Est. 1790 · Oldest surviving building in Cynthiana, Kentucky · Built circa 1790 by Dr. James McPheefers · Former home of WCYN radio station (founded 1956) · Featured stop on the Cynthiana Ghost Walk
The log cabin at 111 Court Street in downtown Cynthiana, Harrison County, Kentucky, is the oldest surviving structure in the city. Historical records indicate it was built circa 1790 by Dr. James McPheefers and underwent addition and remodeling work in 1926. Over the course of more than two centuries it has served multiple functions: private residence, law office, and — most prominently in living memory — the broadcast home of WCYN radio station.
WCYN went on the air in September 1956, founded by the Anderson family. Broadcasting on 1400 AM with an FM companion on 101.3, the station became Cynthiana's hometown voice for news, country music, and local programming. While WCYN's current studios are listed at 130 South Main Street, the station's early years in the 1790 log cabin gave the building its association with the radio era.
Cynthiana itself has a rich and sometimes violent history, including a significant Civil War engagement at the Battle of Cynthiana (1862 and 1864) that left its mark across the downtown corridor. The courthouse square and surrounding streets have been the site of documented criminal proceedings, duels, and notable deaths, all of which contribute to the city's paranormal reputation. The Rohs Opera House — also in downtown Cynthiana — has developed a nationally recognized Ghost Walk that incorporates the 1790 log cabin as a featured stop.
Sources
- https://www.rohsoperahouse.com/post/cynthianaghostwalk
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WCYN_(AM)
- https://www.yelp.com/biz/wcyn-radio-station-cynthiana
Disembodied voices (including Prohibition-era accounts)Shadow figures in corners and reflectionsMoving objectsGeneral sense of presence
The log cabin at 111 Court Street carries a reputation for supernatural activity that has been documented through local ghost-walk research and regional paranormal writing. According to accounts shared on the Cynthiana Ghost Walk and published in regional blogs, three spirits are said to inhabit the building, named 'Mac,' 'Elizabeth,' and 'Casper' by those who have spent time there.
Reports include disembodied voices — some associated with stories from the Prohibition era, when the building may have witnessed illicit activity — as well as shadowy figures seen in corners or reflections, objects moving without explanation, and a general sense of presence that workers at or near the building have described over years.
The Cynthiana Ghost Walk, produced through the Rohs Opera House and described by its organizers as one of the top ghost walks in the country, includes the 1790 log cabin as a formal stop with documented witness accounts. The blog 'My Brazen Life: Haunted Places in Kentucky' (2015) also describes the building's haunted reputation as widely known among locals.
No paranormal investigation documentation with specific evidence (EVP recordings, temperature anomalies, photographic documentation) has been located in available sources. All accounts are based on personal testimony and local oral tradition.
Notable Entities
'Mac' (named resident spirit)'Elizabeth' (named resident spirit)'Casper' (named resident spirit)
Media Appearances
- Cynthiana Ghost Walk (Rohs Opera House) — named stop
- My Brazen Life: Haunted Places in Kentucky blog (2015)