In October 2025, we traveled to Kent, Ohio, and spent some time in the area visiting five different locations that have reported paranormal claims. Instead of making separate videos and posts for each location, we decided to combine them all into one production.

We only went inside one of the places we stopped at, which we will show last. Each of these locations has its story, history, and folklore; however, to complete our project for Our Haunted Travels, we sometimes need to combine locations, or we would never finish. All of the locations are pretty close together, with a few of them within walking distance. If you find your way to Kent, Ohio, you will be able to find all of these locations easily.

The video that we compiled will have 5 different sections, one representing each location as we spent the day traveling around Kent, Ohio.

The first location we stopped at was the Kent Train Depot. We have visited this location before in the past when it was the Bufferbelly Restaurant. That restaurant has closed, and a new one has opened up in the building. We stopped inside to grab a drink while we were out on our adventure.

The Kent Train Depot in downtown Kent, Ohio, began life in the 1870s as a major railroad passenger station for the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad and later served the Erie and Erie Lackawanna lines. Built in 1875 in a distinctive red brick style with arched windows and three towers, it quickly became a symbol of Kent's transformation from the canal-era village of Franklin Mills into a thriving railroad town under Marvin Kent. The depot sat at the heart of a large rail complex that brought job growth and constant movement to the area. The Kent Historical Society saved and restored the building after passenger service ended in 1970, narrowly avoiding demolition.

In the early 1980s, the ground floor of the restored depot was reopened as the Pufferbelly Restaurant, which quickly became a beloved local gathering place. The space retained much of its historic character with exposed brick walls and views of the surrounding tracks. Over time the depot has housed shops, offices, and additional restaurants while still preserving the layout of the original waiting rooms, offices, and upper living quarters. The building has constantly remained a place of activity, which many believe contributes to the rich paranormal stories that followed.

Local ghost lore centers on two primary spirits said to haunt the depot. One is believed to be a devoted train conductor who loved his job and the station so deeply that he never left. Witnesses report seeing a man in old-fashioned railroad clothing, hearing footsteps in empty hallways, and sensing someone watching from the shadows near the former platform areas. Another story tells of a young woman who was tragically killed on the tracks after falling asleep in a car parked near the rails. Her spirit is said to wander the building, appearing as a sorrowful figure near the windows that face the tracks

The basement of the Kent Train Depot is often described as the most active area of the building. Former employees and investigators have reported objects being mysteriously moved, lights switching on or off, and sudden cold sensations in empty rooms. Others describe the unsettling feeling of being watched while alone below the main floors, along with unexplained sounds echoing through old service corridors and stairwells. Today the Kent Train Depot stands as both a treasured historic landmark and one of the most talked about haunted locations in Portage County blending documented history with decades of chilling folklore

Next, we went to the Kent Stage. This is where we bought tickets for the ghost walk we attended that night, and it has been in the database for a long time. Although this location is close to where we live, we have never had the chance to visit the location in the past. This was a new one for us.

The Kent Stage first opened in 1927 as the Flannigan and Steele Theater and quickly became the heart of entertainment in downtown Kent, Ohio. It began as a silent movie and vaudeville house before transitioning to early sound films as technology advanced. For decades it remained a popular destination for movies before closing as a cinema in the early 2000s. In 2002 the building was renovated and reopened as the Kent Stage performing arts center, focusing on live music, film, and community events. Today, it stands as the last historic downtown theater in Portage County and remains one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city.

The most well-known spirit associated with the Kent Stage is a friendly ghost known as Woody, who is believed to be the spirit of a longtime handyman named Albert DeVos. He reportedly passed away inside the building on Christmas Day in 1990, and many believe he never truly left. Staff musicians and paranormal investigators have reported hearing unexplained footsteps, and knocking and tools moving in backstage areas where Woody once worked. Some even claim electronic devices respond when his name is spoken, suggesting a continued presence tied closely to the daily life of the theater.

Other paranormal reports extend beyond Woody and into the audience seating and upper balcony areas. Visitors have described shadow figures moving in the dark cold spots that appear suddenly and the sound of voices when no one is present. There are also old rumors of a fire in the early years of the building that may have led to the deaths of women and children, although records remain unclear. These stories have added to the belief that more than one spirit may occupy the historic structure.

Rather than hiding from its haunted reputation, the Kent Stage has embraced it as part of its identity. The theater is now a featured stop on local ghost walks and paranormal tours, drawing visitors from across the region. Live events and investigations often take place inside, with guests hoping to experience something beyond the ordinary. The blending of music history, small-town culture, and ghostly folklore has turned the Kent Stage into one of the most famous haunted landmarks in Kent, Ohio.

Next, we hopped back in the car and drove just a short ways down the street to the Kent Historical Society building, which is the Clapp-Woodward house. Sadly, they were closed when we got there, but we walked around the house.

The Clapp Woodward House on East Main Street in Kent, Ohio, began its life in 1883 as an elegant Victorian home built for Harriet Kent Clapp, the eldest daughter of town founder Zenas Kent, and her son Charles. Perched above the street, the house reflected the prosperity and importance of the Kent family with its detailed woodwork high ceilings pocket doors multiple fireplaces and a grand central staircase Over time it became one of the last remaining homes directly connected to the Kent family and a strong visual reminder of the town's earliest years.

By the late twentieth century the house had passed through several private owners but much of its historic character remained intact Eventually the Kent Historical Society recognized the importance of preserving the home and stepped in to restore it The rooms were carefully returned to a Victorian appearance and adapted into exhibit spaces and archives Today visitors can walk through the home and experience a setting that closely resembles what life may have looked like in Kent during the late nineteenth century.

Along with its historical importance the Clapp Woodward House has developed a quiet but persistent reputation for paranormal activity People walking past the house at night often report feeling watched from the upper windows or experiencing sudden cold spots near the porch Inside the building, volunteers have described hearing soft footsteps on the staircase, the sensation of someone standing nearby when no one is present, and doors that seem to move on their own.

Some local folklore connects the activity to the house's role as a keeper of Kent history With rooms now filled with artifacts, photographs, and personal items tied to long-forgotten residents, many believe the house simply holds onto memories in a more active way. Staff members have noted that temperature shifts and small disturbances often occur during tours that focus on the Kent family Whether these experiences are truly supernatural or just the natural behavior of an aging Victorian home, the Clapp Woodward House remains one of the quiet haunted landmarks woven into the folklore of Kent, Ohio.

We returned to the Kent Stage area to find a shop that is closed but has paranormal reports, so we included it in our adventure. We didn't uncover much history about the location; however, there are several locations on the Internet that discuss paranormal activity that takes place in the building. This location is also part of local ghost tours.

The Empire Shop occupied a narrow brick storefront along East Main Street in the heart of downtown Kent, part of the city’s older commercial district shaped by the railroad and river trade of the nineteenth century. In more recent years it became known as an eclectic boutique and spiritual shop offering books, jewelry, readings, and curiosities. Its unusual theme fit naturally into Kent’s creative college town atmosphere while still resting inside a building tied to the community’s early growth and industrial past.

According to local folklore, during Kent's rail boom years, a train struck and tragically killed the shop's original owner. Railroad accidents were not uncommon during that era, and such deaths often became the foundation for long-standing ghost stories. Over time the tale evolved into the belief that the shopkeeper never truly left the property and continues to remain close to the place where his life was centered. This story became the backbone of the shop’s haunted reputation.

Paranormal investigators and visitors have reported activity associated with more than one spirit inside the building. One of the most well-known legends speaks of a young girl named Alice whose presence is linked to light footsteps, playful movement of objects, and childlike energy. Another figure often described is a caretaker spirit sometimes called Charlie, who is said to open and close doors, move through empty rooms, and create the feeling that someone unseen is quietly watching over the property. Voices, whispers, and disappearing objects have also been reported over the years.

Today the former Empire Shop remains a popular stop on local ghost tours, where guides pause to share its layered history and invite visitors to watch the darkened windows for movement. Its mix of spiritual commerce and lingering legend has turned it into a unique landmark in Kent folklore. Even as downtown continues to change, the stories connected to the Empire Shop live on, making it one of the city's most enduring haunted locations.

Next we went down the road to the Kent Masonic Temple. We walked around the building on the first day as they were setting up for a craft show/flea market. We took some footage and pictures and decided we would stop back the following day for the event before we headed home. By making this choice, we were able to go inside the building as well on the second day.

The Kent Masonic Temple on West Main Street began life as the grand Victorian home of Marvin and Maria (“Kitty”) Kent, the family for whom the city is named. Construction started in 1880 and was largely finished by 1882–84, creating a 20-room, 7,000-plus-square-foot mansion with a ballroom, ten fireplaces, and elaborate Italianate/Eastlake details. Local stone and glass from Kent’s own quarry and plate-glass works were used in the build, while master woodworkers from New York City crafted the intricate interior trim.

During the forty or so years the Kents lived there, the house became a social and political hub. Marvin Kent’s prominence as a railroad executive and Republican power broker brought major figures to his doorstep, including four U.S. presidents—Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William Howard Taft, and Warren G. Harding—who reportedly stayed in what is still called the “President’s Room.” In 1923, the property was sold to Rockton Lodge No. 316, and the mansion was converted into the Kent Masonic Temple. Today it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places and also contributes to Kent’s West Main Street Historic District, recognized for its impressive 19th-century architecture.

The building’s most enduring ghost story centers on a member of the Kent family—variously named Bessie or Kitty—who is said to have died in a horrific accidental fire inside the house. In one version, her dress caught fire while she was working or pressing clothing; in another, she was burned in an upstairs room and did not survive her injuries. Locals say her spirit never left. Witnesses describe a “lady in white” gliding through hallways or appearing near the room where the fire supposedly happened, accompanied by the sudden smell of smoke, sharp temperature drops, or an overwhelming sense of sorrow.

Beyond that central legend, the Kent Masonic Temple has the full catalogue of classic haunting activity. Visitors and Masons alike report disembodied footsteps on the grand staircase, doors opening and closing on their own, lights flickering, and shadowy figures glimpsed at the edge of vision during late-night lodge meetings. Some claim to hear faint piano music or children’s laughter in otherwise empty rooms, and ghost-tour companies in Kent regularly feature the temple as a stop, weaving these stories into their after-dark walks through town. Whether you believe the tales or not, the combination of presidential history, Masonic ritual, and a tragic family legend makes the Kent Masonic Temple one of the city’s most atmospheric—and talked-about—landmarks.