Mill Creek Park Youngstown

Stories

Stories are just that. Stories and personal accounts that have been reported about the location. This section could also contain research notes as well.

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Millcreek Park, with its beautiful scenery and tranquil hiking trails, is as haunted as it is beautiful. From mysterious deaths and apparitions to orbs and strange noises that cannot be explained, the paranormal throughout the park can sometimes become extremely active, yet other times be extremely quiet and peaceful. Visitors often share tales of encounters with shadowy figures flitting between the trees or the sudden chill that sweeps through the air on hot summer days, leaving them with an inexplicable sense of unease. Despite the eerie occurrences, many are drawn to the park's charm, eager to explore its hidden corners while pondering the stories that linger in the whispers of the wind.

The legend of the witch cave, located just up from the Silver Bridge, exists. When Idora Park was open, hikers discovered what they initially believed to be a child's bones. Further investigation into this serious issue found that it was the bones of a monkey that had escaped from the park. The question that remains is: why were the bones all gathered into a ceremonial-type mound within the cave instead of being strewn about the area if a wild animal had killed and eaten it?

There are the rocks that are behind the Bears Den cabin that it is reported to be haunted by a young boy who had fallen off the top of the rock to his death. Investigators have visited this location on several occasions and recorded EVPs and spikes in EMF readings.

There is also the Mill Creek Park Suspension Bridge, also known as the Silver Bridge, which was built in 1895 and carries Valley Drive across Mill Creek to connect the east and west sides of Mill Creek Park. There are those who claim to see the ghostly image of a woman hanging around the bridge late at night. It is quite possible that this is the spirit of someone who had passed away at the bridge. Witnesses describe her as wearing a flowing white dress, often accompanied by a chilling breeze that sweeps through the area. Local legends suggest that she may be searching for something lost, drawing curious visitors and ghost hunters alike to the bridge in hopes of catching a glimpse of the mysterious figure.

Many paranormal reports concern people who have drowned in lake waters. Strange lights can be seen floating over the water, and mists sometimes rise from it and drift toward the trails. One would think that this was just fog rising up off the water; however, the report stated that the fog was going in a different direction. This phenomenon has left many baffled, as it seems to defy the natural patterns of wind and temperature. Locals often share tales of eerie whispers echoing through the trees at night, adding to the eerie atmosphere surrounding the area.

Finally, there are reports related to the many fatal car accidents that have taken place within the park. According to a report, on two separate occasions, while driving through a park near an area where four teens had crashed and lost their lives, their car mysteriously stopped. Once it started back up again, their headlights shone on the apparition of a headless body standing there facing them. The body appeared to be wet and deteriorating. Then it would start running towards the car and disappear. This happened once to the husband, then on another occasion to his wife. The couple, shaken by the eerie encounters, decided to investigate the tragic history of the park. They learned that the teens had been victims of a reckless driving incident, and the haunting seemed to be a lingering reminder of their untimely demise.

Added by: sdonley on 02/17/2025 DB#: 1653
Source(s): Various sources

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Mill creek park, Youngstown. Lots of reports of ghosts and orbs in the forest. Witches cave. That scrappy silver bridge is said to have a woman show up at night.

Added by: sdonley on 07/27/2019 DB#: 1414
Source(s): https://www.reddit.com/r/Paranormal/comments/8n8l5...

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Ghostly figures and orbs have been spotted in the park at night. There have reportedly been numerous drownings in the lakes and a number of fatal car accidents near the site.

Added by: sdonley on 08/03/2017 DB#: 1268
Source(s): https://www.ohioexploration.com/paranormal/hauntin...

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Paranormal Claims

Here are the paranormal claims for this location. These have been found through Internet research, reports from members, or reports from personal interviews. To add a claim, please contact PANICd.com, and we will review and add your information.

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Claim #	Added	Added By	Claim
2829	07/27/2019	sdonley	Strange lights and orbs have been spotted and photographed throughout the park.
2830	07/27/2019	sdonley	The apparition of a woman has been reported at the sliver bridge in the middle of the park.
3582	02/17/2025	sdonley	The apparition of a headless man has been seen late at night when someone's car mysteriously stops and shuts down while drive through the park.
3583	02/17/2025	sdonley	Strange mists have been seen rising out of the lakes and moving the opposite direction of the wind or natural forces.
3584	02/17/2025	sdonley	Paranormal activity such as EVP recordings and EMF spikes have been recorded by the rocks behind the Bears Den Cabin.

Additional Resources

This is a collection of Internet resources for this location. This section will house links to other websites that contain information related to history, claims, investigations, or even the location's website.

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Facebook Page Added: 07/27/2019 By: sdonley	Facebook page for the park.
Wikipedia Entry Added: 07/27/2019 By: sdonley	Wikipedia entry for this location.
Youngstown Live Added: 07/27/2019 By: sdonley	Article about this location.
Mill Creek MetroParks - Ohio. Find It Here. Added: 07/27/2019 By: sdonley	Page about the part on Ohio.org
OhioBikeways.net Added: 07/27/2019 By: sdonley	Information about the bike path through the park.