5 Haunted Places in Portsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth, Ohio is a town full of local history, and so it’s no surprise that over the years many ghost sightings and paranormal events have been reported in the area. From balcony hauntings to ghost prostitutes, Portsmouth has more than its fair share of spooky stories to share this Halloween season.
U.S. Grant Bridge
Ghost sightings have occurred near the U.S. Grant Bridge area for over 100 years. Numerous boaters claim to have seen a spectral woman dressed in all white with outstretched arms. The presumed identity of this ghost is Mary Fisk, a woman who was murdered in a small cabin near Alexandria Point in the 1800’s. People say that she still wanders the area near the bridge.
Portsmouth Cinema
Many strange events have been reported at the Portsmouth Cinema over the years. The most common reports are the sounds of bathroom stall doors opening and closing in the women’s bathroom when it is supposed to be empty. Other customers and employees reference seeing a tall man wearing a black jacket and a little girl wandering the cinema, as well as hearing the sound of children giggling and keys jingling throughout the cinema.
Portsmouth Brewery
The alleyway that divides the Portsmouth Brewery and the adjoining restaurant has been plagued by sightings of a ghostly figure wearing a fedora walking back and forth along the alleyway.
Portsmouth Public Library
Local legends state that two different ghosts haunt the Portsmouth library. One of the poltergeists is a homeless man who regularly visited the library before he died. The other ghost is a woman named Grace who fell off of the library’s balcony to her death. Grace haunts the balcony section of the library and the homeless man has been spotted all throughout the oldest sections of the building.
Portsmouth Barber Shops
Over 100 years ago reports began to pop up of a ghost that would travel from barbershop to barbershop around Portsmouth. It was speculated that this ghost was once a prostitute from the West End, though why it was so fond of barbershops, no one knows. At one point, someone threw a rock at the woman’s reflection, which reportedly ended her haunting spree, though she has still been reported occasionally in the time since.
