Ghosts of Ohio
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Lore & Legends

Spring Grove Cemetery

The largest nonprofit private cemetery in the United States, Spring Grove Cemetery is a beautiful and visually stunning cemetery, complete with a wonderful cross-section of statuary (including a sphinx), several ponds and even waterfalls. It is also home to perhaps one of the strangest legends The Ghosts of Ohio have heard!

As the story goes, one of the tombstones in Spring Grove Cemetery bears the bust in the likeness of the gentleman buried below. What makes this bust unique is that legend states that after the man died, his eyes were placed in the sockets of the bust. Even more, the bust's eyes are said to always keep watch over the grave and will follow you throughout the cemetery. No matter where you stand in the cemetery, if you can see the bust, it will appear as though it is watching you. In some variations of the story, the statue literally comes to life and will turn its entire head in order to see you better. And in one version, it will even speak to you.

To begin with, there is in fact a bust in the cemetery that has human-like eyes. But that's about it. So while The Ghosts of Ohio hate to burst anyone's bubble, there's simply no evidence whatsoever to substantiate the current popular ghostly legends. It appears to be simply a case of someone seeing an odd statue in a graveyard and running with it.

But in all honesty, seeing the bust for the first time is a bit eerie, as from afar the eyes do appear to be real. However, on closer inspection, it is quite easy to tell that they are clearly glass. One only has to imagine the unsettling results if someone placed human eyes in a statue and left them exposed to the elements for decades.

Do the bust's eyes seem to follow you wherever you go? Somewhat. But they do so in much the same manner as the eyes of a friend's velvet Elvis painting do. And personally, The Ghosts of Ohio find the Elvis painting more unnerving.

But even without the possibility of meeting a ghost, The Ghosts of Ohio encourage all our readers to visit Spring Grove Cemetery, as it is one of the most beautiful and peaceful cemeteries we have ever seen. Sadly, due to the senseless vandalism that takes place in cemeteries, The Ghosts of Ohio feel compelled to remind our readers that all Ohio cemeteries close at dusk. Should you attempt to enter Spring Grove at night, you are trespassing and will be arrested. Spring Grove Cemetery is continuously monitored and the cemetery's security guards make their presence known even during the day.

So please, if you choose to visit Spring Grove Cemetery, do so during the day and make sure you adhere to the old saying:

"Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints."
© The Ghosts of Ohio