Haunted Ohio: Siesta Motel in Norwich, Ohio
Vintage Postcard of the Siesta Motel in Norwich, Ohio
With the way modern hotels look, it's no wonder that small places like the Siesta Motel shut down. It's a throwback to another time, an era when people spent long hours cooped up in cars and just wanted a clean and comfortable place to spend a night or two. While hotels have interior corridors, motels have a more open layout. You can drive right up and park outside your door. If you're lucky, you might find a vibrating bed inside. If you're even luckier, you might stay in a place with a swimming pool outside.
The Siesta Motel opened in 1951 and did a booming business with travelers heading down US Route 22-40 on their way to or from Zanesville. It featured a long building that held eight motel rooms. Off to the side sat a separate building, which served as both the office and the home of the owners. Guests could stop by any hour of the day or night and ask the owner for a room.
John Matthews, the motel's owner, was a World War II Army vet who wanted to support his family and spend more time with them. So many people traveled the National Road that his motel became an almost overnight success. The low cost of the rooms – just $3 per night – made the motel even more popular. On some nights, lines even stretched down National Road as guests waited to see if a room was available.
Like many motels of its type, the Siesta struggled over the years. More people began taking flights rather than road trips. As business dropped, the owners tried to renovate and bring in new business, but the motel had a dated look both inside and out.
When I-70 opened, the end had all but arrived. Making things worse was the old broken neon sign. After someone broke the tubing, the owners no longer cared enough or could afford to repair it. It sat out in front as an ill-fated reminder of the motel's glory days. The Siesta Motel closed its doors and took down its sign. It's now a private home. This lack of signage gave the motel a dark and depressing look that turned off some of the few travelers passing by.
During its later years, the Siesta Motel looked the same way it did in the 50s. Guests arrived to find a black and white TV, stained and dirty linoleum flooring, and a saggy double bed with a faded cover. Based on online articles, it seems as though many of the rooms still look the same, despite the motel shutting down. I've heard that descendants of the original owner still live in the old house.
As the Siesta Motel is no longer open to the public, we have to just guess if its ghost is still in residence. The motel's ghost is that of a man with a tragic story.
The story found on many websites allegedly happened in 1994. A man who lived in Norwich with his mother often fought with her and stormed off in anger. One night, the two had one of their worst fights. Hoping to get away from her for a while, he left their home and checked into the Siesta Motel. Making things even worse, his mother learned of his room and called multiple times, trying to continue their fight over the phone.
To make her stop, the man took his phone off the hook and finally laid down to get some sleep. Not long after falling into slumber, he heard a noise that made him straight up. Hearing the sounds of someone walking around his room, he immediately assumed it was his mother. The man jumped to the feet and grabbed the figure who turned out to be not his mother, but a robber. After a short battle, the would-be robber pulled out a knife and stabbed the man before fleeing into the night, leaving his victim to die alone.
Since that tragic event, the former guest haunted the motel. When it was still open, guests reported hearing the sounds of people shouting and yelling at each other or even whispering. The whispers might be the ghost repeating the conversation he had with his murderer. Others heard the sounds of one or two men laughing and crying.
Siesta Motel guests also noticed that things often went missing. They could leave an item on the bed, go to the bathroom, and return to find it gone. Everything from keys and wallets to shampoo and soap disappeared. A few guests even called the office to complain about hearing a fight in another room complete with doors slamming to learn no one else heard a thing.
The Siesta Motel is on US 22-40 in Norwich. While you can drive by to see the old sign and motel, always be respectful of those who still live there.
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