be an outlet for both the residents and students of the area and the discontented souls residing beneath the ground. Upon entering the iron-wrought gates of State Street's cemetery, one stumbles upon crumbling, weathered headstones. The few legible grave markers, however, reveal tales of death such as the "infant daughter of A.G. & P.K. Brown, stillborn Dec. 22 1840." The spirits of soldiers from battles as early as the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 protect this graveyard. One of these men was "Daniel Stewart, Esq." who died February 20, 1858, a Revolutionary War hero. "Daniel Stewart, Esq." who died February 20, 1858, a Revolutionary War hero. He "came to Athens in 1803 (and) founded the town of Stewart." However, not all war veterans rest in peace. In Haines Cemetery near New Marshfield lies the insane spirit of a Civil War officer. His war deeds drove him to destroy his home near the graveyard on All Hallow's Eve and his ghost now haunts the cemetery. Bethel Cemetery's graves also contribute to the spooky legends. According to church tradition, the dead are buried in the East-West direction facing the rising sun. But, this graveyard located on the western border of Athens County reveals an eerie phenomenon. A group of Bethel's graves extend North-South facing the Summerland witch heaven. The geography of Athens' cemeteries plays a vital role in the abundant tales of horror. Five of them - Simms, Peach Ridge, Hanning, Hunter and Mathany and Slaughter - circle the city and form a pentagram. Second-year OU student Ryan Schneider said he "checked it out on a county road map and it's pretty accurate. The sides differ in less than a 1/4 mile each." The area inside of this figure is protected from evil forces and has supposedly been used by witches for centuries as the focal point of mystical powers. Simms Cemetery, one of the pentagram five, rests on a slope off of Peach Ridge Road and has been designated the thirteenth-most haunted place in the world by the British Metaphysical Society. The graveyardwas named after John Simms who, according to legend, was a local official known for his noose and multiple hangings. Simms supposedly wanders the cemetery at twilight wearing a hooded robe. It is also said that Mary Roberts, known to be a witch, is buried near Simms and his family to curse them for all eternity. The cemetery's natural surroundings unveil one final oddity. The graveyard is hidden from view by a rocky cliff, trees and bushes. According to Athens Magazine, 1972, "the supreme irony of Simms Cemetery . . lies in the tall evergreen tree growing in the midst of the graves. Close examination shows that it is an arbor vitae, also known as the tree of life." Two final ghastly tales stem from Hanning Cemetery, another Peach Ridge graveyard and the sight of frightful seances. Following the death of OU student David Tischman in April 1970, a seance was held at the cemetery in the hopes of contacting his spirit. The ceremony involved a Ouija Board and two black candles. The board's indicator failed to move but the candles' dripping wax spelled out "DAVT4," often interpreted as David Tischman - 4th month. A second Hanning Cemetery seance is reported to have taken place on Halloween Eve, 1969. The padlock on the graveyard's gate was secure on this calm evening. Following the seance chanting, however, the wind began to blow and upon leaving the cemetery, the members ofthe seance discovered an unlocked gate and no human explanation for the occurrence. Ida Wachenschwanz, Millfield resident of 54 years, recalls many nightmarish stories of sweetheart killings and old, spooky cemeteries. "I've heard the tales since I was a kid, " said Ida. "It's really scary and makes you not want to go out on Halloween." - compiled by Lisa Zamborsky

Ridges Patients Leave Strong Impression in Body and Spirit

The Ridges' old mental health buildings that overlook Athens and OU appear to be straight out of a gothic novel or the movie Psycho. The main building, with its high tower, gingerbread trimming and darkened windows, looks like it may still house some of the hospital's "clients" - or at least their spirits. But not many of the living in Athens know or are willing to tell stories about ghostly happenings or hauntings at The Ridges. R. L. Abraham, Athens native and instructor of the Communiversity's Haunted Athens lectures, tells the story of a Ridges' patient whosedecomposing body can still be seen. According to the rumor, a female client disappeared from the hospital grounds one snowy afternoon - or at least that's what the staff thought. Four weeks later, the woman's decomposing body was found on an unused floor of one of the buildings. Though the woman's body was removed, the outline of her body remains. Those who have seen this "reverse shadow" - the outline looks like a photographic negative on the concrete floor - say it is so detailed even her hairstyle - a short bob - is evident. There are no accounts of the woman's spirit staying with the outline of her body, but it seems others have stayed. Abraham said he and many others have heard screams emanating from some of the buildings, but no one said if they have encountered a Ridges spirit face to face. But perhaps it would be better not to run into a Ridges ghost, judging from a carving found in one of the cells on the top floor of the main building. It reads, "Welcome to Hell!" - compiled by Kelly B. Garrett

I am a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity who currently occupies this house. When I was an undergrad I spent a lot of time in that house and I know that there are several closets which have false backs. In the basement the floor is concrete and in one section there seems to be a large patch where the landlord says the tunnel used to be. They supposedly filled the tunnels in the 70's because they were being used for some illicit activities. Some of my fraternity brothers told me and others about strange things that happened. Nothing spectacular, but things would be missing for days or weeks and then mysteriously show up exactly where they had it.