Hell Town: An Ohio Urban Legend

One of the most popular urban legends in Ohio history is the story of Hell Town. Every year, as Halloween nears, the message boards begin buzzing with stories from users who have heard of Hell Town. They beg for information and directions on how to find this legendary site for themselves, and no matter what you might say, they refuse to be dissuaded from their opinions. They know someone who experienced something there, or read about someone who did, and they want to see Hell Town firsthand.

According to the legends, Hell Town is a place untouched by time, and where your darkest dreams become a nightmare. The town has its share of ghosts roaming around, satanic cults that practice there, and even a serial killer who brings his victims to Hell Town.

Hell Town actually refers to a small area in Ohio, located in Summit County, known generally as Boston Mills. Boston Mills was one of the most popular mill towns in the state of Ohio during the early 1800s. From 1806 to 1882, the town was just another mill town in the state, albeit one with a large portion of mills and mill workers. In 1882, the town was forced to choose a name when the railroad passed through the area, and a station was added. Residents chose Boston Mills in honor of the town's industry.

If history had continued its traditional path, Boston Mills would have been nothing more than another ghost town in Ohio, but history has an odd way of intervening. A wave of environmental advocacy swept the country in the 1970s, bolstered by a nationwide gas price increase, and an overall growing sense of responsibility. Reacting to the pressure imposed upon him, President Ford ordered the release of land to the National Park Service. All across the country, Park Services could buy land and properties, to create new national parks. In Ohio and Indiana especially, entire towns were wiped out, to pave the way for the parks.

The National Park Services began purchasing plots of land in Ohio, and by the end of 1974, residents of Boston Mills knew their time was coming to an end. The legislation signed by President Ford was very similar to issues of eminent domain, as residents were not given the chance to argue their case, or ask for time to find a new home. Instead they were given a set price for their property, and a date to move. Some proponents claimed that property owners had the chance to work with officials to determine a price for their land, but in many cases the price was set by the government, and owners had no choice but to agree.

The residents of Boston Mills slowly began leaving the only place many of them had ever called home, off to seek better opportunities elsewhere. The main road leading into town was chained over, and a closed sign left hanging from the chain. The windows and doors of the vacant houses were boarded over, and no trespassing signs placed on the front door. Some of the vacant houses were later used to train new firefighter on fire safety, and left standing after parts of the building burned down.

Imagine driving down a deserted road in the middle of the night, through the National Park, when the road suddenly and abruptly dead ends. Maybe you are the adventurous sort who begs to know where the road leads, and find yourself in the middle of what looks like a fully functioning town, but without another soul around for miles. Hikers through the park have also been known to stumble across the town during the daylight hours, and feel the same way. After hiking for hours, they find themselves in the middle of a town that time seems to have forgot. That is how the legend of Hell Town began.

Hell Town, also known as Boston Mills, is at the center of dozens of legends and stories surrounding the area. One story claims that the government ordered the sellout of Boston Mills, to hide a mistake or accident on their part that resulted in mutants created when a tanker truck of chemicals spilled into the area. The mutated former residents still live in the area, only emerging from their homes to snatch unsuspecting visitors. Obviously this is only a story, and one that closely resembles the plot of the famous Wes Craven horror film The Hills Have Eyes.

As with any Ohio ghost town, Hell Town has its fair share of ghosts as well. The area's cemetery still remains, and a figure often spotted inside, and is said to stare off into the distance, unaware of anyone else watching. Another story surrounding the Boston Cemetery is that the trees move; some say it's the branches or leaves on the trees, which is understandable, but others claim the trees physically change locations from one visit to the next. The Cemetery is slightly creepy in nature, but after surveying dozens of cemeteries in the Jackson National Park in Indiana, I've seen creepier, and more dangerous cemeteries.

Another legend involves a house slightly off the road near Hell Town. Visitors claim that an otherworldly light appears in one of the windows. The building in the description is actually a youth hostel, and the light used to alert travelers of its location. Then there's the infamous story of children murdered in the woods. Prior to the closing of the town, a local school bus was stranded in the woods after running out of gas, and their bus driver left them alone to seek help. A patient from a nearby mental institution slipped onto the bus, and systematically murdered the children before the driver returned to find their bodies. In some variations the murderer was a serial killer, or a satanic cult. The parents of the murdered children requested that the bus be left in the woods as a tribute to their lives. I don't know about you, but if my child was murdered, I wouldn't want a reminder like that left standing. People claim to see the murdered children calmly sitting inside the bus, despite the fact that the seats are missing, or to see the figure of a cigarette smoking man crouched near the back of the bus. Others claim to hear the children crying, laughing, or screaming in terror deep in the woods.

There are also rumors of odd activity and ghosts surrounding the old town church. One of the more popular legends is that the church is used by a satanic cult, and in the unlikely event that you find yourself inside the church, you'll find inverted crosses hanging on the walls, black candles burning, and black robes hanging over the pews. The ghostly specter of a man can also be seen inside, who hides his face from visitors. According to the story I heard, the man was once a well respected man in the community, who worshiped the devil, and led a hidden satanic cult. In death he's ashamed of his past actions, and still refuses to let his secret life be revealed.

Other popular legends associated with Hell Town involve a hearse that follows visitors through town, and that the road leading to the town is possessed by an evil spirit. Some people claim that the satanic cult in Hell Town waits in the woods for cars to stop, and the grabs the unsuspecting passengers.

A visit to Hell Town, or Boston Mills, doesn't reveal much except for a strange addition to Ohio history. Many buildings have motion activated lights, and several areas including the cemetery, are frequently patrolled by local police. Hell Town isn't haunted, nor is it occupied by any satanic cult; its merely a long forgotten Ohio ghost town.

Sources:
www.prairieghosts.com/helltown.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helltown_(Ohio)
www.geocities.com/ohio_lost/hell_town_page.html