Sedamsville Rectory
The Sedamsville Rectory is located right on the banks of the powerful Ohio River. Sedamsville is one of the smallest neighborhoods in Cincinnati, Ohio, made up of just a few quiet streets. But something is hiding behind the peaceful facade of this midwestern town — a home so haunted, that it has been called a ‘gateway to hell’ regardless of its religious background.
Once a bustling spot along the river, Sedamsville is now in the process of revitalization and part of that process is the renovation of the former Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church as well as the adjacent rectory.
Of course, as with most historic buildings, Sedamsville Rectory has more than just a handful of unexplained occurrences under its belt!
History of Sedamsville Rectory
Sedamsville is a tiny but spirited community — pun intended. It’s a flyover town, most people just pass it on their way to other destinations.
The booming German Catholic community in Sedamsville led to the founding of the Lady of Perpetual Help church in 1878. According to a booklet published by the parish for its centennial celebration, the rectory was built in 1891 to accommodate the growing parish.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help has sat in Sedamsville for over a century and was once a thriving church in the heart of Sedamsville — the lifeblood of the people of this small town. With its location right alongside the railroad and river, Sedamsville was a hub for manufacturing until a devastating flood and the widening of River Road.
During its heyday, the church was so prosperous that it added a Rectory or a house that a church provides for a minister or priest to live in.
When the church closed its doors in 1989, the buildings were saved from demolition and continue to be restored to this day. It was during this renovation process that the Rectory began to gain national attention for its ghostly activity. In 1995, John Klosterman purchased the church and the rectory from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati with plans to rent out the properties. A man named Chris Caine lived in the rectory from June 2006 to May 2007. He is a lifelong Sedamsville resident and although he states that he’s never experienced anything strange while living there, he agrees that locals are proud of the ghostly name the rectory has gained.
Though the ghosts seemingly avoided Caine, two of the rectory’s former tenants did have experiences while living there, including a headache-inducing sulfur smell. It’s well known in the ghost-hunting community that smells of sulfur or decay are linked to negative and sometimes demonic hauntings.
Could that be what’s going on at the rectory? Some say yes, others say it’s an old house with strange smells.
Haunts at the Rectory
Visitors to the rectory have reported scratches appearing on them at random, painful headaches, disembodied voices, apparitions, unexplained growls, and more.
One story comes from a ghost hunter who received a truly mysterious scratch down his back in the form of a cross during his time spent at the rectory.
Other reports come from previous tenants, including the report of a child-like entity who wanders about the home. However, when anyone has tried to come into contact with this child spirit, it’s only known to growl at them and has even been known to push and shove.
While there’s no history of any children dying on the property, it is believed that malevolent entities can portray themselves as something innocent to lure victims in.
In Conclusion
Sedamsville is a historic neighborhood known for just two things — being the birthplace of Pete Rose and the ever-so-haunted Sedamsville Rectory. Only time will tell what will happen with this property, as there are rumors that it’s going to be turned into an Airbnb and will be open to the public — so who knows, perhaps you’ll be able to spend a night at the rectory and decide for yourself if it’s truly as haunted as locals say!
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Sources Cited:
https://www.wcpo.com/news/insider/paranormal-presence-at-historic-sedamsville-rectory-is-a-hoax-or-a-reality-depending-on-who-you-ask
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