Story written for Southeast Ohio Magazine, Athens, Ohio

1. “Tales From the Tunnel”
By Jessica Gerhardt
Southeast Ohio, Winter 2009
Through a deepening haze of colossal trees and lofty streams, a mysterious tunnel
lies far within the woods. As the black sky surrounds you, the brick walls seem to be
caving in. Suddenly an enormous, murky and gruesome figure leaps at you, and a bright
lantern swings back and forth, piercing the black of the night. Events such as these are
just a few of the numerous haunted sightings reported after visiting Moonville Tunnel.
Although ghost stories and haunted places are not unusual in this region, the
Moonville Tunnel, located deep in the woods of Zaleski near Lake Hope State Park, is
one of the most legendary railroad tunnels in the country.
The tunnel was the main entrance and exit for Moonville, a coal-mining town in
Vinton County that arose in 1856 when the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad (later
known as the B&O Railroad) began a rail passenger service to nearby counties. By the
early 1900s, the small town was composed of between 50 and 100 people. As the
population fell and the town grew increasingly isolated, legendary tales of strange
circumstances began to surface. Some reports conclude that smallpox destroyed the
townspeople, while other folklore states that horrible deaths in the tunnel drove people
away. While at least four deaths are documented in or around the Moonville Tunnel
during this time, it is nearly impossible to accurately trace the truth about the legends that
might have occurred here.
One of the most well-known stories claims that a drunken and decapitated train
conductor takes form of a ghost within the tunnel. An article in the McArthur Democrat

2. in March 1859 seems to support the story, reporting that an “accident resulted from a too
free use of liquor” the week before. Chris Woodyard, author of Haunted Ohio, writes that
people have reported seeing a tall, headless man wearing a conductor’s uniform dangling
a lantern at the end of the tunnel.
Other variations of this story include the conductor being brutally murdered after
a brakeman pushed him into an oncoming train. Lore states the train conductor had been
having an affair with the brakeman’s wife.
While stories of the train conductor are the most widely told tales, other hauntings
have also been reported. One popular legend revolves around the female Moonville
ghost. Stories have described the apparition as an 80-year-old grandmother, killed in
1886 while walking a mile from the tunnel, but others have described the ghostly figure
as a young, jilted lover. In his book, Woodyard writes that some people have even
reported seeing an African-American, 8-foot-tall version of the ghost.
Throughout the years, many children and adults have flocked to see the legendary
tunnel – and its accompanying ghosts. Although the tunnel’s railroad tracks are now
gone, the graffiti-painted walls, ragged ceilings, peculiarly cut pathway and thrilling
ghostly lore beckon future generations to come. Ghost hunters, thrill-seekers, hikers and
students are all welcome to visit the Moonville Tunnel for a glimpse into Ohio’s past –
and to examine the legends for themselves.