The ghosts are . Find museums in Altoona, PA, Culmerville Hotel - Zottola's Pub and Eatery, National Emergency Training Center - St. Joseph's College. Looking for even more abandoned places to explore in Pennsylvania that wont have you running from the law? If so, be sure tolike and followPA Bucket List on Facebook, Instagram, and/or Pinterest tostay up-to-dateon my latest write-ups aboutthe best things to see and do in Pennsylvania! During the American Revolution it was used as a prisoner of war camp for soldiers surrendered at Yorktown. While some of the auxiliary wings were torn down when converting the site into a prison, much of the structure still stands today. The 1739 house is thought to be haunted by 2 families: The Hammonds, who lived here in the 1840s, and the Civil War-era Downins. Never saw a ghost. This old hotel, established in 1797, is haunted by Rachel, among other spirits. Ghosts here include a woman who haunts the kitchen (especially the walk-in cooler). SCI Cresson closed June 30, 2013, with the State citing the antiquity of the prison and rising costs of maintaining it as the primary reasons for the closure. All rights reserved. While you cant go into the furnaces, an elevated walkway allows visitors to get a close up look at these blast furnaces and peer inside their rusty confines. This site has a 100-year history as a tuberculosis sanatorium, a mental hospital, and a modern prison, meaning that you can explore everything from an old psychiatric ward to modern cell blocks. While hiking the trails here, dont miss the nearby historic dam and covered bridge along Valley Creek. The homes were lived in continuously until just a few years ago. This 1797 inn was named because the original innkeeper, Peter Marck, would only accept cash as payment. Since the mine was closed with the plan of reopening, much of the original mine equipment is still present. Unfortunately, this spot is surrounded by a chainlink fence, so youll have to view it from a distance, but its still a really neat spot to visit. Given the inexpensive cost of visiting and the different event types, theres a bit of something for anyone that loves historic and abandoned sites, and Id be lying if I said that this wasnt one of the coolest places Ive explored in a long time. The uncovered testimony of a teenage girl claims the ghost of Isaac Mishler haunts historic Altoona's Mishler Theatre. Pennhurst State School in Spring City. flickr/patrick dirden. Today, this approximately 200-foot arch looks in amazingly good condition and looks no worse for wear despite being over a century old. I was young and didnt think anything about it. It was used as part of nuclear power experiments until the late 1950s. Naval officerRobert Peary, a Cresson native credited with beingthe first explorer to reach the North Pole. Follows the old railroad bed. Today, this once-bustling borough is reduced to fewer than 10 residents. The tunnel is in complete disrepair and flooded and is dangerous to walk through but can be seen through. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. HauntedPlaces.org makes no claims that any of the statements posted here are factually accurate. The Westinghouse Atom Smasher can be found laying on its side in a residential neighborhood east of downtown Pittsburgh. The town raised money to demolish it which is devastating. Have you been to Brownsville? 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While access is not permitted, its still possible to see the remnants of the bunkers from above ground and to peer into a few holes to catch a glimpse of these historic structures. However, when traffic necessitated upgrades to the roadway, this section of road and its two tunnels were bypassed. The 13-mile stretch, shut down and abandoned in the 1960s, features two tunnels - Rays Hill Tunnel and Sideling Hill Tunnel. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. These bunkers were built to house explosive munitions as part of the Susquehanna Ordnance Depot. Farther away from altoona. After this second failure, Austin Dam was abandoned and left to crumble. It's illegal to trespass on private property, and most public property is closed from dawn to dusk. At the end of the tunnel, youll find a spectacular view overlooking the Lehigh River. Jim Cheney is the creator of UncoveringPA.com. I have said in a post on another forum that if the couple killed were prominant, there should have been newspaper stories, exact dates, etc. After the war, it became a church camp until the early 1970s. I am very well acquainted with George Gummo Sr, a former Rockview Gaurd.. Help spread the word. This site has a 100-year history as a tuberculosis sanatorium, a mental hospital, and a modern prison, meaning that you can explore everything from an old psychiatric ward to modern cell blocks. Voice your opinion here! Frightened, the two desperately finally managed to close the Locals tell a harrowing story of something that may happen near here: A strange fog gathers quickly, and from out of the mysterious fog comes a ghostly battle. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! What about Buck Hill Falls Inn? The status of visitors being allowed is unknown, but I assume that it is currently closed to exploration. Discover Castle Halloween Museum in Altoona, Pennsylvania: Journey through a collection of over 35,000 Halloween items from all generations. (Note: While to the best of our knowledge you can legally visit these abandoned places at the time of publication, access can always change. Today, this perfectly preserved shop looks just as it did when it closed 60 years ago and offers the chance to see what a mid-century machine shop would have been like. Information can be found further down in this article on how to legally visit this abandoned prison, but know that visitors are allowed with permission and prices are reasonable, so please dont trespass on this site. Legend has it Rosa Carmichael is said to be the spirit who haunts this museum. This drinking fountain in one of the older cell blocks once quenched the thirst of the medium-security prisoners housed here. Visitors to this site have reported hearing the harrowing sounds of battle, although nothing appears to be happening on the quiet field. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. (Submitted by Chris Berglund). The vaudeville venue built in 1913 is the home of a ghostly former manager. Report an Abandoned Vehicle . my mother was born there A hidden piece of Altoona's railroad history in a long-forgotten abandoned town. We were permitted to tour the place all alone. It continued to house inmates until closing in 2013 due to the cost of maintaining the aging facility. This historic Civil War National Park battlefield from 1862, where many lives were lost, is said to be haunted by the ghosts of soldiers and the sounds of phantom gunfire and shouts, drum beats and war songs. Fortunately, however, the current owner is trying to refurbish the homes and turn them into a period homestay. That was torn down a few years ago, but it was never open to the public to explore when it still existed. The dam was later rebuilt, but failed again in 1942. Its part of the deadmans hollow trail and the town has a great set up with a park sports fields and boat drop in area. The most popular spot at Centralia was Graffiti Highway, but this spot was sadly destroyed recently by the property owner. No matter where you look, youll see plenty of razor wire and chain link fences. I cant wait to explore this place!!!! Northeastern Pennsylvania has a rich anthracite coal mining history, and nowhere is that better seen than on a tour of the Lackawanna Coal Mine in Scranton. Many "ghost hunters" have been arrested because they failed to contact property owners and/or local authorities ahead of time. While the property is typically closed to the public, the owner often lets visitors roam around with prior permission. Gallitzin, PA (7.2 mi.) For over 100 years, trains used this viaduct to cross the valley more than 300 feet below. You're awesome for doing it! As I mentioned, it is possible to visit SCI Cresson State Prison with permission from the owners. Today, it sits abandoned in the woods just waiting for people to come and explore it. You can walk around campus in the daytime: https://pennhurstasylum.ticketleap.com/daytime-photography-tour/details. Some of the older housing units are three stories high, while the more modern ones are only two stories high. In a side room, weight equipment can still be found in several spots. Experienced some spirit-oriented episodes there. It is believed to be haunted. The Turn Hole Railroad Tunnel in Lehigh Gorge Jim Thorpe The main floor is primarily comprised of jail cells that may have held some of the lower-level prisoners at the facility. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). There is a wedding dress in a glass case that is said to move on it's own, especially around Halloween and full moons. His presentation is quirky but his history and stories are kinda what you are looking for. Fortunately this time, no one was killed. Despite this, driving on the public roads through town, however, is still fascinating. Also, a soldier's apparition has been spotted on the park grounds. Fortunately, thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers, Mount Moriah Cemetery is returning to its former glory. The devils elbow is where the White Lady of Wopsy Mountain supposedly died, When would be the best time to see her im also looking for any haunted cemeteries around Altoona, Its definitely not called horseshoe curve its one way to snow shoe. The Limestone Trail crosses a park road, and then Mary Ann's Creek, before starting upstream along the old railroad bed. Today, the homes sit hidden in the woods on land owned by the city. These disused steel furnaces are now haunting ruins that may one day be a national park. While this space was in a bit rougher condition than the cell blocks, it was still interesting to stand inside and imagine what it was like for those that worked here less than a decade prior to my visit. Chest Springs, PA (8.1 mi.) Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. However, the mine never again reopened as an active coal mine. While Ive only visited for the self-guided tours, this seems like a great location for both. If you can ignore the fences and razor wire, its not hard to imagine yourself on the grounds of a grand English manor in the countryside, at least among the Tudor-style buildings. This inn, housed in a 1897 building, has been visited by strange noises, residual smells, and a ghost named Flossie who is said to have died in the house in the 1920s. In 1903, the university was founded, but Wiestling is said to remain. The site of one of the most pivotal battles in the Civil War is never in short supply of any ghost stories and haunted places. To be honest, very little is known about the origins of this ruin, but its still a lot of fun to explore the stone shell of this building. Buildings that dynamite couldn't bring down were abandoned because of bathroom issues. In the 1950s, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation obtained 51,000 acres of land in this remote area of Pennsylvania. In addition to SCI Cressons historic buildings, the site is also home to several modern cell blocks. If you visit, be sure to check out the exquisite small details like this rear door to the chapel. Id love to be a guide there. I am retired from Rockview Prison. Some stories say she is a hitchhiker ghost or that she stops young men to see if they are her husband. In truth, I could keep going on and on discussing the many cool things I found while exploring the abandoned SCI Cresson. A weight room off the side of the gymnasium is a throwback to the 80s, when multi-station weight machines became all the rage. Many legends surround the place, including that a gardener set the fire to cover his tracks after raping and killing many students. The future site of SCI Cresson began life as the Cresson Tuberculosis Sanatorium. Petroleum Centre is another oil-boom community that once thrived in northwestern Pennsylvania. In later years it was a girl scout camp. It was originally a military post that began in the 1700s. Seeing this piece of history is well worth the cost of the tour. Now SCI Cresson sits mostly abandoned on a parcel of land just off of Route 22 between Altoona and Ebensburg. Anyone have any pictures of White Swan Park which was near the Pittsburgh airport ? On a related note, a tripod is definitely needed if you plan to do a lot of photography during your visit. Richfield, CA 96021, USA. Oil Creek State Park is known as the Valley that Changed the World and was the site of the worlds first commercial oil well. Turned out Rockview had the CERT team there. Eastern State Penitentiaryin Philadelphia wasthe most famous and expensive prison in the worldwhen it opened in 1829. Most drivers likely wouldnt give a second thought to driving through the Horseshoe Curve Tunnel. This mine opened in 1860 and was actively mined until 1966. Here are a few of my favorite ruins and abandoned places in Pennsylvania you can legally visit. Off we go to uncover the tales behind three of the most haunted spots in Altoona. There are two access points for the turnpike: one near Breezewood and one in Fulton County. Other points of interest are scattered throughout the park, and its nearly impossible to hike a trail without seeing old, rusting oil equipment sitting in the forest. In fact, I didnt even talk about the other historic buildings and the many exterior sights. This freedom gives you the chance to enter nearly all of the structures and to find the spots that interest you the most. This shop was built in 1900 to repair boats along the nearby Monongahela River, but soon shifted its focus to railroad equipment and just about anything mechanical that needed fixing in town. On the second floor, youll find offices for workers at the prison. In 1987, the first prisoners arrived at what was then called SCI Cresson or Cresson State Prison. I enjoyed seeing the contrast of wildflowers juxtaposed against those fences and razor wire throughout the complex. Google gives you the tourist attractions, but theres a ton of more locally known places not widely known. The natives outnumbered the rangers some five to one and the Rangers eventually surrendered. I later did some research, and nobody seems to know the names, dates or any specific info. Many old presidents visited there.I worked as a waitress there 1959- 1963. Jim Cheney is the creator of UncoveringPA.com. Experiencing Raystown Lake Witout a Boat - You don't need a boat to explore Pennsylvania largest lake. Off we go to uncover the tales behind three of the most haunted spots in Altoona. When it was completed in 1882, the Kinzua Bridge was the largest and tallest bridge in the world. It is reported that two administrators had an experience with an elevator to another dimension. The sanatoriums buildings were lavishly designed with European touches including a Tudor Revival design, gargoyles atop the tower, and Scottish crests carved into the sandstone structure, a nod to Carnegie. Ironton Rail Trail Abandoned PA Turnpike This demolished goliath of American industry once loomed over the depressed town it once made thrive. I was amazed to see medical equipment still present in some of the rooms, which really made it an interesting space to explore. In fact, much of the equipment looked like you could just dust it off and start working out. Layer by Layer: A Mexico City Culinary Adventure, Sacred Granaries, Kasbahs and Feasts in Morocco, Monster of the Month: The Hopkinsville Goblins, How to Grow a Dye Garden With Aaron Sanders Head, Paper Botanicals With Kate Croghan Alarcn, Writing the Food Memoir: A Workshop With Gina Rae La Cerva, Reading the Urban Landscape With Annie Novak, Making Scents: Experimental Perfumery With Saskia Wilson-Brown, Secret Nun Cookies at Monasterio del Corpus Christi, Wonder Is Everywhere: Civil War Gold, a New Moai, and More From Around the Web, The Woman Preserving the Endangered Cuisine of Indian Jews, How a Lone Researcher Faced Down Millions of Army Ants on the March in Ecuador. The Bethlehem Steel Stacks in the Lehigh Valley are one of the most impressive abandoned places in Pennsylvania. Often seen on the second floor is the ghost of an African-American man who wears 1800s clothing. Austin Dam is located in rural Potter County, Pennsylvania. Springwater still runs through this building, creating one of the most unique abandoned places in PA. Perhaps the largest abandoned spot in Pennsylvania is an abandoned stretch of PA Turnpike. On this visit I got to check out the tunnels that run BENEATH the complex. Rest Haven in Schuylkill Haven. TheWorld-Famous Horseshoe Curvewas considered one of theengineering wonders of the worldat the time of its completion in1854. (Note: While to the best of our knowledge you can legally these abandoned places at the time of publication, access can always change. While its not as large as the basketball court in the main gym, its still in pretty good shape and still had the baskets hanging at either end of the court. Advanced reservations are required. It was abandoned for decades until the national park service opened it as a historical site. Between these two Tudor Revival buildings, make sure to find Grace Chapel. Their episode was .wait for itMoundsville State Prison. Its off Rt 227 there is a sign there for it. It is behind a f cow pasture. 2023 Rusty Glessner Photography, LLC / PA Bucket List. Closed for years. Legend has it that a ghost saved this 1730s historic inn from being destroyed by fire. Spent summers on a horse farm with no electric and it gets darker than u can imagine. There are actually two tunnels in that same area just a few miles apart. Fortunately, a group of local residents decided to open this abandoned mine to tours in 1962. Rockland Furnace dates to 1832 and was in operation until 1854. A ghostly white figure of a woman was in the back right seat we all seen her. Corrections officers kept an eye on the cell block from behind reinforced glass windows. During my exploration, I was able to, I believe, enter into every unlocked building, and each structure had interesting spaces to explore, though some obviously were more interesting than others. Lock Ridge furnace in Alburtis Pa. I know of Horseshoe Curve Tunnel and the abandoned turnpike, but are there any scary/ haunted places known locally thats legal to explore at night? A spirit is said to reside in the former Culmervilel Hotel, now Zottola's Pub and Eatery. Located along the Armstrong Trail, a 35-mile rail trail in Armstrong County, PA, youll find the Redbank Coaling Tower. It was torn down to make way for an expressway. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Would like to see a photo of the old carbon county switch back and trail it was used for. In the late 1800s, the area around Oil Creek was home to tens of thousands of prospectors hoping to strike it rich. While many are welded shut, a few are open. I go through here constantly. Frank is the most popular spirit in the museum but not the only ghost whos said to live there. Ashville, PA (4.9 mi.) The National Emergency Training Center was once St. Joseph's College, which until 1973 was a Catholic girls' school established in 1809. 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