If you enjoy the macabre and creepy, Pennsylvania offers a wealth of eerie attractions. Here are ten things you should see for a spine-tingling experience:
1. Farnsworth House Inn (Gettysburg)
This historic bed-and-breakfast served as a Confederate sharpshooters’ shelter and makeshift hospital during the Civil War. Today, it’s famous for its ghost hunts and guided cemetery walks, making it one of the most haunted places in the U.S.
2. Old Jail Museum (Jim Thorpe)
The site of the execution of seven members of the Molly Maguires, this jail features a mysterious handprint left by a condemned man—still visible despite repeated cleanings and coatings.
3. Hill View Manor (New Castle)
Once a home for the elderly, mentally ill, and destitute, Hill View Manor is now a hotspot for paranormal activity, with reports of voices, footsteps, and ghostly apparitions, including a young boy named Jeffery.
4. Eastern State Penitentiary (Philadelphia)
This former prison is a National Historic Landmark and is said to be haunted by the spirits of former inmates, making it one of America’s most haunted prisons.
5. Pennhurst Asylum (Spring City)
Once a state school for the mentally and physically disabled, Pennhurst is now a renowned haunted attraction featuring haunted house tours, a dungeon of lost souls, and a tunnel of terror.
6. Seven Gates of Hell (York)
According to local legend, this desolate site was once an asylum that burned down. Passing through all seven gates is said to doom you to hell—visitors report ghostly figures and disembodied voices.
7. Gettysburg National Military Park (Gettysburg)
The site of the Civil War’s bloodiest battle, Gettysburg is famous for paranormal activity, including phantom drumming, musket fire, and ghostly soldiers at Devil’s Den and Little Round Top.
8. Field of Screams (Mountville)
This high-intensity haunted attraction offers a haunted hayride, a three-story haunted house, and a nocturnal wasteland trail filled with ghosts and ghouls.
9. Cathedral of Learning – Early American Room (Pittsburgh)
The University of Pittsburgh’s iconic tower features a room known for mysterious activity, including shifting furniture, cold spots, and randomly flaring candles.
10. Shades of Death Trail (Luzerne County)
Despite its ominous name, this trail is a scenic hiking route with a creepy backstory—rumors of hauntings and mysterious disappearances add to its spooky allure.
These destinations each offer a unique blend of history, legend, and the supernatural, perfect for anyone fascinated by the macabre and creepy.
Sources:
- https://www.visitpa.com/article/haunted-places-pennsylvania
- https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-events/haunted-places-in-pennsylvania.htm
- https://traveltriangle.com/blog/haunted-places-in-pennsylvania/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reportedly_haunted_locations_in_Pennsylvania