A Forgotten Cabin in Athens County, Ohio Was Once ‘The Most Haunted Spot in the World’!
In the 1850s, a remote Ohio farmstead became America’s trendiest supernatural hotspot, drawing crowds to witness spirit messages. 🌐 #News #AthensCountyOH #Ohio #Paranormal
ATHENS, OH – We recently launched a new weekly podcast, called Weird Mysteries with Jack Norton. This paranormal podcast explores the most bizarre and unexplained phenomena from around the globe. Join Jack as he uncovers eerie stories, strange occurrences, and the weirdest mysteries that will leave you questioning reality. Today’s episode focuses on a forgotten moment in rural Ohio. Wanna listen to this article? Jack has a video for you at the bottom of this page.
In the midst of 19th century America’s spiritualist fervor, an unlikely location in Athens County, Ohio became a focal point for believers and curiosity seekers alike. This is the story of the Koons family and their “Spirit Room,” a phenomenon that drew hundreds of visitors to a remote hillside and left an indelible mark on the spiritualist movement of the 1850s.
The Rise of Home Circles in American Spiritualism
The mid-19th century saw a surge in spiritualist practices across the United States. Families and friends gathered in “home circles,” attempting to communicate with the deceased through various means.
While some kept these activities private to avoid ridicule, others embraced the public’s fascination with the supernatural, sometimes leading to professional mediumship careers.
The Koons Family: From Farmers to Spiritualist Sensations
Jonathan Koons, a self-educated farmer in Athens County, Ohio, lived with his wife Abigail and their nine children on Mount Nebo, a hill overlooking what is now a small town. In 1852, intrigued by newspaper accounts of the Fox sisters’ spirit communications, Koons embarked on a personal investigation of the growing spiritualist phenomenon.
After attending séances throughout Ohio, Koons returned home convinced that he possessed mediumship abilities. He soon discovered that his wife Abigail and eldest son Nahum shared these purported gifts, setting the stage for an unexpected turn in the family’s life.
The Birth of the Spirit Room
Following a series of their own séances, the Koons family claimed to receive specific instructions from spirits to construct a dedicated space for communications. This “Spirit Room” was to be built to exact specifications, including its size, furnishings, and necessary equipment.
Despite financial constraints, the Koons family diligently followed these spiritual directives. They constructed a small log cabin measuring 12 by 14 feet, with a seven-foot ceiling, three shuttered windows, and a single door.
The room was furnished with benches to accommodate about 20 people and equipped with an array of musical instruments, including drums, fiddles, a guitar, an accordion, a trumpet, and various percussion instruments.
Supernatural Performances Draw Crowds to Mount Nebo
Once the Spirit Room was complete, the Koons family began hosting public séances. Word quickly spread about the extraordinary events allegedly occurring in this remote cabin. Visitors reported witnessing a variety of supernatural phenomena:
- Musical instruments playing autonomously and in harmony
- Objects levitating and moving around the room
- Disembodied voices and songs in unknown languages
- Apparitions of spectral hands that could be touched and examined
The séances followed a general pattern, beginning with a thunderous drum beat followed by a cacophony of instruments playing in unison. Witnesses described the music as deafeningly loud, with instruments seemingly floating and circling above the heads of attendees.
The Spirit Guide: John King
A key figure in the Koons family séances was an entity known as John King, who communicated through a tin horn.
Claiming to be the spirit of the 17th-century Welsh buccaneer Henry Morgan, King acted as the master of ceremonies and leader of a group of 165 spirits.
A Challenging Pilgrimage for Truth Seekers
The journey to the Koons’ Spirit Room was no small feat. Located in a wilderness area near the Virginia (now West Virginia) border, visitors had to endure a grueling stagecoach ride from Columbus over treacherous roads, followed by a two-mile hike along a wooded trail.
Despite these obstacles, spiritualist enthusiasts from across the country made the pilgrimage to Athens County. The Koons family, still tending to their farm, did not charge admission for the séances, although some visitors offered contributions for overnight accommodations.
The Spirit Room’s Brief but Impactful Reign
The Koons family’s Spirit Room operated from 1852 to 1858, attracting hundreds of visitors and garnering attention in spiritualist publications. Notable figures such as Charles Partridge, a New York publisher, attended and wrote about their experiences, helping to spread the Koons’ fame.
During this period, the family faced competition from the nearby Tippie family, who established their own spirit room three miles away. However, the Koons’ Spirit Room remained the more popular destination.
The Mysterious Decline and Disappearance
In 1858, both the Koons and Tippie families left Athens County. The Koons moved to Illinois, where Jonathan announced that the spirit John King had departed and the tin horn fell silent.
After contributing letters to spiritualist publications for a time, the family largely disappeared from public view.
Legacy and Unanswered Questions
The true nature of the events at the Koons’ Spirit Room remains a subject of debate. Skeptics argue for potential fraud, while believers point to the consistent accounts from multiple witnesses and the family’s apparent lack of financial motive.
Reports of the Koons’ séances spread across America, elevating Mt. Nebo’s status among spiritualists. Many claimed the site held spiritual significance, even suggesting it was sacred to the Shawnee people.
According to some sources, a psychical society declared Mt. Nebo “one of the most haunted spots in the world.”
Despite the Koons family fading from local memory, Mt. Nebo’s reputation for supernatural activity persists. The area is still known for ghostly tales and legends, demonstrating the lasting impact of the Spirit Room on local folklore.
The Final Chapter: Nahum Koons’ Later Life
An obituary discovered for Nahum Koons reveals that he died in 1921 at the age of 84 in Franklin County, Illinois. After leaving Ohio, the family lived in various locations across Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.
Notably, Nahum remained a spiritualist throughout his life, described by those who knew him as leading an “exemplary” existence.
The story of the Koons family and their Spirit Room serves as a fascinating chapter in the history of American spiritualism. It highlights the fervor of the movement, the lengths to which believers would go to witness supposed supernatural phenomena, and the enduring mystery surrounding unexplained events.
Whether viewed as a genuine spiritual encounter or an elaborate hoax, the legacy of the Spirit Room continues to intrigue those interested in the intersection of history, psychology, and the paranormal.
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I would gladly take you up on that extended offer of the tater tot hot dish. Because I love to eat I love tater tots I love Hot dishes and I love spiritualism and writing . Till maybe there is a story about me writing a story about you writing a story about the haunted tater tot hot dish in Ohio….who knows
Hey Jason! Haha… nice to hear from a fellow tater tot hotdisher! 😉 So far, we’ve never experienced any haunted hot dish…but lutefisk? Totally different story! Hehe. Cheers and thx for reading/commenting! – Jack (and Kitty)