If Ohioans were asked to come up with a short list of their favorite local ghost stories, Vermillion’s Gore Orphanage would certainly make an appearance on the majority of the lists. Even though the alleged events are said to have happened well over 150 years ago, it is still one of the most popular spooky Ohio travel destinations. The site is deserted now and only a few bits and pieces of the orphanage foundation remain. But it’s easy enough to find; just look for the foreboding road sign directing you to Gore Orphanage Road.
It is said that the Gore Orphanage was in operation sometimes in the 1800s. A mysterious fire started in the building that quickly engulfed the entire structure. Lining up all the usual suspects from all the different versions, the likely cause of the fire was one of the following:
- Old Man Gore—the owner of the orphanage who was either attempting to collect some sort of insurance money or just simply hated children.
- Disgruntled Male Employee—While he is never named, this shady character had some sort of beef with orphanage owner Mr. Gore (who, in this version, loves children) and decided to exact his revenge.
- Unknown Crazy Man—Again, this figure is never named. All that is ever told about him was that he lived in the woods surrounding the orphanage and hated all the noise that the kids made.
- An Accident—The most common version of the accident story has one of the orphans accidentally knocking over a lantern. In another version, the lantern is kicked over in the nearby barn, but the fire quickly spreads to the main building of the orphanage.
Regardless of how the fire started, the results were catastrophic. Presumably, none of the orphans were able to escape the blaze and all perished. In the aftermath, authorities took away Mr. Gore’s license and refused to allow a replacement orphanage to be constructed on the site. Nearby townspeople wanted nothing more than to quickly forget the tragedy and simply razed what remained of the burned out shell of the orphanage and allowed nature to take its course and reclaim the land. Out of sight, out of mind.
But such a tragic event isn’t going to fade easily, and in this case, the tragic fire somehow left a “stain” upon the area. Locals began whispering that you ventured out to the remaining ruins of Gore Orphanage at night, you would see the ghostly shapes of the dead orphans running and playing in the woods. Sometimes, the children appeared to be on fire and yelling and screaming things like “help me” as the foul stench of burning flesh filled the air. Other late-night visitors reported seeing bright lights swirling and weaving through the woods, which they took to be the ghosts of the dead children. And those who believed the orphanage fire had been intentionally set sometimes felt the spirit of the guilty party makes an appearance at the site in the form of a dark, shadowy shape lurking near the foundation remains.
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/and-thats-why-we-drink/e/60804185
