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IN A FLASH: A Kent State Ghost Story

An internet search for 鈥淜ent State ghost stories鈥 does not disappoint. A website called 鈥淭rip 101鈥 lists 5X社区 as one of its . 

There are tales of ghostly encounters all over campus with reported paranormal activity in locations including McGilvrey Hall, Van Campen Hall, Johnson Hall, Allyn Hall, Clark Hall, Korb Hall, Engleman Hall, Lake Hall and the basement of the Kent State Library. 

The ghost of Judith Koonce, reportedly haunts Koonce Hall, which was named in her honor. Koonce was a student who died in the summer of 1958, at age 23, while trying to save an 11-year-old who was drowning in the Little Miami River.

There are stories of spooky happenings in both the original Stopher Hall, which was demolished with Johnson Hall in 2004, and the new Stopher Hall, which opened, with the new Johnson Hall, in 2006. 

A dark night in the Kiva

Greg Evans is a housekeeping supervisor in University Facilities Management.. He began working for Kent State in 1994, working seven years at the Kent Student Center and 21 years in his current position. 

It was while he was working at the Student Center in the early 鈥90s that Evans had his encounter with the unknown. He was working at night, checking to make sure freezers were working, doors were locked and that no one was in the building. He entered a long hallway on the second floor, leading to the Kiva. The hallway was completely dark.

鈥淚 saw a figure as brilliant white as could be.  It was floating in the air.  I rubbed my eyes and it was still there.  I backed up slowly, rubbed my eyes and it was gone,鈥 Evans said.

鈥淣eedless to say, it was daylight before I went down that hallway again,鈥 

When he returned to the Kiva the next morning, he saw no signs of entry or anything out of place. 

Evans said 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what it was, but it sure was creepy!鈥

Image
A shadowy figure walks the hall on the second floor of the Kiva.

POSTED: Monday, October 31, 2022 09:34 AM
Updated: Friday, December 9, 2022 07:04 PM
WRITTEN BY:
Phil B. Soencksen