The Franciscan Medical Center is a city landmark in Dayton, Ohio. For over a century, the hospital served the community at large, offering help for those that most needed it. After closing its doors in 2000 due to financial issues, the large building became a blight on the Dayton landscape. According to some, even the ghosts in Franciscan Medical Center were unhappy when the doors closed.
Built in 1878, the Franciscan Medical Center slowly changed throughout the years, adding buildings into the complex, and removing obsolete machinery. The original building was known as Saint Elizabeth’s, and run by the order of Franciscan Sisters.
Hospitals are one of the places most haunted by ghosts. Maybe it’s because that was the place many took their last breaths, or maybe it is because so many people found a bit of kindness there, in an unfriendly world. In the Franciscan Medical Center, many ghosts have been spotted, and other unusual experiences felt. Its purpose was to serve those in the city who could not otherwise afford medical care.
Slowly but surely Franciscan acquired a negative reputation. As they promised to treat anyone who walked through their doors, others began to take advantage of the system. It was common practice for private hospitals and doctor’s offices to leave their patients at the hospital door. Franciscan eventually closed its doors in 2000.
Cold spots are frequently experienced through the hospital complex, with the cold spots moving from location to location. Some visitors have felt the cold spots follow them from one area of the hospital to another. Others have seen a shadowy figure lurking through certain places in the hospital.
Another paranormal event frequently experienced at the Franciscan Medical Center is the elevator moving on its own. The elevator is known to move up and down, without anyone pushing the button. This has been experienced by hospital workers, and others since the hospital closed. Some also claim to smell an overpowering scent of rose perfume in certain areas of the house.
My family has a long history with the Franciscan Medical Center. My older brother was born there in the 1970s, and my father worked as a security guard there until the early 1980s. As he worked late at night, I asked him if he ever experienced anything odd, and his answer was a flat out, “No. Not only that, but he also said that he never even heard of anyone else experiencing anything unusual.
The last time I stepped foot in the hospital was 1998. My boyfriend at the time asked me to come with him to visit his grandfather who recently had surgery done. I wandered off by myself, and I honestly felt as if someone was watching me. At one point it even felt like someone was standing behind me, but no one was there. I told my then boyfriend about it later, and he laughed it off. It wasn’t until much later that I learned others experienced the same thing.
Is the Franciscan Medical Center haunted? No one is quite sure, but many would say yes, especially those who have ventured inside after dark.
Sources:
http://www.forgottenoh.com/Franciscan/franciscan.htmlwww.ohioexploration.com/montgomerycounty.htm
