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There are several urban legend-like stories that have been around for decades surrounding the Octagon House. These tales have almost become a part of local culture, at least with people of a certain age group. Let’s explore some of these tales. We have an actual brief history of the Octagon House HERE if you would like to read about the factual history before you embark upon the local stories.
Abijah’s Ghost Walk
On December 1st, it is said that the ghost of Abijah Thomas appears at dusk as an eerie blue-white glow, moving between the remains of his beloved octagonal house, Mountainview, and the Thomas family cemetery just up the hill, where his grave is located. It is believed that he returns on the anniversary of his unexpected death to check on his cherished home. The sightings are not interactive, and all reports suggest that this is a residual haunting rather than an active one. This ghost story is perhaps one of the longest standing stories to be passed around locally.
The Cellar
The cellar is often regarded as the most haunted spot on the property and is the focal point of numerous tales of malevolent paranormal encounters. It is said to have been the site where slaves were beaten for failing to perform their work properly. Various versions of the story have circulated, but the most widely known claims that if you stand on the ground behind the house, where the cellar once was, after sunset, you will be confronted by an evil spirit that demands you leave the property. Those who do not heed the warning may suffer physical harm. Other accounts suggest that visitors can hear the anguished screams of those who died on the property, emanating from this mysterious cellar. This version also ends with the evil spirit confronting those present, urging them to depart. Some people feel compelled to bring a rosary, crucifix, or other spiritual items for protection if they dare to visit the location.
It is factually known that there was no evidence of a cellar found anywhere around the house and specifically not at the rear of the house near the back door as most of these tales indicate.Β Additionally, according to various local historical sources, many of the slaves who were owned by Abijah Thomas remained there after slavery was abolished following the Civil War and done so because they were treated well by the family.
The Dark Room
The dark room was another area on the property known for paranormal activity. Located on the second floor at the top of the stairs, it was centrally situated in the house. The room had no windows and only one door. Popular stories about it included rattling chains, eerie screams, slamming locking doors and blood stains on the floor and walls. It was said to have been a place where slaves, and sometimes even the Thomas children, were punishedβlocked away for long periods without food.
Given its location on the second floor, attempting to access the room, especially in the dark, would have been dangerousβparticularly during the time when people dared to enter the house after it had been condemned. The room itself was oddly sized, making it suitable for storage as it was intended.Β While no blood stains were found on the remaining white plaster walls, there were dark stains on the floorboards. However, it was determined these were not blood stains, but rather food stains from canned goods that had either broken or spoiled, leaving the dark stains.
Priscilla Thompson, the daughter of Abijah Thomas, clarified in writing that the room had always been used for storage and that no one was ever punished there. She also mentioned that when the door was open, enough light came through to see whatever one was looking for in the room. This writing was reproduced in the article about the octagon house.
The Ghost Who Threw People Out the Window
As early as the late 1990s, a popular story began circulating about an especially angry spirit said to haunt the Octagon House. The tale was linked to a broken window on the second floor at the back of the house. A particularly jagged shard of glass remained hanging in the window frame, having not fallen out. According to the story, the spirit that haunted the second floor and guarded the dark room was so enraged by a trespasser who could not be convinced to leave, that it hurled them out of the window, throwing them from the second story with an unseen force, effectively ejecting them from the house. This became a widely circulated tale, often used to warn people to stay away from the second floor.
While there are no verified reports of anyone actually being thrown out of a second-story window, countless stories have been passed down through the years about peopleβmostly young adultsβvisiting the property as a sort of rite of passage. Many went there in groups for a thrill, to get scared, or to drink and smoke pot. It’s possible that someone could have fallen out of the window, though it likely went unreported, possibly to avoid trespassing charges or other consequences.
The Sign Of The Cross
This story dates back to 2002. One evening, a group of high school students from Marion, along with a few from Sugar Grove, decided to visit the Octagon House just before sunset. Their goal was to explore the house and see if the rumors about it being haunted were true. They even considered holding a sΓ©ance to see if they could provoke any paranormal activity. To avoid getting caught, they arranged for a friend to drop them off, then park a little up the road as a lookout for any police or passersby. One of the teens had a walkie-talkie to communicate with the driver.
The group found a window that offered easy access to the house. Itβs important to note that the rental home at the end of the lane was vacant at the time. Some of the teens stayed outside, content with peering through the window, while 3 others ventured inside and made their way around the house, eventually coming back to the front.
One of the girls in the group, wearing a sterling silver cross necklace, caught the attention of her friends when her necklace seemed to lift off her chest, as though floating in the air at the end of its chain. Then, the chain suddenly snapped, jerking violently before flying across the room. Two of the teens immediately left the house and joined the others waiting outside, while one person stayed inside, continuing to explore despite the groupβs urging to leave after the unsettling event.
The broken necklace was later found on the landing of the staircase leading up to the dark room, where the teen claimed to have encountered a terrifying and grotesque manifestation of the evil spirit, which was said to be trying to scare everyone out of the house. According to the teen, the only thing preventing the spirit from touching them was the sterling silver cross necklace after he picked it up. Terrified, the teen ran toward the nearest exit, rejoining their friends outside, with the broken necklace in hand.
This story spread for years, especially among the crowds at places like Halls Skateland, where it became a popular topic of conversation among local teens and young adults. Of course, like the old game of telephone, there are various versions of it now, things have been embellished and so on.
