Edgar Allen Poe's Visit to Central Pennsylvania

Eutaw House

Near State College Pennsylvania, there is a former restaurant with a lot of history behind it called the Eutaw House. The Eutaw House has been in existence for over two centuries. General James Potter, who was notably an aide to George Washington during the American Revolution, originally owned the ground where the building sits today. After Gen. Potter’s death, his children built a log cabin on his property. Later the log cabin would become the Eutaw House and go through a few more renovations. During its early years, the house served as a major inn for early pioneers and travelers. The house was named after the local Eutaw Indian tribe.

            As anyone could imagine with the Eutaw House being around for a few centuries, it has gathered some ghost stories through the years. Ghostly shapes have been seen in mirrors throughout the building. In the kitchen and restaurant, trays and plates have been known to flip over or fall off tables. Patrons and employees have seen apparitions and shadows move in the hallways and rooms. One story tells of a prisoner being shot or hung in the attic during the 1800s and a different story says that it was a tree at the corner of the property. During one of the early Indian raids on the Eutaw house, one Indian is said to have been hung on the large old tree. Hearing a rope “thud” or creaking noise has been reported near the tree to this day.

            Even with all the ghostly happenings at the Eutaw House, its most interesting story is the speculation that Edgar Allen Poe had once stayed the night at the Inn. Some early folklorists have written that Edgar Allen Poe had once visited the Centre County area and was even inspired to write a few stories such as the Raven during his travels through Central Pennsylvania. The only evidence that leads some credibility is the initial “EAP” that are carved into one of the oldest tables in the Eutaw House. Historians today doubt the legend of Poe’s journey to Centre County, but it makes for a good story nonetheless.

As for now the Eutaw House remains vacant without any intention to remodel or reopen. This landmark sits in Potters Mills at the intersection of Route 322 and Route 144. The house is still privately owned so please do not trespass.

Baughman's Cemetery

Flag and Tree in the Cemetery Center

      I would first like to say, for such a small cemetery this place has acquired a huge reputation. From research I have heard this site even called one of the 'top haunted cemeteries in the United States'. I believe reputation and word of mouth has made this location more of a tall tale; however some truth may lie in the claims.

Driving into Baughman's Cemetery

      Heading north from Tyrone, Pennsylvania on Old Route 220, I made a left turn onto Van Scoyoc Road. Approximately a quarter-mile ahead I kept left onto Baughman Cemetery Rd. I was now driving down an old gravel lane leading up the hill to the cemetery. The site is laid out in a circular fashion with a huge evergreen tree in the center. A small grounds-keeper shed sits in one of the far corners of the old plots.

Old Maintenance Shed

      So why is this place supposedly one of the most haunted locations in the U.S? Frist, there is a story of a person who hung him self in the treeline left of the entrance. The person's spirit is said to be seen hanging when the moon is out to light the woods. A phantom horse is also seen running briskly through the grave yard. Another claim is of ghost children playing and placing their hand prints on curious people's dirty or snow covered vehicles. The childlike spirits have also been known to play a game of Hide and Seek with willing ghost hunters at night.

Trees where spirits play games

      Having been to this area dozens of times in daylight and moonlight, I have had very few and unexplained occurrences happen to me. At night the cemetery does give you an eerie feeling, more so than other cemeteries I have visited at night. Even with very little evidence of a haunting, the stories in the community and internet continue to feed the eager ears of believers who want to get a glimpse of this 'famous' location.

Unique PA Festivals - Harts Log Day

   

     In the small town of Alexandria, Pennsylvania, a festival takes place annually on the 2^nd Saturday in October. The festival in many ways is similar to other autumn festivals in Pennsylvania. However, the history behind the town and the festival's name is unique.

      In the 1740's, an Indian trader named John Hart set up his trading post near present day Alexandria. Hart would use a hollowed-out log at his post to feed his horses while making trades. Through the years, the log he used became a landmark for early pioneers and was later referred to as Hartslog Settlement. In 1755, Hartslog Settlement and 400+ acres were bought by James Sterrat and in 1793, the town of present day Alexandria was laid out into blocks.

      Today the people of Alexandria continue to celebrate their heritage and autumn with the Hartslog Day Festival. Many hand-made crafts and venders line the main street through the town. Parking is free and available at both east and west entrances if you arrival early enough to get a spot. Local churches, organizations, fire companies, and other venders have great food throughout the festival. One local church even offers breakfast if you get their early in the morning. The festival is usually over sometime around 5-o-clock in the afternoon and is only a one days event. Alexandria is located just a short distance west of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.

The Old Torrance State Hospital

Graff Building

     A few of my favorite places to investigate are the old sanatoriums and state hospitals in Pennsylvania. My first ghost hunt actually took place at on of the hospitals known the Torrance State Hospital. The hospital was originally built-in the early 1900’s due to the increase need for care of the mentally ill. Torrance Hospital started with a few patients that were transferred from the Danville Hospital and patient census continued to grow to over 3000 by the 1960s. After understanding and treatment for mental illness improved, deinstitutionalization came into effect in the late 1960’s and early 1970s. The move was to provide quick stabilization of mental illness and offer community and outpatient care. Now only a few hundred patients are currently admitted to Torrance State Hospital. Over the years some of the older builds had been torn down or abandon and a new hospital was built. Some of the old buildings remained used but primarily for storage.

First Floor

     As for the hauntings associated with the Old Torrance Hospital, they mainly circulate around the Graff Building/Cottage. The Graff building provided a place for staff to reside, did some patient intake, and housed the print shop. The Graff building is often referred to as the staff quarters and is where many people go to get a glimpse of the afterlife. This site is directly across from the Army Reserves station in Torrance and a short distance down the road from the current Torrance Hospital campus. The Graff Building has been privately owned for years. Years ago the past owner allowed WW2 reenactments to take place on the property and was lenient with people who investigated the building. However, for the past several years the current owner has taken a stand against people trespassing. The grounds have been cleaned up and many of the tress have been removed that people used as cover to get into the building. The owner has now installed a waist-high fence and reportedly motion sensors.

Basement Hallway

     The Graff building has many claims of haunts. Some believe the souls of people are restless because of the primitive therapies used on them that included Electroshock therapy, Hydrotherapy, and even Lobotomies. Some reports that people were even placed in locked rooms without windows or lights, or restrained for long periods of time. Wittiness of the paranormal activity report seeing lights in windows, mist figures and shadow apparitions. Noises of disembodied voices, crying, and doors slammed have been heard. People have also reportedly been hit by gurneys, feeling cold and warm spots, getting grabbed at the ankle, and feeling suddenly weak and unable to move their arms or legs. The epicenter of the activity seems to take place in the basement in the boiler room. The first floor and basement are easily navigated. The 2^nd floor of the Graff Building is falling apart with the ceiling caving in at areas.

Boiler

     Besides the Graff Building, other areas of the Hospital have claims of a haunting as well. Former residents have been seen roaming the halls and property. Elevators have been known to open and close by themselves. An old woman is said to haunt one of the private rooms. The old tunnels that once connected the buildings are also claimed to be haunted.

   
    The Old Torrance State Hospital is still in operation and cares for patients while the Graff building is on private property. Neither of these locations should be visited without proper authority and permission. To get to this location, from Blairsville, PA take 217 south and make a left hand turn at the abandon gas station onto Torrance Road. Approximately after one mile the old Graff building will be on the right-hand side and the Torrance Hospital Campus will be on the left-hand side a short distance up the road.

Boiler Room

Lost Resting Places: Sheridan Cemetery

Sheridan School & Cemetery

View from Morgans Road

     In Huntingdon County, on the eastern side of Raystown Lake, there is a small cemetery that is overgrown with weeds and disheveled. Alongside the cemetery is a brick building that is also in need of some repairs. With a lot of research I could not find out much about this building or cemetery. The graveyard is known as Sheridan Cemetery but the building is called a school. I found it odd that a school would be next to a cemetery and believe it must have been a church at sometime and made into a school or vise versa.

 

            The cemetery has about twenty head stones dating from the mid 1800’s to the early 1900’s. Most of the stones are overgrown with plants and flowers that had been left there long ago. The cemetery and building sit alongside Morgans Road north of the intersection of Chilcote’s and Morgan’s Road. Please be respectful of the site if you wish to visit.

Dick Schoolhouse

     South of the borough of Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania sits a nearly two century year-old building known as the Dick Schoolhouse. The schoolhouse was built in the 1830’s by early pioneers of the area. The name of the school came from it being located on land owned by Daniel Dick. It continued to be a house of education for locals until the 1860s. After that, it served as a house of worship for a short time until becoming a private residence and then later abandoned. In 1920 the schoolhouse and property was bought by the Blair County Historical Society and is still owned by them today. In recent years community members and the historical society have provided the building with new roof. Talk has also been made to restore the inside of the school as well. The Dick Schoolhouse sites on the corner of Route 867 and Dick Schoolhouse Road. 

Inside View

Benjamin Franklin Jones Cottage

Street View

     The small town of Cresson, Pennsylvania was once the rural escape for the tycoons of the railroad and iron industries in the early Twentieth-century. Originally Cresson was named Cresson Springs and known for the Mountainhouse resort. The appeal of the fresh county air and the resort attracted many wealthy individuals for a few years until the Mountainhouse resort was demolished. Some of the visitors of the resort loved the location so much they built summer homes in the area including Charles Schwab, Andrew Carnegie, and Benjamin F. Jones.

     The Benjamin F. Jones cottage was built in 1888 in the Queen Anne style. The Carnegie cottage at one time sat beside the Jones cottage and the two cottages had become confused with each other over the years in history and references. Currently the Jones cottage is trying to be saved by private and community efforts ever since the township marked it as unsafe and an eye sore. The Benjamin Franklin Jones cottage sits on 3rd street in Cresson. From the intersection of Route 53 and the Admiral Perry Highway head East on Admiral Perry Highway and make a right on 3rd street.