“The Glowing Horseshoe”
In the mid 1800s a young hunk named James Henry lived in the area. In love with two different women, the man could not decide which one he wanted to marry. When he fell asleep one night, instead of pulling the man and the buggy home, the horse took him to the house of one of the young ladies. James then decided to marry her. The two were happy for a long time until the woman became ill and died. James visited Otterbein Cemetery everyday to put flowers on his wife’s grave. One day at the cemetery, he saw the other young woman he had been courting before marrying his first wife. The two quickly became romantically involved and soon married. He stopped going to the grave of his first wife and soon all the flowers died. One day, a passerby saw a bloody horseshoe on the woman’s tombstone. He told James that it was an ill omen, but James did not listen. The next day, James’s new wife found him dead in the horse stables–there was an imprint of a horseshoe in his forehead. Now when its foggy, it is said that one may hear horse’s hoofs going up and down Otterbein Road.
hello my name is aubrey and i am 13 yrs old.I myself have visited the “horseshoe grave” as we so call it.However i was dissapointed to find that there we absolutley no sound of a horse galloping down the road,but the horseshoe however did glow!and it was so amazing.
i have made a habit o checking out haunted places that are near my home but the horseshoe grave was probabley the most eerie and facinating one i have seen so far!
thank you very much,
aubrey
Comment by aubrey | 10.8.2005 | 4:02 pm
last night i went to the horseshoe grave it was cool but there were light put up that suck but i seen the horse shoe ie was cool but if you no any more story in prry county send them to me well g2g later
Comment by amber | 10.30.2005 | 3:23 pm
tis one was realy scarey wow
Comment by amanda | 07.3.2006 | 10:19 am
We’ve been 2 this site many times. There is a horseshoe on the back of the grave marker…. Really cool reddish imprint. Really eerie, but small, older cemetery. We have never heard any horses, and it seems that it is always foggy there!!!
NOTE: There are cameras watching this site, so don’t do anything there that you wouldn’t want your mama to see!!!
We are looking for more haunted places to investigate in the southeastern part of Ohio, if you know of any, please give us an email!!!
Thanks!!
Prince Vlad
Ohio Paranormal Association
ohio_paranormal_association@yahoo.com
Comment by Prince Vlad | 08.11.2006 | 1:26 am
I went to this place one time with my friend at 1 in the morning. We went towards the haunted street and heard the sound of the horse getting closer and closer towards us I felt the pressure of the horse moving me out of the way. When we ran out of there we heard the horse behind us our hearts were beating so fast. After that night we never ever came back even durning the day with family. It was so fricking scary,O.M.G.
Comment by Tessa | 08.26.2006 | 2:09 pm
where is it and how much is it and are you hireing
Comment by kristopher @dylan | 09.2.2006 | 1:05 pm
I grew up in Perry county and would visit horseshoe grave every halloween. (Always with a group of people) This is a small grave yard that is on a country road. The grave sits back in the corner of the grave yard by itself. There is an image of a horseshoe on the back of the tombstone. The image is a rust color. It is not engraved or raised from the stone. I have never seen the horseshoe glow on any of my several trips and I have never heard a horse on the road. Not to take away from the creepiness of this spot. The ground in the graveyard seems to get soft as you make your way towards the lone grave. I have been there with friends and the security light in the church yard blew out at the same time one of them touched the stone. Something slightly scarey has always happened every time I have visited. If you live in the area it may be worth the trip. Please respect the church and their small community graveyard if you visit.
Comment by Cindy | 10.28.2006 | 1:44 am
Thats a really good storie!!!
Comment by Jacy | 11.11.2006 | 12:26 am
This is local for me, and I’ve been out there several times. It’s definitely a picturesque little cemetery, but I’ve never experienced anything paranormal there. I’m pretty sure that the story that is so famous around here is inaccurate, since it’s a matter of record that James Henry actually raised a family with his second wife and didn’t die until the 1850’s.
I get the impression that the legend was invented years after the actual events had transpired. Perhaps, for whatever reason, a horseshoe had been set down on a stone slab in the local undertaker’s yard. It might have lain there in the weather until it rusted, staining the stone. Rust stains are particularly difficult to remove, so it would be easier for the undertaker to just use the stained stone for the back-corner plot (stain on the back side, of course) where no one would ever see it. Later, kids telling ghost stories might have invented the legend of the “bloody horseshoe” around a camp fire. It’s certainly a thrilling tale that has stood the test of time!
There are other noteworthy items in the cemetery. Most of the graves predate modern burial techniques, and at least some of them are vault-less burials, evidenced by the collapsed graves.
There are ancient yucca plants by some of the graves, no doubt more than a century old
There is actually another unique, and to me more interesting, grave stone in Otterbein cemetery. It is the grave of Hanna Westall, and is carved as a tree stump with calla lilies.
If you visit in the early spring, there are crocuses growing wild in the wooded lot just across the fence behind the cemetery. These are of note because crocus corms are favorites of mice and voles, and they seldom escape cultivation.
It’s definitely worth a visit if you’re local or happen to be in the area.
Comment by Eric | 12.2.2006 | 4:38 pm
mhm yaa umm no comment
Comment by noyb | 12.20.2006 | 2:53 pm
wow!
that one actualy (SP?)scared me!
the other ones i laughed at but this one! man!
it gave me the chills! and it made me think!
its amasing!
yet a little freaky!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Audrey | 01.10.2007 | 1:49 am
That was reaaly scary!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Alec | 01.24.2007 | 5:41 pm
That Was Realy Scary.
Comment by Alec | 01.24.2007 | 5:42 pm
I first read about this grave in “Fate” magazine back in about 1972. Since it is only about an hour and a half or a little more away, I’ve visited this many times. I have probably shone this site to a half dozen or more people over the last 30+ years. This spot does get ones mind to turning when you visit it.
Comment by Bob | 02.10.2007 | 2:39 am
me and my friend were driving past it and we heard the horses and she shouted “it’s the horse claps”, then they stopped!!!!!! Creepy!!! and yes she did say horse claps
Comment by Katie | 02.18.2007 | 3:49 pm
sad really sad
Comment by hjl | 03.23.2007 | 5:52 pm
this is *** nothing happens
Comment by amber | 03.25.2007 | 12:05 am
I live in millfield close to perry county i might have to make a trip down there lol but the mine acrossed the road from where i live is suppost to be haunted.I know the ridges are my mom used to work there it is a scary place well g2g see ya.
LISH
Comment by alisha young | 03.30.2007 | 2:44 pm
I live in millfield close to perry county i might have to make a trip down there lol but the mine acrossed the road from where i live is suppost to be haunted.I know the ridges are my mom used to work there it is a scary place well g2g see ya.
LISH
Comment by alisha young | 03.30.2007 | 2:44 pm
have to go there always looking for places to go. Any info let me know,www.beccabrian@roadrunner.com
Comment by brian | 12.7.2007 | 9:34 pm
This is really flippen scary
Comment by Morgan | 05.4.2008 | 11:36 am
This sounds really interesting, and not to far from home. I have been looking for somewhere to go for a “ghost hunt” for my graduation project for Junior year. I live in Pittsburgh, PA, but can probably get a ride to Ohio. If anyone has REALLY had a real experience here, please feel free to email me at Kenneth.Lippert@cityhigh.org. Also if anyone knows of a good haunting closer to me, e-mail me as well.
Comment by Ken | 06.3.2008 | 11:58 am