Introduction

I am Nellie Kampmann, purveyor of ghost stories. I have recently been asked by a publisher write a book on hauntings in Central Ohio (details to come as they are firmed up). They happened to see a listing of Central Ohio hauntings on my website at http://www.eeriecanal.org/centralohiohaunts.html I also work as a tour guide for the Columbus Landmarks Foundations yearly ghost tours. Far be it from me to turn down an opportunity to tell even more stories. So, here I am starting a major project. And being a writer, I am compelled to write about it.

The same day I was contacted, I also happened to be working a Historic Tavern Tour for the Columbus Landmarks Foundation. I mentioned my good news to a couple of people. It's amazing how many people come out of the woodwork to tell you ghost stories when they realize you won't think that they are crazy. This bodes well for the projects, too. Aside from the Kelton House, where I work part time and am intimately acquainted with the hauntings, I want to feature sites that haven't already been done to death in other books.

It really is amazing how haunted Columbus is. I sat down once to make a list of the known hauntings in the area and was amazed to find over 50 in the downtown area alone. Once you start counting the surrounding neigborhoods, the numbers just keep going up and up. I am actually a bit dumbfounded that Columbus is such a well kept secret in the world of paranormal folklore.

If you know of any unusual haunted site in Columbus or have any personal stories you might like to have included in the book, please let me know.