About This Location
Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is one of the oldest garden cemeteries in the United States, founded in 1841. The 200-acre grounds feature rolling hills, mature trees, and over 100,000 burials including many notable Daytonians. The cemetery is the final resting place of Orville and Wilbur Wright, poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, and numerous Civil War veterans. Its beautiful Victorian-era monuments and peaceful atmosphere attract visitors seeking both history and serenity.
The Ghost Story
The most beloved ghost of Woodland Cemetery is young Johnny Morehouse, who drowned in a canal in 1860 at just five years old. His faithful dog dove into the water trying to save him but was too late. According to legend, the grief-stricken dog refused to leave Johnny's grave, staying by his young master even after death. Both boy and dog are now seen playing together within the cemetery grounds, and visitors report hearing a dog bark at night near the grave, which features a touching statue of a boy sleeping with his dog. Civil War soldiers have been spotted among the headstones, forever marching in spectral formation. Early Dayton businessman Adam Schantz is another frequently reported spirit. The cemetery's long history and the intensity of grief experienced within its boundaries have made it a hotbed of paranormal activity.
