Mudhouse Mansion: The Strange Ohio Landmark

There are places rumored to be haunted because of their appearance. Abandoned interiors, broken-out windows and a state of disarray lead witnesses to whisper about the building. Other buildings are labeled as haunted because of their locations, usually in the middle of the woods, or at the end of a deserted road. Then there are those buildings that are known as haunted for a variety of factors. Mudhouse Mansion is one such building.

Mudhouse Mansion is one of the oldest buildings in Lancaster, Ohio and without a doubt, its most infamous building. The issue surrounding Mudhouse Mansion is not necessarily its remote location, nor is it the sad state of its inside. The issue that surrounds Mudhouse Mansion is its owner, Jeannie Mast.

Mudhouse Mansion was built during the 1840s, and consistently used as a private residence, albeit a very large one. Christopher and Eleanor Rugh were the first two owners of Mudhouse Mansion. They purchased the land from two men, Abraham Kagy and Henry Byler. It isn't clear though as to who built the house, but it seems like the Rugh's built it after buying the land. Some say the Rugh's purchased the land in two parts, at different points in time from the two men.

The house later sold to Henry Hartman and his wife Martha in 1919, and they lived there for a number of years. When Henry passed away, the house was passed down to his daughter Lulu Hartman-Mast. The house has also been known by a few other names. Heritage of Architecture and Arts listed it as the Rugh-Mast House, while locals refer to it as Hartman Place.