Char Bar

The building that currently houses Char Bar in Columbus, Ohio, possesses a complex and historically significant past that extends far beyond its current use as a neighborhood tavern. The structure was originally constructed and opened as a funeral parlor in 1847, during a period of expansion and development in Columbus. The funeral industry in the nineteenth century required dedicated facilities with specific architectural features, including basement spaces designed for the preparation and preservation of human remains prior to burial ceremonies. The building's basement and subbasement were engineered and utilized for this purpose, equipped with the specialized facilities necessary for mortuary operations of that era. The location became established as a major funeral establishment in Columbus, and its reputation and facilities attracted significant business throughout the Civil War period and in the decades following the war. The building's basement spaces and lower levels became deeply associated with death, grief, and the technical processes of mortuary science during this transformative and emotionally turbulent period in American history. In 1865, following the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, the building was selected to receive Lincoln's remains as his funeral procession traveled through Ohio. The basement of the funeral parlor became the location where Lincoln's remains were prepared and cosmetically restored before the continued journey of his funeral procession through the region. This extraordinary historical event has become legendary in the history of the building and contributes significantly to its reputation and historical importance.

Following its service as a funeral parlor and mortuary, the building was converted and repurposed for use as a bar and tavern, eventually becoming known as Char Bar. The subbasement and basement areas of the building, originally designed and equipped for mortuary operations, were retained as part of the structural foundation and lower levels. Some historical sources indicate that the subbasement may connect to a network of tunnels and passages that extended beneath High Street and surrounding areas of Columbus. These underground passages have been subjects of historical investigation and speculation, with some researchers proposing that they served purposes ranging from water management and transportation to more clandestine uses during various periods of the city's history. The architecture of the lower levels remains substantially unchanged from its original construction, preserving the physical layout and spatial characteristics of the nineteenth-century mortuary facility beneath the modern bar.

Paranormal activity within Char Bar has been consistently reported by employees, patrons, and paranormal investigators since the building was converted to its current use. The phenomena are concentrated primarily in the basement and subbasement areas, particularly in locations associated with the original mortuary operations. One of the most frequently reported apparitions is that of a full-bodied hooded figure dressed in black robes, resembling the clothing associated with funeral directors or morticians of the nineteenth century. This apparition has been seen by multiple witnesses throughout the decades and is described as appearing and disappearing without moving through visible entrances or exits. Moving objects have been documented in the basement, with various items shifting position or becoming displaced without visible agency. Disembodied voices, described as indistinct but clearly present, have been heard calling out from the basement and lower areas. Cold spots have been measured and documented by investigators in the subbasement, with temperature fluctuations extending well beyond typical seasonal or environmental variations. The most striking paranormal manifestation reported at Char Bar is the spontaneous playing of a destroyed and non-functional piano located in the basement. Multiple witnesses have reported hearing the distinct sounds of a piano being played, including recognizable melodies and full passages of music, emanating from an instrument that has been damaged beyond functional use for decades. Shadow figures have been reported moving through the basement corridors and near the tunnels that extend beneath High Street.

The concentration of paranormal phenomena in Char Bar's basement and lower levels appears directly related to the building's history as a funeral parlor and its association with death, grief, and the extraordinary event of Lincoln's remains being present within the structure. Paranormal researchers have theorized that the intense emotional and historical significance of the building's past functions have created a location where spiritual or psychic energy remains concentrated and active. The hooded figure has been interpreted as the manifestation of a mortician or funeral director associated with the building's original purpose, potentially reliving the rituals and responsibilities of that profession. The mysterious music from the destroyed piano has been suggested to represent emotional residue from the building's past, with music serving as a conduit for psychic expression. The reported phenomena have attracted paranormal investigators and ghost hunters from across the region, and Char Bar has become recognized as one of the most actively haunted locations in Columbus. The building's lower levels remain largely inaccessible to the general public, with access limited to employees and authorized paranormal researchers, further enhancing the mystery and historical significance of the structure.