The Collinwood School
Now a state monument, this school was the site of a huge fire in the early twentieth century. Over one hundred people died because the doors in the school opened inwardly rather than outwardly, preventing escape. Residents that live near the school have reported seeing a light come on in one room, traverse the hall and go back from whence it came. Police investigated and found no one living in the building.
That isn’t possible. First of all, the school burned down to the ground. A new school was built next to it, but that was later shut down and sat empty for years.Then, they tore that one down and built a brand new one in the same spot as the old one before it. A memorial sits in the exact spot where the school sat, and has been there for years!
Comment by Chris | 03.18.2006 | 7:03 pm
Once my roomate was doing research on this fire. We went to the memorial on the anniversary of the fire. I was furious at all the garbage laying everywhere. So I started cleaning it up a little bit. Once I was finished I stood looking att he area for awhile and suddenly it felt like several pairs of hands were touching me. Next time I’m there I plan on taking pictures to see if I find anything.
Comment by Crissy | 05.10.2006 | 5:07 pm
Dude! The hands touching you…Creepy! The light may be the aliens coming.
My Brother: Dude if i felt the hands i would like totally start screaming” TAKE ME TO YOUR MOTHERSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
BUT LIKE DUDE, THAT WOULD BE THE SECOND TIME IVE BEEN ABDUCTED.
PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT REFERING TO ME.
i’M WATCHING YOU.
p.s. FOR YOUR SAKE CHECK THE CHILDREN
MUHHUHUHAHAHAHAAAA!
Comment by Lisa | 06.19.2006 | 6:02 pm
it’s true about this i lived right around the corner from this site for years and i used to see ppl walking on the roof and inside the building. and now there is a rest home there not a memorial.
Comment by Nicole | 09.17.2006 | 8:35 pm
your wrong about the memorial being gone. i live right there and its still there where the original school stood . then another was built next to it and torn down 2 or 3 years ago and i got a chance to go thru that building. just alot of orbs and a creepy feeling but nothing else.
Comment by patti linville | 10.28.2006 | 6:05 pm
the school used to be at E. 156th and Lucknow Avenue in the Collinwood neighborhood which is a pretty bad area. They tore it down in 1996-97 so this is either fake or defunct now.
Comment by Vinny | 12.21.2006 | 6:55 pm
my mother used 2 live around there..thats scary!!
Comment by theresa | 02.5.2007 | 7:12 pm
This is crazy. I have never been there. I am balling. :]
Comment by your mom | 02.18.2007 | 5:30 pm
Wow I live Pretty Close but I’ve never been there. My House is really old but still there has been anything like that. I want to go! It would be so much fun. If I ever go these people will be the first to know!!!!
Comment by Annie | 06.15.2007 | 2:53 pm
Initially, it was believed that those killed were trapped by the building’s vestibule doors, which opened inward, not outward. Doors to the building were equipped with common door **** latches, not the more modern crash bar type latch. While panic leading to the crush of a large number of students in stairwell vestibules contributed to the death toll, students also died as a result of smoke inhalation and the fire itself. Some children died jumping from second and third story windows.172 students, two teachers and a rescuer were killed. Following the fire, the remains of the Lake View School were demolished and a memorial garden planned for the site. A new school, Collinwood Memorial Elementary School was built adjacent to the disaster site, and incorporated many features that had been lacking in the previous building. Unlike the building involved in the disaster, the new school incorporated fire safe stairwells, a central alarm system, and was built of steel framing and other fire safe materials. Although the new school was torn down in 2004, a memorial plaque remains on the site as new development is added to the area.
Comment by brooke | 07.9.2007 | 6:01 pm
Ilived in Cleveland in the late 60’s and through the 70’s. My daughter was in elementary school at the time. She was considered a gifted child and was sent to the school in question.
I visited the school on several occasions. Approaching the school grounds I felt an oppressive atmosphere. It was strange and not just a little disturbing.
This was, to be clear, the grounds of the school, not inside the school itself. Though there was an oppressive atomphere inside as well. Outside on the grounds of the school it was depressing and opressive.
Comment by Hope | 09.10.2007 | 12:46 am
story is true as i said my family grew up in cleveland, as i mentioned about in the franklin castle, yea, some of my family grew up on the eastide also ansel st. clair 55th fleet…..and this story is true, and yes the building is no longer there, there is a memorial and there is a new school nearby, not in the same location
Comment by hektik | 10.25.2007 | 5:08 am
I knew a friend of mine who lived right next door to the parking lot behind the old school. She told me that when she moved in 3 years ago her young kids were afraid to go into the attic because of the little girl dressed in long white antique apparel. She also told me that one day while watching TV in her front room some nights the spirit girl would walk in front of the TV. They eventually got used to seeing her. She moved out this year. Incidentally tenants do not stay there long.
And that is true to quite a few houses around the school.
Comment by Rick Foster | 05.25.2008 | 3:46 am