Helltown is one of the most legendary areas of Ohio. Hundreds of legends surround the abandoned town, from ghosts to Satanic cults to chemical spills to mutants and more. It wasn't always called Helltown and that is not its official name. The area is officially known as Boston Mills in Summit County. Settled in 1806, it is the oldest village in Summit County. In 1974, President Ford signed a legislation that allowed the National Parks Service to claim eminent domain over Boston Mills and take possession of the land. The idea was that they would raze the town and turn the area into a national park. Residents had to leave immediately, leading to graffiti that read "Now we know how the Indians felt." However, the government being the government, they didn't really get around to knocking down all the structures, so many streets would contain rows and rows of abandoned homes with "No Tresspassing" signs, seated next to the burned-out remains of homes that had been used in fire department exercises.
With what is essentially an abandoned town, it is natural for ghost stories and legends to grow. While none have been confirmed, they are still really fun, spooky tales to share.
One common rumor involves an abandoned school bus in the woods. Stories maintain that the children in the bus were slaughtered by a serial killer, mental patient, or Satanic cult (depending on who you ask. In reality, the bus was used as a temporary shelter for a family whose house was undergoing renovations. It was not uncommon for vehicles and machinery that was no longer working to be left behind when residents left.
Another rumor maintains that the area was the site of a toxic chemical spill. The National Park story was just a ruse to cover up the abandoned houses and rumors of mutants living in the woods, including a monstrous snake nicknamed "Peninsula Python."
Other popular legends suggest that two of the churches in town are used as meeting places for Satanic cults, home to ghosts that leave candles burning all night, and a strange man (possibly the one who killed the bus load of children) lives in the basement; a ghostly figure appears on a bench at the cemetery at night, even though there is no bench in the cemetery; a man who will chase you away with a hearse if you get too close to his property (which may have been based on a real resident who brought out a hearse on Halloween); and a road that leads to the end of the world, is haunted, will terrorize you, or something to that effect.
For more pictures and stories, visit GhostsofOhio.org and DeadOhio.com