Built in 1850, 511 York Street in Newport, Ky, has been the home of Otto Printing since 1918. Those working in the building claim to hear someone walking around, seeing shadows and apparitions, and hearing what sounds like someone whistling. They also say there’s a spirit there that plays with a small ball they keep on hand. Doing a web search on the property doesn’t turn up much, mostly just info about the business itself, so the alleged haunting here isn’t widely known. It is, however, one of the stops on the Newport is Haunted tour, so the story is starting to grow.

Back in 2009, we had the opportunity to spend the night at Otto Printing and check it out ourselves. While it is a working business, the unused parts of the building were in pretty bad shape, and it was hot as hell. We were there with NKYPS, some guys from the Newport is Haunted Tour, and a couple of people from the Cincinnati Enquirer…so in other words, too many damn people in an old, hot building. At some point in the night, we start to hear someone whistling….just like the workers claim to have heard. I was pretty impressed! We checked in with everyone, and verified it wasn’t any of them, and began to follow the sound. We tracked it to a room on the second floor…near the wall…and the old window. Turns out to be some drunk guy outside whistling for his dog…son of a bitch! So no, no whistling ghosts, but it was pretty funny at the time.

Directions:

Take I-71 south to I-471 south, then take Newport exit 5. Merge onto Park Ave, then left onto Dave Cowens Dr. From there, take the first left onto Washington Ave, then right on E 3rd St, then left on 3rd St, and finally left onto York St.