The west side boasts one of Cleveland’s most haunted places so we thought this was the perfect time to feature it! Franklin Castle has been haunting the west side for over a hundred years. In fact, it has even been named the most haunted house in Ohio! It is a High Victorian home complete with turrets, an iron gate, gargoyles, and just looks like it came right out of The Addams Family.
But, it actually was built by the Tiedemann Family. Hannes Tiedemann, a grocer-turned- banker built the home in the 1880’s as a showcase of his wealth. However, while Tiedemann enjoyed the status of high society, his personal life was tragic. His mother and four of his children died in the home. His daughter was only fifteen when she passed and three other children died in infancy. Then, his wife passed suddenly as well.
Tiedemann eventually sold the property and it spent decades as a German cultural center. By the 1960’s stories of hauntings started to surface. Sounds of babies crying, sightings of a woman in black, and surging electricity were all reported by witnesses. Over the years, tales have become more startling and outrageous. The property has changed hands many times and actually laid abandoned for some time after a fire. However, the current owners purchased the home in 2011 and restored it. It is now privately owned and not available for tours but can be viewed from Franklin Boulevard. So, if you’re out and about this Halloween, take a walk on Franklin Boulevard!
