The Haunting Of Reilly?

Always gleaning through my photo library, I came across some photos I shot in 2004 of a ghostly little town. In all my years of visiting historical sites, Reilly, Ohio stands as one of two places that gives me the creeps (the other place, Jeremiah, Kentucky will appear in a future story). Reilly sits on route 732 just minutes from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio and minutes from the Indiana state line. As a youngster I had heard Reilly was a rough place. It was rumored that it was a hotbed for societies such as the Ku Klux Klan. If this is true, they won't tell and I'm not about to look. However, this is not why I went to Reilly. On the day I visited this little town, I had been nearby shooting in black and white with a new digital camera. My route just happened to take me through Reilly. I got bold and decided to stop at the infamous Springhill Tavern. The Tavern generated much violence in years past according to my Dad. Violent to the point that Dad once told me if I ever find myself in trouble there just mention his name. With all the violence I had heard from decades ago, believe me, I had no desire to spend any leisure time here. On this day, I went for the sake of history and curiosity.

As I first stepped inside the Tavern, my Dad's words were ringing in my ears as an eerie feeling came upon me. Do you ever get that feeling that you are in a place that feels so evil that it would be better to leave? This is how I felt. I could not only feel the "evil", I could smell it.

I walked up to a lady standing behind the bar. I told her she looked familiar. She agreed. She indicated that she used to work the bars in Oxford. I told her that maybe she had served me during my college days at Miami. I told her why I stopped in and asked her permission to shoot some pictures. She gladly agreed. I had indicated that years ago, my family and I used to live in Reilly. She and I started throwing out names of residents from long ago. So long ago, in fact, that I told her that I attended school in the old school building that has been torn down for several decades. Needless to say, many memories came back for both of us.

I began asking questions about the history of the Springhill Tavern. She offered to show me around and I gladly accepted the tour. She took me outside, up what we call "creekbed" rock steps. At the top rested a cleared level parcial of ground, with a steep hill behind this clearing which was partitioned by a creekbed rock wall. She walked over and picked up a garden hose and indicated that it was connected to a spring. Thus the name "Springhill" Tavern.

We went back in the Tavern. She stated that her boyfriend now owns this tavern but she helps run the place. They only serve three kinds of beer. She really got down to the tavern's history and I was all ears.

Originally, the Tavern was operated as a house of prostitution in the late 1880's. She stated that this is still indicated by the fact that over the Tavern, where she and her family now live, there is a door to every room regardless as to what kind of room. She asked if I would like to see the proof. I declined as I was not comfortable going up there do to the eerie feelings that was overwhelming me. She asked if I had seen the old water trough out front. It was a cement watering trough that watered the horses of male patrons. I went back out to see there was the trough, though overgrown with weeds. Very intact and solid, it still had the spicket in it.

I went back inside. She and I resumed our conversation. She stated that the very structure of the bar is the original bar that came with the Tavern when it opened. Wow! We continued talking about residents of long ago, most of whom have passed. I thanked her for the opportunity to spend a few minutes with her and told her how much I enjoyed the history lesson. As the eerie feeling continued, I had to tell myself it was not this lady's fault. She was too happy to accomodate my questions and my photos.

As I left, I passed "Jocko's Pizza", the former Reilly Inn. Listed as one of Butler County's hauntings, if you go by at the right time, supposedly, one will see the lights flicker on and off after hours. I do remember that as the Reilly Inn, locals who wanted to go out and drink but without trouble, would come here. Those who expected a rough night, went to the Springhill Tavern. My time was running short thus I decided to go home.

Since I was near Reilly on that day with a new camera, I just had to stop and find for myself if all the stories Dad told me long ago were true. After that evening, I may never know the truth of Reilly's past as most of the participants have either moved on or have passed on. While my goal is not to pass on judgement to the Reilly residents of today, I know I left with the most awful sense of evil that day I visited.

Until the next dive bomb my darlings, meow.

NOTE: With a click of the mouse you should be able to enlarge the photos for more detail. I own the photos so no copying my darlings.