Weber - Haunted Willoughby, Ohio

Published by Haunted America
A Division of The History Press
Charleston, SC 29403
www.historypress.net

Copyright 2010 by Cathi Weber
All rights reserved

First published 2010
e-book edition 2011

ISBN 978.1.61423.125.7

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Weber, Cathi.
Haunted Willoughby, Ohio / Cathi Weber.
p. cm.
print edition ISBN 978-1-59629-432-5
1. Haunted places--Ohio--Willoughby. I. Title.
BF1472.U6W43 2010
133.109771334--dc22
2010035546

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

As I was going through school, American history and Ohio history were two of my favorite subjects, particularly Ohio history. There was always something special about being so close to the areas where events took place and history was created. Above all, I enjoyed the side stories, the ones that usually began according to local legend. These were the fun stories, passed from parents and grandparents to their children and then passed on again and again throughout the years.

Willoughby certainly has its share of these local legends, and Cathi Weber has done an outstanding job of researching and compiling these. A fan of the paranormal, she has also added her special touch to these tales. Her Willoughby Ghost Walk has become a hugely popular activity in our historic downtown.

Now you can experience the Ghost Walk in this fun and fascinating book. All of her accounts are historically based but end with haunted tales of mysterious deaths, ghosts and reported paranormal activities. Whether youre reading about the Girl in Blue, Eli Tarbells missing body parts, Yukon the ghost dog or Cathis personal experience while conducting paranormal investigations of the Masonic Lodge, you will find that the old Village of Willoughby comes to life in new and fascinating ways. Surely you wont look at our town the same way again.

I dont know if you will believe everything you read, but I do know that these are the stories you will share with your children and grandchildren, stories that will keep our historic downtown alive for many years to come.

Mayor David E. Anderson

I recently attended an all-night event with my friends. We made a pact that this time we were going to stay awake for the duration of this yearly affair. My friend Lisa said this was going to be the first time she had stayed up all night since her college days. We were energized and ready.

As the night wore on and the hours ticked by, our initial excitement quickly faded into fatigue. We dragged our weary bodies around the trackfor this event was a relayand began the long journey through the endless night. As darkness closed in and we rested near the track, small talk became the replacement for our usually spirited conversations. Each time the conversation would begin to die, and Brendas head would start to nod, someone would beg me to tell another story.

Another story? At this point in time, I was practically reciting my grocery shopping list before slipping into oblivion myself. Kris said, Please, tell us another story because listening to your stories keeps us awake. I felt a little like a kindergarten teacher, but I continued to tell stories all night long until the morning sun rose high in the sky. Together we made it through the nighttime without the sandman claiming one victim.

When I was asked to write this book, my first thought was, wait, Im just a storyteller, not a writer. From birth, I have had all the characteristics of a storyteller. I am a bit theatrical, my mind likes the challenge and intricacies involved in weaving a tale, I have a vivid imagination and I certainly like when everyone is listening to meas if that happens very often in my family! I am always amazed to realize that my granddaughter is learning as she listens and enjoys my stories, when she repeats a detail back to me at a later time. The oral tradition of storytelling has always fascinated me, and my former career as a Christian educator was centrally focused on telling the stories of the Bible. Writing a book just seems so much more significant than telling a story, and committing my stories to paper, to be revealed to the entire world, seemed almost dangerous. What if I record the wrong date? (That has certainly happened.) What if the story doesnt make sense? (The verdict is still out on this one.) What if I put down the wrong name? (Im sure I did that, too.) I thought long and hard before pledging to my publisher that I could, beyond a doubt, actually produce a book.

The stories contained in this book are based in history. Those of us who live in the city of Willoughby are privileged to have such a rich and interesting history to claim. Downtown Willoughby is a nationally registered historic landmark and the pride of our towns heritage. Luckily for me, the history of our city seems to lend itself very well to storytelling. And that rich history combined with a spirited past full of ghosts, legends and lore seems like a perfect match. I began my company, the Willoughby Ghost Walk, with this in mind, and out of the Willoughby Ghost Walk the book you hold, Haunted Willoughby, Ohio, was born.

I wish to acknowledge all of the support I received while immersed in the sometimes arduous process of giving birth to this book. Much love to my husband, Al; my son, Brad; my daughter, Jennifer; my son-in-law, Steve; and my mom and dad who were all patient and encouraging as dinner burned, plans were foiled, visits were canceled and clothes went unwashed. With gratitude, I thank my editor and friend Pat Norris and her husband, Tom, who have always been encouraging to me and have helped the Willoughby Ghost Walk grow into the future. Thanks to all my friends, who have always supported me through thick and thin and were there cheering me onand yelling at me to stop fooling around and get back to work! I appreciate my many friends from the paranormal realm, who are an extreme inspiration to me. They are the ones who laid the groundwork for a book such as this. Thank you to my friends and colleagues involved in business in Willoughby, who have allowed me to indulge myself, at their expense, by revealing the skeletons in their closets, so to speak. I also wish to recognize that without the Willoughby Historical Society, the Lake County Historical Society and many other individuals and groups such as these involved in the preservation of history, this book could not have been written. Their tireless work motivates and inspires me daily. Also, without The History Press having a truly vested interest in regional history, you would not be reading this, so to it I am extremely grateful. And, thanks be to God that the task at hand was finally completed, because without Him nothing would be possible.

Special love and gratitude go to my number one fan in the storytelling world, Emma, whose innocent plea for a story opens up my heart and soul to all the possibilities that a simple story can hold.

Enjoy the haunted history and the stories contained within these pages. And, just like my friends, I hope these stories will keep you awake!