Erica Levi-Zelinger 2017-11-16 15:56:03
Scream season arrives each autumn here in Pennsylvania, masked in stage makeup, fog machines, and special effects. You may enjoy it so much you won’t want to leave — and neither do the spirits lingering at some of our favorite hometown haunts. Follow the lingering life forces at these year-round attractions where you can experience the spookier side of Pennsylvania’s history. Take Mark Nesbitt’s Ghosts of Gettysburg Candlelight Walking Tours, and hear the tales of soldiers who still wander the battlefield or the story of the Blue Boy, whose shadowy blue figure hovers outside a dorm at Gettysburg College. There’s always Terror Behind the Walls each autumn at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, but the prison — known for housing notorious criminals including the gangster Al Capone — is also said to be home to ghosts of former inmates, whose voices echo from the cell blocks. Order the broiled crab cake sandwich at Jean Bonnet Tavern in Bedford, but be forewarned: this circa- 1760s restaurant and hotel has been reported to have supernatural presences. The gritty decay of Pennhurst Asylum in Spring City is enough to frighten, but a visit to the dormitory, untouched since the hospital closed in 1987, might just score you an interaction with the spirits of former patients. Special scares await on fall weekends. You’ll want to break out of The Old Jail Museum in Jim Thorpe, where Irish coal miners known as the “Molly Maguires” were hanged on the gallows during the 1800s. A mysterious handprint on the wall will have you wondering what spirits lurk in the cells. THE GRAND TOUR Let someone else do the planning with a guided tour. Soak up the scenery and the stories of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon while riding a horse-drawn covered wagon on the Pine Creek Rail Trail with Old Covered Wagon Tours in Wellsboro. Book a Strasburg Scooters tour in Strasburg to ride in hip, modern fashion along 35 miles of Amish country backroads to see Lancaster County’s oldest romantic covered bridges. A Philly Phables Walking Tour in Philadelphia starts at Benjamin Franklin’s grave in Christ Church Burial Ground and tells the story of the Founding Fathers and the nation’s birthplace while visiting landmarks including Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Carpenter’s Hall, and the Betsy Ross House. Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation offers free one-hour guided walking tours at 10 a.m. on Fridays, exploring a different district each month (May to October).
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