Location: OH 77, Trinway, OH Map
Constructed: 1856
Prospect Place, also known as the Trinway Mansion or Prospect Place Estate, is a grand 29-room historic mansion located in the rural village of Trinway, Ohio, just north of Dresden in Muskingum County. Built in 1856 by abolitionist and entrepreneur George Willison Adams (G.W. Adams), the estate spans 4 acres and stands as a testament to 19th-century opulence, innovation, and social activism. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since May 10, 1979, it is renowned for its role as a station on the Underground Railroad, aiding enslaved people fleeing to freedom. The mansion's Italianate and Greek Revival architecture, combined with advanced features like indoor plumbing and early air conditioning, made it a marvel of its era. Today, it serves as the headquarters for the non-profit G.W. Adams Educational Center, offering free public tours and educational programs focused on its history, abolitionism, and regional development. However, Prospect Place has also gained notoriety as one of Ohio's most haunted locations, with reports of apparitions, disembodied voices, and eerie occurrences tied to its turbulent past, including Underground Railroad escapes, family tragedies, and a 19th-century train wreck. Open to visitors on weekends from March to November, the estate attracts history buffs, paranormal enthusiasts, and families, providing a glimpse into antebellum America while preserving its legacy amid ongoing restoration efforts.
The story of Prospect Place begins with George Willison Adams,
born in 1799 in Fauquier County, Virginia, who migrated to Ohio
in the early 1800s seeking opportunity in the burgeoning
frontier. A self-made man, Adams amassed a fortune through
milling, railroads, and land speculation, eventually holding
14,500 acres across the state. He served in the Ohio General
Assembly, presided over the Steubenville and Indiana Railroad,
and directed the construction of the Cincinnati and Muskingum
Valley Railroad, contributing significantly to Ohio's
infrastructure. Adams was a staunch abolitionist, influenced by
the Quaker and Methodist communities in the region, and he and
his brother Edward operated a key Underground Railroad station
from their flouring mill at Adams Mills (near Dresden). They
concealed escaped slaves in warehouses, boat yards, and cooper
shops, often smuggling them north on flatboats returning from
New Orleans trips, hidden under decks laden with cotton or
goods. In 1856, Adams donated to the American Colonization
Society, which supported resettling freed Black Americans in
Liberia, underscoring his commitment to anti-slavery causes.
Prospect Place is officially recognized on the Ohio Underground
Railroad Association's list of historic sites.
The mansion's
construction followed a dramatic incident: Adams had built an
initial home on the site, but it was destroyed by arson shortly
after completion—suspected to be retaliation from pro-slavery
sympathizers amid rising sectional tensions before the Civil
War. Undeterred, Adams commissioned architect George Blackburn
to design a more resilient structure in 1856, incorporating
fireproofing like solid brick interior walls and a two-inch
mortar layer between floors. The estate quickly became a hub for
Adams' family, business associates, and abolitionist activities,
hosting gatherings that may have included secret meetings for
the Underground Railroad. Adams resided there until his death in
1879 at age 80.
Upon Adams' passing, the property passed to
his daughter, Ann, who married William Cox, a local businessman.
Their son, George Cox, inherited it and maintained the estate
through the early 20th century, using it for lavish parties and
social events. George Cox owned it until the 1960s, after which
it fell into disrepair. In 1969, unrelated owner Eugene Cox
purchased the 275-acre property and operated a gravel mining
business there, further neglecting the mansion. By the 1980s,
demolition loomed due to its deteriorating condition. In 1988,
basket magnate Dave Longaberger (founder of Longaberger Company)
bought it to save it, with plans for restoration as a corporate
retreat, but these stalled after his death in 1999. Private
investors acquired it in 2001, and in 2003, the non-profit G.W.
Adams Educational Center, Inc., was founded to preserve and
educate about the site. Under their stewardship, restoration has
focused on structural integrity, with grants and volunteers
aiding efforts to repair roofs, windows, and interiors. As of
2025, the center continues adaptive reuse, hosting educational
programs on abolitionism, women's history (highlighting Adams'
daughters), and local industry, while combating threats like
weathering and vandalism.
Prospect Place exemplifies mid-19th-century grandeur, blending
Italianate and Greek Revival styles in a symmetrical,
two-and-a-half-story brick structure topped by a belvedere (a
small observatory room on the roof) that offered panoramic views
for signaling or surveillance—possibly used to watch for slave
catchers during Underground Railroad operations. The facade
features tall, narrow windows with arched hoods, a wide front
porch with Doric columns, and bracketed cornices, evoking the
elegance of Southern plantations but adapted for Ohio's climate.
Inside, the 29 rooms include a grand ballroom on the upper floor
(once a site for dances and abolitionist fundraisers), formal
parlors, a library, and servant quarters. The layout spans
multiple levels, with a basement that served as a root cellar,
temporary morgue, and alleged hiding spot for fugitives.
What
set Prospect Place apart were its cutting-edge amenities, far
ahead of typical rural homes. It boasted the first indoor
plumbing in the area, powered by a copper tank cistern on the
second floor that pressurized water pipes for hot and cold
running water throughout. Two coal stoves with attached copper
tanks heated water via the same system. A novel refrigeration
setup cooled milk, cheese, and butter using ice from a nearby
pond, while a primitive air-conditioning system ducted cool air
from the basement into living quarters during humid
summers—essentially an early form of forced-air ventilation.
Fire safety was paramount post-arson, with double-brick walls
and mortar barriers. The estate also included outbuildings like
a carriage house and barn, though many have since deteriorated.
Restoration since 2003 has preserved these features, with
interpretive signage explaining the engineering, and efforts
continue to restore the belvedere and ballroom's original
plasterwork.
Prospect Place's haunted reputation stems from its layered
history of tragedy, secrecy, and loss, drawing paranormal
investigators and featured on shows like Ghost Adventures and
The Dead Files. The spirits are said to include remnants of the
Underground Railroad era, family members, servants, and victims
of accidents. Common reports encompass shadowy figures darting
through hallways, disembodied whispers and cries in empty rooms,
sudden cold spots, and the scent of cigar smoke or gardenias in
the parlors—possibly from G.W. Adams or guests.
Specific
manifestations include:
Underground Railroad Ghosts:
Apparitions of enslaved individuals, such as a Black woman with
a head wound seen in the basement, vanishing after brief
glimpses; anguished cries and footsteps echo, tied to fugitives
who may have perished while hiding.
The Child Ghost: A young
girl, possibly a servant who fell from the second-story portico
in the 1860s during a blizzard, haunts the hallways and a
fireplace in the former servants' quarters. Her body was stored
on ice in the basement until spring thaw for burial, leading to
reports of childish laughter, sobbing (attributed to her
grieving mother), and a small figure in windows.
Male
Apparitions: A man in formal 19th-century attire with a large
mustache appears near the main staircase, potentially a servant,
partygoer from the Cox era, or William Cox (Ann Adams' husband),
who mysteriously disappeared. Another figure, possibly Adams
himself, is seen pacing the upper floors.
Train Wreck
Spirits: In the late 1800s, a nearby derailment overwhelmed
local facilities, turning the basement into a makeshift hospital
where injured passengers died. This explains reports of
flickering lights, voices calling for help, and shadowy forms in
that area.
Investigations, such as one in April 2003 by
local researchers, noted oppressive atmospheres in the basement
and unexplained EVPs (electronic voice phenomena). Guides like
Jerry Taylor describe a "disturbing feeling" but remain neutral.
The non-profit embraces the lore for tourism, offering nighttime
ghost tours (additional fee) where visitors report personal
encounters, like doors slamming or objects moving. Skeptics
attribute phenomena to the building's acoustics and creaks, but
believers cite EVPs and photos of orbs as evidence. As of 2025,
paranormal events continue to draw crowds, blending education
with thrill-seeking.
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Managed by the G.W. Adams Educational Center since 2003, Prospect
Place functions as a museum and educational venue, emphasizing G.W.
Adams' legacy in abolition, politics, and innovation. It hosts
workshops, school field trips, and events like abolitionist
reenactments, women's history seminars, and holiday open houses. The
center promotes vendor opportunities for markets and collaborates with
the Ohio History Connection for grants.
Free self-guided tours are
available Saturdays and Sundays from 12 PM to 4 PM, March through
November (closed in winter for preservation). Visitors explore the
grounds, mansion interiors (first two floors; third floor and basement
restricted for safety), and exhibits on the Underground Railroad.
Donations are encouraged to fund upkeep. Guided tours, including themed
historical or paranormal walks, can be arranged for groups (contact via
website). The estate is not fully restored—peeling wallpaper and dusty
rooms add to its authentic, eerie charm—but ongoing efforts include roof
repairs and window restoration, supported by volunteers and fundraising.
Located at 11929 Ohio Avenue, Trinway, OH 43842 (about 1.5 hours east of
Columbus), it's accessible via State Route 60. No admission fee, but
parking is limited; pets are not allowed indoors. In 2025, visitor
feedback highlights the site's atmospheric "creepiness," especially the
ballroom and basement views, with praise for knowledgeable docents
sharing UGRR stories. Challenges include funding for full restoration,
estimated at millions, but its status as a cultural anchor in rural Ohio
ensures its endurance.
Prospect Place transcends a mere haunted house or historic home; it embodies the moral and innovative spirit of pre-Civil War Ohio, where ordinary citizens like Adams risked everything for justice. As a preserved Underground Railroad site, it educates on America's unfinished reckoning with slavery, while its architectural ingenuity foreshadows modern comforts. The hauntings, whether supernatural or psychological, amplify its allure, making it a multifaceted destination that invites reflection on history's ghosts—literal and figurative. Through the Educational Center's stewardship, Prospect Place remains a vital link to the past, fostering dialogue on freedom, resilience, and preservation in an evolving world.