Boston Township Is A Creepy Small Town Near Cleveland With Wild Paranormal Activity (2023)

The town can trace its history back to 1805, when it was first surveyed. By 1811, enough residents had flocked to the area to call for the formal organization of a township. The street pictured here is within the boundaries of Peninsula, one of two villages located in Boston Township. (Believe it or not, villages often remain part of the township from which they were created in Ohio.)

According to some, the entire town is cursed. Rumors of evil rituals, disturbed hauntings, and even government cover-ups plague the town. While this may be mere legend, rumors persist.

The creepy history runs back to a time when tensions ran high. In 1974, the National Park Service obtained the ability to expropriate land to establish national parks. Boston Township was instantly targeted during the establishment of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and longtime residents were forced out of their homes. The parts of the town that remained unaffected suddenly felt hostile as the downsized town began to take notice of the quirky features of their region, such as a church featuring upside down crosses. Whispers of evil being attracted to the area began to pass through the town. Sightings of cults practicing black magic have since been reported throughout various locations in the township.

Rumors began to circulate of a chemical spill cover-up as sightings of mutated humanoids and other beasts (including the Peninsula Python) became prevalent. Abandoned barns and buildings are still standing in the area, and residents report seeing lights and movement through their windows. One in particular, the "House in The Woods," is purported to always have its attic light on despite standing empty. Today, a majority of abandoned structures have been torn down... but some can still be spotted hiding in plain sight.

Locals have spotted seated figures in the cemetery that stare ahead blankly, uninterested in interacting with the living. And, they purport, it is too easy to get turned around, for the trees move, cursed by an evil cult to confuse and scare visitors away from their dastardly secrets.

Stanford Road was abandoned when its maintenance became too costly, but rumors persist that the real reason it was closed had to do with the supernatural number of car crashes on the eerie stretch. Just off the road was once the gutted remains of a school bus, and, though removed, the spirits of creepy children hang around so that you may hear their laughter and agonized screams float over the wind. Oh, and watch out for the hordes of robed figures that haunt the road.

Though Stanford Road is closed, you may encounter one slick sedan with only a single working headlight. This hearse, some report, is one you especially want to avoid riding in. It vanishes into thin air at the end of the road that the locals refer to as the "Highway to Hell," so it is safe to say that you probably don’t want to follow it to its final destination.

Experts say spirits are attracted to water, and with the tragic backstory of Crybaby Bridge in mind, you will especially want to avoid waterways in this town. It is said that a distressed mother tossed her newborn off a bridge, and that one can still hear the disembodied cries at times. Supposedly, if you visit the exact over-the-water roadway where the tragedy took place, your car will inexplicably start when turned off, and small footprints will become visible around your vehicle.

Antique shops and family-owned restaurants fuel the cultural vibe of this historic area, but its lore persists. From an evil man squatting in the basement of a local church, to a haunted slaughterhouse, to axemen prowling the woods, there are a number of legends you will encounter in Boston Township.

Of course, we're not asserting that the town is cursed. We're just retelling legends that locals have circulated for decades... legends that have, amazingly, persisted despite Boston Township undergoing changes. To this day, some residents still tell of the rumors they grew up hearing... and some visitors have encounters that spark the retelling of these tales time and time again.