Gore Orphanage
Encyclopedia
Gore Orphanage is the name used by some residents of the greater Cleveland, Ohio
, area to refer to a legendary and supposedly haunted ruin near the city of Vermilion
in Lorain County
, Ohio. The ruin, actually that of the Swift Mansion and later the Light of Hope Orphanage, is the subject of some local urban legends about the violent deaths of young children and resulting supernatural activity.
While frequently referred to as "Gore Orphanage", this name actually derives from the nearby road "Gore Orphanage Road", which was originally named "Gore Road" after the gore
.
farmer. Named Rosedale, but nicknamed "Swift's Folly" for being located at the bottom of a ravine named Swift's Hollow, the mansion was ornate and considered one of the most fashionable in the state. Swift invested his earnings and life savings into worthless railroad stock, however, and was forced to sell the house to New Yorker Nicholas Wilber, the leader of a group of Spiritualists.
It is with the Wilber family's tenure at the mansion that the disturbing stories that would become the "Gore Orphanage" legend probably first arose. Local oral history is unanimous about the Wilbers' hosting elaborate seances at the mansion, and allegedly they frequently contacted the spirits of young children. In addition, four of the Wilber children died over the course of seven days at the height of a diphtheria
epidemic.
While the Wilber children were buried in a local graveyard, area residents claimed that the children were buried at the Swift Mansion. Further, exaggerations grew that all four children "died in their mother's arms" and that she subsequently "went insane, setting the tables in the places for the dead children and beckoning them to go to bed."
Nicholas Wilber died in 1901 and the house sat vacant. Soon after, people from around the area began sneaking into the house to examine it, vandalize it, and render it an urban legend. Later, children would be challenged to sleep in the house without being haunted by "the children". The house began to slip into disrepair soon after the public fascination and abuse began, and was slowly torn apart. It wasn't until 1923, when efforts to restore the manor began, that the house was further vandalized and set ablaze. The culprit was never found. Since then, it has been continually vandalized and remains a popular hang-out for teenagers.
Orphanage to Vermilion Homes” The Elyria Evening Telegram covered several stories in regards to the alleged mistreatment of children while is custody of the orphanage known as Orphanage of Light and Hope/Light of Hope Orphanage,different articles name the orphanage in a different manner.
Rats, bed bugs and lice were mentioned as one of many concerns. Several children claimed to have been physically abused, starved and deprived adequate bathing. Following a local and state investigation the inquest concluded there was maltreatment by the orphanage staff and ordered better bathing facilities. Not much more was mentioned of this orphanage in the months to follow from this newspaper. On July 17, 1910 an article was published titled “Light of Hope is Again in Evidence” a boy adopted from the orphanage, Charlie Coats age 12, was beaten with a club, doused with turpentine and trampled to death by a cow at the hands of his adopter, Moses Richer age 34 of Ft. Wayne, Ind. On November 23, 1910 the printing building at the orphanage was destroyed by a fire of unknown origin, No injuries were reported.
Reverend John Sprunger, a Lutheran minister from Bern, Indiana, bought many abandoned farms in 1902 and set up the Light of Hope Orphanage. It was funded by his congregation and the good will of others. The institution was created to teach orphans the value of hard work and train them in farming and housework. It operated uneventfully for twelve years. Swift's mansion was supposedly used as one of the boys' dormitories, but this has not been documented.
After Sprunger's death, the orphanage fell into disarray and never recovered from personal or financial loss. It was soon bankrupt and disbanded, and the children were relocated. Legend relates that one of the dormitories may have burned down and an unknown number of children died, but local historians dispute this ever happening, and that it is simply a mistaken tie-in with the incidents at Swift's Hollow.
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, area to refer to a legendary and supposedly haunted ruin near the city of Vermilion
Vermilion, Ohio
Vermilion is a city in Erie and Lorain counties in Ohio, on the North Coast of the U.S.A. The population was 10,927 at the 2000 census. The current mayor is Eileen Bulan...
in Lorain County
Lorain County, Ohio
Lorain County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio, and is considered to be a part of what is locally referred to as Greater Cleveland. As of the 2010 census, its population was 301,356. an increase from 284,664 in 2000...
, Ohio. The ruin, actually that of the Swift Mansion and later the Light of Hope Orphanage, is the subject of some local urban legends about the violent deaths of young children and resulting supernatural activity.
Legend
Swift Mansion was originally a mansion built in 1840 by Johnathan Swift. Years later, it became the Light of Hope Orphanage, where many children learned farm and agricultural skills. The owner, "Old Man Swift", was widely known for his terrible demeanor and cruel treatment of the children. He was rumored to have killed many of them before putting their remains into the fireplace. One night, long after the orphanage had fallen into disuse, the mansion was set on fire and the children's screams could be heard for miles around. The fire was rumored to have been started by "Old Man Swift". It is said that if you go to the building's foundation today, you can still hear the sound of children screaming or pleading for help, the great door of Swift's mansion opening and closing, and the footsteps of "Old Man Swift." If you go there and put baby powder on the building, you will find hand prints on wherever you put the baby powder (most put it on the windows). Another rumor about Gore Orphanage was that a young boy went out to use an outhouse, and accidentally dropped his lantern. This caught the house on fire, killing one hundred children and himself.While frequently referred to as "Gore Orphanage", this name actually derives from the nearby road "Gore Orphanage Road", which was originally named "Gore Road" after the gore
Gore (surveying)
A gore , in parts of the northeastern United States , is an unincorporated area of a county that is not part of any town and has limited self-government ....
.
Swift Mansion
The house that now lies in ruins near the supposed site of Gore Orphanage was a former mansion built between 1840 and 1842 by Johnathan Swift, a wealthy MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
farmer. Named Rosedale, but nicknamed "Swift's Folly" for being located at the bottom of a ravine named Swift's Hollow, the mansion was ornate and considered one of the most fashionable in the state. Swift invested his earnings and life savings into worthless railroad stock, however, and was forced to sell the house to New Yorker Nicholas Wilber, the leader of a group of Spiritualists.
It is with the Wilber family's tenure at the mansion that the disturbing stories that would become the "Gore Orphanage" legend probably first arose. Local oral history is unanimous about the Wilbers' hosting elaborate seances at the mansion, and allegedly they frequently contacted the spirits of young children. In addition, four of the Wilber children died over the course of seven days at the height of a diphtheria
Diphtheria
Diphtheria is an upper respiratory tract illness caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a facultative anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium. It is characterized by sore throat, low fever, and an adherent membrane on the tonsils, pharynx, and/or nasal cavity...
epidemic.
While the Wilber children were buried in a local graveyard, area residents claimed that the children were buried at the Swift Mansion. Further, exaggerations grew that all four children "died in their mother's arms" and that she subsequently "went insane, setting the tables in the places for the dead children and beckoning them to go to bed."
Nicholas Wilber died in 1901 and the house sat vacant. Soon after, people from around the area began sneaking into the house to examine it, vandalize it, and render it an urban legend. Later, children would be challenged to sleep in the house without being haunted by "the children". The house began to slip into disrepair soon after the public fascination and abuse began, and was slowly torn apart. It wasn't until 1923, when efforts to restore the manor began, that the house was further vandalized and set ablaze. The culprit was never found. Since then, it has been continually vandalized and remains a popular hang-out for teenagers.
Light of Hope Orphanage
With headlines in September 1909 ranging from “Orphans eat the flesh of cows that died” to “Underground Railway Led FromOrphanage to Vermilion Homes” The Elyria Evening Telegram covered several stories in regards to the alleged mistreatment of children while is custody of the orphanage known as Orphanage of Light and Hope/Light of Hope Orphanage,different articles name the orphanage in a different manner.
Rats, bed bugs and lice were mentioned as one of many concerns. Several children claimed to have been physically abused, starved and deprived adequate bathing. Following a local and state investigation the inquest concluded there was maltreatment by the orphanage staff and ordered better bathing facilities. Not much more was mentioned of this orphanage in the months to follow from this newspaper. On July 17, 1910 an article was published titled “Light of Hope is Again in Evidence” a boy adopted from the orphanage, Charlie Coats age 12, was beaten with a club, doused with turpentine and trampled to death by a cow at the hands of his adopter, Moses Richer age 34 of Ft. Wayne, Ind. On November 23, 1910 the printing building at the orphanage was destroyed by a fire of unknown origin, No injuries were reported.
Gore Orphanage
The details of the Light of Hope Orphanage have become entwined with the local legend of the Swift mansion because of the extremely short distance between them and their many similarities.Reverend John Sprunger, a Lutheran minister from Bern, Indiana, bought many abandoned farms in 1902 and set up the Light of Hope Orphanage. It was funded by his congregation and the good will of others. The institution was created to teach orphans the value of hard work and train them in farming and housework. It operated uneventfully for twelve years. Swift's mansion was supposedly used as one of the boys' dormitories, but this has not been documented.
After Sprunger's death, the orphanage fell into disarray and never recovered from personal or financial loss. It was soon bankrupt and disbanded, and the children were relocated. Legend relates that one of the dormitories may have burned down and an unknown number of children died, but local historians dispute this ever happening, and that it is simply a mistaken tie-in with the incidents at Swift's Hollow.