
Constructed in 1857, the old city hall was never one of Marion’s more distinguished-looking buildings. According to the book History of Marion County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, “[T]he lower story [was] used as the Central Station of the Fire Department and as the city prison. The upper part [was] used for the mayor’s office, municipal court, police headquarters and sleeping quarters for the firemen.” It wasn’t a particularly beloved building, either. History of Marion County, Ohio goes on to say that “[t]he building will next year be half a century old and is a standing disgrace and eyesore to a city which in all other respects outclasses her sister cities.”

In any case, in 1909 articles began appearing in the Marion Daily Mirror detailing some of the strange events that were happening there. There were rumors of the ghosts of men who had killed themselves in the jail cells there and reports of and “black snaky objects” hovering over the beds of sleeping firemen.
To read the rest of the story, pick up a copy of Haunted Marion, Ohio!