Museum Visit
Guided House Museum Tour
A docent-led tour of the 1855 Gothic Revival home, covering the Clarke, Bosworth, and Nye family histories, the architecture, and the home's transition into a public museum in 1994.
- Duration:
- 1 hr
Museum / Historical Site
The Castle
An 1855 Gothic Revival house museum in downtown Marietta with octagonal tower and stone-capped spires, where staff and visitors report seeing former resident Jessie Nye.
418 Fourth Street, Marietta, OH 45750
Research updated May 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
General admission listed from $10 per person on the official site; ghost tours priced separately.
Access
Limited Access
Multi-story Gothic Revival house museum with original staircases and tower
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1855 · Rare downtown Gothic Revival residence completed in 1855 · Designed by John Slocomb and built for attorney Melvin C. Clarke · Operating as a public house museum since 1994
The Castle was completed in 1855 as the home of attorney Melvin C. Clarke. The Gothic Revival design, attributed to John Slocomb, gave the residence the octagonal corner tower and stone-capped spires that earned the house its nickname. The building stands out among Marietta's largely Greek Revival and Italianate Victorian homes and remains one of the most architecturally distinctive structures in downtown Washington County.
Following Clarke's death in the Civil War, the home passed through the Bosworth and Nye families. Jessie Nye, the last private resident, lived in the house for much of the twentieth century and died there in 1974. After her death the property was eventually opened to the public and has operated as a Victorian house museum since 1994 under the stewardship of the nonprofit Castle Historic House Museum organization.
Today the museum interprets the lives of its successive owners and the broader story of Victorian-era Marietta, with regular daytime tours and special seasonal programming including ghost tours each fall.
Sources
- https://www.mariettacastle.org/
- https://hauntedus.com/ohio/marietta-castle-haunted/
- https://www.ohioexploration.com/paranormal/hauntings/washingtoncounty/
Apparition identified by staff and visitors as Jessie NyeDisembodied male and female voicesCold spots and shadow figures in windowsReports of physical contact from unseen forces
According to Haunted US, the most frequently identified figure at The Castle is Jessie Nye, the long-time twentieth-century resident who died in the house in 1974. Visitors and staff describe a woman in early-1900s clothing appearing at windows or moving through the upper rooms. The Ohio Exploration Society's Washington County page records similar accounts, including disembodied male and female voices, cold spots, shadow figures in windows, and reports of physical contact from unseen forces.
A construction worker is said to have refused to return to the house during renovations after reporting an apparition sighting on the upper floor, according to the same paranormal compilations. The Castle's own programming has incorporated these accounts into seasonal ghost tours, which present the lore alongside the documented family history rather than as standalone supernatural claims.
Notable Entities
Jessie Nye
Plan Your Visit
2 ways to experience Guided Tour Booking Required
Ghost Tours at The Castle
Seasonal evening ghost tours led by museum staff, focusing on the documented residents and the reports of unexplained activity attributed to longtime resident Jessie Nye and other former occupants.
- Duration:
- 1.3 hr
Sources & Further Reading
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Castle family-friendly?
Daytime tours are family-friendly. Evening ghost tours are better suited to older children, teens, and adults. Overall family fit: Moderate.
How much does it cost to visit The Castle?
General admission listed from $10 per person on the official site; ghost tours priced separately.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is The Castle wheelchair accessible?
The Castle has limited wheelchair accessibility. Terrain: Multi-story Gothic Revival house museum with original staircases and tower.