This article appeared in the (Xenia) Daily Gazette Thursday, May 18, 1967. This incident apparently led to the permanent closing of what is sometimes referred to as the “Witches’ Tower” or “Frankenstein’s Castle” located at Hills and Dales Park.

Bellbrook Girl Thought Killed by Lightning Bolt

            BELLBROOK — A 16-year-old Bellbrook High School sophomore was instantly killed and her 17-year-old male companion, a junior at the school, seriously burned, apparently victims of a bolt of lightning during a severe electrical storm Wednesday night in Kettering.

            Kettering Police identified the dead girl as Peggy Ann Harmeson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Harmeson Jr. of 4243 Whites Dr. The injured boy is Ronald Kevin Stevens, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Stevens of 4125 Nedra Dr.

            He was listed in fair condition this morning at Kettering Memorial Hospital where he is receiving treatment for burns.

            Kettering Police said they received a report at 8:03 p.m. that someone was injured at the Lookout tower in Hills and Dales Park. The tower stands high on a wooded hill on the east side of Patterson Blvd. in the southeast end of the park and is used for observation.

            Police found the Stevens boy lying at the foot of the stairs. He had been burned on his chest and face. The Harmeson girl was found nine steps up the tower dead. She had been burned extensively on the face and chest area, police said.

            "The best we can tell is sometime around 7:30 there was a bad lightning storm here and apparently a bolt of lightning hit the tower. A ball of fire may have hit at the door and rolled up the stairs. They were no doubt on their way down and she was in front and got the full force,"

police said.

            Police said the tower is made of stone. There is a metal gate on the front.

            Apparently the couple was out driving, decided to visit the observation tower and were caught in the storm. Police said they were not sure of all the details because the boy had not been able to remember exactly what happened.

            "The boy was pretty incoherent. He didn't know anything. He thought he had gone home," police said.

            The Montgomery County coroner's office said this morning that it had not yet ruled on the cause of death. However, Kettering Police said it no doubt would be ruled accidental death by lightning.

            REQUIEM MASS for Miss Harmeson will be held Saturday morning at Church of the Incarnation, Centerville, with Rev. Raymond C. Kallaher in charge. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Dayton. Friends may call at the R.L. Ullmer & Son Kettering Chapel, 4100 Benfield Dr., Friday from 3 to" 5 and 7 to 9 p.m.

            She is survived by her parents; her paternal grandmother, Mrs. Blanche Harmeson of Dayton; two sisters, Nancy Kay and Susan Marie, and two brothers, Mark Timothy and Stephen Roy.

            She was active in the Girl Scouts and was a member of Senior Troop 771 of Bellbrook.