When Legends Come to Life – Helltown Ohio

In the Northern part of Ohio, America there is a town so surrounded by mystery and rumour that it has inspired hundreds of explorers with legends of their own to tell. An entire town bought up by the government and then simply left to be? The legend of Helltown is born.

Image Via – Unexplained Mysteries

The Beginning of a Hellish town

Helltown was first founded in 1806. To the outside world, it was a quiet American town located in the Northern part of Summit County. Officially known as Boston Mills, it was the oldest village in Summit County. The Town continued to grow. Construction projects brought more and more settlers, then a railroad station was erected which made the town really thrive.

Until the late 70’s when the government bought the entire town and then evicted all of its residents.

One of many closed entrances to Helltown. Image via – Ghost Machine

The official reason was to rip down the houses and build a national park. That never happened. Adventurers quickly took notice of this location and began to explore. They brought back horrifying tales from there expeditions, those stories turned into legend.

In Ohio’s most mysterious location there is no single haunted house or a singular ghostly child running around. Helltown is home to several legends, each of them with their own variations. All of these stories conclude that Helltown is one of the most haunted and strange places in Ohio.

Helltown: Legends

The Residents had to leave their homes immediately, writing on the walls was found stating ” Now we know how the Indians felt.” The town was left as a shell with rows and rows and houses left abandoned, suddenly in the middle of the night.

One of the most noted tales within Helltown was the cursed school bus. Out in the middle of the wood’s, there was a rusted and broken down yellow school bus with all of its seats missing. Depending on which legend you listen to, the children were killed on the bus by either a serial killer, an escaped mental patient, or a cult.

Helltown’s school bus. Image via – Science Rumours

Some of the stories tell us that the children have been seen sitting motionless in their assigned seats, staring silently ahead. Others claim to have heard the cries of the children as they tried to make their escape. Some say that all those who have tried to remove the bus have been met with a strange and fatal end.

However, another source mentions that the bus was simply used as a temporary residence for a family for an evicted family waiting to move on. The bus was later removed by the goverment, after countless reports of ghost hunters in the area.

Helltown or Mutant Town?

On the of the most famous and original legends is that of ‘Mutane Town’ or ‘Mutant Town’. When the government took Helltown, a rumour spread that they were using the area for a chemical dump. The spilt toxins caused the remaining men, women and children to mutate and ironically require a taste for murderous revenge.

Image found on missing USB stick found in Helltown – Beetube

These legends could have derived from a chemical spill in the area. The spillage originated on the Krejei family dump. After the Government bought out Helltown they sent in rangers to scout the area.

They quickly became sick after discovering the dump. It took a further nine years to clear up this area, following the discovery of 100s of barrels of chemical waste from large corporations.  The site was roped off and a massive clean up ensued.

The Hauntings of Helltown

Helltown is strife with rumours of ghosts and hellish stories. The cemetery seems to be one of the main areas these rumours surround.  

The large group of children who died in the bus accident ( Read Up ) are said to be buried here. This mass murder supposedly attracted Satanists from far and wide who had heard the stories of the Boston Mills and wanted to begin homemaking. The trees are said to move by themselves around the cemetery in order to hide the devil worshippers hiding holes. 

A tall male figure has also been seen. He is said to patrol the graveyard for unknown reasons, then simply sit and stare into space from a bench in the centre of the graveyard. 

The Strangely Empty Boston Mills Cemetary. Image Via – Pinterest

Of course, there is a lot more talk of ghosts in Helltown. Like the abandoned house in the middle of the forest. As the tales go it sits alone and lifeless in the centre of the townships wood. However, countless reports have flooded in over the years of a dim light emitting from the top floor every night…

Last but not least, Helltown’s infamous slaughterhouse, where it is said that in the dead of night, you can see the ghostly faces of the that used to belong to the victims of the Boston Mills Butcher.

Helltown’s Abandoned House ( Right ) and Slaughterhouse ( Left ). Image Via – Ohio Ghosts

All spooky stuff! but when you look a little bit deeper, once again there appears to be rational explanations for most of this. Such a the abandoned house in the woods being a perfectly intact hostel for young travellers. The light in the top window is left on to show all are welcome 24hrs a day. 

Rumours of the cult

Helltown is one scary ass place, if not thee scariest ass place. A lot of people would confirm that its worst factor is its satanic inhabitants. If it is true then they were drawn by the seclusion and the monstrosities that summed up everyday life here. The church itself is said to be their HQ. In fact, all the churches in Boston mills are said to just be a cover for the demonic worship that actually goes on. Anyone else thinking Outlast II? 😉

Helltown Church. Image via – The Other Side

Two churches reside in the Boston Mills area. Boston Community and the Mother of Sorrows. Each is said to be guarded by a murderous member of the occult who takes up residence in the basement. His main objective is to keep out all trespassers. He refuses to let people look at his face. He will jump and hide away if you come close. 

The Satanists who own the church never allow mass, and their choice of decoration is countless inverted crosses covering every inch of the crumbling walls. Creeped out yet? That’s not all. In each church, there is rumoured to be a single black candle that has never been extinguished. 

Encounters with the occult here are never ending. Another member, nicknamed ” The Hearseman ” lingers to challenge the bravery of any travellers brave enough to cross the boundaries he set at the beginning of certain roads. At the end of these routes, you will find his home. Then he will start his engine and chase you from his land in a hearse with only one working headlight. Or could just be some old guy getting pissed that people keep trespassing looking for the Hearseman. Hmm…

Highway to Hell

All Over Helltown there are road closure signs. These apparently are put into place by the friendly neighbourhood Satanists at the head of a dead-ended road. These roads are not dead ends but lead to various hideouts, such as a funeral home and a cemetery of unmarked graves.

Creeped out yet? How about when the lights go out.

In the darkness the roads become inaccessible. Plagued by murderous former inhabitants. One, in particular, the axe-wielding serial killer is known for his appetite to murder any who try to pass through his domain. The police are yet to track down any of these suspects.

Road Closure signs are matched with signs warning of satanic activity in the area. Again at night, it shows its true self.

Rumours of an evil force holds dominion over the roads in Boston Mills. There have been so many fatal crashes in the area that it becomes hard to ignore. The entity will try to force you from the road by taking control of your steering wheel. If that is not successful a group of robed Satanists will emerge from the shrub and form a human chain around your car in an attempt to render escape impossible.

Just Legend?

Helltown is more than likely just a myth. Looking online, almost every other blog will tell you how each rumour is an exaggeration of some sort. You will also see how a lot of the old buildings have been renovated or demolished. The area was finally designated a national park in 2000. We did find a few videos of people exploring the Boston Mills area ( such as the one below ) and in particular, a guy called Chrizpher.