“Haunted castle in Dayton, Ohio”
Overlooking Dayton's Community Golf Course on Patterson Avenue is a stone turret-shaped structure familiarly known as Frankenstein's Castle (or Patterson Tower, or the Witches' Tower). No Dr. Frankenstein ever lived here, of course, but some people say that ghosts occupy the tower--remnants of a fatal incident which supposedly occurred in the 1960s. The story says that a group of teenagers was playing inside the tower while a summer storm raged outside. Lightning struck the tower and electrocuted two of them through the metal railing along the spiral staircase. Ever since then, lightning flashes during storms reveal their silhouettes inside. They may haunt it in other ways as well, their imprints as indelibly burned into the atmosphere of the place as their outlines were burned into the wall when the lightning hit. Workers at the Hills and Dales Park, where the tower is located, keep a fairly close eye on the structure, bolting more heavy boards across the slit windows whenever vandals break the old ones off to get inside. They're frustrated by the attention this anachronistic building gets, especially around Halloween. The lightning incident likely never happened; I'd be happy to get a report from someone who knows differently, but until then I think it's realistic to chalk it up to folklore. In reality, Frankenstein's Tower was probably a fire tower or lookout post, built either by the Patterson family at the Patterson Homestead, or the CWA for the park in the 1930s.
Reviews
It wasn't two people killed, but just one girl, who went there with her boyfriend in the 60's or 70's. There was, indeed, a lightning strike, though. The tower was build by a Boy Scout troop in the forties. It was never a fire watch tower.
It's also known as The Witch's Tower.
Interesting and little difficult to find, but a fun geocaching spot too!
Awesome haunted spot in Dayton. It is completely sealed up, unfortunately, but still great for photo ops and indie horror movies. I still think with a well-thrown grappling hook and some wriggling might get you in, though.
Pretty neat piece of history
Aside from the accidental & unfortunate death of Peggy
Neat spot, and it is surrounded by awesome woods that are great to hike thru, and parks down the street to play in. I remember going up to this spot as a little girl and actually being able to walk to the top, up the spiral staircase! It was scary then not even knowing the folklore. But I have always called it Frankenstein's castle
Be the first to add a review to the Frankenstein's Castle.
Frankenstein's Castle
Hours
Problem with this listing? Let us know.
Has RV parking changed? Let us know.
-
Parking
-
Pets Allowed
-
Restrooms
-
Wifi
-
Wheelchair Accessible
-
Credit Cards Accepted
Nearby Hotels
Related Trip Guides
The top things to do on a U.S. Route 20 road trip
- 23 Places
- 60:25
- 3,576 mi
The top things to do on an I-75 road trip
- 34 Places
- 31:05
- 1,933 mi
The top things to do on an I-80 road trip
- 35 Places
- 53:41
- 3,194 mi