Most Haunted Places in America: The Bissman Building
The Bissman-Building was built in Mansfield, OH in 1886. The Bissman Company wanted to expand its wholesale grocery distribution. The original building has long been torn down. Today, a carousel stands on the location. The Bissman-Building built in 1886 still stands and has become one of the most haunted places in America.
Founder Peter Bissman spent 65 days on a ship to America from Germany. He wanted to fulfill the American dream, and did so – in the form of wholesale grocery distribution. In the early 1930s, the town was filled with the rich aroma of coffee coming from the smokestacks of the north and south sides of the building. Brands such as Acme, Steel Cut, and Red Ban Java Blend were prepared fresh – each and every day for years.
The company supplied the entire town with groceries, within a 50 mile radius. It became a large part of Mansfield’s landscape and culture for generations. The Bissman-Building stood as a grocery warehouse for nearly a century. Since the 1970’s, it has been used for numerous small businesses such as Pirate Printing.
The building itself was built by the same architect who took care of the Historic Ohio State Reformatory. Both buildings were constructed during the same year. The building has a Romantic Gothic style design. By today’s standards, its architecture is both haunting and beautiful.
The Bissman-Building has been leased to major film productions in recent years. In the Shawshank Redemption, it was the Brewer Hotel where the character brooks hung himself after being paroled. In 2007, it was leased to the production company, The Midnight Syndicate, for the film The Dead Matter.
The building has a dark past: a little girl named Ruthie was tortured and murdered in the building and stuffed in a barrel in the basement. Her photograph sits on the mantle of the building. According to local legend, an employee was the main suspect. He was asked to leave. As he was doing so, the elevator malfunctioned and he was decapitated.
Some people believe that Ruthie was avenging herself from beyond the grave. Unfortunately, the employee ended up becoming a ghost at the building as well. He’s allegedly an angry and dark ghost that paranormal investigators have come to fear.
Today, the Bissman-Building is considered one of the most haunted places in America and has been featured on many ghost hunting television shows such as My Ghost Stories and Ghost Hunters on the SyFy Channel.