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Chagrin River Road
Driving down Chargrin Road in Cleveland, Ohio, can be quite an experience if you should happen to pass Squire's Castle. Many have reported seeing a beam of red light traveling through the castle. They have also heard the horrifying screams of agony of Mrs. Squire, though Mrs. Squire is quite dead.
Feargus Squire, one of the founders of Standard Oil, built Squire Castle. A home, Mrs. Squire hated in life and was certain destroyed her marriage. Mr. Squire purchased in the 1890's, 525 acres to build his country dream house. Mrs. Squire hated the country and most particularly these 525 acres. She refused to stay in the modest cottage her husband had built. The families summer vacations extended each year at the cottage. Mr. Squire made plans to build a castle so the family could move to this site as their permanent residence. Mrs. Squire, while her family was gone, refusing to spend time in the country, stayed in the city alone.
When the castle was completed, Mrs. Squire found her family there. She moved, though she did not want to. She found she missed the sounds of the city, especially at night, and as a result, had a great deal of trouble
sleeping. She would wander about the castle at night while the rest of the family slept. The lantern she carried cast odd shadows on the walls and they scared her, the dark corners frightened her, the squeaks of the floor frightened her, yet every night
she carried her red lantern from room to room, in search of much needed sleep. The story goes, one night she entered the trophy room, a room she tried always to avoid. Her husband, an avid hunter, had the heads of animals displayed on the walls. As she walked through the room swinging her lantern, it seemed to give life to the stuffed animal heads. Through her own imagination, she felt them moving closer to her to attack. She let out a blood-curdling series of screams as she began to run from the room. In her haste, she did not notice the looped rope hanging from the antlers on the wall. With a sudden jerk, the rope caught her around the throat, breaking her neck, causing death instantly. Her
unhappy spirit never found its way back to the city. Feargus Squire could not bear to keep the property so he sold it, leaving Mrs. Squire's spirit alone to haunt.
The Cleveland Metro Parks System purchased the property in 1925 and it has remained open to the public every since.
From Cleveland, take I-90 to Route 91, south to Chardon Road (Rte 6), east on Chardon Road to Chagrin River Road. Squire's Castle and Picnic Grounds are on the right side.
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