The behemothic stone mansion that looms over Franklin Boulevard in Ohio City looks like the perfect spot to film a horror movie -- though some say the frightening events rumored to have taken place here a century ago are even stranger than fiction.

Franklin Castle was built in 1865 by Hannes Tiedemann, a German immigrant. After several of his children died -- some of unknown causes -- he reportedly built gargoyles, turrets and a huge, fourth-floor ballroom to distract his wife from her grief. Ever since, rumors have abounded about strange, illicit activities that may have taken place in the house, as well as ghosts that might occupy it.

Yet, the Castle's new owner was evidently not spooked by its reputation as the most haunted house in Ohio -- nor by its fire-damaged interior and squatting caretaker. She plunked down $260,000 for it after receiving approval from the City of Cleveland to rezone it into a three-family property. She told city officials she plans to renovate the entire property, live in one unit and rent the other two.

Michele Anderson, a realtor with Progressive Urban Real Estate (PURE), says that when her media-shy client first contacted her, she thought it was a put on. "This woman said she was from Italy and wanted to buy a house in Cleveland, and I thought, Yeah, right," she says. "Then I realized she was the real deal."

The buyer's seemingly genuine plans to renovate the property and live there have put neighbors somewhat at ease. The property has changed hands several times since the 1980s, but renovations were never completed. Ever since a tragic fire scarred the interior in 1999, the fate of Franklin Castle has been sitting in limbo.

Now that the landmark property is in the hands of a new caretaker, neighbors hope she'll be able to evict the ghosts that have reputedly squatted here -- rent-free -- for over a century. If nothing else, she'll be able to host some killer parties.

Source: Michele Anderson
Writer: Lee Chilcote