Dr. Mark Farley's Personal Blog

One of the biggest Lemp urban legends concerns the Cherokee Caves.  Ever since I learned about the Lemp Mansion, people have told me it's connected to the Cherokee Caves and that William Lemp Sr. used the caves daily to travel between the mansion and the brewery.

Sitting on top of the highest point in Bellefontaine Cemetery is the Lemp Family’s Mausoleum.  Built in 1902 for the staggering cost of $60,000, equivalent to over $2.1 million today.  The Lemp Family Mausoleum is the largest in Bellefontaine Cemetery, with a total capacity of thirty-two internments, of which eighteen are currently occupied.  

The Lemp Brewery ceased beer production in 1920 due to the enactment of Prohibition. The gates were chained, and the buildings lay dark and silent for the first time in their history. In 1921, William Lemp Jr sold the rights and the recipe of Falstaff Beer to Papa Griesedieck, owner of the Consumer Brewery, for $20,000. The sale of Falstaff Beer was the final coffin nail for the Lemp Brewery, ensuring that beer would never again be brewed at the complex.

Many people in the paranormal community believe these shadow figures are evil, mostly because of their color. In many metaphysical beliefs, black is linked to evil.

Four stories under the Lemp Brewery lies the forgotten Lemp Family Theater. The Lemp Family built a small theater in the Cherokee Caves, complete with backdrops, a stage, and lighting.