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I write this in autumn, that time of year for spooks, zombies, and ghouls. When homes are decked with jack-o'-lanterns and cobwebs, evening orange, arsenic white, rot black; and people are out seeking cheap terror at haunted hoochies, haunted corn fields, or haunted parks. But few dare experience the real thing--and fewer yet the most real of all, walking down where the Mooney's murder took place, down Walhalla Ravine-- in the dead of night. The macabre of tales, though, do not tarnish the splendid wonder of the place in the day. It is a forest; a lost forest, there among the preplanned homes of Clintonville and the bustle of High street. It attracts many runners, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts. Part of the lower Olentangy watershed, the ravine seems like a park, but is not officially one; a road and a few architecturally interesting residences on the slopes above is all there is minus the trees, flora, and fauna. Walhalla, named after the hall where Norse god Oden received the spirits of dead warriors, (many streets in the area are named after figures of Norse/German mythology because the developer was a thespian in love with the operas of Wagner) is a treasure too often forgotten about. Entering it from Indianola, it looks like any of the other streets. But a few steps into it and the city melts away under the thick foliage and underbrush. As you walk deeper and deeper you start to realize how rare a place like this is, as the trees blot out the sun, and animals take dominion. You cannot distinguish it from a road in the hills of Bellfountain. Deeper still, near the Calumet Street Bridge, an eerie feeling may overtake you, especially if alone, as the silence is far from the clangs and car alarms of civilization, yet up a few more meters and you've reach High Street. At night it is a different story; a Steven King story, for this is the area of the Mooney's Mansion and the murder. According to lore, there was a doctor named Mooney who had a mansion on this road in the '20s. No one seems to agree on where the mansion was, but the general idea is that it was near the Calumet Bridge. The Doctor was a community leader and well respected, but he had a secret, he was going insane. When his wife tried to alert authorities that he was acting nuts and was violent no one believed her. Then came the stock market crash of 1929; he lost everything and went berserk. Brandishing an axe, he chopped off his wife's head and then kicked it down his outside stairway into the ravine. When his beloved dog tried to defend her severed head, he bludgeoned it too, and threw it into the ravine. After the mayhem, Dr. Mooney calmed down. Realizing the evil he had done made him distraught. So he hung himself off the bridge. It is said that if you go down Walhalla late in the night you may see the specter of Mooney hanging off the bridge; and if you go up the stairs of the mansion you will see the ghost of Mrs. Mooney's head rolling down; and if you walk down the road at night, you will be tracked by the poltergeist of the dog, whose growls and barks will haunt you the entire way through. It's an urban legend of course; there is no documentation that a murder ever happened here. But like every such legend, it attacks thrill seekers and ghost hunters at night. If you do come here for that, remember this is a neighborhood, so don't trespass or make noise. Be respectful. And watch out. Who knows what evil is watching you.
9 months ago
5 years ago
As others have mentioned, Walhalla Ravine is most well known for two things: being a lovely and unique natural feature near the city and having ghost stories in its history. We decided to visit to enjoy the leaves changing in the beautiful ravine, and less so because of the ghosts, though we did joke about them when we first arrived. That may have been our mistake, because, halfway through our walk on Walhalla, after passing the Calumet Street Bridge (which plays a significant role in some of the ghost stories), we heard the loud, unmistakable sound of a large tree cracking echoing throughout the ravine. In what was probably 10 seconds, but felt like time extended into slow-mo, we identified the extremely large falling tree and barely managed to avoid being struck by it as it collapsed across the road, jumping just beyond its reach. Other walkers who had been further back but saw everything even exclaimed over how close of a call it was. The ravine itself is beautiful and has some interesting geology. There were some great sections of potato chip shale that were really neat to look at. A stream meanders down one side of the street, most of which is on private property. Many of the houses have unique architecture and some are historic, and quite a few folks have added some really fun art to the yards - we especially enjoyed a large dragon sculpture made of metal that was decorated with OSU gear, the cute painting of a mama duck and ducklings, and a fun deer sculpture made of wood. The leaves were absolutely lovely and managed to hang on despite the wind we had a few days prior. So, go enjoy a lovely walk, but don't make fun of the ghosts and avoid their retribution! read more
Walhalla Ravine is one of the most beautiful parts of Columbus. It's located close to several other great parks so it gets overlooked. The ravine winds along a residential street. It follows a small creek. There's some good picture taking opportunities. If you don't know where the ravine is just look for the street of the same name and there you are. It's located along Walhalla Drive which runs from Indianola to High. This is a one way street and it's very narrow so you have to drive slowly. It's a good thing because you want to take your time and look. There's a small creek which runs through much of the side of the street. It's not much else but everything is beautiful, including the trees covering it so it's like you're going through a tunnel almost. There's a few residences along the street but it gets very little traffic so you have chances to get out and look. It's kind of hidden but Walhalla Ravine is worth finding. It's located along a residential street so be careful when going through it. The trees provide lots of shade if you plan to go for a walk. read more
I write this in autumn, that time of year for spooks, zombies, and ghouls. When homes are decked with jack-o'-lanterns and cobwebs, evening orange, arsenic white, rot black; and people are out seeking cheap terror at haunted hoochies, haunted corn fields, or haunted parks. But few dare experience the real thing--and fewer yet the most real of all, walking down where the Mooney's murder took place, down Walhalla Ravine-- in the dead of night. The macabre of tales, though, do not tarnish the splendid wonder of the place in the day. It is a forest; a lost forest, there among the preplanned homes of Clintonville and the bustle of High street. It attracts many runners, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts. Part of the lower Olentangy watershed, the ravine seems like a park, but is not officially one; a road and a few architecturally interesting residences on the slopes above is all there is minus the trees, flora, and fauna. Walhalla, named after the hall where Norse god Oden received the spirits of dead warriors, (many streets in the area are named after figures of Norse/German mythology because the developer was a thespian in love with the operas of Wagner) is a treasure too often forgotten about. Entering it from Indianola, it looks like any of the other streets. But a few steps into it and the city melts away under the thick foliage and underbrush. As you walk deeper and deeper you start to realize how rare a place like this is, as the trees blot out the sun, and animals take dominion. You cannot distinguish it from a road in the hills of Bellfountain. Deeper still, near the Calumet Street Bridge, an eerie feeling may overtake you, especially if alone, as the silence is far from the clangs and car alarms of civilization, yet up a few more meters and you've reach High Street. At night it is a different story; a Steven King story, for this is the area of the Mooney's Mansion and the murder. According to lore, there was a doctor named Mooney who had a mansion on this road in the '20s. No one seems to agree on where the mansion was, but the general idea is that it was near the Calumet Bridge. The Doctor was a community leader and well respected, but he had a secret, he was going insane. When his wife tried to alert authorities that he was acting nuts and was violent no one believed her. Then came the stock market crash of 1929; he lost everything and went berserk. Brandishing an axe, he chopped off his wife's head and then kicked it down his outside stairway into the ravine. When his beloved dog tried to defend her severed head, he bludgeoned it too, and threw it into the ravine. After the mayhem, Dr. Mooney calmed down. Realizing the evil he had done made him distraught. So he hung himself off the bridge. It is said that if you go down Walhalla late in the night you may see the specter of Mooney hanging off the bridge; and if you go up the stairs of the mansion you will see the ghost of Mrs. Mooney's head rolling down; and if you walk down the road at night, you will be tracked by the poltergeist of the dog, whose growls and barks will haunt you the entire way through. It's an urban legend of course; there is no documentation that a murder ever happened here. But like every such legend, it attacks thrill seekers and ghost hunters at night. If you do come here for that, remember this is a neighborhood, so don't trespass or make noise. Be respectful. And watch out. Who knows what evil is watching you. read more
6 years ago
Saw a barred owl! There are lots of pretty houses. It's a quiet residential area but a nice spot for a walk. read more
7 years ago
11 years ago
12 years ago
