Orton Hall Ghosts - Ohio State University - Columbus, OH - Ghosts and Hauntings on Waymarking.com

Orton Hall, one of the oldest remaining buildings on the Ohio State University campus, opened in 1893 and is named after Dr. Edward J. Orton, Sr. who served as OSU's first president, Professor of Geology from 1873-1899, and Ohio's State Geologist from 1882 until his death in 1899. Orton Hall is located at 155 South Oval Mall, Columbus, Ohio 43210.

According to the book "Weird Ohio: Your Travel Guide to Ohio's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets" by James A. Willis, Loren Coleman, and Andrew Henderson, Orton Hall is believed to be haunted by two ghosts. Excerpts from the book are included below:

"As you might guess, Edward Orton himself haunts the building. He apparently spent a lot of time reading by lamplight in the top of the bell tower. By all accounts, there are scorch marks on the inside ceiling of the tower room left by his oil lamp. Legend says you can see light flickering through the vertical slots which surround the turret--his ghost, still reading in his favorite spot. During the day he is reputed to chill the air and make noises in an attempt to make students behave."

"Orton's other ghost is said to be that of a prehistoric man with "humped back, thick hair, and a protruding forehead" which is supposed to slam doors, bang on things, and make noises since he can't speak."

The book goes on to state: "I have had a Geology class in Orton Hall but I never once saw or heard anything supernatural, not even when poking around the museum alone after dark. I've also occupied a bench on the Oval and watched the bell tower long enough that I think I know what everybody's seeing. The tower is illuminated from within by powerful spotlights, and when the weather is warm, moths fly through the beams and light up like flames, just for a second. When I first saw this I thought for one hopeful second that I was seeing President Orton, but as usual there was a more real-world explanation. Not that there always has to be, of course. Explore Orton Hall for yourself sometime (it's always open during college hours) and let me know if you see anything else."

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