Entry No. 13 — the Cincinnati file — filed under: ghost lore
Sedamsville Rectory
An 1870s Gothic Revival rectory notorious for disembodied footsteps, sudden temperature drops, and spectral sightings tied to a 19th-century priest struck by a train on nearby tracks.
The story
Climb the steep, broken-paved incline of Steiner Avenue in Sedamsville and you'll find a four-level, red-brick Gothic Revival structure standing high above the Ohio River. Built in the 1870s, this house originally served as the rectory for Our Lady of Perpetual Help—a parish founded in 1878 by German-speaking immigrants from neighboring St. Vincent de Paul. Today, the church next door is long deconsecrated and sold, leaving the rectory isolated on its hill like a leftover piece of 19th-century ecclesiastical architecture that the rest of the neighborhood forgot to tear down.
The most persistent piece of local lore traces back to Father Donald MacLeod, an 19th-century priest and author residing at the rectory who was struck and killed by a locomotive on the tracks down along River Road while rushing to administer last rites to a dying parishioner. Ever since, locals and visitors have reported seeing a lone, dark-robed figure walking the nearby tracks, alongside disembodied footsteps pacing the rectory's upper halls and unexplained temperature drops inside rooms that stay ice-cold even in mid-summer heat.
The rectory's sinister reputation went national when Zak Bagans and the *Ghost Adventures* crew filmed here for Season 8, bringing in a priest to perform an exorcism inside the vacant building. Between the four-part basement, the dark servants' quarters, and a pitched attic, the place has accumulated decades of tales involving electronic voice phenomena, sudden shoves on the staircases, and unsettling ambient growls recorded on dead-silent nights.
What it's like
Driving up Steiner Avenue, you'll find the rectory sitting quietly on a narrow residential street overlooking the river valley. Because the property is privately owned and has cycled through restoration groups and private sales, you can't just stroll in through the front door—you'll need to check current status before heading out. Paranormal investigators who have spent nights inside describe a suffocatingly quiet atmosphere where the smallest floorboard creak, temperature plunge, or muffled echo overhead puts everyone on edge.
The move: Drive up the steep river-view hills of Sedamsville to see the imposing red-brick facade that was featured on Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures.
- 📍 Sedamsville
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 639 Steiner Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45204
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Cincinnati Music Hall — Pair this secluded 1870s Gothic rectory with Over-the-Rhine's grand 1878 Venetian Gothic concert hall built over a 19th-century Potter's field for a full tour of Cincinnati's high-Gothic hauntings.
- The Futuro Flying Saucer House — Trade 19th-century dark church history for 1960s Finnish space-age architecture located just two miles away across the river on a steep Kentucky hillside.
- HAIL - Records & Oddities — Follow up an excursion to Sedamsville's ghost lore by heading into Covington's MainStrasse Village to browse goth vinyl, taxidermy, and vintage Ouija boards.
- Lloyd Library & Museum — Counter balance spooky river-hill legends with real 19th-century archival research at this free downtown library holding rare botanical medicine texts dating back to 1493.
Good to know
Where is the Sedamsville Rectory located?
It sits at 639 Steiner Avenue in Cincinnati's Sedamsville neighborhood, perched on a steep hill near River Road.
What is the history of the building?
It was built in the 1870s as the rectory for Our Lady of Perpetual Help, a Catholic parish organized in 1878 for German-speaking immigrants. The church closed in 1989.
Who is the priest mentioned in the ghost stories?
Father Donald MacLeod, a priest living at the rectory who authored early Catholic histories, was struck and killed by a train on nearby tracks while traveling to bless a sick woman.
Was the rectory on television?
Yes, it was featured on Season 8, Episode 6 of Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures, as well as shows like Haunted Collector.
Can I go inside the Sedamsville Rectory?
The rectory is a private historic property. You must verify current ownership, hours, or tour availability before planning a visit.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: citybeat.com · creepycincinnati.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-21